Donkey Konga

This article is about the video game. For the series, see Donkey Konga (series). For the microsite, see Donkey Konga (Flash game).

Donkey Konga
For alternate box art, see the game's gallery.
Developer	Namco
Publisher	Nintendo
Platform(s)	Nintendo GameCube
Release date	December 12, 2003 September 27, 2004 October 15, 2004 October 28, 2004
Language(s)	English (United States) French (Canada) Spanish (Latin America) Japanese
Genre	Rhythm
Rating(s)	ESRB: - Everyone PEGI: - Three years and older CERO: - All ages ACB: - General USK: - All ages
Mode(s)	Single player, multiplayer
Format	Nintendo GameCube: Optical disc
Input	Nintendo GameCube: DK Bongos
Serial code(s)	DOL-GKGJ-JPN

Donkey Konga is the first installment of the Donkey Konga series for the Nintendo GameCube, notable for being the first game to be compatible with the DK Bongos It was developed by Namco and published by Nintendo in 2003 in Japan and 2004 overseas. A year later, a sequel to the game was released, Donkey Konga 2, followed by Donkey Konga 3 JP, the latter of which never received an international release.

Story

The opening sequence

Donkey Kong realizes the potential to become famous from playing bongos.

Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong are strolling across a beach and suddenly find a mysterious pair of barrels. DK attempts to open it but is stopped by Diddy, who believes it is a trap from King K. Rool.

Following Diddy's advice, the duo take the barrels to Cranky Kong. Cranky chuckles and explains that they are bongos. DK decides to call them the "DK Bongos", and he plays on them. Diddy comments that DK is bad at the bongos, and he tries the bongos. DK, in turn, laughs and claims that Diddy plays the bongos poorly. He claps, which cause the bongos to glow. Cranky explains that the instrument glows and makes noises from detecting clapping.

In response, Donkey Kong and Diddy perform and clap with the bongos more. After they make a lot of loud noise, DK becomes discouraged and admits that he and Diddy are not good at playing the bongos. Cranky explains that nobody starts out as a professional, and their performance gradually improves from practicing. DK initially mentions his dislike of practicing, but suddenly realizes that he might achieve fame if he becomes good at the bongos, which Cranky believes to be a possibility. DK and Diddy then daydream about becoming rich and owning lots of bananas, causing Cranky to sigh and remind them to practice; the pair head out to get some training in as the scene ends.

Gameplay

The main menu.

The main gameplay is largely identical to the Taiko no Tatsujin games, which were also designed by the same developers. The player has the option to utilize the DK Bongos or a standard GameCube controller. During gameplay, the player controls Donkey Kong, whose goal is to hit scrolling notes, known as beats. They must hit it with accurate timing when it moves under a cursor on the far left. There are four types of beats (red, light blue, yellow, and purple), and are each associated with a different button. A word appears on screen for every passing note, and the displayed word is based on the accuracy of the player hitting the beat. A combo is displayed if the player hits two or more consecutive beats, but it vanishes if the player misses a beat.

Variant	Button
Left drum beat	Bongos: Left pad Controller: or
Right drum beat	Bongos: Right pad Controller: , , , ,
Clap	Bongos: Clap Controller: , ,
Both drum beats	Bongos: Both pads Controller: Simultaneously hitting a button representing each a yellow and red note

Modes

All four gameplay modes (except Challenge) have three levels of difficulty modes, from lowest to highest: Monkey, Chimp, and Gorilla. The second player plays as Diddy Kong in multiplayer modes. Every song has a varying number of beats, which is indicated from the number of barrels next to their titles on the selection menu.

Screenshot	Mode	Description
	Street Performance 1 player	Donkey Kong can perform songs and earn coins from doing street performances and use them to purchase unlockable content at DK Town. One and two coins are earned per regularly perfectly timed hits, respectively. The number of coins is shown at the bottom, next to Ellie, and a bar at the top right keeps track of how many notes the player hit. The "CLEAR" label in the center is divided into red and yellow sections, representing poor and good performance, respectively. The bar gradually fills for every note hit but decreases per each miss. Once the performance is done, the player wins and keeps the coins if the bar passes the clear label.
	Challenge 1-2 players
An endless run-style mode where the player performs endless songs in a row, kept track by a counter with Steel Kegs.
	Battle 2 players	A two-player competition between Donkey Kong and Diddy competing for the highest score.
	Jam Session 1-4 players	A practice variation of Street Performance. The scoreboard counts by accuracy (Great, OK, and Bad) along with the number of missed beats.
	Ape Arcade 1-2 players	Unlockable mini-games can be played here.
	DK Town 1 player	The player can buy various unlockables, listed below, in addition to viewing Street Performance, Challenge, and mini-game high scores in the Hall of Records. The former two options have individual charts per difficulty level. The Electric Hut is the settings sub-menu, where the player can change Stereo/Mono, Volume Balance, and toggle between DK Bongo and Controller. Selecting "Default" resets the settings. }} DK Town unlockables Jungle Jams The player can purchase individual songs to perform on Gorilla (expert) difficulty. Bongo Sets The player can purchase alternate sounds for the bongos to make during gameplay. They cost the following amount of coins: Electric Drum Set: 25,000 coins Konga Crew Set: 64 coins Toy Set: 14,900 coins Quiz Set: 912 coins Mario Set: 4,599 coins Dogs Set: 11 coins Kirby Set: 2,599 coins Latin Percussion Set: 1,900 coins Zelda Set: 4,599 coins Big Band Set: 88 coins Laser Space Set: 77 coins Car Set: 66 coins Country Set: 49 coins Barnyard Set: 1,050 coins Classical Orchestra Set: 2,220 coins Cold Set: 460 coins Whip It Set: 707 coins Jungle Set: 333 coins Monkey Shines The player can purchase three mini-games to play in the ape arcade, two of which have a 2-player competitive (Vs.) mode. Screenshot Minigame Summary 100M Vine Climb Cost: 4,800 coins Single player: "Climb vines and collect fruit to set records!" Multiplayer (Vs.): "Climb vines and collect fruit to be the king of the Jungle! Banana Juggle Cost: 5,800 coins Single player: "Juggle bananas and set records!" Multiplayer (Vs.): "Compete at juggling! Only one ape can win!" Bash K.Rool Cost: 5,800 coins "Slam King K.Rool back into the ground. Go for high scores!" List of songs Donkey Konga features around thirty songs, most of which differ between regional release. Every region has songs that originate from other Nintendo titles along with traditional music, including kids' medleys, pop and classical. Almost every traditional song was made into a shortened cover for the North American release. Song Difficulty Jungle Jams Cost Ordering Artist Song Name Monkey Chimp Gorilla NA EU JP Diddy's Ditties ★★ ★★ ★★★★ 365 1 Bingo ★★★★★ ★★ ★★ 25 2 Campfire Medley ★ ★★★ ★★★ 580 3 Pokémon Theme ★★★ ★★★★ ★★★★★ 250 4 Kirby: Right Back at Ya! ★★★ ★★★★ ★★★★ 848 5 Queen We Will Rock You ★ ★ ★★★★ 69 6 Leslie Carter Like Wow ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★★ 1898 7 The Troggs Wild Thing ★★ ★★★ ★★★★★★ 580 8 20 The Partridge Family I Think I Love You ★★★★★★★ ★★★ ★★★ 99 9 Richard Berry Louie Louie ★★ ★★★★★★ ★★★★ 1990 10 12 Little Eva The Loco-Motion ★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★ 2060 11 4 Earth, Wind, & Fire Shining Star ★★ ★★★ ★★★★ 1005 12 Blink-182 All the Small Things ★★★★★ ★★★★★★ ★★★ 1313 13 10 Stray Cats Rock This Town ★★★★★ ★★★★★★ ★★★ 644 14 The Supremes You Can't Hurry Love ★★★ ★★★★ ★★★★ 3399 15 9 Jesus Jones Right Here, Right Now ★★★ ★★★★ ★★★★ 1200 16 Martha and the Vandellas Dancing in the Street ★★★★★ ★★★★★★★ ★★★★★★★★ 1745 17 5 The B-52's Rock Lobster ★ ★★★★★ ★★★ 980 18 Neil Sedaka Stupid Cupid ★★★★★ ★★★ ★★ 1599 19 The Mighty Mighty Bosstones The Impression That I Get ★★★★★★★★ ★★★★★★ ★★★ 1399 20 14 The Romantics What I Like About You ★★★★★★★★ ★★★★★★ ★★★ 590 21 Devo Whip It ★★★★ ★★★★★ ★ 707 22 The Crystal Method Busy Child ★★★ ★★★★★★★★ ★★★★★★★★ 800 23 15 Tito Puente Para Los Rumberos ★★★★★★★★ ★★★★★★★★ ★★★★★★ 380 24 6 Louis Prima Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing) ★★★★ ★★★★★★ ★★★★★★ 12 25 7 Tito Puente Oye Cómo Va ★★★ ★★★ ★★★★★★★★ 2250 26 11 Willie Nelson On the Road Again ★★ ★★★★★★★ ★★★★★★ 1600 27 Johannes Brahms Hungarian Dance No.5 in G Minor ★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★ 1848 28 23 29 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Turkish March ★★ ★★★★ ★★ 331 29 24 28 DK Rap ★★★ ★★ ★ 6800 30 31 31 The Legend of Zelda Theme ★★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ 4900 31 27 Super Mario Bros. Theme ★★★★ ★★★★★★★★ ★★★★★ 4900 32 25 30 Donkey Konga Theme ★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ 100 33 30 32 Supergrass Alright ★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★★★★★ 250 1 Jamiroquai Canned Heat ★★★★★★ ★★★★★★ ★★★★★★★ 25 2 Queen Don't Stop Me Now ★★★★★★★ ★★★★★★ ★★★★★ 1777 3 Chumbawumba Tubthumping ★ ★★★ ★★★★★ 69 8 Nena 99 Red Balloons ★★★★★★★ ★★★★★★★ ★★★ 99 13 The Jackson 5 I Want You Back ★★★★ ★★★★★★ ★★★ 1898 16 Jamiroquai Cosmic Girl ★★★ ★★★ ★★ 980 17 Supergrass Richard III ★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★★★ 111 18 Labelle Lady Marmalade ★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★★★ 365 19 Earth, Wind & Fire September ★★★★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★ 930 21 Take That Back for Good ★★ ★★★ ★★ 707 22 Donkey Kong Country Theme ★★★ ★ ★★★ 1600 26 Rainbow Cruise ★★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★★★★★★ 1200 28 Super Smash Bros. Melee Opening ★★★★★★ ★★★★★★★ ★★★★★★★★ 644 29 Mori no Kumasan ★★★★ ★★★★★★ ★★★★★★★★ 903 1 Clarinet o Kowashichatta ★★★ ★★★ ★★★★ 1001 2 Haydn Quartet Okina Furudokei ★★★ ★★★★ ★★★ 969 3 Hyokkori Hyoutanjima ★ ★ ★ 8 4 Akira Kushida We are the One (Bokura wa Hitotsu) ★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★ 1200 5 Hamtaro Tottoko Uta ★★ ★★★★ ★★★★★★ 868 6 GARDEN Advance Adventure ★★★★★ ★★★★★★ ★★★★ 1300 7 Hiroko Asakawa Kirby! ★★ ★★ ★★★★ 1260 8 Densetsu no Starfy ★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★ 1000 9 Strawberry Flower Ai no Uta ★★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★ 1000 10 Yuzu Mata Aeru Hi Made ★★ ★★★ ★★★★ 1293 11 Mai Kuraki Kaze no La La La ★★ ★★★★ ★★★★★ 1000 12 Aya Matsuura Momoiro Kataomoi ★★★★★★★ ★★★★★★★ ★★★★★★★ 1020 13 Mini-Moni Mini-Moni Jankenpyon! ★★★★★★ ★★★★★★ ★★★★★★ 1020 14 Re:Japan Ashita ga Arusa ★★ ★★★★ ★★★ 23 15 Morning Musume Koi no Dance Site ★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★★★ 1020 16 Ayumi Hanasaki Fly High ★★★ ★★★★★★ ★★★★★★★★ 1365 17 SMAP Shake ★★ ★★★★ ★★★ 971 18 Akina Nakamori Desire (Jōnetsu) ★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★★ 1986 19 Hikaru Utada Colors ★★★ ★★★ ★★★★★ 1100 20 I Wish Asu e no Tobira ★★★★ ★★★★★★ ★★★★★★★ 1223 21 Maxi Priest and Yūji Oda Love Somebody ★★★★ ★★★ ★★ 110 22 Godiego The Galaxy Express 999 ★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★ 999 23 Jorge Ben Mas que Nada ★★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★★ 777 24 Ritchie Valens La Bamba ★★★ ★★★★★★ ★★★★★★★ 666 25 Pérez Prado Mambo No. 5 ★★★★★★ ★★★★★★★★ ★★★★★★★ 555 26 Oklahoma Mixer ★★ ★★★ ★★ 4900 27 Regional differences Aside from a different set of songs, Donkey Konga's North American logo is different from the European and Japanese logo. This change is reflected both in-game and on each region's box cover. The Japanese logo has a subtitle, which western versions do not have. North America Europe Japan Every title screen depicts a scene of the beach, but the North American one displays a different scene from the European and Japanese versions. The latter two depict a straight view of the beach, which is partially obscured by the game's logo. The North American title screen shows Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong partying at the shore, complete with a pair of bongos and a boombox in the scene. North America Europe/Japan The logo on the GameCube menu banner is also different between regions. There is a start-up warning advising players to be wary of vibrations, the sound, and the time of day they play, though this message does not appear in international releases. A health and safety warning is featured in every regional release of Donkey Konga 2, but this exact warning was also featured in the Japanese version of the sequel. Reception “As an executive, I hated Donkey Konga[...] The first game actually sold reasonably well, but boy was I not a fan.” —Reggie Fils-Aimé Reviews Release Reviewer, Publication Score Comment Nintendo GameCube Tom Bramwell, Eurogamer 6/10 In the end, Donkey Konga is just too short-lived, even in multiplayer, to be worth the sort of outlay it represents. Nintendo has been surprisingly generous in its pricing here - most people will sell you the game and a set of bongos for £30 as far as we can see, and extra sets run to just £20 - but with the songs already shortened (and covered by a fairly decent bunch of impersonators, rather than licensed, curiously) Donkey Konga just doesn't have the legs. We appreciate the simplicity of the idea, but in the absence of the hidden depths we normally expect from this sort of game - or the ritual humiliation we now demand - it ultimately wears thin far too quickly. And for that reason we can't see it becoming the eBay legend that Samba was, although we've little doubt that you'll be able to find it on there all too quickly. Nintendo GameCube Juan Castro, IGN 8.5/10 Donkey Konga packs hours of fun. It's a good single-player experience and a great multiplayer one. If you can round up four buddies and four bongo controllers, you're set for the evening. All that's missing in a room with this game (and four bongos) is booze and a bowl of Tostitos. A somewhat limited song selection is the only thing keeping the multiplayer aspect from being the greatest thing EVAR, so to speak. The graphics, while bland and lacking several layers of polish, get the job done without causing too much of an eye-sore. The mini-games offer a little fun, but your best still sits in Kongo's primary game modes. Aggregators Compiler Platform / Score Metacritic 76 GameRankings 77.67% In a 2022 interview, Nintendo of America executive Reggie Fils-Aimé confessed to hating Donkey Konga, stating he had "pushed back" against the Japanese office regarding the game, finding it unfun to play and that it might hurt the Donkey Kong brand. Staff Main article: List of Donkey Konga staff Hiroyuki Onoda was the director of this game and would later reprise his role for its sequels. Koji Kondo and Toru Minegishi are credited as sound support. Along with Masanori Sato, prominent Super Mario franchise illustrator Yoichi Kotabe served as graphic support. Gallery For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Donkey Konga. Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong Cranky Kong Rambi Ellie King K. Rool Media "Donkey Konga Theme" File infoMedia:Donkey Konga Main Theme.oga 0:30 "DK Rap" File infoMedia:SSBM Kongo Jungle.oga 0:30 "Donkey Kong Country Theme" File infoMedia:SSBM Jungle Japes.oga 0:30 "Super Mario Theme" File infoMedia:Donkey Konga Super Mario Theme Ground.oga 0:19 "The Legend of Zelda Theme" File infoMedia:Donkey Konga The Legend of Zelda Theme.oga 0:30 Help:Media • Having trouble playing? References to other media Donkey Kong - When choosing whether to display the screen in 50Hz or 60Hz, Mario (as he appears in Donkey Kong) acts as a cursor, and Donkey Kong (also as he appears in Donkey Kong) stands to the left. The "NES" Bongo Set use sound effects from this game. The left bongo plays Mario's jump sound effect and clapping plays the sound effect of Mario jumping over an obstacle. Donkey Kong Jr.: In the "NES" Bongo Set, the right bongo plays the sound effect of Donkey Kong Jr. getting hit by an obstacle. The Legend of Zelda series - The Legend of Zelda Theme is featured on the North American, European and Australian versions of the game. Donkey Kong Country - The track "Donkey Kong Country Theme" is the Super Smash Bros. Melee arrangement of "DK Island Swing" from this game. Pokémon (anime) - The North American release includes the anime's theme song. Donkey Kong 64 - Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong's voice clips are recycled from this game during the mini-games. Also, the Super Smash Bros. Melee version of the DK Rap appears in the game. Super Smash Bros. Melee - The tracks "Donkey Kong Country Theme", "Rainbow Cruise", "Super Smash Bros. Melee Opening", and "DK Rap" are taken from this game. Kirby: Right Back at Ya! - The Japanese and North American releases both include the anime's theme song. Names in other languages Language Name Meaning Notes Japanese ドンキーコンガ[?] Donkī Konga Donkey Konga References External links Official website British English website