Nintendo's significant overhaul of Donkey Kong's design, initially glimpsed in the Mario Kart 9 gameplay shown during the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal, is now confirmed through new merchandise. For years, Donkey Kong's appearance remained consistent across titles like Mario Kart 8, Mario Tennis, and Donkey Kong Country Returns. However, Nintendo is embracing a new aesthetic, reminiscent of the character's design in The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
While the video game redesign was only previously seen in Mario Kart 9, a range of Donkey Kong merchandise featuring this updated look has surfaced, as highlighted by Reddit user cookiemaster221 on Nintendo Life. The new design presents a friendlier Donkey Kong, notably softening his previously furrowed brow. Online commentary ranges from comparisons to Kirby's design ("giving him the Kirby treatment, but backwards," noted one user) to expressions of both nostalgia for the classic look and acceptance of the new, more "goofy" and less "angry" portrayal.
The merchandise offers a more detailed view of the redesign than the brief, somewhat unclear appearances in the Mario Kart 9 trailer. A more comprehensive look at the new Donkey Kong in action is expected in April during a Nintendo Direct focused on the Switch 2.
This Switch 2 reveal trailer, while primarily showcasing the console's design, also offered glimpses of its features: backwards compatibility, new Joy-Con buttons, and confirmation of controller-as-mouse functionality.
