DK's Tree House
| DK's Tree House | |
|---|---|
 Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong relaxing outside of their treehouse, in artwork for Donkey Kong Country | |
| First appearance | Donkey Kong Country (1994) |
| Latest appearance | Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (2018) |
| Greater location | Donkey Kong Island |
| Owner | Donkey Kong |
DK's Tree House,[1] or Donkey Kong’s Treehouse,[2] is a starting point in several games of the Donkey Kong Country series, as well as a recurring background location in the Super Mario franchise. Located in the jungle portion of Donkey Kong Island, it is built above the banana cave, where the Kongs keep their stash of bananas. DK's Tree House was originally portrayed as a wooden cabin perched on top of a tree trunk, but more recent stances picture it as a rondavel hut raised on stilts high above the ground. The house is generally furnished with a television, a bed or hammock, a rug, and various pictures on walls. The tree house is also commonly associated with tires, appearing both in and around it as simple furniture, as a swing or as a means of bouncing up to the house.
Incidentally, Donkey Kong was shown to live in a treehouse in Captain N: The Game Master, a show created a few years before Donkey Kong Country was released.
Nintendo of America's product development division, Treehouse, is codenamed after Donkey Kong's residence.[3]
History
Donkey Kong Country series
Donkey Kong Country
Donkey Kong's Treehouse first appears in Donkey Kong Country, where it appears as a simple-looking wooden shack from the outside. It appears on both the Donkey Kong Island map and the Kongo Jungle map. Donkey Kong's Treehouse directly appears at the start of the first level, Jungle Hijinxs, and upon starting the level, Donkey Kong automatically launches out of the treehouse. It is directly above the banana cave, and there are a few steps for going up to the treehouse itself. Donkey Kong's Treehouse does not have much of a role, although the Kongs can bounce from half of a tire on the ground to collect a Red Balloon above. The treehouse can only be entered once each time Jungle Hijinxs is played. The interior layout of Donkey Kong's Treehouse includes a bed, a picture of two sailboats above it, a portrait of Candy Kong next to the door, a table with a blue vase containing flowers, and banana peels scattered around.
In the Game Boy Advance remake, there is a photograph is hidden behind the bunch of bananas, and it depicts a group picture of Donkey Kong and Diddy swinging from a rope on the eleventh page of the scrapbook. After defeating Really Gnawty, if Donkey Kong and Diddy enter the treehouse, they encounter Very Gnawty inside. In doing so, Very Gnawty turns around and hops out of the treehouse, an even that occurs only once per save file. The treehouse interior was redesigned to show more discarded items lying on the floor, and the portrait of Candy, a table with a vase, and the bed now all appear against a wall straight across from the entrance.
Though the Cranky's Cabin theme plays in DK's Tree House in the original version, the Game Boy Color remake plays the title music from Donkey Kong Land, while the Game Boy Advance remake plays Bonus Room Blitz.
Donkey Kong Country 3 (Game Boy Advance)
The interior of the treehouse is used as the background of the ending credits in the Game Boy Advance remake of Donkey Kong Country 3. The area is considerably tidier and lacks the Candy Kong portrait. A tire swing is also inside the house.
Donkey Kong Country Returns
DK's Tree House reappears in Donkey Kong Country Returns and Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D. It first appears in the opening. Diddy jumps out of the window to check on the bananas from the banana hoard, only to realize that they are stolen. When Donkey Kong goes out on the deck to hear what Diddy is complaining about, he gets approached by Kalimba, causing him to step back into the tree house. Kalimba tries to hypnotize Donkey Kong, but it is unsuccessful. The first level, Jungle Hijinxs, starts right after the opening sequence, and every time the Kongs start the level, they must repeatedly punch Kalimba. After Kalimba is hit enough times, Donkey Kong kicks down the wooden front door and kicks the Tiki into the bushes. If the Kongs enter DK's Tree House, they can obtain a Red Balloon inside.
The tree house's appearance has changed again, as it is now smaller, its walls are made of bamboo, it has a round straw roof sustained by wooden girders, and it has small doors and windows framed with wood. It has a wooden deck wrapping around its exterior and a banner of the word "KONG". The tree house is elevated above the ground by long, wooden rods. Near the ground is a smaller wooden deck with a tire, and bouncing on it allows the Kongs to reach the deck. The banana hoard is relocated to a small alcove under the tree house.
The interior of DK's Tree House still slightly maintains the furniture from Donkey Kong 64, such as the boombox, hammock, and several banana peels. Two of Donkey Kong's ties are hanging from the wooden girders suspending the roof. There is also a stack of spare tires, two framed pictures, a boombox, and a television which, if Ground Pounded, shows the title screen (as well as playing the respective music). In Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D, the Japanese version's title screen appears to be shown instead.
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
DK's Tree House reappears in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze and its Nintendo Switch port, with the same appearance as Donkey Kong Country Returns except without a front door and some wooden posts on the front porch. The interior has a few additions, and one of the framed pictures on the wall is revealed to be a photograph of DK and Diddy and there a rug on the floor. There is a wooden table and a set of chairs, along with a set of four mugs that resemble small barrels, each with a different symbol representing which Kong it belongs to.
In the opening cutscene, Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Dixie Kong, and Cranky Kong are sitting around a table, celebrating Donkey Kong's birthday. Just before Donkey Kong eats a banana, a balloon floats outside the tree house and away from Donkey Kong Island. The balloon is noticed by a Pointy Tucks, who then looks at the island from afar on a boat with other Snowmads. Upon seeing the tree house, the Pointy Tucks panics and notifies its leader, Lord Fredrik. Fredrik then uses the horn to create an ice dragon to cover the island in snow. A snowflake blows into DK's Tree House and douses the birthday candle just before Donkey Kong can blow it out. The four Kongs go outside DK's Tree House to investigate, and then a strong wind blows them away to the Lost Mangroves.
Later in Homecoming Hijinxs, the first level of Donkey Kong Island, DK's Tree House appears in the background at the start of the level. Its roof and a side of its deck are covered in snow. DK's Tree House also appears in the epilogue, where, after Donkey Kong uses the horn to return Donkey Kong Island to its usual state (and thus melt the snow present on the tree house), the Kongs form a band on the porch to perform the credits theme.
A piece of concept artwork shows that the tree house was intended to be flung along with the Kongs on the shore of a foreign island.
Donkey Kong 64
DK's Tree House makes its second appearance in Donkey Kong 64 as the starting location of the game. It is located within Kong Isle of DK Isles. It is first seen in the opening cutscene, where Donkey Kong is exercising as he listens to an instrumental DK Rap on a boombox. Squawks appears and alerts Donkey Kong of King K. Rool's plans to destroy DK Isles. DK's Tree House does not have any other role in the game.
The interior of DK's Tree House looks entirely different than in Donkey Kong Country. It has a leaf hammock instead of a bed. It also has objects from earlier Donkey Kong games such as Cranky Kong's phonograph from Donkey Kong Country and a red girder from the original Donkey Kong arcade game. There are several barrels and crates, as well as banana peels lying on the ground. DK's Tree House still has a framed picture of Candy. A red mat with the DK emblem is on the ground, and there is a framed photograph of a dolphin (possibly a reference to the Nintendo GameCube, which was code named "Dolphin" at the time). Instead of steps, the Kongs can use a palm tree to climb up into the tree house.
Early screenshots of the game showed that there was going to be a shower stall in DK's Tree House with a poster of Banjo and Kazooie on it. The shower and posters were removed in the final version of the game.
Donkey Kong Country television series
DK's Tree House also appears in the Donkey Kong Country television series, where it is relatively unchanged except for an elevator that is powered by a strong punch. Sometimes, Donkey Kong punches the button too hard, making the elevator slam on entry and startling anyone inside of it. The Tree House additionally appears to be in a savanna, rather than a deep rainforest.
Super Smash Bros. series
DK's Tree House appears in the background of Kongo Falls in Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. It is shown to be positioned above a rapid waterfall.
The Super Smash Bros. Ultimate reveal trailers for King K. Rool and Banjo & Kazooie each show Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong (and King K. Rool in the Banjo & Kazooie reveal) lounging in the tree home, until they are disturbed by King Dedede and Duck Hunt pretending to be King K. Rool and Banjo & Kazooie respectively. The interior of the tree house matches that of Donkey Kong Country Returns.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong series
Mario vs. Donkey Kong
In Mario vs. Donkey Kong, DK's Tree House makes a brief appearance in the prologue, where Donkey Kong is channel-surfing on his TV, until he stumbles upon a commercial with Mini-Marios. Visually, the only distinctive features of the house are a television and a couch, while the rest of the room is mostly dark. In he 2024 remake, it's shown that it's actually a cabin that is not located over a tree, plus the exterior has a look different to a jungle an closer to a simpler grass field, which means that, at least in this version, it's a separated wooden house on a different location.
Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge
DK's Tree House, reusing its Donkey Kong Country Returns design, can be seen in Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge in the background of Barrel Blast Jungle.
Mario Party series
DK's Tree House makes a few background appearances in the Mario Party series. In Mario Party 7, the porch in front of DK's Tree House represents the finish point in the Jump, Man and Vine Country minigames, as well as in their Mario Party: The Top 100 iterations. The Donkey Kong Board from Mario Party 10 contains a miniatural version of DK's Tree House, used for decoration. It resembles its appearance from Donkey Kong Country Returns.
Yoshi's Island DS
DK's Tree House makes a minor appearance in the introduction of Yoshi's Island DS, when the Toadies capture Baby DK.
Diddy Kong Racing DS
DK's Tree House[citation needed] briefly appears during the opening cutscene of Diddy Kong Racing DS. Diddy is sitting on the porch of his tree house, and Squawks gives a letter to him written by Timber. In the letter, Timber asks for Diddy's help to kick out Wizpig from Timber's Island. The tree house appears to have an entirely empty interior, and unlike other games, a wooden ladder is connected to the tree house.
Mario Kart series
DK's Tree House reappears in Mario Kart 7, Mario Kart 8, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, as an ornamental feature in the course DK Jungle. It is built on the side of a turn with Tiki Goons, above a pond surrounded by cascades. DK's Tree House retains its appearance from Donkey Kong Country Returns, and a DK Barrel is shown on the front deck.
Mario Tennis Open
In Mario Tennis Open, DK's Tree House from Donkey Kong Country Returns appears in the background of the DK Jungle court, though it lacks the door and the "KONG" sign above it.
Mario Strikers: Battle League
In Mario Strikers: Battle League, multiple treehouses resembling Donkey Kong's in Donkey Kong Country Returns (without the "KONG" sign) appear in the background of the Jungle Retreat stage.
Unused appearances
Diddy Kong Pilot (2003)
In the 2003 iteration of Diddy Kong Pilot, DK's Tree House makes a cameo appearance in the background of jungle-themed races. DK's Tree House was replaced with a specific background in the final version, Banjo-Pilot.
Gallery
- For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:DK's Tree House.
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ドンキーコングの Donkī Kongu no Ie |
Donkey Kong's House | |
| ドンキーハウス[5][6] (Donkey Kong Country television series) Donkī Hausu |
Donkey House | ||
| French | Cabane de Donkey Kong[7] | Donkey Kong's Tree House | |
| Italian | Capanna di Donkey Kong[8] Casa sull'albero di Donkey Kong (LEGO Super Mario) |
Donkey Kong's hut Donkey Kong's tree house |
References
- ^ Donkey Kong 64 North American instruction booklet, page 33.
- ^ M. Arakawa. Donkey Kong Country Player's Guide. Page 1. "We’ll take you all the way from Donkey Kong’s Treehouse to King K. Rool’s ship."
- ^ Kotaku: Nintendo's Secret Weapon
- ^ Donkey Kong 64 Japanese instruction booklet, page 22.
- ^ Donkey Kong Card Game
- ^ "Tsūkai Donkey House" playset
- ^ [1]
- ^ Donkey Kong Country Italian manual, pag. 4
