Nintendo Resurrects Two Classic Characters For Donkey Kong: Bananza DLC

Donkey Kong 64 fans celebrate! Nintendo volition wage tribute to a brace of classical N64 characters via an upcoming Donkey Kong Bananza Emerald Rush DLC challenge.

After years near successful the wilderness, some Chunky Kong and Lanky Kong volition instrumentality successful the DLC arsenic "exclusive in-game statues", Nintendo has contiguous confirmed, arsenic portion of the upcoming So Strong It's Funny in-game challenge.

The event, acceptable to tally from November 25 to December 2, volition beryllium acceptable connected the game's Hilltop Layer. As of yet, there's nary connection connected precisely however whitethorn points players volition request to rack up to gain these latest cosmetic items utilized to decorate DK Island.

They're yet here! It's Lanky Kong and Chunky Kong.

Regardless, semipermanent Kong fans are simply celebrating the information that Nintendo has referenced these long-lost characters astatine all, aft lone a fistful of glimpses implicit the past fewer decades.

Brawny but gentle Chunky Kong (cousin of Dixie Kong) has lone made 3 video crippled appearances since his 1999 debut successful Donkey Kong 64. He cameos successful a Donkey Kong Country 3 mini-game connected Game Boy Advance, past pops up arsenic a sticker and tone successful Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Ultimate.

Eagle-eyed fans besides spotted a split-second quality by Chunky Kong successful The Super Mario Bros. Movie, lasting alongside an equally-brief quality for Diddy and Dixie — though you'll request to intermission the movie to truly cognize it's him.

Fans had hoped that this appearance, and the information Nintendo had gone to the occupation of somewhat tweaking his design, suggested much appearances for Chunky Kong successful future. And indeed, Bananza's upcoming statue seems to diagnostic this aforesaid slightly-tweaked look. Could we spot much of him successful the upcoming Super Mario Galaxy Movie, oregon possibly adjacent that long-rumored upcoming Donkey Kong movie spin-off? Time volition tell.

The long-armed Lanky Kong, meanwhile, is likewise little-seen. He didn't get a Super Mario Bros. Movie cameo, but did look arsenic an unlockable quality successful 2007 Wii racer Donkey Kong: Barrel Blast. Could we beryllium seeing much of him successful the aboriginal too?

If you haven't picked it up already, Bananza's DLC is stuffed afloat of references to Donkey Kong 64 and different past classics, with appearances from Diddy, Dixie, Cranky, Squawks the parrot from Donkey Kong Country and DK's location from Donkey Kong Country Returns. Other Kongs referenced (but not seen) see a poster for Candy Kong (don't ask) and a brace of Donkey Konga bongo drums to bounce astir connected apical of.

So now, who's adjacent for a return?

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You tin scope Tom astatine [email protected] oregon find him connected Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social