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{{rewrite-expand|November 10, 2017}}
{{character infobox
{{about|Donkey Kong's friend and ally from the Donkey Kong games|further uses|[[Funky]]}}
|image=[[File:Funky Kong Artwork - Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze.png|300px]]<br>Funky Kong in ''[[Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze]]''
{{character-infobox
|image=[[File:Funky Kong Artwork - Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze.png{{!}}240px]]<br>'''Funky Kong''', as he appears in ''[[Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze]]''
|full_name=Funky Kong
|first_appearance=''[[Donkey Kong Country]]'' ([[List of games by date#1994|1994]])
|first_appearance=''[[Donkey Kong Country]]'' ([[List of games by date#1994|1994]])
|latest_appearance=''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]'' (''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass|Booster Course Pass]]'', Wave 6) (2023)
|species=[[Kong]]
|species=[[Kong]]
|latest_appearance=''[[Super Smash Bros. for Wii U]]'' ([[Trophy (Super Smash Bros. series)|trophy]] cameo) ([[List of games by date#2014|2014]])
|latest_portrayal=[[Toshihide Tsuchiya]] ([[List of games by date#2007|2007]]–present)
|latest_portrayal=[[Toshihide Tsuchiya]] (2007-present)
}}
}}
{{quote|Whoa, Dudes! My name's Funky Kong! My bodacious Jumbo Barrel can launch you to any point on the island!|Funky Kong|Donkey Kong Country}}
{{quote|Whoa, Dudes! My name's Funky Kong! My bodacious Jumbo Barrel can launch you to any point on the island!|Funky Kong|Donkey Kong Country}}
 
'''Funky Kong''' is a [[Kong]] who first appears in ''[[Donkey Kong Country]]''. While portrayed as an easygoing surfer, Funky is a very skilled mechanic, creating many vehicles and other inventions from limited materials, namely [[barrel]]s. In most of his appearances, Funky operates a transportation service for the Kongs using one or more of his vehicles. He has also made playable appearances in a few ''Super Mario'' spin-off games including ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]'' and ''[[Mario Super Sluggers]]''.
'''Funky Kong''' is a [[Kong]] inhabitant of [[Donkey Kong Island]] and member of the [[Kong Family]]. One of the hero [[Donkey Kong]]'s best friends and allies, Funky Kong debuts in the game ''[[Donkey Kong Country]]'' and has made various subsequent appearances since, often selling or offering some service to his friends. He occasionally appears as a playable character in spin-off games.  


==History==
==History==
===''Donkey Kong Country/Land'' series===
===''Donkey Kong Country'' series===
====''Donkey Kong Country''====
====''Donkey Kong Country''====
Funky Kong first appears in ''[[Donkey Kong Country]]'' as the proprietor of [[Funky's Flights]], an airplane service. Found in every area of [[Donkey Kong Island]], Funky will allow both [[Donkey Kong|Donkey]] and [[Diddy Kong]] to utilize his [[Funky Barrel]] to travel to areas of the island they have cleared of [[King K. Rool]]'s operatives. As well as running Funky's Flights, Funky, in the [[Game Boy Advance]] remake of ''Donkey Kong Country'', runs [[Funky's Fishing]] where a fishing minigame can be played.
[[File:Funky Kong surfboarding DKC artwork.jpg|thumb|left|Funky as originally depicted in ''Donkey Kong Country'']]
Funky Kong is a supporting character in ''Donkey Kong Country''. He is the owner of [[Funky's Flights]], a rental service where he allows [[Donkey Kong]] and [[Diddy Kong]] to use his [[Funky Barrel]] to travel between worlds that they have either accessed or completed.
 
Funky hosts the [[Funky's Fishing]] mini-game in both the [[Donkey Kong Country (Game Boy Color)|Game Boy Color version]] and [[Donkey Kong Country (Game Boy Advance)|Game Boy Advance version]], where the goal is to catch as many fish within the time limit. In the Game Boy Advance version, Funky hosts the mini-game along with his flight service during the main game. Donkey Kong and Diddy are no longer required to visit Funky to use his Funky Barrel, as the player can select the "CALL FUNKY" option from the Start menu. In each world, Funky provides a different objective for each Funky's Fishing challenge, such as in [[Kremkroc Industries, Inc.]], where Donkey Kong and Diddy must fish out ten bottles. In the same version, Funky is shown during the ending cutscene with the other Kongs.


====''Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest''====
====''Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest''====
[[File:Funkykong.png|thumb|right|Funky Kong, as he appears in ''Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest''.]]
Funky Kong is a supporting character in ''[[Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest]]''. He hosts another flight service, [[Funky's Flights II]], in every world except the [[Lost World (Donkey Kong Country 2)|Lost World]]. Funky allows Diddy and [[Dixie Kong|Dixie]] to use the [[Biplane Barrel]] if they pay two [[Banana Coin]]s, although every trip after the first one are free.
Funky Kong returns in ''[[Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest]]'', where his role is relatively the same as his debut appearance. Found  in [[Funky's Flights II]], which is located in every area of Crocodile Isle except the [[Lost World (Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest)|Lost World]], Funky will allow Diddy and [[Dixie Kong]] to use his [[Biplane Barrel]] to fly to areas of Crocodile Isle that they have previously visited; although, unlike in ''Donkey Kong Country'', the Kongs will need to pay a certain number of [[Banana Coin]]s to use the Biplane Barrel, though all trips after the first will be free. Funky does not wear his tank-top in this game.


Funky Kong's role is expanded upon in the [[Game Boy Advance]] version of ''Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest''. Here, Funky, instead of owning the Biplane Barrel, has a [[Gyrocopter]], which he will allow Diddy and Dixie to borrow for their adventure if they succeed in beating a mini-game with it. Additionally, at the various Funky's Flights II on Crocodile Isle, Funky will give Diddy and Dixie [[DK Coin]]s if they beat his minigames. Funky also appears at the ending of the game, planting a bomb on [[King K. Rool]]'s [[Flying Krock]] and rescuing Diddy, Dixie, Donkey, and [[Cranky Kong]] from it before it detonates. Similarly, he also appears in the true ending where he uses the Gyrocopter to foil Kaptain K. Rool's escape.
Funky hosts a bonus game, [[Funky's Flights (Bonus Game)|Funky's Flights]] in each world in the [[Donkey Kong Country 2 (Game Boy Advance)|Game Boy Advance version]]. The Biplane Barrel is replaced with the [[Gyrocopter]], which Funky allows Diddy and Dixie to freely use from the world map after they complete the [[Aerial Loop]] challenge. Funky hosts a different challenge in each world, and if Diddy and Dixie complete a challenge, Funky rewards a [[DK Coin]] to them. In the same version, Funky also appears with the Gyrocopter in the ending, and he rescues Diddy, Dixie, Donkey Kong, and [[Cranky Kong|Cranky]] from [[The Flying Krock]] before it crashes onto the ground. In the [[Completion#Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest|102%]] ending, Funky drops a bomb onto [[King K. Rool|Kaptain K. Rool]] from the Gyrocopter to stop him from escaping.
 
====''Donkey Kong Land 2''====
In ''[[Donkey Kong Land 2]]'' for the [[Game Boy]], Funky Kong’s role is exactly the same as in ''Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest'', with him allowing Diddy and Dixie to use his Biplane Barrel to travel to areas they've previously been to, for a price.


====''Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!''====
====''Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!''====
[[File:Funky Artwork - Donkey Kong Country 3.png|thumb|120px|right|Funky Kong in ''Donkey Kong Country 3''.]]
Funky is a supporting character in ''[[Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!]]''. Funky operates [[Funky's Rentals]] from the [[Northern Kremisphere]] map, where he gives [[Kiddy Kong|Kiddy]] to Dixie at the start of her adventure. He allows them rent various watercraft to travel across the waters of the Northern Kremisphere. At first, Funky has only the [[Motor Boat]] available for lease, but as the Kongs obtain certain items along the way, Funky can use them to construct a few more vehicles, each one more effective for traversing the world map than the previous. After completing [[Kremwood Forest]], the Kongs can take the [[patch (item)|patch]] they had obtained and give it to Funky for him to create the [[Hover Craft]]. After completing [[Cotton Top Cove]] and [[Mekanos]], the Kongs can return the [[ski]]s to Funky for him to create the [[Turbo Ski]]. Throughout the game, the [[Brothers Bear]] reference a "secret project" that Funky is working on, the Gyrocopter; if Dixie and Kiddy ask Funky about the project, he acknowledges it but requires the Kongs to obtain every [[DK Coin]] to let them use it.
In ''[[Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!]]'', Funky Kong runs [[Funky's Rentals]] in the [[Northern Kremisphere]], near Bazaar's General Store; at the beginning of the game, Dixie Kong must visit Funky in order to pick up her cousin and partner throughout the game, [[Kiddy Kong]], as well as the [[Motor Boat]]. As Dixie and Kiddy progress through the game, they can gain various items and give them to Funky, who will use them to create new, more powerful vehicles for them to use and reach new locations.


Throughout ''Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!'', references to Funky working on a "secret project" are made by the [[Brothers Bear]]; if Dixie and Kiddy confront Funky about this, he will acknowledge that he is working on something, also saying that for a down payment of every DK Coin in the game, he will let the Kongs see what it is and let them use it. If the Kongs do bring Funky all the DK Coins obtainable, he will give them his Gyrocopter, which they can use to locate the [[Banana Bird Queen]] and her [[Banana Bird|last three children]].
In the [[Donkey Kong Country 3 (Game Boy Advance)|Game Boy Advance version]], Funky hosts a [[Funky's Rentals (minigame)|series of four minigames]] and rewards the Kongs with a [[Banana Bird]] if they complete all of them.
 
In the Game Boy Advance port of ''Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!'', Funky Kong's role is essentially the same as in the original, with the only difference being that he will allow Dixie and Kiddy to play various minigames in his shop; if the Kongs beat all these minigames, Funky will reward them with a Banana Bird.


====''Donkey Kong 64''====
====''Donkey Kong 64''====
[[File:Funkyscreen.PNG|thumb|left|Funky as he appears in ''Donkey Kong 64''.]]
[[File:DK64 Funky.png|thumb|Funky in ''Donkey Kong 64'']]
In ''[[Donkey Kong 64]]'', Funky runs [[Funky's Store]], which is a weapons shop where the Kongs can buy weapons and accessories for themselves. Funky Kong will also give away free ammunition if the Kongs visit him and he has nothing available for sale. In this game, Funky is located in every world except [[Hideout Helm]].
Funky is a supporting character in ''[[Donkey Kong 64]]''. His main role is operating a weapons store, [[Funky's Store]], which appears in every level except [[Hideout Helm]]. He first sells a shooter to each respective Kong when they first visit. In later levels, Funky also sells two ammo belt upgrades, a sniper scope, and the ability to pick up homing ammo. Each time the Kongs are low on ammo, right before a Kong leaves the store, Funky refills their ammo supply entirely. After defeating [[King K. Rool|King Krusha K. Rool]] at the [[boxing arena]], [[Candy Kong|Candy]] walks in and distracts him. Meanwhile, Funky walks in and fires a boot at K. Rool, knocking him up through the ceiling of the arena. During the end credits, Funky mimics the sounds of some weapons such as aerial bombs and machine guns on a cliff, then does some acrobatics.
 
During the ending cut scene of ''Donkey Kong 64'', it is Funky who delivers the final blow to [[King K. Rool]]; as the [[Kremling]] King is distracted by [[Candy Kong]], Funky does his bit and fires a boot at him, which knocks King K. Rool through the ceiling of his arena and onto [[K. Lumsy's Prison]]. In the credits, Funky also proceeds to mimic various weapons such as aerial bombs and machine guns on a cliff.
{{br}}


====''Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze''====
====''Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze''====
[[File:DKCTFNS Funky.jpg|thumb|200px|'''Funky Kong''''s appearance in the Nintendo Switch version of ''Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Feeeze''.]]
[[File:Funky Kong DKCTF Switch screenshot.png|thumb|left|upright=1.1|Funky Kong's appearance in the Nintendo Switch version of ''Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze'']]
After six years of not appearing in games, Funky Kong returns in ''[[Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze]]'' as the owner of the item shop, named [[Funky's Fly 'n' Buy]]. In this way, he replaces [[Cranky Kong]]'s role as the owner of [[Cranky Kong's Shop|a shop]] in the [[Donkey Kong Country Returns|previous installment]]. Funky Kong sells various items to the Kongs in exchange for [[Banana Coin]]s, including [[DK Barrel]]s, [[balloon]]s, [[Banana Juice]], [[Squawks the Parrot]], [[Heart Boost]]s, and [[Crash Guard]]s. He also sells collectible toys from the [[Capsule Toy Machine]]. The shop operates on every island in the game except [[Secret Seclusion]].
Funky is a supporting character in ''[[Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze]]''. He is the owner of the item shop, named [[Funky's Fly 'n' Buy]]. In this way, he replaces [[Cranky Kong]]'s role as the owner of [[Cranky Kong's Shop|a shop]] in the [[Donkey Kong Country Returns|previous installment]] due to the elderly Kong being a playable character. Funky Kong sells various items to the Kongs in exchange for [[Banana Coin]]s, including [[DK Barrel]]s, [[Red Balloon|red]], [[Blue Balloon|blue]], and [[Green Balloon|green balloon]]s, [[Banana Juice]], [[Squawks]], [[Heart Boost]]s, and [[Crash Guard]]s. He also sells collectible toys from the [[Capsule Toy Machine]]. The shop operates on every island in the game except [[Secret Seclusion]]. When the player visits Funky's shop and they highlight the Crash Guard option, Funky will say: "Vehicle troubles? It's dangerous to go alone- take one of these!", a reference to a [[zeldawiki:Iconic Quotes from The Legend of Zelda#"It's dangerous to go alone! Take this"|well known quote]] from the [[zeldawiki:The Legend of Zelda|first ''The Legend of Zelda'' game]].


{{upcoming|section=yes}}
Funky is also a playable character in the [[Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Nintendo Switch)|Nintendo Switch port]], in the newly added "Funky Mode". When selected, Funky replaces Donkey Kong as the main playable character. His abilities, aided by his surfboard, are a combination of Diddy, Dixie, and Cranky, and they include [[Double Jump (airborne)|double jumping]], hovering, treading on [[Spike Trap|Spiked Floors]], and surfing on water in a similar fashion to water skipping. He can perform perpetual [[Roll Attack]]s and [[Corkscrew (Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze)|Corkscrews]] as well. In addition, he wears a yellow pair of goggles with a snorkel whenever he plunges underwater, enabling him to breathe without having to collect [[Bubble|Air Bubbles]]. Lastly, Funky's surfboard enables him to safely jump on enemies that the other Kongs (except Cranky) cannot safely jump on, such as the [[Snaggles]]. He can also perform a [[Hand Slap|Ground Pound]] like Donkey Kong, even on spikes. He can also execute the new Pluck move slightly faster than even Donkey Kong can, though unlike the latter, he cannot carry the other Kongs on his back, even in multiplayer. While playing as Funky Kong, his shop, Funky's Fly 'n' Buy, is run by a parrot named [[Tawks]], whose speech purposely mimics Funky. If Funky shops at his store, Tawks gives him an employee discount.
The game's [[Nintendo Switch]] port marks the first time Funky Kong is a playable character in the series, as he is playable via the new "Funky" mode, which is catered towards beginner players.<ref name="direct">Nintendo (January 11, 2018). [https://youtu.be/a_u7g5BlfiY?t=11m48s Nintendo Direct Mini 1.11.2018]. ''YouTube.'' Retrieved January 11, 2018 (EST).</ref> His abilities are aided by his surfboard and include [[Double Jump|double jumping]], hovering, treading on [[Spike Trap|Spiked Floors]], and surfing on water in a similar fashion to water skipping.<ref name="direct"/> He can perform perpetual [[Roll Attack]]s and [[Corkscrew (Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze)|Corkscrews]] as well.<ref name="direct"/> In addition, he wears a yellow pair of goggles with a snorkel when he plunges underwater, enabling him to breathe without having to collect [[Bubble|Air Bubbles]].<ref name="direct"/> Lastly, Funky's surfboard enables him to safely jump on enemies that most of the other Kongs cannot safely jump on, such as the [[Snaggles]].<ref name="direct"/> It is currently unknown whether he will still operate Funky's Fly 'n' Buy in this mode.


===''Donkey Kong Country: Rumble in the Jungle''===
===''Donkey Kong Country: Rumble in the Jungle''===
[[File:Rumble Jungle Illustration - Funky Plane.jpg|thumb|150px|Funky Kong inspecting his damaged Barrel Plane, as seen in ''[[Donkey Kong Country: Rumble in the Jungle]]''.]]
[[File:Rumble Jungle Illustration - Funky Plane.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|Funky Kong inspecting his damaged Barrel Plane in ''[[Donkey Kong Country: Rumble in the Jungle]]'']]
In the 1995 novel ''[[Donkey Kong Country: Rumble in the Jungle]]'', Funky Kong owns a custom-built plane made from a [[Barrel]], which he uses to transport clients around [[Donkey Kong Island]]. He promises [[Diddy Kong]] an exciting ride as a passenger while he performs tricks in the air. During their flight, they notice smoke coming from the long abandoned [[Big Ape City]], which Funky prefers not to investigate because he doesn't enjoy looking for trouble. After Diddy's flight, Funky gets attacked by a swarm of [[Hogwash|flying pigs]] near Big Ape City, causing his plane to crash. [[Donkey Kong]], [[Cranky Kong]] and Diddy cross the jungle on foot, to where he has been held captive by the [[Kremling]]s within Big Ape City. The Kremlings believe that Funky Kong is a spy, and they intend to use a painful "truth machine" on him, as ordered by [[King K. Rool]].
Funky is a supporting character in ''[[Donkey Kong Country: Rumble in the Jungle]]''. He owns a custom-built plane made from a [[Barrel]], which he uses to transport clients around [[Donkey Kong Island]]. He promises [[Diddy Kong]] an exciting ride as a passenger while he performs tricks in the air. During their flight, they notice smoke coming from the long-abandoned [[Big Ape City]], which Funky prefers not to investigate because he does not enjoy looking for trouble. After Diddy's flight, Funky gets attacked by a swarm of [[Hogwash the Flying Pig|flying pigs]] near Big Ape City, causing his plane to crash. [[Donkey Kong]], [[Cranky Kong]], and Diddy cross the jungle on foot, to where he has been held captive by the [[Kremling]]s within Big Ape City. The Kremlings believe that Funky Kong is a spy, and they intend to use a painful "truth machine" on him, as ordered by [[King K. Rool]].
 
After breaking out of his cell, Funky involves himself in defeating a group of Kremlings, although he is normally "too laid back" to fight. He later inspects his plane in the cargo room and finds that he can easily repair most of the damage, although he requires a new water pump for the engine. He draws a map of the factory so that the other Kongs can find a replacement, due to having seen most of the factory while the Kremlings were deciding where to take him. After Funky successfully repairs the engine, all of the Kongs board the plane and Funky flies out from the factory through a hole in the wall. The plane is attacked by the flying pigs a second time; however, Funky has the idea to pour the plane's entire banana milkshake supply onto the pigs so that they are no longer able to fly. Funky then maneuvers his plane over King K. Rool's zeppelin, which allows Donkey Kong and Diddy to plant it with [[TNT Barrels]]. After destroying the Factory, Funky Kong flies the others back to their tree house in the jungle.
 
===''Super Mario-kun''===
[[File:FunkyKong SuperMarioKun.jpg|thumb|left|Funky Kong in ''Super Mario-kun'']]
Funky Kong is a supporting character in [[Super Mario-kun Volume 14|volume 14]] of ''[[Super Mario-kun]]''. He allows Mario, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, and Diddy Kong to ride the Funky Barrel.


After breaking out of his cell, Funky involves himself in defeating a group of Kremlings, although he is normally "too laid back" to fight. He later inspects his plane in the cargo room, and finds that he is able to easily repair most of the dame, although he requires a new water pump for the engine. He draws a map of the factory so that the other Kongs can find a replacement, due to having seen most of the factory while the Kremlings were deciding where to take him. After Funky successfully repairs the engine, all of the Kongs board the plane and Funky flies out from the factory through a hole in the wall. The plane is attacked by the [[Hogwash|flying pigs]] a second time, however Funky has the idea to pour the plane's entire banana milkshake supply onto the pigs so that they are no longer able to fly. Funky then maneuvers his plane over King K. Rool's zeppelin, which allows Donkey Kong and Diddy to plant it with [[TNT Barrels]]. After destroying the Factory, Funky Kong flies the others back to their tree house in the jungle.
===''Donkey Kong Land 2''===
Funky is a supporting character in ''[[Donkey Kong Land 2]]''. His role is identical as in ''Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest''. If Diddy or Dixie pay Funky two Banana Coins, he allows them to use the Biplane Barrel to travel between worlds from the world map.


===''Donkey Kong Country'' television series===
===''Donkey Kong Country'' television series===
[[File:DKCTVFunkyKong.png|thumb|Funky Kong, as he appears in the ''Donkey Kong Country'' television series]]
[[File:DKCTVFunkyKong.png|thumb|Funky Kong, as he appears in the ''Donkey Kong Country'' television series]]
In the ''[[Donkey Kong Country (TV series)|Donkey Kong Country]]'' television series, Funky Kong appears as a major character, with his character being relatively the same as in the games - the adventure loving owner of Funky's Flights and one of Donkey Kong's best friends. As well as enjoying surfing and dancing, Funky is portrayed as exceptionally spiritual in the show, known to talk about subjects such as [[Wikipedia: Karma|karma]] quite often. On the show, Funky is portrayed as having golden colored fur instead of brown, wears more goggle-like glasses and speaks with a Jamaican accent, provided by voice actor [[Damon D’Oliveira]].
Funky is a major character in the ''[[Donkey Kong Country (TV series)|Donkey Kong Country]]'' television series. His character is relatively the same as in the games, the adventure-loving owner of Funky's Flights and one of Donkey Kong's best friends. A running gag throughout the show involves him being incompetent at maneuvering his plane. In addition to enjoying surfing and dancing, Funky is portrayed as exceptionally spiritual in the show, known to talk about subjects such as {{wp|karma}} quite often. On the show, Funky is portrayed with golden fur instead of brown, more goggle-like glasses, and a Jamaican accent, provided by voice actor [[Damon D'Oliveira]]. Likewise, his appearances on the show are often accompanied by reggae or ska background music.


===''Bumm-Badabumm im Urwald''===
===''Bumm-Badabumm im Urwald''===
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===''Club Nintendo''===
===''Club Nintendo''===
In the German edition ''[[Club Nintendo (magazine)|Club Nintendo]]'', Funky Kong appears in a somewhat minor role in the comic "[[Donkey Kong in: Banana Day 24]]", where he appears at the celebration the Kong Family has at its end. In ''Club Nintendo's'' comic book length adaptation of ''Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest'', Funky makes a brief appearance in the scene where Cranky explains Banana Coins and [[Kremkoin]]s to Diddy and Dixie.
In the German edition ''[[Club Nintendo (German magazine)|Club Nintendo]]'', Funky Kong appears in a somewhat minor role in the comic "[[Donkey Kong in: Banana Day 24]]", where he appears at the celebration the Kong Family has at its end. In ''Club Nintendo''{{'}}s comic book length adaptation of ''Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest'', Funky makes a brief appearance in the scene where Cranky explains Banana Coins and [[Kremkoin]]s to Diddy and Dixie.


===''DK: King of Swing''===  
===''DK'' series===
Funky Kong’s role in ''[[DK: King of Swing]]'' is largely minimal, with him appearing only in the opening cut scene, after King K. Rool steals all the Jungle Jam [[DK Coin|Medals]]. Funky makes his first playable appearance in the game’s Jungle Jam mode, where his partner is Dixie Kong. He has very high strength, like most of his other appearances, but lacks the ability to jump high and far.
====''DK: King of Swing''====
Funky is a non-playable character in Adventure mode and a playable character in [[Jungle Jam]] mode in ''[[DK: King of Swing]]''. In Adventure mode, Funky makes a minor appearance in both the opening and ending cutscenes. As a playable character, Funky's attack is strong but his jump is weak.


===''DK: Jungle Climber''===
====''DK: Jungle Climber''====
In ''[[DK: Jungle Climber]]'', Funky, along with the bulk of the Kong Family, goes on vacation to [[Sun Sun Island]]. When Donkey, Diddy, and Cranky meet the [[banana]] alien [[Xananab]] and decide to help in his quest to reclaim his [[Crystal Banana]]s, which were stolen by the Kremling Gang, Funky will reopen Funky's Flights. If the Kongs and Xananab collect a certain amount of [[Oil Barrel]]s, they can give them to Funky to power his Barrel Plane, which can fly them to a smaller version of the island they’re on. Funky Kong is also playable in the game’s VS. Mode.
Funky is a supporting character in Adventure mode and a playable character in the VS. Mode of ''[[DK: Jungle Climber]]''. He and many others in the Kong Family go on vacation to [[Sun Sun Island]]. When Donkey, Diddy, and Cranky meet the [[banana]] alien [[Xananab]] and decide to help in his quest to reclaim his [[Crystal Banana]]s from King K. Rool, Funky aids the four by flying them to the different islands as they track down the Kremlings. If Donkey Kong collects a certain amount of [[oil barrel]]s, he can give them to Funky Kong to power his airplane, which can fly them to a smaller version of the island they are on. Although he is not playable in story mode, he is playable in the game's wireless multiplayer mode as P4.


===''Donkey Kong Barrel Blast''===
===''Donkey Kong Barrel Blast''===
[[File:Funky.jpg|thumb|160px|right|Funky Kong in ''Donkey Kong Barrel Blast''.]]
[[File:Funky Kong DKBB artwork.jpg|thumb|upright=0.9|Funky Kong in ''Donkey Kong Barrel Blast'']]
Funky Kong is an unlockable playable character in the [[Wii]] game ''[[Donkey Kong Barrel Blast]]''. Here, he is unlocked after the [[Diamond Cup]] is won as a Kong character. He shares statistics with [[Kludge]] in this game, having abysmal boost and agility, but excellent speed.
Funky Kong is an unlockable playable character in ''[[Donkey Kong Barrel Blast]]''. Funky can be unlocked by completing the [[Diamond Cup]] as a Kong character. Funky's stats are shared with [[Kludge]], having very low boost and agility but maximum speed.


===''Mario Kart Wii''===
===''Super Smash Bros.'' series===
[[File:Funkpngmm.PNG|thumb|160px|left|'''Funky Kong''' in ''Mario Kart Wii''.]]
In the [[Super Smash Bros. (series)|''Super Smash Bros.'' series]], a [[Trophy (Super Smash Bros. series)|trophy]] of Funky Kong can obtained in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'', ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS]]'' / ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Wii U|Wii U]]''. He also appears in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'' as a [[smashwiki:Master spirit|master spirit]]. He runs a shop called [[Funky Kong's Shack]], where he sells [[smashwiki:Level Up#Snacks|snacks]], [[smashwiki:Skill Tree|Skill Spheres]], [[smashwiki:Support Item|Support Items]], and [[Spirit (Super Smash Bros. Ultimate)|spirit]]s that are themed around transportation.
In ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]'', Funky Kong makes his first appearance in the ''Mario'' series. He is an unlockable Large-sized character, unlocked by obtaining four Expert Staff Ghost Data on Time Trial mode. Funky Kong is the Staff Ghost for [[DK Mountain|<small>GCN</small> DK Mountain]]. While he does not have his own race course, he does have his own battle arena, the [[Funky Stadium]].


Although Funky Kong features a good speed bonus, it is not as good as that of [[Baby Luigi]] and [[Baby Daisy]]. However, being a large-sized racer, Funky can use the [[Jetsetter]] and [[Spear]], which is the fastest kart and bike in the game, respectively.
===''Mario Kart'' series===
====''Mario Kart Wii''====
[[File:Funky Kong MKW Artwork.png|thumb|upright=0.9|left|Funky Kong is a playable character in ''Mario Kart Wii'']]
Funky Kong makes his first appearance in the ''Super Mario'' franchise in ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]'', appearing as an unlockable playable character. He is a large-sized character, unlocked by unlocking four Expert Staff Ghost Data on Time Trial mode, by winning 25 WFC Ghost Races, or by playing 2,250 races. Funky Kong is the Staff Ghost for {{classic-link|GCN|DK Mountain}}. While he does not have his own race course, he does have his own battle arena: [[Funky Stadium]]. Although Funky Kong features a good speed bonus, it is not as good as that of [[Baby Luigi]] and [[Baby Daisy]]. However, being a large-sized racer, Funky can use the [[Jetsetter]] and [[Spear]], which are the fastest kart and bike in the game, respectively.


Due to his high speed stat, he was quite popular among online players, and was commonly used with the [[Flame Runner]].
Some of Funky Kong's voice clips from ''Donkey Kong Barrel Blast'' are reused for his voice in this game. 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>
{{br|left}}


This marks Funky Kong's first and only physical appearance so far in the ''Mario Kart'' series, making him, [[Diddy Kong]], and [[Birdo]] the only playable characters in ''Mario Kart Wii'' to not return as playable characters in ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]''.
====''Mario Kart Tour''====
[[File:MKT Funky Kong.jpg|thumb|Funky Kong gliding in ''Mario Kart Tour'']]
Funky Kong returns in ''[[Mario Kart Tour]]'' as a High-End driver, being made available on May 20, 2020. He was part of the first week's spotlight of the [[Jungle Tour]], alongside the [[Bolt Buggy]] and the [[Banana Wingtip]]. Funky also returned as part of the 2nd week spotlight of the [[Los Angeles Tour (2020)|2020 Los Angeles Tour]]. Starting with the [[Cat Tour (2021)|2021 Cat Tour]], he is now a regular High-End driver, and starting with the [[Bowser vs. DK Tour]], he has his own [[Funky Kong Cup|self-named cup]]. Funky Kong’s [[Special Item (Mario Kart series)|special item]] is the [[Banana Barrels]], which is shared with [[Diddy Kong]] and the [[Mii|Light Green Mii Racing Suit]].
 
====''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe''====
[[File:MK8D FunkyKong Preview.png|thumb|left|Funky Kong racing on {{classic-link|Tour|Los Angeles Laps}} in ''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe''.]]
Funky Kong appears as one of four new racers in the sixth and final wave of the ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]'' ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass|Booster Course Pass]]'' DLC, alongside [[Diddy Kong]], [[Pauline]], and [[Peachette]]. His model is reused from ''Mario Kart Tour'', and he is the only ''Booster Course Pass'' character not to reuse his icon from that game.<ref name=Wave6>{{cite|author=Nintendo of America|date=September 14, 2023|url=youtu.be/BiJ7IoeuhXE|title=Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Booster Course Pass Wave 6 - Nintendo Switch 9.14.2023|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=September 14, 2023}}</ref> He is again a heavyweight character in this game, sharing statistics with [[Wario]], [[Dry Bowser]], and heavy [[Mii]]s. Funky Kong uses the turquoise [[Peach Parasol (glider)|Peach Parasol]] glider, making him and [[Kamek]] the only male characters (not counting [[Wiggler]], whose gender is unknown) to use a recolor of the glider. He also uses a red [[Super Glider]] instead of a light-blue one like in ''Mario Kart Tour'', making him the only character whose Super Glider color does not match their main vehicle color, with the red color presumably chosen to match the color of his surfboard. A CPU controlled Funky Kong uses the same kart combination options as [[Donkey Kong]]. During the majority of his [[Jump Boost]] animations and his character selection animation, Funky Kong will pull out his surfboard and show it off.
{{br}}
{{br}}


===''Mario Super Sluggers''===
===''Mario Super Sluggers''===
Funky Kong is an unlockable playable team player in ''[[Mario Super Sluggers]]'', where he has good batting and decent fielding skills, while lacking in pitching and running skills. Oddly, he's the only Kong in that game who bats with his right hand, while fielding with his left hand. He has good chemistry with all the Kongs and bad chemistry with the Kremlings. He is unlocked after he joins the player in Challenge Mode.
Funky Kong is an unlockable playable team player in ''[[Mario Super Sluggers]]''. He has good batting and decent fielding skills, while lacking in pitching and running skills. He is the only Kong in the game who bats with his right hand, while fielding with his left hand. He has good chemistry with all the Kongs and bad chemistry with all the Kremlings. He is unlocked after he joins the player in Challenge Mode.
 
===''The Super Mario Bros. Movie''===
[[File:FunkyKongTSMBM.png|thumb|right|A picture of Funky Kong as seen in the hut]]
Funky Kong appears in ''[[The Super Mario Bros. Movie]]'', where he is shown driving just behind [[Donkey Kong]], alongside [[Mario]], [[Princess Peach]], [[Toad]], and the [[Kong army]] on [[Rainbow Road]]. A picture of Funky Kong riding a surfboard can also be seen in the hut where [[Cranky Kong]] describes the plan to drive to Rainbow Road.


===Other appearances===
===Other appearances===
[[File:FunkyKong SuperMarioKun.jpg|thumb|left|Funky Kong in ''Super Mario-Kun''.]]
Although Funky Kong does not appear in ''Donkey Kong Country Returns'', he is referenced by [[Cranky Kong]], who wishes that someone with a plane (such as Funky) could get them to the top of the island.
A [[Trophy (Super Smash Bros. series)|trophy]] of Funky Kong is obtainable in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'', ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS]]'', and ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Wii U]]''.  


Funky Kong also appears in issue 14 of ''[[Super Mario-Kun]]''. He allows Mario, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, and Diddy Kong to ride the Funky Barrel.
Funky Kong's face appears in ''[[Picross NP]] Vol. 8'' as one of the images that must be cleared. After solving the puzzle, he shows his eyes to the player.


Additionally, some merchandise based on Funky Kong has been released, most of it based off his appearance in ''Donkey Kong Country'' or the television series; this includes objects such as statuettes, plush dolls, mini figures, and keychains.
Additionally, some merchandise based on Funky Kong has been released, most of it based off his appearance in ''Donkey Kong Country'' or the television series; this includes objects such as statuettes, plush dolls, mini figures, and keychains.
{{br}}
===Unused appearances===
====''Diddy Kong Pilot''====
Funky Kong was playable in the [[Diddy Kong Pilot (2001)#Very early build|Space World 2000 build]] of ''Diddy Kong Pilot''. He was unique among the [[Kong]]s and other ''[[Super Mario (franchise)|Super Mario]]'' characters for being the only character to not use a plane, instead riding his surfboard with a rocket engine attached to the underside, allowing it to fly, similar to his hovering surfboard in ''Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest''. Funky's design resembles his appearance in ''Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest'' with a purple bandana and swim trunks, and his portrait depicting him with a red polka-dotted bandana. He is located to the left of Cranky Kong in the hand-drawn placeholder art.
Funky was also playable in the 2003 iteration of ''[[Diddy Kong Pilot (2003)|Diddy Kong Pilot]]''. He was a member of Team Kong along with Donkey, Diddy and Dixie Kong. Now riding a silver jet instead of his surfboard and with his polka-dotted bandana visible in his sprites, Funky Kong had similar top speed to DK but lower weight and acceleration. When playing as Team [[Kremling|Krem]], Funky Kong would have been the third boss and would attack the team with machine gun fire and by dropping tornados behind his jet.
In ''[[jiggywikki:Banjo-Pilot|Banjo-Pilot]]'', Funky's silver jet was recolored yellow and blue to be used by [[jiggywikki:Banjo|Banjo]]. Despite this, [[jiggywikki:Mumbo Jumbo|Mumbo Jumbo]]'s stats closely correlate to Funky's racing stats in the 2003 build than Banjo's stats do.
{{br}}
{{br}}


==General information==
==General information==
===Physical appearance===
===Physical appearance===
Funky Kong has the same general build as fellow Kongs such as Donkey and Kiddy Kong, being both large and muscular; Funky's fur is generally light brown in color. The shade of it varies in his appearances and artwork, being either light or dark. In all of his appearances, Funky wears a pair of sunglasses which conceal what his true eyes look like; however, in ''Donkey Kong Country'', Funky could be seen lifting his sunglasses and revealing a pair of eyes just like Donkey Kong's. Funky's sunglasses were originally black in color in ''Donkey Kong Country'', but virtually all subsequent appearances depict as being purple tinted.
{{quote|I only added teeth, bandana and shades to the DK model back in '94, but I still get to claim Funky as mine 😁He looks much better [[Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze|now]], btw.|''Donkey Kong Country'' character designer [[Steve Mayles]] on Funky's creation}}
[[File:Funkykong.png|thumb|Artwork for ''Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest'', also used for ''Donkey Kong Land 2'']]
Funky Kong has the same general build as fellow Kongs such as Donkey and Kiddy Kong, being both large and muscular. Funky's fur is generally light brown in color, though the shade of it varies in his appearances and artwork, being either light or dark. In all of his appearances, Funky wears a pair of sunglasses which conceal what his true eyes look like; however, in ''Donkey Kong Country'', Funky could be seen lifting his sunglasses and revealing a pair of eyes just like Donkey Kong's, and in ''Donkey Kong 64'', his sunglasses were transparent and tinted red, so his eyes were still visible. Funky's sunglasses were originally black in color in ''Donkey Kong Country'', but virtually all subsequent appearances depict as being purple tinted.
 
In ''Donkey Kong Country'', ''Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest'', and ''Donkey Kong Land 2'', Funky Kong's attire is essentially the same, with him wearing a red bandanna with white polka-dots, medals around his neck ("{{wp|Bling-bling|bling}}"), a purple swimsuit, and sandals. In the latter games, Funky is shown to be surfing on surfboard while in midair.
 
''Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!'' radically alters Funky's appearance, having him discard his medals and replace them with tools slung from a tool belt; Funky also wears a white muscle shirt, blue shorts and black boots in this game. Additionally, he has an upright posture and is taller than his last appearance.  


In ''Donkey Kong Country'', ''Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest'' and ''Donkey Kong Land 2'', Funky Kong's attire is essentially the same, with him wearing a red bandanna with white polka-dots, medals around his neck ("[[Wikipedia: Bling-bling|bling]]"), a purple swimsuit, and sandals.
In ''Donkey Kong 64'', Funky was once again redesigned, this time wearing a navy blue camouflage print attire and army hat, black combat boots and red teashades. He is noticeably more muscular than Donkey Kong, though not as burly as [[Chunky Kong]].


''Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!'' radically alters Funky's appearance, having him discard his medals and replace them with tools slung from a tool belt; Funky also wears a white muscle shirt, blue shorts and black boots in this game. ''Donkey Kong 64'' has Funky radically change his attire once again, with him wearing a navy blue camouflage print attire and army hat, black combat boots and red teashades. More recently, Funky's appearance has remained consistent, being identical to his attire from ''Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!'', with his tool belt being replaced by a regular one and no boots.
More recently, Funky's appearance has remained consistent, being identical to his attire from ''Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!'', aside from his tool belt being replaced by a regular one and having no boots.


While Funky's bandanna has always been red with white polka dots in official artwork, in-game sprites depicted it as purple in the first two ''Donkey Kong Country'' games and solid red in the third. ''DK: King of Swing'' was the first game to depict him with a polka-dot bandanna in his sprites.
While Funky's bandanna has always been red with white polka dots in official artwork, in-game sprites depicted it as purple in the first two ''Donkey Kong Country'' games and solid red in the third. ''DK: King of Swing'' introduced Funky's modern design, and it is the first game where Funky has a polka-dot bandanna.


===Personality===
===Personality===
Unlike most of his relatives, Funky Kong actually loathes adventuring{{ref needed}}, preferring to aid his friends through other means, such as through his shops and flight services. He is also portrayed as being bold and energetic, despite his dislike for adventuring. Funky's hobbies include such things as surfing and tinkering with and building various machinery such as vehicles and weapons.
Funky Kong is a laid-back primate like Donkey Kong. According to his guide bio from ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]'' and as he himself states in the story from the manual of ''[[Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest]]'', Funky Kong abhors adventuring, preferring to aid his friends through other means, such as through his shops and flight services. Funky is portrayed as bold and energetic, and often uses casual phrases in his speech (e.g. "[[Banana Juice|This. Stuff.]] Is. Awesome. I have no idea what it is, dude, but it tastes radical!"). Also, despite his dislike for adventuring, it seems that he is willing to adventure to help his friends, as he is a playable character in the [[Nintendo Switch]] version of ''[[Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze]]''. Funky's hobbies include such things as surfing and tinkering with and building various machinery such as vehicles and weapons.


==Official profiles and statistics==
==Profiles and statistics==
{{main|List of Funky Kong profiles and statistics}}
{{main|List of Funky Kong profiles and statistics}}
===German ''Donkey Kong 64'' website===
''"The coolest ape in the world has once again changed his occupation. Some time ago he discovered his predilection for weapons technology. He has succeeded in transforming harmless tropical fruit and colorful feathers into effective projectiles. Switches that are located outside the range of the Kongs or that cannot be activated even using all of one's body strength no longer pose a problem due to the use of these special weapons. The integrated target functions and the add-on target-searching-ammunition make the weapons an indispensable aid in the search for the golden bananas. Funky also offers, as a further service, refilling of the ammunition supply. The weapons and their extensions, however, cannot be had for nothing. But Funky always has especially low prices for his friends."''


===''[[DK: King of Swing]]''===
===''[[DK: King of Swing]]''===
*'''Instruction Booklet:''' ''"The sunglasses wearing, coolest of the Kongs. Preferring attack-based contests to races, he's the dark horse of the Jungle Jam."''
*'''Instruction booklet:''' ''"The sunglasses wearing, coolest of the Kongs. Preferring attack-based contests to races, he's the dark horse of the Jungle Jam."''
*'''Jump:''' 2
*'''Jump:''' 2
*'''Attack:''' 4
*'''Attack:''' 4


===''[[Donkey Kong Barrel Blast]]''===
===''[[Donkey Kong Barrel Blast]]''===
[[File:DKBBFunkyKongIcon.png|100x100px]]
{{DKBB character
*'''Unlock method:''' Win the [[Diamond Cup]] with a Kong.
|name=Funky Kong
*'''Boost:''' 1/5
|image=[[File:DKBBFunkyKongIcon.png]]
*'''Speed:''' 5/5
|rival=[[Kludge]]
*'''Agility:''' 1/5
|boost=1
*'''Rival:''' [[Kludge]]
|speed=5
|agility=1
|unlock=Win the [[Diamond Cup]] with a Kong.
}}


===''[[Mario Kart Wii]]''===
===''[[Mario Kart Wii]]''===
[[File:RosterFunkyKong.PNG|thumb|200px|right|Funky Kong's complete vehicle roster.]]
[[File:RosterFunkyKong.png|thumb|upright=1.1|Funky Kong's complete vehicle roster]]
*'''Size:''' Large
*'''Size:''' Large
*Actual Bonuses
*Actual Bonuses
Line 142: Line 165:
===''[[Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze]]''===
===''[[Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze]]''===
*"''Whoa, long time no see! Welcome to [[Funky's Fly 'n' Buy]]. Don't tell me you forgot your pal Funky Kong? I'm here to help ya on another epic adventure!''" (introducing himself when first entering [[Funky's Fly 'n' Buy|his shop]])
*"''Whoa, long time no see! Welcome to [[Funky's Fly 'n' Buy]]. Don't tell me you forgot your pal Funky Kong? I'm here to help ya on another epic adventure!''" (introducing himself when first entering [[Funky's Fly 'n' Buy|his shop]])
*"''Pitfalls got ya down? Way down? This balloon will really lift your spirits!''" (Buying a Green Balloon)
*"''Pitfalls got ya down? Way down? This balloon will really lift your spirits!''" (Selecting a Green Balloon)
*"''Radical! I was about to say, if I had a coin for everytime I saw you fall out there, I'd be surfin' instead of sellin'!''" (Buying a Red Balloon)
*"''Feeling the need for some jet-powered action? Diddy's got the skills!''" (Selecting a Diddy Kong Barrel)
*"''With this, you can totally show the [[Snowmad]]s what it means to be on like Donkey Kong!''" (Buying Banana Juice)
*"''Wanna get the jump on those frozen flipper-heads? Dixie's your dudette! (Selecting a Dixie Kong Barrel)
*"''Need a little extra spring in your step? Cranky's no spring chicken, but he sure is spry! (Selecting a Cranky Kong Barrel)
*"''Radical! I was about to say, if I had a coin for every time I saw you fall out there, I'd be surfin' instead of sellin'!''" (Buying a Red Balloon)
*"''Groovy, gotcha down for an appointment with the bodacious bird! What, didja think you owned him now? Nah!''" (Purchasing Squawks)
*"''With this, you'll totally show those annoying [[Snowmads]] what it means to be on like Donkey Kong!''" (Buying Banana Juice)
*"''Three's totally better than two, right? Yeah, that's totally right.''" (Buying a Heart Boost)
*"''Three's totally better than two, right? Yeah, that's totally right.''" (Buying a Heart Boost)
*"''Just remember not to throw the barrel too hard, Donkey-dude--don't wanna break somethin' on the old ape!''" (Buying a Cranky Kong Barrel)
*"''Whoa, slow down there, dude! You're totally overloaded!''" (Trying to buy a Red Balloon when at maximum capacity)
*"''Whoa, dude, you've got all the toys there are! Hey, wanna do some trading later?''" (Trying to buy a figurine when the player has the whole collection)
*"''Whoa, dude, you've got all the toys there are! Hey, wanna do some trading later?''" (Trying to buy a figurine when the player has the whole collection)
*"''Remember to work with your buddies, Kong. A little extra help might be what ya need to find some cool hidden stuff!''" (Leaving the shop)
*"''Those Snowmads are a gnarly bunch! I hear they're enjoyin' your island. Go get 'em, DK!''" (Leaving the shop)
*"''Show those pesky penguins the radical righteousness of us supreme simians!''" (Leaving the shop)
*"''Show those pesky penguins the radical righteousness of us supreme simians!''" (Leaving the shop)


===''[[Donkey Kong Country: Rumble in the Jungle]]''===
===''[[Donkey Kong Country: Rumble in the Jungle]]''===
*''"Just surfing the wind currents, dudes. Nothing to get uptight about. Stay mellow, stay cool."''
*''"Just surfing the wind currents, dudes. Nothing to get uptight about. Stay mellow, stay cool."''
*''"That used to be the biggest city on [[Donkey Kong Island]]. It's called [[Big Ape City]].
*''"That used to be the biggest city on [[Donkey Kong Island]]. It's called [[Big Ape City]]."''
*''"I don't go looking for trouble, and most of the time it doesn't come looking for me."''
*''"I don't go looking for trouble, and most of the time it doesn't come looking for me."''


==Gallery==
==Portrayals==
{{main-gallery|Funky Kong}}
*[[Damon D'Oliveira]] - ''[[Donkey Kong Country (television series)|Donkey Kong Country]]'' television series
*[[Toshihide Tsuchiya]] (2007-present)


==List of appearances by date==
==List of appearances==
{| class=sortable cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 border=1 align=center width=100% style="border-collapse:collapse; font-family:Arial"
{|class="wikitable sortable" width=100%
|-
|-
! width=50% | Title
!width=40%|Title
! width=20% | Description
!width=25%|Description
! width=20% | Release date
!width=15%|Release date
! width=10% | System/format
!width=20%|System/format
|-
|-
| ''[[Donkey Kong Country]]''
|''[[Donkey Kong Country]]''
| Non-playable character
|Non-playable character
| 1994
|1994
| [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|SNES]]
|[[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]]
|-
|-
| ''[[Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest]]''
|''[[Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest]]''
| Non-playable character
|Non-playable character
| 1995
|1995
| [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|SNES]]
|Super Nintendo Entertainment System
|-
|-
| ''[[Donkey Kong Land 2]]''
|''[[Donkey Kong Land 2]]''
| Non-playable character
|Non-playable character
| 1996
|1996
| [[Game Boy]]
|[[Game Boy]]
|-
|-
| ''[[Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!]]''
|''[[Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!]]''
| Non-playable character
|Non-playable character
| 1996
|1996
| [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|SNES]]
|Super Nintendo Entertainment System
|-
|-
| ''[[Donkey Kong 64]]''
|''[[Donkey Kong 64]]''
| Non-playable character
|Non-playable character
| 1999
|1999
| [[Nintendo 64]]
|[[Nintendo 64]]
|-
|-
|''[[Donkey Kong Country]]'' (GBC port)
|''[[Picross NP]] Vol. 8''
| Non-playable character
|Cameo
| 2000
|Japan:<br>June 1, 2000
| [[Game Boy Color]]
|[[Super Famicom]]
|-
|-
|''[[Donkey Kong Country]]'' (GBA port)
|''[[Donkey Kong Country (Game Boy Color)|Donkey Kong Country]]''
| Non-playable character
|Non-playable character
| 2003
|2000
| [[Game Boy Advance]]
|[[Game Boy Color]]
|-
|-
|''[[Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest|Donkey Kong Country 2]]'' (GBA Port)
|''[[Donkey Kong Country (Game Boy Advance)|Donkey Kong Country]]''
| Non-playable character
|Non-playable character
| 2004
|2003
| [[Game Boy Advance]]
|[[Game Boy Advance]]
|-
|-
| ''[[Donkey Konga 2]]''
|''[[Donkey Kong Country 2 (Game Boy Advance)|Donkey Kong Country 2]]''
| Non-playable character
|Non-playable character
| 2004
|2004
| [[Nintendo GameCube]]
|Game Boy Advance
|-
|-
| ''[[DK: King of Swing]]''
|''[[Donkey Konga 2]]''
| Playable character in Jungle Jam mode
|Non-playable character
| 2005
|2004
| [[Game Boy Advance]]
|[[Nintendo GameCube]]
|-
|-
| ''[[Donkey Konga 3: Tabehōdai! Haru Mogitate 50 Kyoku]]''
|''[[DK: King of Swing]]''
| Playable character
|Playable character in Jungle Jam mode
| 2005
|2005
| [[Nintendo GameCube]]
|Game Boy Advance
|-
|-
|''[[Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!|Donkey Kong Country 3]]'' (GBA Port)
|''[[Donkey Konga 3 JP]]''
| Non-playable character
|Playable character
| 2005
|2005
| [[Game Boy Advance]]
|Nintendo GameCube
|-
|-
| ''[[Donkey Kong Barrel Blast]]
|''[[Donkey Kong Country 3 (Game Boy Advance)|Donkey Kong Country 3]]''
| Unlockable playable character
|Non-playable character
| 2007
|2005
| [[Wii]]
|Game Boy Advance
|-
|-
| ''[[DK: Jungle Climber]]''
|''[[Donkey Kong Barrel Blast]]
| Playable in VS mode
|Unlockable playable character
| 2007
|2007
| [[Nintendo DS]]
|[[Wii]]
|-
|-
| ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''
|''[[DK: Jungle Climber]]''  
| Cameo as a [[Trophy (Super Smash Bros. series)|trophy]] and [[Sticker (Super Smash Bros. Brawl)|Sticker]]
|Playable in VS mode
| 2008
|2007
| [[Wii]]
|[[Nintendo DS]]
|-
|-
| ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]''
|''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''
| Unlockable playable character
|Cameo as a [[Trophy (Super Smash Bros. series)|trophy]] and [[Sticker (Super Smash Bros. Brawl)|sticker]]
| 2008
|2008
| [[Wii]]
|Wii
|-
|-
| ''[[Mario Super Sluggers]]''
|''[[Mario Kart Wii]]''
| Unlockable playable character  
|Unlockable playable character
| 2008
|2008
| [[Wii]]
|Wii
|-
|-
| ''[[Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze]]''
|''[[Mario Super Sluggers]]''
| Non-playable character  
|Unlockable playable character  
| 2014
|2008
| [[Wii U]]
|Wii
|-
|-
| ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U]]''
|''[[Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze]]''
| Cameo as a [[Trophy (Super Smash Bros. series)|trophy]]
|Non-playable character
| 2014
|2014
| [[Nintendo 3DS]], [[Wii U]]
|[[Wii U]]
|-
|''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS]] / [[Super Smash Bros. for Wii U|Wii U]]''
|Cameo as a [[Trophy (Super Smash Bros. series)|trophy]]
|2014
|[[Nintendo 3DS]] / Wii U
|-
|''[[Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Nintendo Switch)|Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze]]''
|Playable character
|2018
|[[Nintendo Switch]]
|-
|''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''
|Cameo as a [[Spirit (Super Smash Bros. Ultimate)|spirit]]
|2018
|Nintendo Switch
|-
|''[[Mario Kart Tour]]''
|Playable character (requires update)
|2020 ([[Jungle Tour]])
|Android / iOS
|-
|''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]'' (version 3.0.0)
|Downloadable playable character
|2023 ([[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass|Booster Course Pass]], Wave 6)
|Nintendo Switch
|}
|}


==Name in other languages==
==Gallery==
{{main-gallery|Funky Kong}}
<gallery>
FunkyKongDK64.png|''[[Donkey Kong 64]]''
Funkydk3.png|''[[Donkey Konga 3 JP]]''
Funky Kong DKKoS art.jpg|''[[DK: King of Swing]]''
Funky Kong - DK Jungle Climber.png|''[[DK: Jungle Climber]]''
DKCTF Funky Kong Artwork.png|''[[Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Nintendo Switch)|Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze]]''<br>([[Nintendo Switch]])
</gallery>
 
==Names in other languages==
{{foreign names
{{foreign names
|Jap=ファンキーコング
|Jap=ファンキーコング
|JapR=Fankī Kongu
|JapR=Fankī Kongu
|JapM=
|JapM=Funky Kong
|Spa=
|ChiS=酷喜刚
|SpaM=
|ChiSR=Kùxǐ Gāng
|SpaA=
|ChiSM=From 酷 ("Cool") and 森喜(刚/剛) ("Donkey Kong")
|SpaAM=
|ChiT=酷喜剛
|SpaE=
|ChiTR=Kùxǐ Gāng
|SpaEM=
|ChiTM=From 酷 ("Cool") and 森喜(刚/剛) ("Donkey Kong")
|Fra=
|Fre=Funky Kong
|FraM=
|Fre2=Funky
|FraA=
|Fre2C=<ref>{{cite|deadlink=y|archive=web.archive.org/web/20001109132900/http://www.france2.fr/jeunesse/dktv/index.shtml|title=Bienvenue sur DKTV|publisher[[Donkey Kong Planet]] website|language=fr|accessdate=June 21, 2024}}</ref>
|FraAM=
|Ger=Funky Kong
|FraE=
|Ita=Funky Kong
|FraEM=
|Kor=펑키 콩
|Dut=
|KorR=Peongki Kong
|DutM=
|KorM=Funky Kong
|Ger=
|Por=Funky Kong
|GerM=
|Ita=
|ItaM=
|Por=
|PorM=
|Rus=Фанки Конг
|Rus=Фанки Конг
|RusR=Fanki Kong
|RusR=Fanki Kong
|RusM=
|RusM=Transliteration of the English name, Funky Kong
|Kor=펑키 콩
|Spa=Funky Kong
|KorR=Peongki Kong
|KorM=
|Chi=
|ChiR=
|ChiM=
|Rom=
|RomM=
}}
}}


==Trivia==
==Trivia==
*In Issue #261 of ''[[Nintendo Power]]''{{'}}s "The Score," a page listing the results of online polls, Funky Kong was voted the most wanted Kong who is not present in ''[[Donkey Kong Country Returns]]''.
*"Funky Kong" was one of the proposed names for [[Donkey Kong]] that was rejected during the [[Donkey Kong (game)|eponymous game]]'s development.<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=English|archive=web.archive.org/web/20200205024112/https://twitter.com/GamingHistorian/status/1222939644217757697|accessdate=June 29, 2024}}</ref>
*Although Funky Kong does not appear in ''Donkey Kong Country Returns'', he is referenced by [[Cranky Kong]], who wishes that someone with a plane (such as Funky) could get them to the top of the island.
*In Issue #262 of ''[[Nintendo Power]]''{{'}}s "The Score," a page listing the results of online polls, Funky Kong was voted the most wanted Kong who is not present in ''[[Donkey Kong Country Returns]]''.
*Funky Kong's ''Mario Super Sluggers'' baseball card listed his Rookie Year as 1999, even though his first appearance was in ''Donkey Kong Country'', which was released in 1994.
*Funky Kong's ''Mario Super Sluggers'' baseball card listed his Rookie Year as 1999, even though his first appearance was in ''Donkey Kong Country'', which was released in 1994.
*In ''Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze'', when the player visits Funky's shop and they highlight the [[Crash Guard]] option, Funky will say: "Vehicle troubles? It's dangerous to go alone- take one of these!" This is a reference to the first [[zeldawiki:The Legend of Zelda (Game)|''The Legend of Zelda'' game]] in which [[Link]] acquires his first weapon by entering a cave and speaking to an elderly man, who offers a wooden sword speaking similar words.
 
{{NIWA|DKWiki=1}}
==References==
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[[Category:Kongs]]
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[[Category:Super Smash Bros. Ultimate spirits]]
[[Category:The Super Mario Bros. Movie characters]]
[[de:Funky Kong]]
[[de:Funky Kong]]
[[it:Funky Kong]]

Latest revision as of 00:04, November 12, 2024

Funky Kong
Artwork of Funky Kong from Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze.
Funky Kong in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Species Kong
First appearance Donkey Kong Country (1994)
Latest appearance Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Booster Course Pass, Wave 6) (2023)
Latest portrayal Toshihide Tsuchiya (2007–present)
“Whoa, Dudes! My name's Funky Kong! My bodacious Jumbo Barrel can launch you to any point on the island!”
Funky Kong, Donkey Kong Country

Funky Kong is a Kong who first appears in Donkey Kong Country. While portrayed as an easygoing surfer, Funky is a very skilled mechanic, creating many vehicles and other inventions from limited materials, namely barrels. In most of his appearances, Funky operates a transportation service for the Kongs using one or more of his vehicles. He has also made playable appearances in a few Super Mario spin-off games including Mario Kart Wii and Mario Super Sluggers.

History[edit]

Donkey Kong Country series[edit]

Donkey Kong Country[edit]

Artwork of Funky Kong on his surfboard for Donkey Kong Country
Funky as originally depicted in Donkey Kong Country

Funky Kong is a supporting character in Donkey Kong Country. He is the owner of Funky's Flights, a rental service where he allows Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong to use his Funky Barrel to travel between worlds that they have either accessed or completed.

Funky hosts the Funky's Fishing mini-game in both the Game Boy Color version and Game Boy Advance version, where the goal is to catch as many fish within the time limit. In the Game Boy Advance version, Funky hosts the mini-game along with his flight service during the main game. Donkey Kong and Diddy are no longer required to visit Funky to use his Funky Barrel, as the player can select the "CALL FUNKY" option from the Start menu. In each world, Funky provides a different objective for each Funky's Fishing challenge, such as in Kremkroc Industries, Inc., where Donkey Kong and Diddy must fish out ten bottles. In the same version, Funky is shown during the ending cutscene with the other Kongs.

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest[edit]

Funky Kong is a supporting character in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest. He hosts another flight service, Funky's Flights II, in every world except the Lost World. Funky allows Diddy and Dixie to use the Biplane Barrel if they pay two Banana Coins, although every trip after the first one are free.

Funky hosts a bonus game, Funky's Flights in each world in the Game Boy Advance version. The Biplane Barrel is replaced with the Gyrocopter, which Funky allows Diddy and Dixie to freely use from the world map after they complete the Aerial Loop challenge. Funky hosts a different challenge in each world, and if Diddy and Dixie complete a challenge, Funky rewards a DK Coin to them. In the same version, Funky also appears with the Gyrocopter in the ending, and he rescues Diddy, Dixie, Donkey Kong, and Cranky from The Flying Krock before it crashes onto the ground. In the 102% ending, Funky drops a bomb onto Kaptain K. Rool from the Gyrocopter to stop him from escaping.

Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble![edit]

Funky is a supporting character in Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!. Funky operates Funky's Rentals from the Northern Kremisphere map, where he gives Kiddy to Dixie at the start of her adventure. He allows them rent various watercraft to travel across the waters of the Northern Kremisphere. At first, Funky has only the Motor Boat available for lease, but as the Kongs obtain certain items along the way, Funky can use them to construct a few more vehicles, each one more effective for traversing the world map than the previous. After completing Kremwood Forest, the Kongs can take the patch they had obtained and give it to Funky for him to create the Hover Craft. After completing Cotton Top Cove and Mekanos, the Kongs can return the skis to Funky for him to create the Turbo Ski. Throughout the game, the Brothers Bear reference a "secret project" that Funky is working on, the Gyrocopter; if Dixie and Kiddy ask Funky about the project, he acknowledges it but requires the Kongs to obtain every DK Coin to let them use it.

In the Game Boy Advance version, Funky hosts a series of four minigames and rewards the Kongs with a Banana Bird if they complete all of them.

Donkey Kong 64[edit]

Funky Kong
Funky in Donkey Kong 64

Funky is a supporting character in Donkey Kong 64. His main role is operating a weapons store, Funky's Store, which appears in every level except Hideout Helm. He first sells a shooter to each respective Kong when they first visit. In later levels, Funky also sells two ammo belt upgrades, a sniper scope, and the ability to pick up homing ammo. Each time the Kongs are low on ammo, right before a Kong leaves the store, Funky refills their ammo supply entirely. After defeating King Krusha K. Rool at the boxing arena, Candy walks in and distracts him. Meanwhile, Funky walks in and fires a boot at K. Rool, knocking him up through the ceiling of the arena. During the end credits, Funky mimics the sounds of some weapons such as aerial bombs and machine guns on a cliff, then does some acrobatics.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze[edit]

Funky Kong as he appears in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze for the Nintendo Switch
Funky Kong's appearance in the Nintendo Switch version of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

Funky is a supporting character in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze. He is the owner of the item shop, named Funky's Fly 'n' Buy. In this way, he replaces Cranky Kong's role as the owner of a shop in the previous installment due to the elderly Kong being a playable character. Funky Kong sells various items to the Kongs in exchange for Banana Coins, including DK Barrels, red, blue, and green balloons, Banana Juice, Squawks, Heart Boosts, and Crash Guards. He also sells collectible toys from the Capsule Toy Machine. The shop operates on every island in the game except Secret Seclusion. When the player visits Funky's shop and they highlight the Crash Guard option, Funky will say: "Vehicle troubles? It's dangerous to go alone- take one of these!", a reference to a well known quote from the first The Legend of Zelda game.

Funky is also a playable character in the Nintendo Switch port, in the newly added "Funky Mode". When selected, Funky replaces Donkey Kong as the main playable character. His abilities, aided by his surfboard, are a combination of Diddy, Dixie, and Cranky, and they include double jumping, hovering, treading on Spiked Floors, and surfing on water in a similar fashion to water skipping. He can perform perpetual Roll Attacks and Corkscrews as well. In addition, he wears a yellow pair of goggles with a snorkel whenever he plunges underwater, enabling him to breathe without having to collect Air Bubbles. Lastly, Funky's surfboard enables him to safely jump on enemies that the other Kongs (except Cranky) cannot safely jump on, such as the Snaggles. He can also perform a Ground Pound like Donkey Kong, even on spikes. He can also execute the new Pluck move slightly faster than even Donkey Kong can, though unlike the latter, he cannot carry the other Kongs on his back, even in multiplayer. While playing as Funky Kong, his shop, Funky's Fly 'n' Buy, is run by a parrot named Tawks, whose speech purposely mimics Funky. If Funky shops at his store, Tawks gives him an employee discount.

Donkey Kong Country: Rumble in the Jungle[edit]

Illustration from page 43 of Donkey Kong Country: Rumble in the Jungle, showing Funky Kong trying to repair his barrel plane.
Funky Kong inspecting his damaged Barrel Plane in Donkey Kong Country: Rumble in the Jungle

Funky is a supporting character in Donkey Kong Country: Rumble in the Jungle. He owns a custom-built plane made from a Barrel, which he uses to transport clients around Donkey Kong Island. He promises Diddy Kong an exciting ride as a passenger while he performs tricks in the air. During their flight, they notice smoke coming from the long-abandoned Big Ape City, which Funky prefers not to investigate because he does not enjoy looking for trouble. After Diddy's flight, Funky gets attacked by a swarm of flying pigs near Big Ape City, causing his plane to crash. Donkey Kong, Cranky Kong, and Diddy cross the jungle on foot, to where he has been held captive by the Kremlings within Big Ape City. The Kremlings believe that Funky Kong is a spy, and they intend to use a painful "truth machine" on him, as ordered by King K. Rool.

After breaking out of his cell, Funky involves himself in defeating a group of Kremlings, although he is normally "too laid back" to fight. He later inspects his plane in the cargo room and finds that he can easily repair most of the damage, although he requires a new water pump for the engine. He draws a map of the factory so that the other Kongs can find a replacement, due to having seen most of the factory while the Kremlings were deciding where to take him. After Funky successfully repairs the engine, all of the Kongs board the plane and Funky flies out from the factory through a hole in the wall. The plane is attacked by the flying pigs a second time; however, Funky has the idea to pour the plane's entire banana milkshake supply onto the pigs so that they are no longer able to fly. Funky then maneuvers his plane over King K. Rool's zeppelin, which allows Donkey Kong and Diddy to plant it with TNT Barrels. After destroying the Factory, Funky Kong flies the others back to their tree house in the jungle.

Super Mario-kun[edit]

Cropped from page 123 of volume 14 of Super Mario-kun.
Funky Kong in Super Mario-kun

Funky Kong is a supporting character in volume 14 of Super Mario-kun. He allows Mario, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, and Diddy Kong to ride the Funky Barrel.

Donkey Kong Land 2[edit]

Funky is a supporting character in Donkey Kong Land 2. His role is identical as in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest. If Diddy or Dixie pay Funky two Banana Coins, he allows them to use the Biplane Barrel to travel between worlds from the world map.

Donkey Kong Country television series[edit]

Funky Kong, as he appears in the Donkey Kong Country television series

Funky is a major character in the Donkey Kong Country television series. His character is relatively the same as in the games, the adventure-loving owner of Funky's Flights and one of Donkey Kong's best friends. A running gag throughout the show involves him being incompetent at maneuvering his plane. In addition to enjoying surfing and dancing, Funky is portrayed as exceptionally spiritual in the show, known to talk about subjects such as karma quite often. On the show, Funky is portrayed with golden fur instead of brown, more goggle-like glasses, and a Jamaican accent, provided by voice actor Damon D'Oliveira. Likewise, his appearances on the show are often accompanied by reggae or ska background music.

Bumm-Badabumm im Urwald[edit]

In the Donkey Kong comic "Bumm-Badabumm im Urwald", Funky (being called "Funky-Kong", with a hyphen in his name) despite not actually appearing in the story, does play a crucial role in it. In the comic, Funky is the one who alerts Donkey, Diddy and Dixie Kong, through drumming, that the Kremling Krew has plundered all the bananas on Donkey Kong Island.

Club Nintendo[edit]

In the German edition Club Nintendo, Funky Kong appears in a somewhat minor role in the comic "Donkey Kong in: Banana Day 24", where he appears at the celebration the Kong Family has at its end. In Club Nintendo's comic book length adaptation of Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, Funky makes a brief appearance in the scene where Cranky explains Banana Coins and Kremkoins to Diddy and Dixie.

DK series[edit]

DK: King of Swing[edit]

Funky is a non-playable character in Adventure mode and a playable character in Jungle Jam mode in DK: King of Swing. In Adventure mode, Funky makes a minor appearance in both the opening and ending cutscenes. As a playable character, Funky's attack is strong but his jump is weak.

DK: Jungle Climber[edit]

Funky is a supporting character in Adventure mode and a playable character in the VS. Mode of DK: Jungle Climber. He and many others in the Kong Family go on vacation to Sun Sun Island. When Donkey, Diddy, and Cranky meet the banana alien Xananab and decide to help in his quest to reclaim his Crystal Bananas from King K. Rool, Funky aids the four by flying them to the different islands as they track down the Kremlings. If Donkey Kong collects a certain amount of oil barrels, he can give them to Funky Kong to power his airplane, which can fly them to a smaller version of the island they are on. Although he is not playable in story mode, he is playable in the game's wireless multiplayer mode as P4.

Donkey Kong Barrel Blast[edit]

Artwork of Funky Kong from Donkey Kong Barrel Blast
Funky Kong in Donkey Kong Barrel Blast

Funky Kong is an unlockable playable character in Donkey Kong Barrel Blast. Funky can be unlocked by completing the Diamond Cup as a Kong character. Funky's stats are shared with Kludge, having very low boost and agility but maximum speed.

Super Smash Bros. series[edit]

In the Super Smash Bros. series, a trophy of Funky Kong can obtained in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U. He also appears in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as a master spirit. He runs a shop called Funky Kong's Shack, where he sells snacks, Skill Spheres, Support Items, and spirits that are themed around transportation.

Mario Kart series[edit]

Mario Kart Wii[edit]

Artwork of Funky Kong and his kart from Mario Kart Wii
Funky Kong is a playable character in Mario Kart Wii

Funky Kong makes his first appearance in the Super Mario franchise in Mario Kart Wii, appearing as an unlockable playable character. He is a large-sized character, unlocked by unlocking four Expert Staff Ghost Data on Time Trial mode, by winning 25 WFC Ghost Races, or by playing 2,250 races. Funky Kong is the Staff Ghost for GCN DK Mountain. While he does not have his own race course, he does have his own battle arena: Funky Stadium. Although Funky Kong features a good speed bonus, it is not as good as that of Baby Luigi and Baby Daisy. However, being a large-sized racer, Funky can use the Jetsetter and Spear, which are the fastest kart and bike in the game, respectively.

Some of Funky Kong's voice clips from Donkey Kong Barrel Blast are reused for his voice in this game. 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.[1]

Mario Kart Tour[edit]

Funky Kong in Mario Kart Tour
Funky Kong gliding in Mario Kart Tour

Funky Kong returns in Mario Kart Tour as a High-End driver, being made available on May 20, 2020. He was part of the first week's spotlight of the Jungle Tour, alongside the Bolt Buggy and the Banana Wingtip. Funky also returned as part of the 2nd week spotlight of the 2020 Los Angeles Tour. Starting with the 2021 Cat Tour, he is now a regular High-End driver, and starting with the Bowser vs. DK Tour, he has his own self-named cup. Funky Kong’s special item is the Banana Barrels, which is shared with Diddy Kong and the Light Green Mii Racing Suit.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe[edit]

Funky Kong in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Funky Kong racing on Tour Los Angeles Laps in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

Funky Kong appears as one of four new racers in the sixth and final wave of the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass DLC, alongside Diddy Kong, Pauline, and Peachette. His model is reused from Mario Kart Tour, and he is the only Booster Course Pass character not to reuse his icon from that game.[2] He is again a heavyweight character in this game, sharing statistics with Wario, Dry Bowser, and heavy Miis. Funky Kong uses the turquoise Peach Parasol glider, making him and Kamek the only male characters (not counting Wiggler, whose gender is unknown) to use a recolor of the glider. He also uses a red Super Glider instead of a light-blue one like in Mario Kart Tour, making him the only character whose Super Glider color does not match their main vehicle color, with the red color presumably chosen to match the color of his surfboard. A CPU controlled Funky Kong uses the same kart combination options as Donkey Kong. During the majority of his Jump Boost animations and his character selection animation, Funky Kong will pull out his surfboard and show it off.

Mario Super Sluggers[edit]

Funky Kong is an unlockable playable team player in Mario Super Sluggers. He has good batting and decent fielding skills, while lacking in pitching and running skills. He is the only Kong in the game who bats with his right hand, while fielding with his left hand. He has good chemistry with all the Kongs and bad chemistry with all the Kremlings. He is unlocked after he joins the player in Challenge Mode.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie[edit]

Funky Kong TSMBM
A picture of Funky Kong as seen in the hut

Funky Kong appears in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, where he is shown driving just behind Donkey Kong, alongside Mario, Princess Peach, Toad, and the Kong army on Rainbow Road. A picture of Funky Kong riding a surfboard can also be seen in the hut where Cranky Kong describes the plan to drive to Rainbow Road.

Other appearances[edit]

Although Funky Kong does not appear in Donkey Kong Country Returns, he is referenced by Cranky Kong, who wishes that someone with a plane (such as Funky) could get them to the top of the island.

Funky Kong's face appears in Picross NP Vol. 8 as one of the images that must be cleared. After solving the puzzle, he shows his eyes to the player.

Additionally, some merchandise based on Funky Kong has been released, most of it based off his appearance in Donkey Kong Country or the television series; this includes objects such as statuettes, plush dolls, mini figures, and keychains.

Unused appearances[edit]

Diddy Kong Pilot[edit]

Funky Kong was playable in the Space World 2000 build of Diddy Kong Pilot. He was unique among the Kongs and other Super Mario characters for being the only character to not use a plane, instead riding his surfboard with a rocket engine attached to the underside, allowing it to fly, similar to his hovering surfboard in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest. Funky's design resembles his appearance in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest with a purple bandana and swim trunks, and his portrait depicting him with a red polka-dotted bandana. He is located to the left of Cranky Kong in the hand-drawn placeholder art.

Funky was also playable in the 2003 iteration of Diddy Kong Pilot. He was a member of Team Kong along with Donkey, Diddy and Dixie Kong. Now riding a silver jet instead of his surfboard and with his polka-dotted bandana visible in his sprites, Funky Kong had similar top speed to DK but lower weight and acceleration. When playing as Team Krem, Funky Kong would have been the third boss and would attack the team with machine gun fire and by dropping tornados behind his jet.

In Banjo-Pilot, Funky's silver jet was recolored yellow and blue to be used by Banjo. Despite this, Mumbo Jumbo's stats closely correlate to Funky's racing stats in the 2003 build than Banjo's stats do.

General information[edit]

Physical appearance[edit]

“I only added teeth, bandana and shades to the DK model back in '94, but I still get to claim Funky as mine 😁He looks much better now, btw.”
Donkey Kong Country character designer Steve Mayles on Funky's creation
Artwork for Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, also used for Donkey Kong Land 2

Funky Kong has the same general build as fellow Kongs such as Donkey and Kiddy Kong, being both large and muscular. Funky's fur is generally light brown in color, though the shade of it varies in his appearances and artwork, being either light or dark. In all of his appearances, Funky wears a pair of sunglasses which conceal what his true eyes look like; however, in Donkey Kong Country, Funky could be seen lifting his sunglasses and revealing a pair of eyes just like Donkey Kong's, and in Donkey Kong 64, his sunglasses were transparent and tinted red, so his eyes were still visible. Funky's sunglasses were originally black in color in Donkey Kong Country, but virtually all subsequent appearances depict as being purple tinted.

In Donkey Kong Country, Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, and Donkey Kong Land 2, Funky Kong's attire is essentially the same, with him wearing a red bandanna with white polka-dots, medals around his neck ("bling"), a purple swimsuit, and sandals. In the latter games, Funky is shown to be surfing on surfboard while in midair.

Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! radically alters Funky's appearance, having him discard his medals and replace them with tools slung from a tool belt; Funky also wears a white muscle shirt, blue shorts and black boots in this game. Additionally, he has an upright posture and is taller than his last appearance.

In Donkey Kong 64, Funky was once again redesigned, this time wearing a navy blue camouflage print attire and army hat, black combat boots and red teashades. He is noticeably more muscular than Donkey Kong, though not as burly as Chunky Kong.

More recently, Funky's appearance has remained consistent, being identical to his attire from Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, aside from his tool belt being replaced by a regular one and having no boots.

While Funky's bandanna has always been red with white polka dots in official artwork, in-game sprites depicted it as purple in the first two Donkey Kong Country games and solid red in the third. DK: King of Swing introduced Funky's modern design, and it is the first game where Funky has a polka-dot bandanna.

Personality[edit]

Funky Kong is a laid-back primate like Donkey Kong. According to his guide bio from Mario Kart Wii and as he himself states in the story from the manual of Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, Funky Kong abhors adventuring, preferring to aid his friends through other means, such as through his shops and flight services. Funky is portrayed as bold and energetic, and often uses casual phrases in his speech (e.g. "This. Stuff. Is. Awesome. I have no idea what it is, dude, but it tastes radical!"). Also, despite his dislike for adventuring, it seems that he is willing to adventure to help his friends, as he is a playable character in the Nintendo Switch version of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze. Funky's hobbies include such things as surfing and tinkering with and building various machinery such as vehicles and weapons.

Profiles and statistics[edit]

Main article: List of Funky Kong profiles and statistics

DK: King of Swing[edit]

  • Instruction booklet: "The sunglasses wearing, coolest of the Kongs. Preferring attack-based contests to races, he's the dark horse of the Jungle Jam."
  • Jump: 2
  • Attack: 4

Donkey Kong Barrel Blast[edit]

Funky Kong
Funky Kong's character selection icon from Donkey Kong Barrel Blast.
Rival Kludge Boost 1/5
Speed 5/5 Agility 1/5
How to unlock: Win the Diamond Cup with a Kong.

Mario Kart Wii[edit]

Funky Kong's complete vehicle roster
  • Size: Large
  • Actual Bonuses
    • Speed: +4
    • Off-Road: +3
  • Guide Bio: "This funky monkey doesn't like adventuring, so he's split his time between surfing, drumming, and learning some of the craziest kart shortcuts around!"

Quotes[edit]

Main article: List of Funky Kong quotes

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze[edit]

  • "Whoa, long time no see! Welcome to Funky's Fly 'n' Buy. Don't tell me you forgot your pal Funky Kong? I'm here to help ya on another epic adventure!" (introducing himself when first entering his shop)
  • "Pitfalls got ya down? Way down? This balloon will really lift your spirits!" (Selecting a Green Balloon)
  • "Feeling the need for some jet-powered action? Diddy's got the skills!" (Selecting a Diddy Kong Barrel)
  • "Wanna get the jump on those frozen flipper-heads? Dixie's your dudette! (Selecting a Dixie Kong Barrel)
  • "Need a little extra spring in your step? Cranky's no spring chicken, but he sure is spry! (Selecting a Cranky Kong Barrel)
  • "Radical! I was about to say, if I had a coin for every time I saw you fall out there, I'd be surfin' instead of sellin'!" (Buying a Red Balloon)
  • "Groovy, gotcha down for an appointment with the bodacious bird! What, didja think you owned him now? Nah!" (Purchasing Squawks)
  • "With this, you'll totally show those annoying Snowmads what it means to be on like Donkey Kong!" (Buying Banana Juice)
  • "Three's totally better than two, right? Yeah, that's totally right." (Buying a Heart Boost)
  • "Whoa, slow down there, dude! You're totally overloaded!" (Trying to buy a Red Balloon when at maximum capacity)
  • "Whoa, dude, you've got all the toys there are! Hey, wanna do some trading later?" (Trying to buy a figurine when the player has the whole collection)
  • "Remember to work with your buddies, Kong. A little extra help might be what ya need to find some cool hidden stuff!" (Leaving the shop)
  • "Those Snowmads are a gnarly bunch! I hear they're enjoyin' your island. Go get 'em, DK!" (Leaving the shop)
  • "Show those pesky penguins the radical righteousness of us supreme simians!" (Leaving the shop)

Donkey Kong Country: Rumble in the Jungle[edit]

  • "Just surfing the wind currents, dudes. Nothing to get uptight about. Stay mellow, stay cool."
  • "That used to be the biggest city on Donkey Kong Island. It's called Big Ape City."
  • "I don't go looking for trouble, and most of the time it doesn't come looking for me."

Portrayals[edit]

List of appearances[edit]

Title Description Release date System/format
Donkey Kong Country Non-playable character 1994 Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest Non-playable character 1995 Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Donkey Kong Land 2 Non-playable character 1996 Game Boy
Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! Non-playable character 1996 Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Donkey Kong 64 Non-playable character 1999 Nintendo 64
Picross NP Vol. 8 Cameo Japan:
June 1, 2000
Super Famicom
Donkey Kong Country Non-playable character 2000 Game Boy Color
Donkey Kong Country Non-playable character 2003 Game Boy Advance
Donkey Kong Country 2 Non-playable character 2004 Game Boy Advance
Donkey Konga 2 Non-playable character 2004 Nintendo GameCube
DK: King of Swing Playable character in Jungle Jam mode 2005 Game Boy Advance
Donkey Konga 3 JP Playable character 2005 Nintendo GameCube
Donkey Kong Country 3 Non-playable character 2005 Game Boy Advance
Donkey Kong Barrel Blast Unlockable playable character 2007 Wii
DK: Jungle Climber Playable in VS mode 2007 Nintendo DS
Super Smash Bros. Brawl Cameo as a trophy and sticker 2008 Wii
Mario Kart Wii Unlockable playable character 2008 Wii
Mario Super Sluggers Unlockable playable character 2008 Wii
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Non-playable character 2014 Wii U
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U Cameo as a trophy 2014 Nintendo 3DS / Wii U
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Playable character 2018 Nintendo Switch
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Cameo as a spirit 2018 Nintendo Switch
Mario Kart Tour Playable character (requires update) 2020 (Jungle Tour) Android / iOS
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (version 3.0.0) Downloadable playable character 2023 (Booster Course Pass, Wave 6) Nintendo Switch

Gallery[edit]

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Funky Kong.

Names in other languages[edit]

Language Name Meaning Notes
Japanese ファンキーコング[?]
Fankī Kongu
Funky Kong
Chinese (simplified) 酷喜刚[?]
Kùxǐ Gāng
From 酷 ("Cool") and 森喜(刚/剛) ("Donkey Kong")
Chinese (traditional) 酷喜剛[?]
Kùxǐ Gāng
From 酷 ("Cool") and 森喜(刚/剛) ("Donkey Kong")
French Funky Kong[?] -
Funky[3]
German Funky Kong[?] -
Italian Funky Kong[?] -
Korean 펑키 콩[?]
Peongki Kong
Funky Kong
Portuguese Funky Kong[?] -
Russian Фанки Конг[?]
Fanki Kong
Transliteration of the English name, Funky Kong
Spanish Funky Kong[?] -

Trivia[edit]

  • "Funky Kong" was one of the proposed names for Donkey Kong that was rejected during the eponymous game's development.[4]
  • In Issue #262 of Nintendo Power's "The Score," a page listing the results of online polls, Funky Kong was voted the most wanted Kong who is not present in Donkey Kong Country Returns.
  • Funky Kong's Mario Super Sluggers baseball card listed his Rookie Year as 1999, even though his first appearance was in Donkey Kong Country, which was released in 1994.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Mario Kart Wii. The Cutting Room Floor. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  2. ^ Nintendo of America (September 14, 2023). Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Booster Course Pass Wave 6 - Nintendo Switch 9.14.2023. YouTube. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  3. ^ Bienvenue sur DKTV. Archived November 9, 2000, 13:29:00 UTC from the original via Wayback Machine. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  4. ^ Norman Caruso (January 30, 2020). Before settling on the name "Donkey Kong," Nintendo considered a ton of other ideas. ....not sure who suggested "Kong Dong" 😳. X (formerly Twitter) (English). Retrieved June 29, 2024. (Archived February 5, 2020, 02:41:12 UTC via Wayback Machine.)