The release of theNintendo Switch 2could be the perfect opportunity to usher in a new era forDonkey Kong. The franchise remains one of Nintendo’s best series, with a slew of groundbreaking titles that have proven to be some of the best games on their respective consoles. Despite that success,Donkey Konghas recently been in a weird period of dormancy, which has been disappointing for fans of the series.
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, first released for the Wii U in 2014, remains the last original entry in theDonkey Kongseries, making it a decade since the last time we saw the Kong family in action. As time has gone on, the more there has been a need for a new game to revitalizeDonkey Kong’s history of success, especially considering the popularity the character has gained through other media, from films to theme parks. Now, with anew console on the horizon, Switch 2 is primed to be the ultimate home for all thingsDonkey Kong.
2025 Could Be A Great Year For Donkey Kong
Things Are Already Off To A Good Start
2025 has the potential to be the yearDonkey Kongmakes a huge comeback, especially considering some of the franchise’s releases heading into the new year. The opening of Donkey Kong Country at Super Nintendo World Japan later this December is proof thatthere’s an attempt from Nintendo to broaden the appeal of the franchise. Nintendo’s dedicated Direct on Tuesday (via theNintendo of AmericaYouTube channel) showed how the new theme park was a celebration of all thingsDonkey Kong, with a gift shop based on Funky’s jet, to a roller coaster modeled after the series' signature mine cart levels.
Moreover, Nintendo is set to keep up the momentum from Donkey Kong Country’s opening going into 2025. January will see the beloved titleDonkey Kong Country Returnsmake its way to Nintendo Switch. This release is huge, not only as it finally frees the title from being confined to the Wii and 3DS, but continues to demonstrate an attempt from Nintendo to pushDonkey Kongback into the limelight, a courtesy that the series hadn’t been granted for a long time.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HDreleases for the Switch on January 16, a remaster developed by Forever Entertainment.
This could be in service of a potential new release for consoles. A newDonkey Konggame doesn’t seem too far-fetched, not only because of the load of incoming fans from the theme park, but because the series would be a perfect opportunity to promote the Switch 2’s release.Donkey Konggames are no stranger to showing off hardware capabilities;Donkey Kong Country’s pre-rendered graphics were considered revolutionary at the time of its release. A new release would not only cash in onDonkey Kong’s newfound popularity, but would be a showcase of what Nintendo’s new console is capable of.
Switch 2 Could Be A Great Home For Donkey Kong Fans
Donkey Kong’s History All On One Console
A new release on the Switch 2 makes sense as the console is currently primed to be the ultimate home for theDonkey Kongfranchise. The recent announcement ofSwitch 2’s backwards compatibilityand continued use of Nintendo Switch Online automatically makes the entireDonkey Kong Countryseries available on the new console. This simple addition is a huge boost for the franchise, as Nintendo gives a clear message about its commitment to preservingDonkey Kong’s history for everyone to experience.
That’s not even considering the potential additions made to NSO in the future. The service is still currently withoutDonkey Kong 64, arguably one of the quintessential titles in the collectathon genre. Moreover,the potential addition of other consoles, including GameCube, could bring other classicDonkey Kongtitles to players, includingDonkey Kong Jungle BeatandDonkey Konga. The Switch 2 has the opportunity to show a level of dedication to theDonkey Kongseries that not evenSuper Mariocould rival, making it the perfect console forDonkey Kongfans.
What The Future Of DK Could Look Like
Has The Time Come For A New 3D Entry?
Of course, if a newDonkey Konggame is coming, it’s unclear what the project could look like. A newDonkey Kong Countrygame is always welcome. Retro Studios' two entries are proof that the series can still deliver that same satisfying platforming experience while finding ways to keep things fresh and exciting. However,simply making another 2D platformer would deny theDonkey Kongfranchise the possibility of pushing itselfand experimenting with the series.
With that in mind, perhaps the time has come for a new 3DDonkey Konggame. The franchise has been sorely lacking in this area since the release ofDonkey Kong 64, despite that game proving to be successful on Nintendo 64.A 3D entry would be the perfect opportunity for Nintendo to experiment with the franchise and to takeDonkey Kongin a new, interesting direction, while being a perfect showcase of the Switch 2’s capabilities.
Regardless, it’s clear that the stage has been set forDonkey Kongto make a huge comeback. The huge attention being placed on the franchise, combined with the slew of titles set to be made readily available on Switch 2, means that moving forward without a new game would be a missed opportunity. However, if done correctly, theNintendo Switch 2could instead become the place where theDonkey Kongseries reaches even greater heights than what was thought possible, putting the franchise back into the spotlight once more.
Nintendo Switch
The Nintendo Switch is the successor to 2012’s Wii U console. The Nintendo Switch allows gamers to easily switch between playing on a TV to a handheld console. The first model was released in 2017, followed by the Nintendo Switch Lite, which is strictly a handheld console. In October 2021, Nintendo released an upgraded Switch console with an OLED screen.
