Editing Donkey Kong

|latest_appearance=''[[Super Mario Party Jamboree]]'' ([[List of games by date#2024|2024]])

'''Donkey Kong''', also known as '''DK''' (or '''D.K.'''), or rarely '''D. Kong''',<ref>{{cite|url=themushroomkingdom.net/mk64_j-e.shtml#pselect|title=''Mario Kart 64'' (From Japanese to English)|publisher=The Mushroom Kingdom|accessdate=June 20, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite|url=www.themushroomkingdom.net/ssbm_j2e.shtml#cselect|title=''Super Smash Bros. Melee'' (From Japanese to English)|publisher=The Mushroom Kingdom|accessdate=June 20, 2024}}</ref> '''Donkey''', or '''Kong''',<ref>{{cite|author=NintendoAmerica|date=October 26, 2010|url=x.com/NintendoAmerica/status/28810636075|title=Kong & Diddy race to finish the level before the octopus... AAAHHH!!: http://twitpic.com/312xh3 #DKCreturns|publisher=X|accessdate=August 9, 2024|archive=web.archive.org/web/20200519004443/https://twitter.com/NintendoAmerica/status/28810636075}}</ref> is a major character in the [[Super Mario (franchise)|''Super Mario'' franchise]] and the main protagonist of the [[Donkey Kong (franchise)|''Donkey Kong'' franchise]]. He is a powerful and carefree [[Kong]] who lives in [[Donkey Kong Island]], and he likes to collect [[banana]]s and spend time with his friends, particularly his best friend and sidekick [[Diddy Kong]]. However, he has also been portrayed as an antagonist on multiple occasions, mainly in the [[Mario vs. Donkey Kong (series)|''Mario vs. Donkey Kong'' series]].  

Donkey Kong's character design was created by [[Shigeru Miyamoto]] for the ''[[Donkey Kong (game)|Donkey Kong]]'' arcade game, in which Donkey Kong kidnaps [[Mario]]'s original girlfriend, [[Pauline|Lady]]. Miyamoto says that he chose the name "Donkey" to reflect the character's stupidity,<ref name="Wired">{{cite|author=Kohler, Chris|date=October 14, 2016|url=www.wired.com/2016/10/miyamoto-donkey-kong-secrets|title=Miyamoto Spills Donkey Kong’s Darkest Secrets, 35 Years Later|publisher=Wired|accessdate=June 20, 2024}}</ref> while "Kong" was considered a generic term for large apes in Japan.<ref>{{cite|url=www.snopes.com/fact-check/donkey-kong-mistranslation|title=Was the Name 'Donkey Kong' the Result of a Mistranslation?|publisher=Snopes|date=February 24, 2001|author=Mikkelson, David|accessdate=June 20, 2024}}</ref> Miyamoto was later informed by [[Nintendo]] of America staff that the word "donkey" is not a synonym for "idiot" in English, but he decided to ignore this because he liked the name "Donkey Kong".<ref name="Wired"/> However, this is contradicted by the deposition he gave during ''{{wp|Universal City Studios, Inc. v. Nintendo Co., Ltd.}}'' He stated that his proposals for Kong's first name were rejected and that he was unaware of who came up with it. Export manager Shinichi Todori's deposition revealed that he came up with the first name after trying to translate「頓馬」(''tonma'') into English. It was either [[Gunpei Yokoi]] or [[Hiroshi Yamauchi]] who gave the final approval for the name.<ref>{{cite|author=GamingHistorian|date=January 22, 2020|url=x.com/GamingHistorian/status/1220101899455692801?s=20|title=Gunpei Yokoi deposition, 1983|publisher=Twitter|accessdate=November 27, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite|author=Gaming Historian|date=September 29, 2021|url=youtu.be/aTyxQfpOEbE?t=749|timestamp=12:29|title=How the Mario Characters Got Their Names|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=June 20, 2024}}</ref> Excluding the title, the Japanese arcade instructions and flyer refer to him simply as「コング」(Kong). Prior to settling on "Donkey Kong," a variety of other names were considered; court documents for the Universal lawsuit list "Funny Kong," "Kong the Kong," "Jack Kong," "Funky Kong," "Bill Kong," "Steel Kong," "Giant Kong," "Big Kong," "Kong Down," "Kong Dong," "Mr. Kong," "Custom Kong," "Kong Chase," "Kong Boy," "Kong Man," "Kong Fighter," "Wild Kong," "Rookie Kong," and "Kong Holiday."<ref>{{cite|author=Norman Caruso|date=January 30, 2020|url=x.com/GamingHistorian/status/1222939644217757697|title=Before settling on the name "Donkey Kong," Nintendo considered a ton of other ideas. ....not sure who suggested "Kong Dong" 😳|publisher=X (formerly Twitter)|language=en|archive=web.archive.org/web/20200205024112/https://twitter.com/GamingHistorian/status/1222939644217757697|accessdate=June 29, 2024}}</ref> The name "Funky Kong" would later be reused for [[Funky Kong|a separate character]] in the ''Donkey Kong'' franchise who resembles Donkey Kong.

The ''[[Donkey Kong Jungle Action Special]]'' states that Shigeru Miyamoto claims that Donkey Kong's character was inspired by the ''{{wp|Beauty and the Beast}}'' fairy tale, though no further source or statement has been provided.<ref>{{cite|quote=This could be considered plausible but Miyamoto blew his credibility by claiming that the character was inspired by the legend of Beauty And The Beast (a story with very few apes in it, when you come to think about it!)|title=''[[Donkey Kong Jungle Action Special]]|author=Steve May|page=21|publisher=Fleetway Publications|accessdate=January 23, 2022}}</ref> However, it is known that Donkey Kong took over the role of Bluto in a scrapped ''Popeye'' arcade game as the primary antagonist.

Donkey Kong's original appearance portrayed him as a villainous or confused ape with unequaled strength. In these games, Donkey Kong did not wear a tie. The 1994 [[Game Boy]] ''[[Donkey Kong (Game Boy)|Donkey Kong]]'' was the first game to feature the tie (a red tie with the letters "DK" printed in white, later changed to yellow. However, with the release of ''[[Donkey Kong Country]]'' later that year, Donkey Kong was given a new personality. Donkey Kong's newer design by [[Kevin Bayliss]] was modeled after the {{wp|Battletoads}}, particularly the sunken eyes;<ref>{{cite|author=Shesez|date=November 21, 2019|url=www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwWHzilbQ34&t=479s|timestamp=7:59|title=The Donkey Kong Country 25th Anniversary Interview Documentary|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=August 8, 2023}}</ref> additionally, when [[Steve Mayles]] had trouble modeling the mouth early on, [[Tim Stamper]] folded a flattened sphere and gave it depth, which was a technique reused for most characters such as [[Enguarde]]. Shigeru Miyamoto also supervised the development of the design process via fax, reminding Rare to include the tie and correcting the number of digits that should be on the hands and feet.<ref>{{cite|author=Shesez|date=November 21, 2019|url=www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwWHzilbQ34&t=587s|title=The Donkey Kong Country 25th Anniversary Interview Documentary|timestamp=9:47|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=August 8, 2023}}</ref> ''Donkey Kong Country'' also saw the appearance of the elderly Cranky Kong, who is described as the original Donkey Kong from the older arcade games. While the relationship of Donkey Kong and Cranky Kong has been [[Cranky Kong#Identity confusion|inconsistent]], most sources indicate that the current Donkey Kong is the grandson of Cranky Kong.

===''Donkey Kong'' series===

Donkey Kong is the main antagonist of his namesake game. He was the pet of [[Mario]],<ref>{{cite|url=themushroomkingdom.net/interview_miyamoto_nom18_feb2000.shtml|title=Shigeru Miyamoto Interview|publisher=The Mushroom Kingdom|accessdate=May 30, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite|deadlink=y|archive=web.archive.org/web/20161104171223/http://nintendo.com/nes-classic/donkey-kong-developer-interview|title=Donkey Kong™ Interview with Mr. Miyamoto|publisher=NES Classic Edition – Official Site|language=en-us|accessdate=May 30, 2024}}</ref> but he escapes and angrily carries Mario's girlfriend, [[Pauline|Lady]], to the top of a construction site. As Mario tries to get to him, Donkey Kong throws [[barrel]]s in [[25m|the first stage]]. Donkey Kong is eventually chased to the top of the construction site, where Mario causes the girders supporting him to collapse, sending him plummeting to the ground. Later games, starting with ''[[Donkey Kong Country]]'', [[Cranky Kong#Identity confusion|establish the identity of Donkey Kong]] in his first arcade appearances as actually being [[Cranky Kong]], with the title of "Donkey Kong" being later passed down to his grandson.

====''Donkey Kong Jr.''====

Donkey Kong appears in ''[[Donkey Kong Jr. (game)|Donkey Kong Jr.]]'' He is trapped by Mario as a punishment for kidnapping Pauline and stands guard next to his cage with a whip, and sends various enemies like [[Snapjaw]]s and [[Nitpicker]]s to prevent his son, [[Donkey Kong Jr.]], from freeing him. In the end, Donkey Kong Jr. defeats Mario and frees Donkey Kong.

====''Donkey Kong 3''====

Donkey Kong is the main antagonist of ''[[Donkey Kong 3]]''. He goes on a rampage inside a greenhouse, where a local exterminator named [[Stanley]] is called in to defeat him. Donkey Kong uses a system of ropes to lower himself to the greenhouse floor. When he reaches the floor, Donkey Kong can destroy the rest of the greenhouse and the [[Game Over|game ends]]. If Stanley sprays Donkey Kong with insecticide three times, he runs away. In the final stage, Donkey Kong gets his head stuck in a beehive while running away. In the arcade version, upon getting his head stuck in a beehive, he tries to get the beehive off, but the beehive breaks in half, revealing his sting-swollen face.  

In the [[Game Boy]] version of ''[[Donkey Kong (Game Boy)|Donkey Kong]]'', Donkey Kong kidnaps Pauline again. However, instead of it ending at [[100m]], he instead manages to quickly retake Pauline and force Mario to pursue him for the rest of the game. His son Donkey Kong Jr. also aids his father in preventing Mario from rescuing her. Donkey Kong's mainly attacks by throwing a variety of objects at Mario, although there are sometimes stage hazards Donkey Kong can utilize, such as pressing a [[switch (Donkey Kong)|switch]] to make bridges appear and disappear. Donkey Kong is eventually cornered at the [[Tower (world)|Tower]], where he falls off upon defeat; however, he is then enlarged by several [[Super Mushroom]]s. At this point, only barrels can damage Donkey Kong. After he calls for help, Donkey Kong is assisted by Donkey Kong Jr. The final credits photograph shows Pauline, Mario, Donkey Kong, and Donkey Kong Jr. at [[Rocky-Valley]], indicating that they had become friends.  

Donkey Kong is the main antagonist in the game ''[[Donkey Kong (Game & Watch)|Donkey Kong]]''. Similarly to the original, Donkey Kong tries to prevent Mario from releasing Pauline by throwing barrels at him. Donkey Kong falls down when the four wires supporting his platform are loosened.  

====''Donkey Kong Jr.'' / ''Donkey Kong II''====

Donkey Kong appears in ''[[Donkey Kong Jr. (Game & Watch)|Donkey Kong Jr.]]'' He is trapped in a cage, from which Donkey Kong Jr. can free him by obtaining four [[key]]s. Donkey Kong retains this exact role in the sequel, ''[[Donkey Kong II]]''.

Donkey Kong is the main antagonist in ''[[Donkey Kong 3 (Game & Watch)|Donkey Kong 3]]''. Donkey Kong sends bees to attack Stanley in a greenhouse, with both of them trying to send the bees to each other's side using a [[Sprayer]] filled with insect repellent. If the bees reach Donkey Kong's side, he is stung by them and loses a point. Donkey Kong is taken control of by the second player in the VS mode instead.

Donkey Kong appears in ''[[Donkey Kong Circus]]''. He is being watched by Mario juggling [[pineapple]]s while balancing on a barrel. When Donkey Kong makes a mistake, Mario laughs at his performance.

Donkey Kong is an opponent in single-player mode and the second player's character in ''[[Donkey Kong Hockey]]''. In both cases, the gameplay involves both Donkey Kong and Mario competing in field hockey.

In the ''Donkey Kong'' activity books released in 1982 and 1983, Donkey Kong is an attraction at the Video Land Amusement Park. Because of his love for Pauline, he breaks free from his cage to kidnap her. This led to his confrontation with Mario, who also loves Pauline.

[[File:Saturday-supercade-donkey-kong-toystore-scan.png|thumb|Promotional photo for ''Donkey Kong'' for ''Saturday Supercade'']]

Donkey Kong received his own show segment in ''[[Saturday Supercade]]''. He is a circus escapee who travels across the country while being followed by Mario and Pauline.

Donkey Kong appeared in ''[[Captain N: The Game Master]]'' occasionally. He is a giant, bestial monster that wears clothes. He likes to be left alone, and seeing people in his part of the jungle of Kongoland makes him violently angry. He is commonly manipulated by Mother Brain and her minions to do their bidding, though he will occasionally help the heroes fight a shared enemy. In the episode "The Lost City of Kongoland," he is shown living in a treehouse and sometimes wears a tie, something his video game counterpart would not be shown doing until four years after the episode aired. Donkey Kong also appears in the comics.

Donkey Kong appears in the sixth ''[[Nintendo Adventure Book]]'', ''[[Doors to Doom]]'', in a recreation of the original game where Mario and Luigi are trying to rescue [[Princess Peach|Princess Toadstool]] instead of [[Pauline]]. If the Mario Bros. successfully reach the top of the tower, Donkey Kong is sent plummeting out of sight while Toadstool jabs him with her crown.

Donkey Kong is a non-playable character in ''[[NES Open Tournament Golf]]''. He appears wearing a white outfit and tells the player how much money they have and when they reach certain milestones, as well as keep it. Following this, Donkey Kong appears as a playable character in later games of the ''[[Mario Golf (series)|Mario Golf]]'' series, where he holds a club with one hand, unlike the other characters. Donkey Kong is unlockable in ''[[Mario Golf (Nintendo 64)|Mario Golf]]'', which gives him a drive of 275 yards. Donkey Kong is a default character in ''[[Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour]]'', which gives him a low height and a high Star Drive. Donkey Kong is playable only in the Quick Play mode of ''[[Mario Golf: Advance Tour]]'', in which he has a high Drive and Star Drive. Donkey Kong has a high Drive and Challenge Mode Character Match course, [[DK Jungle (golf course)|DK Jungle]], in ''[[Mario Golf: World Tour]]''. Donkey Kong is a playable character of the Power type in ''[[Mario Golf: Super Rush]]'', which gives him a [[Special Shot (Mario Golf: Super Rush)|Special Shot]] titled Burly Strike and a Special Dash titled DK Dash.

===''Mario is Missing!''===

Donkey Kong appears as a [[Curator]] in ''[[Mario is Missing! (PC)|Mario is Missing! CD-ROM Deluxe]]'', replacing the human ones from the DOS version. He may appear as Curator randomly. Like all other Curators, Luigi can ask him questions or return the artifact. If Luigi chooses to return the artifact, Donkey Kong also gives two questions to Luigi to prove that the item he is holding is authentic. Upon answering all of the questions correctly, he gives money as a token of appreciation.

The events of ''[[Donkey Kong Country]]'' begin with Donkey Kong assigning Diddy Kong to guard his [[banana hoard]] at night.<ref>{{cite|author=Donkey Kong|location=Introduction scene|quote=Ok, [[Diddy Kong|little buddy]], as part of your hero training, you've got to stand guard tonight over my bananas... I'll relieve you at midnight, so try and stay awake until then!|title=''Donkey Kong Country'' (remake)|date=2003|publisher=Nintendo|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite|url=www.nintendo.co.jp/clvs/manuals/common/pdf/CLV-P-SAALE.pdf|format=PDF|title=''Donkey Kong Country'' manual|page=4|date=1994|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en}}</ref> Later, the [[Kremling Krew]] overpowered Diddy and stole Donkey Kong's entire hoard. The next morning, [[Cranky Kong]] wakes up Donkey Kong and shows him that his entire banana hoard is missing. Donkey Kong, upset, begins a journey to retrieve the banana hoard.<ref>{{cite|quote=My bananas and my buddy, Diddy, they are gone! The Kremlings will pay! I'll hunt them down through every corner of my island, until I have every last banana from my hoard back!|title=''Donkey Kong Country'' (remake)|date=2003|publisher=Nintendo|language=en-us}}</ref> Donkey Kong rescued Diddy just after starting his journey, by opening a [[DK Barrel]] in [[Jungle Hijinxs (Donkey Kong Country)|Jungle Hijinxs]]. Together, the two characters adventure through six worlds, receiving assistance from a few Kongs as well as [[Animal Friends]] in certain levels. The final level, [[Gang-Plank Galleon]], involves a boss fight [[King K. Rool]], and defeating him allows Donkey Kong and Diddy to reclaim their entire banana hoard from him.

In gameplay, Donkey Kong can defeat [[Krusha]]s and [[Klump]]s by jumping on them whilst Diddy cannot. Donkey Kong is less agile than Diddy, and one of his attacks is [[Roll Attack|rolling]] into enemies, to which Diddy's equivalent is [[cartwheel]]ing. Donkey Kong can perform a [[Hand Slap]], sometimes revealing an item, depending on where he performs the move at. Donkey Kong carries a [[barrel]] above him instead of holding it out in front like Diddy.

Donkey Kong is a non-playable character in ''[[Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest]]''. The events begin with Donkey Kong relaxing on the beach.<ref>{{cite|date=1995|title=''Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest'' manual|page=4|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en}}</ref> [[Cranky Kong]] shows up, arguing that Donkey Kong should not take a rest because he is a video game hero, to which Donkey Kong asks Cranky to leave after some discussion and naps on the beach.<ref>{{cite|author=Donkey Kong|location=Introduction scene|quote=Why don't you go pester Diddy or something!? Just leave me in peace for once!|language=en|publisher=Nintendo|date=2004|title=''Donkey Kong Country 2'' (remake)}}</ref> He is later ambushed by Kremlings, tied up, and carried up into [[The Flying Krock]].<ref>{{cite|title=''Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest'' manual|page=5}}</ref> K. Rool writes a note demanding the banana hoard as a ransom for Donkey Kong's return.<ref>{{cite|quote=I've kidnapped that lumbering fool Donkey Kong and you will never see him again! Har-har-har-har-har!|title=''Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest''|author=Kaptain K. Rool|date=1995|publisher=Nintendo|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite|author=Kaptain K. Rool|quote=Hah-arrrrh! We have got the big monkey! If you want him back, you scurvy dogs, you have to hand over the banana hoard!|date=2004|title=''Donkey Kong Country 2'' (remake)|publisher=Nintendo|language=en}}</ref> Diddy and his girlfriend, [[Dixie Kong]], refuse to oblige and go on a journey to rescue Donkey Kong, mentioning he would "go crazy" if he lost his banana hoard again. Donkey Kong is discovered much later on, tied up in [[Stronghold Showdown]] but is shortly carried up into The Flying Krock while Diddy and Dixie are in the middle of celebrating. The two make to make their way up to [[K. Rool Duel]] for a final showdown. In their first visit, Diddy and Dixie witness in shock as Kaptain K. Rool angrily beats Donkey Kong with his blunderbuss. Donkey Kong falls into view in parts of the battle when K. Rool is knocked down, still attempting to break free from his ropes and providing a [[DK Barrel]]. At the end of the battle, before K. Rool wakes up and attempts to harm Diddy and Dixie once more, Donkey Kong manages to break free from his ropes and lands a powerful punch, sending K. Rool out of his own airship into his own swamp. Donkey Kong is seen in the [[Completion|102% ending]] with Diddy and Dixie, watching as Crocodile Isle sinks underwater. In the [[Donkey Kong Country 2 (Game Boy Advance)|remake]], Donkey Kong does not appear in Stronghold Showdown, featuring a boss fight against [[Kerozene]] instead.

The events of ''[[Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!]]'' begin with Donkey Kong and Diddy going to explore the [[Northern Kremisphere]].<ref>{{cite|title=''Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!'' manual|date=1996|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en|page=4|author=Diddy Kong|location=Written note|quote=Gone exploring the islands with DK. Back tomorrow!}}</ref> After a few days, neither of the Kongs returned, worrying Dixie, so she goes on an adventure to find them with her toddler cousin, [[Kiddy Kong]].<ref>{{cite|title=''Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!'' manual|page=5|quote=The next day came, but neither Donkey nor Diddy returned. Dixie had to find out what those two primates were doing! She made her way to the southern part of DK Island and swam to the nearest mainland.}}</ref> Late into their journey, Dixie and Kiddy discover [[King K. Rool|Baron K. Roolenstein]] to be responsible and defeat both K. Rool and his robot invention, [[KAOS]], whom Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong are freed from. Donkey Kong is impressed at Dixie and Kiddy for rescuing them.<ref>{{cite|author=Donkey Kong|quote=I bet even Cranky would be - after that performance!|title=''Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!''|date=1996|publisher=Nintendo|language=en}}</ref>

Donkey Kong is a playable character and the main protagonist of ''[[Donkey Kong Country Returns]]'' and [[Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D|its remake]]. The story similarly centers around the theft of the banana hoard, only this time by the [[Tiki Tak Tribe]]. Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong witness from [[DK's Tree House|their treehouse]] as the banana hoard gets taken away, and [[Tiki Tak Tribe#Kalimba|Kalimba]] suddenly appears and knocks Donkey Kong back into his treehouse. Kalimba tries to hypnotize Donkey Kong, who is somehow unaffected by it, and the [[Jungle Hijinxs (Donkey Kong Country Returns)|first level]] begins directly after, starting with Donkey Kong beating Kalimba until kicking it out of his tree house. While journeying, Donkey Kong can [[roll]] and [[Hand Slap|Ground Pound]], similarly to ''Donkey Kong Country'', but when paired with Diddy Kong, he can roll indefinitely and briefly hover when Diddy uses his [[Barrel Jet]]. The two Kongs travel throughout the [[Donkey Kong Island|island]], being assisted by [[Cranky Kong]] and the [[Professor Chops|Tutorial Pig]]s along the way, before eventually entering the [[Volcano]] and battling [[Tiki Tong]]. Donkey Kong and Diddy reclaim their banana hoard after defeating him.

Donkey Kong is a playable character and the main protagonist of ''[[Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze]]'' and [[Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Nintendo Switch)|its port]]. He was given an updated appearance in the game, sporting lighter brown fur with more details and added texture and a differently shaped nose. Donkey Kong is controlled almost identically as in ''Donkey Kong Country Returns''. The events begin with the celebration of Donkey Kong's birthday being, all while the [[Snowmads]] make their way to conquer Donkey Kong Island. Just as Donkey Kong is about to blow out his candle, a cold wind comes in and blows it out. Donkey Kong and the other three Kongs, Diddy, Dixie, and Cranky, go outside the treehouse to investigate, only for the [[ice dragon]] to blow them away to the [[Lost Mangroves]]. The four Kongs journey through a chain of islands before eventually returning to Donkey Kong Island, which they reclaim from the Snowmads after defeating [[Lord Fredrik]] in a boss fight. Donkey Kong blows a horn to melt away all the snow on the island.

Donkey Kong is the main protagonist of the ''[[Club Nintendo (German magazine)|Club Nintendo]]'' comic "[[Donkey Kong Country (comic)|Donkey Kong Country]]." It chronicles the events of he and Diddy Kong going on a journey to retrieve their banana hoard from King K. Rool, managing to retrieve it eventually.

Donkey Kong lives in a [[Wolkenkratzer|skyscraper]] in [[Brooklyn]] with many other [[Nintendo]] character during the events of "[[Super Mario in Die Nacht des Grauens]]." At one point [[Chuckie]] invades the Kongs' room while Donkey and Diddy are watching TV, terrifying them, though they are rescued by Mario, [[Link]], and Kirby. Donkey boastfully claims that he and Diddy would have taken half of the time to defeat the monsters.

Donkey Kong is the main protagonist of "[[Donkey Kong in: Banana Day 24]]." The Kongs have to save the world from freezing, since a giant UFO is pulling the [[Earth]] away from the sun. Together with Diddy, Dixie, Kiddy, and Cranky, Donkey enters a space shuttle and flies into space in order to talk to the aliens. As it turns out, the reason for them pulling away the Earth is that they mistake the planet for a giant [[coconut]]. When the Kongs bring them some [[banana]]s, they agree to return the Earth to its original position. In the comic, Donkey appears as the bravest of the Kongs, as he is the one to start talking to the aliens.

Donkey Kong is a playable character in ''[[Donkey Kong Land]]''. Taking place after the events of ''Donkey Kong Country'', Cranky believes that the Super Famicom/[[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]]'s graphical capabilities were the reason for Donkey Kong and Diddy's successful journey,<ref name="dklmanual">{{cite|title=''Donkey Kong Land'' manual|date=1995|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en|page=2-3}}</ref> so he bets with Donkey Kong and Diddy that they cannot finish an adventure on an [[Game Boy|8-bit handheld]].<ref name="dklmanual"/> The Kongs accept the bet, so Cranky arranges for the [[Kremling Krew]] to steal the banana hoard again. Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong travel through four worlds, culminating in a final boss fight against K. Rool in [[K. Rool's Kingdom]], and complete their journey.

====''Donkey Kong Land 2''====

Donkey Kong's role in ''[[Donkey Kong Land 2]]'' is the same as in ''Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest''{{'}}s.<ref>{{cite|quote=King K. Rool and his band of Kremlings apenapped Donkey Kong. They're demanding the Kongs to hand over the banana hoard for Donkey's safe return. Donkey Kong would have a fit if they lost the banana hoard again. So it's up to Diddy and Dixie Kong to save him. Help the two monkeys make their way through all the Kremlings and all the traps to find Donkey Kong.|title=''Donkey Kong Land 2'' manual|date=1996|page=2|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en}}</ref>

Donkey Kong does not appear in ''[[Donkey Kong Land III]]'', but both he and Diddy are responsible for the game's events by joining a contest to find the [[Lost World (Donkey Kong Land III)|Lost World]],<ref>{{cite|title=''Donkey Kong Land III'' manual|date=1997|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en|page=2|quote=Would-be explorers rushed in from all over the world to seize this long-awaited chance at fame and fortune. DK and Diddy were one of the first to get caught up in the craze.}}</ref> which Dixie and Kiddy decide to enter as well.<ref>{{cite|title=''Donkey Kong Land III'' manual|page=3}}</ref>

[[File:Rumble Jungle Illustration - Kongs and Squawks.jpg|thumb|upright=0.9|[[Squawks|Squawks the Parrot]] discovering Donkey Kong and his friends in a dark cave, from ''[[Donkey Kong Country: Rumble in the Jungle]]'']]

In ''[[Donkey Kong Country: Rumble in the Jungle]]'', Donkey Kong leaves his treehouse in the jungle with his friend [[Diddy Kong]] and grandfather [[Cranky Kong]], after discovering that [[Funky Kong]]'s plane has mysteriously crashed near [[Big Ape City]]. They traverse through the [[Tree Top Town]] on the edge of the forest, and Donkey Kong takes the lead in confronting and defeating a large group of [[Kremling]]s. Later, Donkey Kong uses his "extraordinary lung power" to cry for help from [[Squawks|Squawks the Parrot]] when they find themselves trapped within a mountain cave. After reaching Big Ape City, Donkey Kong is angered to discover that the Kremlings are rebuilding a large factory which is releasing large amounts of pollution into the air. He finds a way for the Kongs to enter the factory by hiding in a [[Mine Cart]], and they locate Funky within a cell. Donkey Kong uses a mini [[TNT Barrel]] to break open the cell door, and later uses a powerful shoulder charge to break open the door to the factory's cargo room.

{{see also|List of Donkey Kong Country episodes featuring Donkey Kong}}

Donkey Kong is the main protagonist in the 1996 TV series ''[[Donkey Kong Country (television series)|Donkey Kong Country]]''. In it, Donkey Kong, due to finding the Crystal Coconut in [[Inka Dinka Doo]]'s temple, is predicted to be the future ruler of [[Donkey Kong Island|Kongo Bongo Island]]. Ever since, it has been made Donkey Kong's duty to guard the Crystal Coconut until the day it officially proclaims him ruler of the island. However, [[King K. Rool]] wants to steal the Crystal Coconut so that he can rule the island, and DK and his pals have to stop him and the [[Kremling Krew|lizards]], as well as another villain, [[Kaptain Skurvy]]. On this show, Donkey Kong is depicted as somewhat of a slacker who loves bananas above all else, much like his portrayal in recent games. On this show, he is also bipedal as opposed to walking on all fours like he normally does, although he sometimes goes on all fours when running. This would carry over to ''[[Donkey Kong 64]]'', though in that game, he stands on all fours when idle.

[[File:Mk64dk.png|thumb|left|Artwork from ''Mario Kart 64'']]

Donkey Kong appears in ''Mario Kart 64''. He is classified as a heavyweight character, along with [[Bowser]] and Wario. His personal track is [[N64 DK's Jungle Parkway|D.K.'s Jungle Parkway]].

Donkey Kong appears in ''[[Mario Kart: Super Circuit]]''. Unlike in ''Mario Kart 64'', Donkey Kong lacks his own course.

Donkey Kong appears in ''[[Mario Kart: Double Dash!!]]'' He is partnered with [[Diddy Kong]] by default, with both of them having the [[Giant Banana]] as a [[Special Item (Mario Kart series)|special item]]. Donkey Kong received a personal course, [[GCN DK Mountain|DK Mountain]] and a personal kart, [[DK Jumbo]].

Donkey Kong appears in ''[[Mario Kart Arcade GP]]''. He has four special items: [[Barrel]], the 10T Hammer, the Giant Banana, and the Conga. Donkey Kong was given his own cup, [[Donkey Kong Cup|DK Cup]], where the two courses are his own, [[DK Jungle (arcade)|DK Jungle]] and [[Bananan Ruins]].  

Donkey Kong appears in ''[[Mario Kart DS]]''. He was given another personal course, [[DS DK Pass|DK Pass]]. Donkey Kong's three personal karts include the [[Standard DK]], the [[Rambi Rider]], and the [[Wildlife]].

Donkey Kong appears in ''[[Mario Kart Arcade GP 2]]''. He is a power racer, along with Wario and Bowser. The DK Cup from the first game also returns with the same courses.

Donkey Kong appears in ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]''. He has was given another personal course, [[Wii DK Summit|DK Summit]], in addition to both {{classic-link|N64|DK's Jungle Parkway}} and {{classic-link|GCN|DK Mountain}} returning. Donkey Kong receives a small boost of weight, acceleration, and handling, along with a small mini-turbo boost. Additionally, Donkey Kong has a similar in-game model to [[Funky Kong]] in the game, with them also using many similar animations due to the developers using Donkey Kong’s model as a base to create Funky Kong.<ref>{{cite|url=tcrf.net/Mario_Kart_Wii/Unused_Bones_%26_Animations|title=''Mario Kart Wii''|publisher=The Cutting Room Floor|accessdate=March 13, 2024}}</ref>

Donkey Kong appears in ''[[Mario Kart 7]]''. He received another personal course of his own, [[3DS DK Jungle|DK Jungle]]. Donkey Kong is billed a Cruiser type, and his speed, weight, and off-road stats are given a slightly above average boost.

Donkey Kong appears in ''[[Mario Kart Arcade GP DX]]''. The Donkey Kong Cup was changed to the Don-chan Cup.

[[File:MK8-Line-DK-Wheel.gif|left|thumb|175px|[[LINE]] sticker of Donkey Kong's kart breaking down in ''Mario Kart 8'']]

Donkey Kong is playable ''[[Mario Kart 8]]'' and ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]''. His fur has a similar texture as in ''Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze''. While the official website states that he is a heavyweight, Donkey Kong is actually a lighter heavyweight, sacrificing some speed and weight to boost acceleration, handling, and traction. He shares this trait with [[Waluigi]], [[Rosalina]], [[Roy|Roy Koopa]] and [[Link]] in the original game but only Waluigi and Roy in ''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe''. Donkey Kong is the Staff Ghost for [[Thwomp Ruins]] and {{classic-link|3DS|DK Jungle}}. Donkey Kong also owns a brand of sports drink which appears as a sponsor in the game, called [[Burning DK]].

Donkey Kong appears in ''[[Mario Kart Tour]]''. He is available as a Super driver, with the [[Giant Banana]] returning as his [[Special skill (Mario Kart Tour)|special skill]]. He also has his [[Donkey Kong Cup|self-named cup]] in the game, as well as a [[Bowser vs. DK Tour|duel tour]] against [[Bowser]]. He also has a High-End gladiator-themed variant named '''Donkey Kong (Gladiator)''' that debuted in the [[Night Tour]] and is assigned the [[Boomerang Flower]] special skill.

[[File:Donkey Kong MParty.png|thumb|left|x200px|Artwork from ''Mario Party'', showing Donkey Kong's first design for the ''Mario Party'' series]]

Donkey Kong is a playable character in every game of the [[Mario Party (series)|''Mario Party'']] series up until ''[[Mario Party 4]]''.

The ''Mario Party 3'' instruction booklet claims that Donkey Kong's favorite item is the [[Reverse Mushroom]]. His default partner in Duel Mode is Whomp.{{page needed}}

Starting in ''[[Mario Party 5]]'', he leaves the playable character roster but gains his own [[DK Space|space]]. He is basically the opposite of Bowser, since when a character lands on his space, something good happens. But when a [[Koopa Kid]] lands on his space in story mode, he acts surprised and DK punches him, making the Koopa Kid lose half of his coins. He is playable in [[Super Duel Mode]] only, where he must be unlocked by beating him in Hard Competition.

In ''Mario Party 4'' and ''Mario Party 5'', just like [[Princess Peach|Peach]] and [[Wario]], he has two losing animations whilst the others have only one.

Donkey Kong returns as a playable character in ''[[Mario Party 10]]'', marking his first playable appearance in the series since ''Mario Party 4''.

Donkey Kong is also playable in ''[[Mario Party: Star Rush]]'', marking his first appearance as an unlockable playable character (not counting Super Duel Mode in ''Mario Party 5'') and his second appearance as an unlockable playable character in the series since ''Mario Party 5''. He can be unlocked if players earn enough party points to reach level 8 or if they scan a Donkey Kong [[amiibo]]. In Toad Scramble, he can break barrels to earn coins. His [[Brawny Dice Block]] has a 1 out of 3 chance to roll a 10, but other than that it will return a 0.

Donkey Kong reappears as a playable character in ''[[Mario Party Superstars]]'', marking his first appearance as a starting playable character since ''Mario Party 10''.

Donkey Kong returns as a playable character once again in ''[[Super Mario Party Jamboree]]''.

Donkey Kong is a default playable {{iw|smashwiki|fighter}} in all games of the ''[[Super Smash Bros. (series)|Super Smash Bros.]]'' series. Being a {{iw|smashwiki|weight|heavyweight}}, Donkey Kong is one of the strongest characters. When picking up a character, Donkey Kong can carry them a short distance, something that other fighters cannot do. He retains a regular walking speed while carrying large objects, such as {{iw|smashwiki|barrel}}s and {{iw|smashwiki|crates}}. He is fast for a character of his weight in general. Donkey Kong's {{iw|smashwiki|neutral special move}} in [[Giant Punch]], a punch that can be charged to increase its power; his {{iw|smashwiki|side special move}} is [[Headbutt]], in which he slams opponents into the ground; his {{iw|smashwiki|up special move}} is [[Spinning Kong]], which has him spin and lets him momentarily float; and his {{iw|smashwiki|down special move}} is [[Hand Slap]], which has him repeatedly stamp on the ground.

{{main-wiki|SmashWiki|Donkey Kong (SSB)}}

Donkey Kong appears in ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'' He is given a larger-sized counterpart, [[Giant Donkey Kong|Giant DK]], who is fought in {{iw|smashwiki|1P Game}} by a team consisting of the player and two allies. Donkey Kong weighs 141 units, more than the other fighters, boasts powerful moves, but moves slower.

{{main-wiki|SmashWiki|Donkey Kong (SSBM)}}

Donkey Kong appears in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]''. Stage 2 of {{iw|smashwiki|Adventure Mode (SSBM)|Adventure Mode}} involves fighting two Tiny Donkey Kongs and then Giant Donkey Kong. Donkey Kong is one of the possible giant opponents to appear in stage 5 of {{iw|smashwiki|Classic Mode (SSBM)|Classic Mode}}, similarly as in ''Super Smash Bros.'' Donkey Kong's {{iw|smashwiki|weight}} is decreased from 141 units to 114, and [[Bowser]] was made the heaviest fighter instead. Donkey Kong's {{iw|smashwiki|move}}s received a mixture of {{iw|smashwiki|buff}}s and {{iw|smashwiki|nerf}}s, and Donkey Kong has a decent {{iw|smashwiki|combo}} ability.

{{main-wiki|SmashWiki|Donkey Kong (SSBB)}}

Donkey Kong appears in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''. His special moves are the same as before, in additional to a [[Final Smash]] named [[Konga Beat]], where Donkey Kong plays on a pair of bongos, sending shock-waves to {{iw|smashwiki|damage}} opponents on contact. An 8-bit Donkey Kong appears on the [[75 m (stage)|75 m]] stage, and touching him damages the player. Giant Donkey Kong appears in a few {{iw|smashwiki|event match}}es but not in the game's {{iw|smashwiki|Classic Mode (SSBB)|Classic Mode}} equivalent.

======The Subspace Emissary======

[[File:SubspaceIntro-DonkeyKong.png|thumb|left|upright=1.1|Donkey Kong's snapshot in The Subspace Emissary]]

[[Bowser]] and [[Bowser's Minions|his minions]] steal Donkey Kong's banana hoard. As a [[Hammer Bro]] drives a car which contains all the bananas of Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong watches it from a cliff. Hammer Bro and the [[Goomba]]s aboard the car spot Donkey Kong and shoot [[Bullet Bill]]s at him. However, Diddy Kong comes out from a bush, and, with his [[Peanut Popgun]]s, shoots the Bullet Bills. Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong then follow the Hammer Bro to retrieve the banana hoard. After finding their bananas, Bowser appears from behind with a [[Dark Cannon]]. As Bowser charges the cannon, Donkey Kong, realizing the danger, charges his Giant Punch. He then launches Diddy to the sky and out of harm's way, sacrificing himself in the process as Bowser shoots him with the Dark Cannon and turns him into a [[Trophy (Super Smash Bros. series)|trophy]]. Later, [[Diddy Kong]], who (forcefully) enlisted the help of {{iw|smashwiki|Fox (SSBB)|Fox}} and {{iw|smashwiki|Falco (SSBB)|Falco}} sees a ship carrying Donkey Kong's trophy form to a mysterious floating island. Falco then follows it with his Arwing and takes the little Kong with him. He then drops him, and Diddy gets on his [[Rocket Barrel]], takes out his Popguns, and shoots the ship. After seeing this, [[Captain Falcon]] and [[Captain Olimar]] decide to help him and jump to the ship. Diddy frees Donkey Kong, and all four fight the Primids and other enemies.

The ship takes them inside a factory producing Subspace Bombs, and they encounter various R.O.B.s that live on the island. They later meet up with [[Pikachu]] and [[Samus]] and see the [[Ancient Minister]] and a plethora of R.O.B.s. After Ganondorf manipulates the R.O.B.s into activating all of the Subspace Bombs, the Ancient Minister is shown to be [[R.O.B.]], the leader of all the lesser R.O.B.s who were forced to work for the [[Subspace Army]]. R.O.B. then fights alongside the others. Donkey Kong carries R.O.B., who refuses to leave his kind behind to perish, as they all flee to escape the doomed island on Captain Falcon's summoned [[Falcon Flyer]]. [[Meta Ridley]] then appears and follows behind to impede group's escape, forcing DK and his group to fight him. After that, they all meet up with the other heroes.

Donkey Kong and the other smashers enter Subspace and meet [[Tabuu]], who turns everyone into trophies with his Off Waves. However, [[King Dedede]] had anticipated this and created badges that revived certain fighters back into their original forms without having to touch them. With his team, consisting of [[Luigi]] and [[Ness]], Dedede rescues Donkey Kong and most of the others, although some of them are rescued by [[Kirby]]. They also recruit Bowser, [[Ganondorf]], and [[Wario]] after they are informed about Tabuu. At the end of [[the Great Maze]], [[Sonic|Sonic the Hedgehog]] shows up and helps weaken Tabuu's Off Waves so that Donkey Kong and the others are able to beat him.

{{main-wiki|SmashWiki|Donkey Kong (SSB4)}}

[[File:Giant Punch SSB4 Wii U.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|Screenshot from ''Super Smash Bros. for Wii U'', showing Donkey Kong perform his neutral special move, Giant Punch]]

Donkey Kong appears in ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS]]'' / ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Wii U|Wii U]]''. Donkey Kong received a different {{iw|smashwiki|forward throw}}, and the mechanics to his Final Smash were changed. Donkey Kong's weight is also increased from 116 units to 122. Consistent with other {{iw|smashwiki|fighter}}s in the base game, Donkey Kong's special moves have two variants: Giant Punch has Lightning Punch and Storm Punch; Headbutt has Jumping Headbutt and Stubborn Headbutt; Spinning Kong has Chopper Kong and Kong Cyclone; and Hand Slap has Focused Slap and Hot Slap.

{{main-wiki|SmashWiki|Donkey Kong (SSBU)}}

Donkey Kong appears in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''. His Final Smash was changed to [[Jungle Rush]], which involves him punching an opponent rapidly, referencing his attack method in ''[[Donkey Kong Jungle Beat]]''. Donkey Kong is more expressive; when he charges his Giant Punch, he starts scowling, and using it in the air no longer makes him {{iw|smashwiki|helpless}}. He is heavier, tying with {{iw|smashwiki|King Dedede (SSBU)|King Dedede}} in weight. Donkey Kong is given {{iw|smashwiki|Armor#Super armor|super armor}} for a short time while using headbutt. Donkey Kong has an extended {{iw|smashwiki|recovery}} by the reintroduction of directional {{iw|smashwiki|air dodge}}. He can also attack from {{iw|smashwiki|ladder}}s. Donkey Kong's Giant Punch has more {{iw|smashwiki|Lag#Ending lag|ending lag}}, and Spinning Kong is weaker. Donkey Kong's {{iw|smashwiki|down tilt}} is titled Slouch Slap, while his {{iw|smashwiki|forward throw}} is titled Kong Carry. His weight has been further increased; however, he is no longer the second heaviest fighter in the game, instead giving up that title to his arch-nemesis, [[King K. Rool]]. Donkey Kong is tied with King Dedede for the third heaviest fighter.

In {{iw|smashwiki|Adventure Mode: World of Light}}, Donkey Kong is present when he and other fighters oppose their ultimate enemy, [[Galeem]]. Although Donkey Kong is not shown to be hit by Galeem's beams directly, he, like many other fighters, except [[Kirby]], is imprisoned in the World of Light. Donkey Kong is found in the jungle segment of the Light Realm, on a space that looks like the treehouse he lives in. Donkey Kong, upon being defeated, joins the party and fight Galeem.

Donkey Kong's {{iw|smashwiki|Classic Mode (SSBU)|Classic Mode}} route is titled "Journey to [[New Donk City]]". The battles are centered around fighting opponents who live in urban settings. Prior to the {{iw|smashwiki|List of updates (SSBU)/3.0.0 changelog|version 3.0.0}} update, Donkey Kong was the only character who fought {{iw|smashwiki|Master Hand}} and {{iw|smashwiki|Crazy Hand}} outside of {{iw|smashwiki|Final Destination (SSBU)|Final Destination}}, something that was later shared with {{iw|smashwiki|Joker (SSBU)|Joker}} and {{iw|smashwiki|Sephiroth (SSBU)|Sephiroth}}, whose final rounds take place in the {{iw|smashwiki|Ω form}} of {{iw|smashwiki|Mementos}} and {{iw|smashwiki|Northern Cave}}, respectively.

Donkey Kong engages in these battles in the following order:

#[[Diddy Kong]] on [[Kongo Jungle (Super Smash Bros.)|Kongo Jungle]]

#[[King K. Rool]] on [[Kongo Falls]], being allied with [[Diddy Kong]] from this stage onward

#[[Mario]] and [[Luigi]] on {{iw|smashwiki|New Donk City Hall}}

#{{iw|smashwiki|Master Hand}} and {{iw|smashwiki|Crazy Hand}} on [[New Donk City Hall (stage)|New Donk City Hall]]

===''Donkey Kong 64''===

{{quote|He's the leader of the bunch, you know him well<br>He's finally back to kick some tail|DK Rap}}

[[File:Kong family DK64 artwork.jpg|thumb|left|Artwork from ''Donkey Kong 64'', showing Donkey Kong and the other four playable Kongs]]

Donkey Kong is a playable character and the main protagonist of ''[[Donkey Kong 64]]''. While exercising, Donkey Kong is informed by [[Squawks]] that all of his [[Golden Banana]]s were stolen and his four friends are kidnapped: [[Diddy Kong]], [[Lanky Kong]], [[Tiny Kong]], and [[Chunky Kong]]. Soon after his journey begins, Donkey Kong meets [[K. Lumsy]], who happily creates a big enough tremor to open access to [[Jungle Japes]] when Donkey Kong agrees to try and rescue K. Lumsy. Donkey Kong discovers Diddy Kong in Jungle Japes and frees him. Various characters assist Donkey Kong and the four Kongs on their journey, including [[Funky Kong]], [[Cranky Kong]], [[Candy Kong]], [[Snide]], and the duo [[Troff]] and [[Scoff]]. The journey culminates with the five Kongs engaging in a boss fight against K. Rool, set within a boxing arena.

In gameplay, Donkey Kong is both slow and strong. He is the strongest Kong, next to [[Chunky Kong]]. During his adventure, Donkey Kong learns a few unique abilities at [[Cranky's Lab]]: [[Strong Kong]], [[Baboon Blast]], and [[Gorilla Grab]]. Strong Kong allows him to be invincible, which is necessary for safely crossing stage hazards like lava or quicksand. Baboon Blast allows Donkey Kong to partake in a challenge involving him firing from a series of [[Barrel Cannon]]s. Lastly, Gorilla Grab allows him to pull levers. The [[Coconut Shooter]] is Donkey Kong's personal weapon, given to him by Funky Kong, and it allows him to shoot out coconuts. His personal instrument is the [[bongo]]s, given to him by Candy Kong. Donkey Kong's corresponding in-game color is yellow, making him the only character who can collect yellow [[banana]]s, [[Banana Coin|Banana Bunch Coin]]s, and [[blueprint]]s. In Monkey Smash mode, aside from his default look, Donkey Kong also has three alternate costumes, including tan fur with a purple tie, orange fur with a yellow tie, and dark blue fur with a light blue tie.

===''Mario Tennis'' series===

Donkey Kong is a playable character in most games of the [[Mario Tennis (series)|''Mario Tennis'' series]], replacing [[Donkey Kong Jr.]] after ''[[Mario's Tennis]]''. Donkey Kong is consistently billed a Power type.

====''Mario Tennis''====

[[File:mt64dk.png|thumb|Screenshot from ''Mario Tennis'']]

Donkey Kong is first seen in the intro of ''[[Mario Tennis (Nintendo 64)|Mario Tennis]]'', losing to Mario in a tournament. Donkey Kong is partnered with Yoshi in doubles matches, replaced with Donkey Kong Jr. upon unlocking him.

====''Mario Power Tennis''====

Donkey Kong is playable in ''[[Mario Power Tennis]]''. His offensive power shot is the [[Barrel Cannon Blast]], and his defensive power shot is the [[Boomerang Banana Return]]. In a cutscene from winning the championship, Donkey Kong is given a trophy by Toad and waves it around, shaking Toad with it in the process. Donkey Kong's taunt is showing muscles. His doubles partner was changed to [[Diddy Kong]].

====''Mario Tennis Aces''====

Donkey Kong is playable in ''[[Mario Tennis Aces]]'', Donkey Kong reappears as a playable character. He also appears in the adventure mode, where he blocks the entrance to [[Piranha Plant Forest]] until the player completes the tutorials at [[Bask Ruins]]. When the player beats the tutorials, he challenges Mario to a match of tennis. When the player beats him then, he allows the player to pass.

 

===''Donkey Konga'' series===

The events of ''[[Donkey Konga]]'' begin with Donkey Kong discovering a magical set of bongos on a beach. He and Diddy Kong set out to become famous musicians, visiting several locales and performing popular songs through cooperative performances and musical face-offs. The events of ''[[Donkey Konga 2]]'' are similar, but Donkey Kong and Diddy go on another tour with [[Dixie Kong]].

[[File:Mvsdk.jpg|thumb|left|Artwork from ''Mario vs. Donkey Kong'', showing Donkey Kong with a bag filled with Mini-Mario toys]]

Donkey Kong is the main antagonist of ''[[Mario vs. Donkey Kong]]'' and [[Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Nintendo Switch)|its remake]]. He is first seen in the opening scene, channel surfing until stumbling upon a commercial for the new [[Mini Mario (toy)|Mini-Mario]] toy. Donkey Kong rushes to buy them at the local toy store, where they are sold out, so Donkey Kong improvises by breaking into a [[Mario Toy Company]] building nearby and steals a sack of Mini-Marios. Donkey Kong is fought at the end of each world, with his tactics changing between battles. Donkey Kong checks the sack towards the end, only for it to be empty. He is laughed at by Mario, the Mini-Mario toys, and three [[Toad (species)|Toads]]. Donkey Kong grabs the Toads angrily and climbs up a nearby a building with them. After another defeat, Donkey Kong falls off the building and lands on a truck with several Mini-Marios. Donkey Kong steals the Mini-Marios, and he is then fought at the end of each world once more. After Donkey Kong is defeated in the final battle against [[Donkey Kong Plus|his robot]], he receives a Mini-Mario toy from Mario.

Donkey Kong appears in ''[[Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis]]''. Several of his voice clips originate from ''Donkey Kong 64'', ''Mario Power Tennis'', and ''Donkey Kong Jungle Beat''. Donkey Kong is an employee of the Mario Toy Company. When [[Pauline]] chooses Mario's Mini Mario over Donkey Kong's [[Mini Donkey Kong]], Donkey Kong angrily kidnaps Pauline. Donkey Kong is the boss fought at the end of the first eight floors, the final boss fought on the [[Roof]], and the hidden boss fought in B1 and B2 in [[DK's Hideout]]. Donkey Kong appears dejected in the Ending movie before he is shown appreciation by Pauline kissing the DK toy he gave her.

Donkey Kong appears in ''[[Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again!]]''. He is waiting in a line to buy a ticket for the opening of [[Super Mini Mario World]]. Donkey Kong becomes furious when he is faced with the tickets being sold out, so Donkey Kong breaks in while taking Pauline with him. Donkey Kong is chased by Mini Marios through all the theme park's floors. Later, when Pauline is rescued, Donkey Kong turns off the lights and kidnaps Pauline again by escaping through a nearby window. After four more floors are cleared, Mario walks into a room to see Donkey Kong, Pauline, and all the Toads smiling. Pauline reveals that it was all a test for the Mini Marios, who all passed with flying colors, much to Mario's surprise.

====''Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem!''====

Donkey Kong appears in ''[[Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem!]]''. He arrives at the newly-opened Mini-Land to get a [[Mini Pauline]]. Donkey Kong is infuriated at being the 101st customer, since only 100 Mini Paulines were produced, so Donkey Kong kidnaps the real Pauline, forcing Mario and the Mini Marios to rescue her. After Donkey Kong is defeated in [[Final Ferris Wheel]], a brief reunion occurs between Mario and Pauline before Donkey Kong comes to kidnap her again. After defeating him for a second time in Plus Mode, it is shown Donkey Kong is given a Mini Pauline by Mario and the trio rides the Ferris wheel together.

Donkey Kong is one of the organizers of the carnival in ''[[Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move]]''. He sometimes appears with Pauline to congratulate the player.

In the intro of ''[[Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars]]'', Donkey Kong is shown kidnapping Pauline, which causes Mario and the Mini Marios to chase him. In the end, the kidnapping was revealed to be a plan to lure Mario to a surprise party hosted by Donkey Kong, Pauline and a few [[Toad (species)|Toads]].

Donkey Kong is the main protagonist and playable character of ''[[Donkey Kong Jungle Beat]]''. He travels the [[Banana Kingdom]] to take down the possessed [[Dread Kong]] who ruled it, and then does the same for the other sixteen kingdoms nearby. Eventually, he fight and defeats the evil [[Ghastly King|Cactus King]], freeing the other Kongs of his curse and presumably allowing them to resume their duties.

Donkey Kong is a playable character and the main protagonist of ''[[DK: King of Swing]]''. He goes on a journey to recover the [[Medal (DK: King of Swing)|medals]] for the [[Jungle Jam]] that [[King K. Rool]] had stolen. After recovering the medals, the Kongs defeat K. Rool, and the festival is celebrated.

Donkey Kong is a playable character and the main protagonist of ''[[DK: Jungle Climber]]''. He and some other Kongs are resting on the beach when Diddy notices a giant banana. Donkey Kong, Diddy, and Cranky go up to the top and find a [[Banana Ship]]. Donkey Kong fights this spaceship and finds [[Xananab]]. They find that K. Rool and the Kremlings have escaped with his five Crystal Bananas, and he needs them back. Donkey Kong and friends agree, and the four travel through the islands, going through wormholes and other lands, such as Glass Labyrinth, Toybox, and Veggie Patch. At the end of each island, Donkey Kong fights one of K. Rool's assistant Kremlings and eventually defeats the third Kremling. K. Rool then flees to the [[King Kruizer IV]]. Donkey Kong chases him and eventually reaches K. Rool's spaceship. There, he defeats the fourth Kremling as K. Rool goes through a wormhole. Donkey Kong follows, and the group lands on Xananab's home planet. There, they fight K. Rool, which is no easy task. Eventually, the DK Crew once again wins, and Donkey Kong, Diddy, and Cranky get to eat as many bananas as they desire.

====''Mario Superstar Baseball''====

Donkey Kong is first seen in the opening cutscene of ''[[Mario Superstar Baseball]]''. He and the other team captain each receive a flyer depicting Bowser's face. His team is later seen competing against [[Wario]]'s team, where at one point, a [[Chain Chomp]] stops Donkey Kong from catching the ball. At [[Mario Stadium (baseball stadium)|Mario Stadium]], in a match against Mario's team, Donkey Kong is unsuccessfuly at both making a reception at home plate and scoring a home run, thwarted by Mario and [[Luigi]], respectively.

Donkey Kong is a playable character. He is the team captain of the [[DK Wilds]], with [[Diddy Kong]] as subcaptain. Donkey Kong's home stadium is the [[Donkey Kong Jungle (baseball stadium)|Donkey Kong Jungle]]. Donkey Kong uniquely uses a boxing glove in place of a baseball bat. Donkey Kong has less range to hit the ball, due to there being a small contact point between the ball and his boxing glove. Donkey Kong has a high pitching stat whilst having low running and fielding stats. Donkey Kong has good [[chemistry]] with Diddy Kong, [[Dixie Kong]], and [[Petey Piranha]]. Donkey Kong's special ball and bat is called the [[Banana Ball]], giving the ball a banana-like trajectory whether pitching or batting. Donkey Kong's two abilities are [[Clamber]] and [[Laser Beam]], allowing him to climb walls and throw a ball to home base quickly, respectively.

====''Mario Super Sluggers''====

[[File:DK MSS artwork.jpg|thumb|Artwork from ''Mario Super Sluggers'']]

Donkey Kong is first seen in the opening cutscene of ''[[Mario Super Sluggers]]''. He is shown in two separate scenes in Mario Stadium, the first time as a catcher while [[Princess Daisy|Daisy]] hits the ball and a second time by performing a body check on Luigi, who narrowly catches the ball to make the final out. During the same scene, Donkey Kong saves Diddy from a large barrel headed in his direction. In the penultimate cutscene, Donkey Kong is in the center of the diamond, celebrating with the other characters before they all march to the entrance of the Baseball Kingdom to gaze at the sunset before the lights turn for the night. In the last cutscene, Donkey Kong participates in a game of Bob-omb Derby and sets off fireworks from hitting a Bob-omb into the sky.

Donkey Kong is mostly unchanged as a playable character. His Star Pitch and Star Swing were changed to the [[Barrel Ball]] and [[Barrel Swing]], respectively, both involving Donkey Kong throwing a barrel. Donkey Kong does not retain his Laser Ball ability. His batting was improved further, whilst his fielding and running were lowered, as well as his pitching by a point. Donkey Kong's [[chemistry]] with Diddy Kong, Dixie Kong, [[Tiny Kong]], [[Funky Kong]] and [[Baby DK]] is good whilst having bad chemistry with [[Kritter]] and [[King K. Rool]]. Donkey Kong has the second highest batting stat, surpassed only by [[Bowser]], King K. Rool, and Petey Piranha.

[[File:MSC Thunder Wham Screenshot.png|thumb|left|A replay of Donkey Kong performing his [[Thunder Wham!]] [[Super Ability]]]]

Donkey Kong is a default playable character in ''[[Super Mario Strikers]]'' and ''[[Mario Strikers Charged]]''. Donkey Kong plays the same as the other characters, though for Donkey Kong's [[Super Strike]]s, it is easier to land the white needle on the dark green zone, but more difficult to land it in the surrounding light green zone.

Donkey Kong, along with [[Birdo]], [[Goomba]], and a few others, were originally planned to appear as playable characters in ''[[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games]]'', but were scrapped prior to the end-product for unknown reasons.<ref>{{cite|url=tcrf.net/Mario_%26_Sonic_at_the_Olympic_Games_(Wii)|title=''Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games'' (Wii)|publisher=The Cutting Room Floor|author=TCRF|accessdate=May 30, 2024}}</ref>

Donkey Kong is a playable character of the Power type in both [[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Wii)|the Wii version]] and [[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Nintendo DS)|the Nintendo DS version]]. In Adventure Tours mode of the latter, Donkey Kong is first discovered in [[Icepeak]], where he is crying because of his bananas had fell into a deep ledge out of his reach. After Donkey Kong receives his banana, he challenges [[Silver]] to [[Moguls (Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games for Nintendo DS)|Moguls]], and after losing, Donkey Kong joins the group. [[Toad]] tells Donkey Kong of a pole back in [[Polastraits]], as well as obstacles such as ice and bombs. When Donkey Kong Kong presses the button on the pole, a bridge forms. Donkey Kong meets [[Vector]] later on and wins against him in a match of Short Track 500m, and Vector joins the team afterward.

Donkey Kong is a playable character in both the [[Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Wii)|Wii version]] and the [[Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Nintendo 3DS)|Nintendo 3DS]] version of ''Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games''. In the former version, Donkey Kong appears in the opening with the other athletes as well as competing in [[Beach Volleyball (Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games for Wii)|Beach Volleyball]]. A [[Mii]] outfit based on Donkey Kong can be unlocked in the console version, also including him as an interactable character in London Party for playing minigames and earning stickers. In the handheld version, Donkey Kong is included in the Wild Ones group, alongside [[Bowser]], [[Knuckles]], and Vector, restricting his playability only to [[Event]]s intended for said group.

 

In Story Mode of the handheld version, Donkey Kong challenges [[Omega]] after he ruins his banana, and in the process manages to remove the chip from him that was causing him to rampage. [[Tails]] and [[Espio]] then explain to Donkey Kong about Bowser and [[Dr. Eggman]]'s plan to use the [[Phantasmal Fog]] to stop the Olympic Games, and Donkey Kong tells Omega that he will forgive him if he helps stop Dr. Eggman. Omega agrees and heads off with Tails and Espio while Donkey Kong stays behind to keep an eye on [[ExCeL London]]. Donkey Kong later appears to support Mario, Luigi, Sonic, and Tails when they face Bowser and Dr. Eggman, having helped Knuckles and Vector clear the fog from [[Horse Guards Parade]], and later appears at the opening ceremony. Donkey Kong also appears in the bonus episode [[Bowser's Blues]], where [[Magikoopa]] tricks Donkey Kong into setting up a match for Bowser using some bananas and a [[Thwomp]]. After Bowser wins the match, Magikoopa takes Donkey Kong to find some real bananas. A [[List of badges in Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Nintendo 3DS)|badge]] of Donkey Kong can also be obtained from the badge machine.

====''Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games''====

Donkey Kong is a playable character in ''[[Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games]]''. He billed a Power type.

Donkey Kong is a playable character in both the [[Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (Wii U)|Wii U version]] and the [[Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (Nintendo 3DS)|Nintendo 3DS version]] of ''Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games'', as well as in ''[[Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Arcade Edition]]''. He is billed a Power type. In the handheld version, Donkey Kong is playable in Boxing and Beach Volleyball only, including their Plus versions, only. In the arcade version, Donkey Kong has to be unlocked with Aime card functionality, though not in international releases.

Donkey Kong is a playable character in ''[[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020]]'' and in [[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 - Arcade Edition|the arcade version]] as of August 5, 2020. He is billed a Power type in both versions. However, unlike most of the playable characters, DK does not wear clothing appropriate to the events he competes in.

Donkey Kong is a playable character in ''[[Mario Sports Mix]]''. He is classified as a Powerful type character, whilst having average technique and low speed. Donkey Kong has his own personal court, [[DK Dock]]. His special shot involves slamming the ground and then aiming the ball or puck at either the goal or an opposing player. In Dodgeball, Donkey Kong can spin his body while stretching out his arms to repel dodgeballs, unless the dodgeball has an item equipped.

Donkey Kong is an opponent in single player mode and a playable character in multiplayer mode of ''[[Fortune Street]]''. He is a Rank D opponent, so he invests less in his property than higher ranked characters.

Donkey Kong is a playable character in ''[[Mario Sports Superstars]]''. He is classified as a Power type in most sports, giving his shots more power as well as giving him more stamina in horse racing. In golf, DK's default drive is 224 yards, and his shots travel slightly low in a draw trajectory.

''[[Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle]]'' features a boss named [[Rabbid Kong]], a large, apelike [[Rabbid]] that strongly resembles Donkey Kong, right down to wearing his signature necktie. A figure of Donkey Kong on a girder appears in the introductory cutscene, as well.

DK himself was added as a playable character in the [[Donkey Kong Adventure]] story expansion pack in June 2018. This pack sees DK joining forces with [[Rabbid Peach]] and [[Rabbid Cranky]], and taking on Rabbid Kong and his army. As a playable character, he has 280 health points. His dash attack is called Grab & Launch, which allows Donkey Kong to pick up allies, enemies, cover blocks, or sentries, move to another cell and launch them. This also can cleanse an ally overcome by a Super Effect. Donkey Kong's primary weapon is the [[List of weapons in Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle#Bwananarang|Bwananarang]], which is a mid-range weapon that is capable of hitting multiple targets in a row without cooldown. His secondary weapon is a [[List of weapons in Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle#DK Ground Pound|DK Ground Pound]], which is a targeted attack that affects all enemies within the attack's cylindrical area, regardless of cover. His primary technique is Hairy Eye, a mid-range reaction shot that is dealt to the first enemy to move within Donkey Kong's line of sight. His secondary technique is Magnet Groove, which draws enemies towards DK, getting them away from cover.

[[File:DrMarioWorld - Sprite DK.png|thumb|Donkey Kong's mugshot in ''Dr. Mario World'']]

Donkey Kong is a character in ''[[Dr. Mario World]]'', in which he is known as '''Dr. Donkey Kong''', where he is equipped with a stethoscope and an armband. He was made available as a playable character in ''[[Dr. Mario World]]'' on October 31, 2019 when [[World 9 (Dr. Mario World)|World 9]] was first available. He is also available as a special stage reward in [[World 25]].  

In ''[[Paper Mario: The Origami King]]'', a papier-mâché model of Donkey Kong's head known as the [[Jungle King Mask]] can be seen in the staff room of [[Shogun Studios]] among two others of a [[Goomba Mask]] and [[Space Warrior Mask]]. When worn, Mario will beat on his chest while [[Bob-omb (Paper Mario: The Origami King)|Bob-omb]] describes the sound with words that rhyme with "Kong".

===''The Super Mario Bros. Movie''===

[[File:TSMBM poster DK.jpg|thumb|Poster for ''The Super Mario Bros. Movie'' featuring Donkey Kong]]

{{quote|I don't need [[List of power-ups|anything special]] to break EVERY BONE in [[Mario|your]] tiny body!|Donkey Kong|The Super Mario Bros. Movie}}

Donkey Kong appears in ''[[The Super Mario Bros. Movie]]''. He lives in the Jungle Kingdom and has a slightly changed design in the movie which, according to [[Shigeru Miyamoto]], is intended to accentuate his comical personality. As a result, he resembles his original design from the ''Donkey Kong'' arcade game while also being a combination of his current modern design. The film debuts a [[Fire Mario|Fire form]] of Donkey Kong (not counting Fire [[Mini Donkey Kong]] in ''[[Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis]]'') when he obtains a [[Fire Flower]].<ref>{{cite|author=Illumination|date=March 9, 2023|url=youtu.be/RjNcTBXTk4I|title=The Super Mario Bros. Movie {{!}} Final Trailer|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=March 10, 2023}}</ref> He is voiced by [[Seth Rogen]] in the English version of the film and [[Kōji Takeda]] in Japanese.

 

Donkey Kong is first mentioned by Cranky Kong, who challenges Mario to duel against him as a means to decide whether or not he will lend the Kong army to [[Princess Peach]] to aid the [[Mushroom Kingdom]] in defeating [[Bowser]]. During the duel, Donkey Kong heavily excels Mario in combat and almost defeats him before being brought to his own defeat by Mario then turned into a [[Cat Mario|cat]]. Later, he joins the Kongs' [[kart]]-riding army against Bowser's own, and ultimately falls from the [[Rainbow Road]] alongside Mario into a body of water below where he almost drowns, but then is saved by Mario. Both are eaten by a [[Maw-Ray]], but are able to escape using a [[Rocket Barrel]] from Donkey Kong's wrecked kart. Donkey Kong later advances alongside Mario through the Mushroom Kingdom to reach Bowser and Princess Peach's wedding, and saves the to-be-sacrificed captives from being submerged in lava. In the final act of the film, Donkey Kong exchanges blows with Bowser in [[Brooklyn]] alongside Peach. Bowser manages to overpower them and nearly kills Donkey Kong until Mario intervenes. After Bowser and his forces are defeated, Donkey Kong and the others are celebrated as heroes of Brooklyn.

 

 

Donkey Kong appears briefly at the beginning of a commercial for ''[[Mario's Cement Factory]]'', where he flings a burning barrel at Mario who narrowly dodges.<ref>{{cite|url=www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkveNFgB0zo|title=Nintendo - Mario's Cement Factory Video Game Commercial - 1983|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=July 23, 2022}}</ref>

[[File:DonkeyKong-PunchOut.png|thumb|left|Donkey Kong in the Wii version of ''Punch-Out!!'']]

Donkey Kong has sometimes appeared in the [[nwiki:Punch-Out!! series|''Punch-Out!!'' series]]. In the arcade versions of both ''[[nwiki:Punch-Out!! (arcade)|Punch-Out!!]]'' and ''[[nwiki:Super Punch-Out!! (arcade)|Super Punch-Out!!]]'', Donkey Kong is among the spectators in the audience, like with Mario, [[Luigi]], and [[Donkey Kong Jr.]], but Donkey Kong uses a different color scheme in ''Super Punch-Out!!''. In ''[[Punch-Out!! (Wii)|Punch-Out!!]]'' for the [[Wii]], Donkey Kong appears as a hidden bonus opponent, found initially in the game mode Mac's Last Stand, and if the player fights Donkey Kong in that game mode, they can fight him at any time in Exhibition mode.

The results screen for the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]] version of ''[[harddrop:Tetris (NES)|Tetris]]'' features Donkey Kong as part of a band composed of himself, Bowser, [[Link]], [[Pit (character)|Pit]], Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Samus. He is playing the marching bass drum with his fists. Donkey Kong in particular appears when the player has completed height 3 of Game B's ninth level.

In ''{{fandom|goldeneye|GoldenEye 007 (Nintendo 64)|GoldenEye 007}}'', Donkey Kong's face can be seen on a mountain in the Dam.<ref>{{cite|author=xvxThexShadowxvx|url=www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9b5ySgcdE8|title=Goldeneye 64 DK in the mountains|publisher=YouTube|date=August 25, 2010|accessdate=May 30, 2024}}</ref> Both this game and its spiritual successor, ''{{fandom|perfectdark|Perfect Dark}}'' have an unlockable cheat called "DK Mode," in which every character is given a similar body shape to Donkey Kong, with a larger head as well as arms extending to the ground so as to resemble Donkey Kong's primal posture.

Donkey Kong appears in the [[Game Boy Camera]] as stamps and in ''[[Picross NP]] Vol. 8'' as one of the figures to clear.

In ''{{iw|jiggywikki|Banjo-Tooie}}'', {{iw|jiggywikki|Goggles}} is playing with a Donkey Kong doll, and Donkey Kong's name is also an answer to one of Grunty's questions in either the Tower of Tragedy or the final battle.

Donkey Kong also appears in ''[[Skylanders: SuperChargers]]'' under '''Turbo Charge Donkey Kong'''. He appears alongside [[Bowser]] with a special figurine sold exclusively in the Wii U starter pack. However, due to an agreement between Nintendo and {{wp|Activision}}, they are playable only on the Nintendo versions of the game. He also appears in the Wii U and Switch versions of ''{{wp||Skylanders: Imaginators}}''.

Donkey Kong appears as a property in [[Nintendo Monopoly]], taking the place of Marvin Gardens and costing $280.

A [[Donkey Kong (monster truck)|monster truck]] based on Donkey Kong competed in {{wp|Monster Jam}} from 2007 until 2010.  

Donkey Kong also makes an appearance in the film ''[[Pixels]]''. Aside from appearing in gameplay of the ''Donkey Kong'' arcade game, he appears on [[Earth]] as a clone created by aliens. In the film, the clone throws pixelated barrels at protagonist Sam Brenner (played by {{wp|Adam Sandler}}) in a location very much like [[25m]]. Brenner manages to avoid the barrels, defeat Donkey Kong, and rescue the Kong's hostages (who were positioned in the same location that Pauline was in ''Donkey Kong'').

 

 

Donkey Kong would have appeared in ''[[Donkey Kong Coconut Crackers]]'', in which the player would have been tasked with solving different puzzles. When the game was finalized as ''{{wp|It's Mr. Pants}}'', Donkey Kong was replaced by Mr. Pants as the host.

|[[File:DKCFrontDK.png|148px]] [[File:DKMP10.png|148px]]

|Donkey Kong's appearance from the SNES era (left) and his current appearance (right)

Donkey Kong is a [[Kong]] resembling a gorilla who sports a burly physique; in addition to having particularly large pecs, biceps and triceps, he is noted to weigh 800 pounds (363 kg) according to the talking [[Microphone]] that serves as the announcer for the fight against King K. Rool in ''[[Donkey Kong 64]]'', as well as having the traditional large feet of primates with opposable thumbs. Donkey Kong also has brown fur, with the fur on his head being distinctly shaped to the point of looking like a hairstyle. As of ''Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze'', his fur has also consistently sported a realistic texture. The shade of brown his fur is colored, however, has been inconsistent between games, being either a lighter shade or its original darker shade. Donkey Kong wears only a single item of clothing: a red necktie with the "DK" logo printed on it in yellow and tied in a Windsor knot<ref>{{cite|title=[[List of miscellaneous Play Nintendo opinion polls#Donkey Kong makeover poll|Donkey Kong makeover poll]]|publisher=[[Play Nintendo]]}}</ref> from ''Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest'' onwards. In ''[[Mario Party 2]]'', he wears a costume on top of the tie in all boards other than [[Bowser Land]], and in ''[[Mario Kart Tour]]'', a variant of him wearing a gladiator outfit instead of his tie appears. In most 2D artwork and in 3D appearances beginning around the mid-2010's, Donkey Kong has a more defined snout, sporting pointed nostrils akin to those of a real gorilla, a design change that largely stems from the original Miyamoto design.

Within the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series, Donkey Kong's appearance has changed. In ''Super Smash Bros.'', Donkey Kong was somewhat cartoonish in appearance, though his design did not originate from a specific ''Super Mario'' or ''Donkey Kong'' game. In ''Super Smash Bros. Melee'', Donkey Kong gains a darker color scheme, while his design appears to have more details; Donkey Kong is also shown with teeth, which are colored white. In ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'', Donkey Kong's fur is lighter in color, but it is further detailed. Donkey Kong's teeth are now yellowish in color. In ''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS'' / ''Wii U'', Donkey Kong's fur receives even more detail, akin to ''Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze'', though he has a more vibrant color scheme. In ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'', Donkey Kong gains a more subdued color scheme, though not to the same extent as ''Melee'' or ''Brawl''; additionally, his fur is slightly less detailed, though his necktie has simple detailing.

Throughout the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series, Donkey Kong has had eight alternate costumes to choose from; in ''Super Smash Bros.'' and ''Super Smash Bros. Melee'', he has 5 costumes; in ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl '', he has 6 costumes; lastly, in ''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS'' / ''Wii U'' and ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'', he has 8 costumes. Donkey Kong's first alternate costume gives him black fur, making him resemble his in-game sprite in ''Donkey Kong '94'' and ''Donkey Kong Land''; his second alternate costume gives him red fur, resembling his appearance in the original ''Donkey Kong''; his third alternate costume gives him blue fur, resembling one of his alternate colors from ''Mario Golf'' and ''Donkey Kong 64''{{'}}s multiplayer mode; his fourth alternate costume gives him green fur, having no inspiration. In ''Melee'', Donkey Kong's black costume receives a blue tie, his red costume receives a navy blue tie, and his blue costume receives a purple tie. In ''Brawl'', Donkey Kong's black costume receives a yellow tie with green insignia and his blue costume receives a lavender tie; his green costume is much darker. Donkey Kong also gains a fifth alternate costume with white fur, later inspiring [[Super Kong]]'s colors. In ''3DS'' / ''Wii U'', Donkey Kong's green costume regains its pre-''Brawl'' color, while his sixth and seventh alternate costumes are introduced: the former gives Donkey Kong a light blue tie and golden brown fur, resembling one of his alternate colors from ''Mario Golf''; the latter gives Donkey Kong a yellow tie and pink fur, resembling [[Donkey Kong Jr.|Junior (II)]]'s color in ''[[Donkey Kong Jr. Math]]''.

 

In ''[[The Super Mario Bros. Movie]]'', Donkey Kong has a more realistic look than his previous appearances. According to Shigeru Miyamoto, his design takes inspiration from his depictions prior to ''Donkey Kong Country'' in order to give him a more comical personality and design.<ref>{{cite|url=youtu.be/ohJrpHUoZ10?t=293|timestamp=4:53|title=The Super Mario Bros. Movie Direct – 11.29.2022 (Second Trailer)|author=Nintendo of America|date=November 29, 2022|publisher=YouTube|language=en-us|accessdate=June 20, 2024}}</ref> His body is also more detailed, similar to his appearance from the ''Super Smash Bros.'' games.

In the ''[[Donkey Kong (game)|Donkey Kong]]'' arcade game, the original Donkey Kong only spoke in growls as he took Lady (or [[Pauline]]) on top of a construction site, as well as when ascending further up the structure upon Mario completing a level (except for [[100m]]). ''[[Saturday Supercade]]'' depicted him with the ability to speak broken English in contrast to [[Donkey Kong Jr.]], his son. While he mainly verbalized realistic ape noises in-game provided by Mark Betteridge, the instruction manuals for the ''[[Donkey Kong Country]]'', ''[[Donkey Kong Land]]'' and ''[[Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest]]'' showed that the current Donkey Kong has the ability to speak rather intelligently, which was also seen during the ending of ''[[Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!]]''. Donkey Kong later spoke intelligibly in a few ''[[Club Nintendo (magazine)|Club Nintendo]]'' comics as well as ''[[Super Mario-Kun]]''. Donkey Kong first received voice acting in the [[Donkey Kong Country (television series)|1998 computer-animated ''Donkey Kong Country'' television series]], where he was portrayed by [[Richard Yearwood]]. Donkey Kong next received voice acting in ''[[Donkey Kong 64]]'', where he was portrayed by [[Grant Kirkhope]], a composer for [[Rare Ltd.]] and the ''Donkey Kong'' franchise. Here, Donkey Kong had a few lines where he spoke broken English while referring to himself in the third person. Grant Kirkhope would provide a mixture of cartoonish gorilla noises and actual words, including "Yeah!", "Cool", "Hey!", and "OK!". After 2006, [[Takashi Nagasako]] took over as Donkey Kong's voice actor, first heard in ''[[Mario Power Tennis]]'', though he mainly provided him with cartoonish gorilla noises, although he is able to say his name, "Let's go!", and "Yeah, hey!" In current games where Donkey Kong is intended to speak in full sentences, there is in-game text to signify what he is saying. In the early ''Mario Party'' games, ''Mario Kart 64'', ''Mario Kart Super Circuit'', ''Mario Tennis'', ''Mario Golf'', as well as the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series, Donkey Kong is instead given chimpanzee screams and realistic gorilla roars, respectively, instead of a voice actor; Donkey Kong's voice clips from the N64 era use the Chimpanzee Screeches and Vocalizes from The Hollywood Edge Sound Effects Library.<ref>{{cite|url=www.whosampled.com/sample/515022/Nintendo-Character-Sound-Effects-The-Hollywood-Edge-Sound-Effects-Library-Chimpanzee-Screeches-and-Vocalizes|title=Nintendo's 'Character Sound Effects' sample of The Hollywood Edge Sound Effects Library's 'Chimpanzee Screeches and Vocalizes'|publisher=WhoSampled|accessdate=June 20, 2024|language=en}}</ref> In ''The Super Mario Bros. Movie'', Donkey Kong, as all other Kongs, is fully capable of speech and can normally talk to non-Kong characters, where he is portrayed by [[Seth Rogen]].

[[File:Angry DK - Super Mario Sticker.gif|thumb|200px|LINE sticker depicting an angered Donkey Kong]]

In the games, despite his carefree lifestyle, Donkey Kong is a brave and friendly hero who highly cares for his friends and [[banana hoard]], and becomes enraged if either are threatened. He is always keen to be helpful and use his strength whenever possible. The [[Mario vs. Donkey Kong (series)|''Mario vs. Donkey Kong'' series]] portray him as prone to temper tantrums if he does not get what he wants, which leads to him and Mario clashing when he steals the Mini Mario Toys and even kidnaps Pauline, though he does show remorse once Mario resolves the matter. Donkey Kong is also shown as more aggressive and willing to fight in ''Donkey Kong Jungle Beat''.

Unlike most characters, who have some kind of special power, Donkey Kong relies mainly on his brute strength. He sometimes has the title of "The strongest of the Kongs", in spite of some Kongs like [[Chunky Kong]] and [[Sumo Kong]] being larger than Donkey Kong. In the original ''[[Donkey Kong (game)|Donkey Kong]]'' he had a seemingly unlimited supply of Barrels, and could throw them easily. This carried on to the ''Donkey Kong Country'' games, where he can pick up and throw Barrels with ease. Also in ''Donkey Kong Country'', he can defeat certain enemies that [[Diddy Kong]] cannot hurt with a single jump. In ''Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat'', his strength is shown yet again, it makes him so strong that when he claps, a sound-wave is produced, which  is his main attack throughout the game. In the ending of ''Donkey Kong Country Returns'', Donkey Kong is shown to be strong enough to knock the moon out of its orbit and into the planet's atmosphere with a single punch (though the fact he was falling towards it at an alarming speed may have helped with it).

Donkey Kong also appears to either immune or highly resistant to hypnosis since the [[Tiki Tak Tribe#Kalimba|Kalimba Tiki]] was unable to hypnotize him when it was easily able to do so to other animals on the island. In ''Donkey Kong 64'', he has a personal weapon, the [[Coconut Shooter]], and has a special ability called [[Strong Kong]] which allows him to become invincible and use up more Crystal Coconuts the longer he maintains the form. Donkey Kong also has some skill with musical instruments, to the point that he can even weaponize music and song in combat. This is demonstrated in ''Donkey Kong 64'', where Donkey Kong is talented in playing bongos and uses it to solve puzzles and attack surrounding enemies; the ability of playing bongos is also shown in the [[Donkey Konga (series)|''Donkey Konga'' games]]. In the ''Mario Strikers'' series, Donkey Kong is shown to wield electric powers, exerting bolts of lightning during his [[Super Strike]] and [[Mega Strike]].  

Though his size and weight may suggest otherwise, Donkey Kong is deceptively fast and agile; in ''Mario Strikers: Battle League'', he break dances after scoring a goal and performs acrobatics while vine swinging in his victory scene. In ''Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat'' he is shown to be very proficient in hand to hand combat, delivering a vast amount of fast punches and kicks in a few seconds and is quick in countering the attacks he dodges, enabling him to contend with and defeat master martial artists like [[Karate Kong]] and [[Ninja Kong]] or physically stronger opponents like Sumo Kong. DK's speed and agility have also been consistently demonstrated throughout his appearances in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' franchise.

According to various pieces of official media, starting with ''[[Donkey Kong Country]]'', the Donkey Kong that appears in the titles prior to ''Donkey Kong Country'', such as ''[[Donkey Kong (game)|Donkey Kong]]'', ''[[Donkey Kong Jr. (game)|Donkey Kong Jr.]]'', ''[[Donkey Kong 3]]'' and the [[Game Boy]] ''[[Donkey Kong (Game Boy)|Donkey Kong]]'', goes on to age and become [[Cranky Kong]], passing down his name to the current and modern Donkey Kong, his grandson. Some sources would go on to imply that the Donkey Kong that appeared in games after ''Donkey Kong Country'' is a grown up [[Donkey Kong Jr.]];<ref>{{cite|date=April 25, 1999|deadlink=y|archive=web.archive.org/web/20020805184158/rareware.com/the_site/talk_to_us/scribes/aug25_99/aug25_99.html|title=Rare Scribes|publisher=Rarewhere|accessdate=June 20, 2024|language=en-gb}}</ref><ref>{{cite|url=www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Games/Game-Boy-Advance/Donkey-Kong-Country-266551.html|title=Donkey Kong Country {{!}} Game Boy Advance {{!}} Games {{!}} Nintendo|publisher=Nintendo of UK|language=en-gb|accessdate=June 20, 2024}}</ref> this was later contradicted in a 2017 [[Prima Games]] book that establishes Donkey Kong Jr. as the father of Donkey Kong and son of Cranky Kong.<ref>{{cite|quote=<i>''Super Mario Kart'' is the only ''Mario Kart'' game to feature Donkey Kong Jr. Due to the success of ''Donkey Kong Country'', all future ''Mario Kart'' entries featured Donkey Kong, who is actually Donkey Kong Jr.’s son, with Cranky Kong, aka Donkey Kong Sr., canonically being the character featured in the original ''Donkey Kong'' game. Makes sense, right?</i>|title=''Playing With Super Power: Nintendo Super NES Classics eGuide'', ''Super Mario Kart'' 16 Bits Tab}}</ref> The relationship between Cranky Kong and Donkey Kong has also been contradicted on occasion, between being his father (as seen mostly in ''[[Donkey Kong 64]]'')<ref>{{cite|quote=That darn Donkey has all the luck! His girl Candy waits around in her hut, always willing to offer her musical help to that undeserving son of mine and his fancy polygonal friends. Pah!|title=''Donkey Kong 64'' instruction booklet|page=9 (among various in-game lines)|date=1999|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en-us}}</ref> and being his grandfather.<ref>{{cite|url=x.com/Ghoulyboy/status/859502066225606656|title=I'm pretty sure when I made this stuff up nearly 25 years ago that he was his grandson. By DK64 he was so senile he couldn't remember|date=May 2, 2017|language=en-gb|publisher=Twitter|accessdate=June 20, 2024}}</ref>

[[Diddy Kong]] is Donkey Kong's "little buddy" who looks up to him. Diddy Kong has gone on many adventures with his best friend (with DK showing excitement at having another adventure with his friend when selected as his ally character in ''Super Mario Party''), and the two often look out for each other, sharing a brotherly bond. In sports, Diddy Kong is often Donkey Kong's default partner. Diddy has rarely been suggested as [[Diddy Kong#Relationships|a relative of DK's]], though most sources do not claim that they are related.  

[[Dixie Kong]] is one of Donkey Kong's closest friends, sometimes hanging out with him and Diddy Kong. She actively helped rescue him when he is kidnapped and joined him in retaking Donkey Kong Island from the Snowmads. Donkey Kong seems to act like a big brother to Dixie, similar to how he is with Diddy. He was very defensive of her when she was antagonized by a [[Dry Bones]] in ''Mario Super Sluggers''. Dixie does show minor exasperation with DK when he is rash and stubborn, but they nonetheless have a close friendship.

[[Funky Kong]] is another one of Donkey Kong's recurring friends. The two share a good friendship, with Funky referring DK by the nickname "Donkey-dude". Though he prefers not adventuring, Funky does support Donkey Kong by giving him either transportation or weaponry, or acting as a shopkeeper.

[[Candy Kong]] is one of Donkey Kong's closest friends who others believe he will marry one day, although he is not ready to settle down in Candy Kong's opinion. The Rarewhere website suggests that the two have known each other since childhood.<ref>{{cite|deadlink=y|archive=web.archive.org/web/20010420120315/http://www.rare.co.uk/recent/games/dkc/castlist/cast_candy.html|title=DKC Trilogy Cast List|publisher=Rarewhere|accessdate=April 25, 2022|language=en-gb}}</ref> According to ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'', the idea of Candy being DK's girlfriend is only a rumor, which may be due to the fact Donkey Kong seems to spontaneously show romantic interest in [[Pauline]]. In Rare-developed games, DK tends to keep a framed photograph of Candy in [[DK's Tree House|his home]]. To explain Candy Kong's absence in later games, one official review of ''[[Donkey Kong Land 2]]'' states that she broke up with Donkey Kong,<ref>{{cite|language=en-gb|date=November 1996|title=''Nintendo Magazine System'' (UK) #50|page=52|quote=You’d have thought that after retrieving his banana stash, Donkey Kong would be able to live out his days in peace and harmony with Candy Kong by his side. Unfortunately, she’s given him the push. And to make matters even worse, he’s been captured by those oh-so-pesky Kremlings!}}</ref> although the ''Donkey Kong 64'' manual suggests otherwise.<ref>{{cite|date=1999|publisher=Nintendo of America|title=''Donkey Kong 64'' instruction booklet|page=9|quote=That darn Donkey has all the luck! His girl Candy waits around in her hut, always willing to offer her musical help to that undeserving son of mine and his fancy polygonal friends. Pah!}}</ref>

Donkey Kong displays good friendships with characters from the ''Sonic'' franchise. He has a friendly rivalry with [[Knuckles|Knuckles the Echidna]] and [[Vector|Vector the Crocodile]]. During the opening of ''[[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games]]'', Donkey Kong, as a hockey goalie, thwarts Knuckles' shot. In Adventure Tour, Donkey Kong quickly establishes good rapport with Vector and [[Silver|Silver the Hedgehog]]. In [[Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games|London]], Silver and Donkey Kong compete together in Volleyball, while Donkey Kong, Knuckles, and Vector work together clearing out the fog in the wrestling venues, with Vector offering a detective job to DK. In [[Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games|Rio]] games, Donkey Kong and Knuckles accuse each other of cheating after being deceived by two Miis dressed as Mario and Sonic. Following their losses in the Boxing Event, they make peace after realizing their misunderstanding. [[Big|Big the Cat]] also invites Donkey Kong to outing. Donkey Kong has special victory animations with Knuckles and Vector in [[Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games|Sochi]] and Rio, as well as being shown flexing with Vector in ''[[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020]]''.

[[King K. Rool]] and his Kremlings are arch-enemies of Donkey Kong and the Kong Family. They have stolen DK's hoard often for unknown reasons and kidnapped him and his friends. However, Donkey Kong was willing to help a Kremling named [[K. Lumsy]] when he realized that he did not wish to harm the Kong Family. Even when the king and four colored Kritters join the Kongs to form the [[DK Wilds]], their antagonism still shows. In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'', King K. Rool's trailer is called "The Rivals" as a reference to the enmity between him and Donkey Kong. In the show, the feud is still the same. Donkey Kong enjoys giving the Kremlings beatings, causing them to have great fear and apprehension of him.  

|Donkey Kong's [[emblem]]s, from ''[[Mario Kart 8]]''.

*[[Charles Martinet]] (1994, [[Mario in Real Time]])

*[[Stevie Coyle]] (1994, Mario in Real Time)

*[[Grant Kirkhope]] (1999–2001, voice clips recycled from 2003-2010)

*"''"OK, little buddy," Donkey had said in his patronizing voice. "As part of your hero training, you've got to stand guard tonight over my bananas... I'll relive{{sic}} you at midnight, so try and stay awake until then!"''"

*"''<nowiki>[</nowiki>[[Squawks|Squawks the Parrot]]] always carries a high-powered flashlight. He led us through the caves and tunnels once before. Maybe he can help us again.''"

*"''Hey!''"

*"''OK!''"

*"''Ookookook. (Dixie Kong, Tiny Kong, Funky Kong, [[Baby DK]]...)''"

{|class="wikitable sortable"width=100%

|Boss

|Boss

|Antagonist

|''[[nwiki:Punch-Out!! (arcade)|Punch-Out!!]]''

|Antagonist

|{{wp|PC-8800 series|NEC PC-88}}, NEC PC-6601, Sharp X1

|Antagonist

|''[[nwiki:Super Punch-Out!! (arcade)|Super Punch-Out!!]]''

|Boss