Opening (Donkey Kong)
"Opening"[1] is a recurring music theme most commonly heard within the Donkey Kong franchise, mostly on title screens or as Cranky Kong's theme. It was originally composed by Yukio Kaneoka for the Nintendo Entertainment System version of Donkey Kong.
Original appearance
In Donkey Kong for the NES, the theme plays on the title screen. The Atari 7800 port has the same theme but it sounds different due to the hardware.
Arrangements
Donkey Kong Country series
Donkey Kong Country
An arrangement appears in Donkey Kong Country under the name "Theme" in the official soundtrack DK Jamz, where it plays on the title screen; this arrangement returns in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, played by a phonograph in the secret exit of Canopy Chaos. The arrangement also includes an additional, original melody for the second part of the song. Another arrangement, "Cranky's Theme", plays in Cranky's Cabin. Both arrangements were by David Wise.
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
An arrangement of "Theme", called "Steel Drum Rhumba" in the original soundtrack, appears in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, where it plays on the file select screen. Another arrangement based on "Cranky's Theme", called "Cranky's Conga" in the original soundtrack, plays in the Monkey Museum. The soundtrack was again composed by David Wise.
Donkey Kong Country (Game Boy Color)
Chiptune arrangements of the tracks from the original Donkey Kong Country appear in the Game Boy Color version of Donkey Kong Country.
Donkey Kong Country (Game Boy Advance)
Arrangements of the tracks from the original Donkey Kong Country appear in the Game Boy Advance version of Donkey Kong Country.
Donkey Kong Country 2 (Game Boy Advance)
Arrangements of the tracks from the original Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest appear in the Game Boy Advance version of Donkey Kong Country 2.
Donkey Kong Country 2 (Game Boy Advance)
A music box arrangement of "Theme" plays on the Game Over screen in the Game Boy Advance version of Donkey Kong Country 3, replacing the ominous music box theme from the original SNES version.
Donkey Kong Country Returns
An arrangement based on Donkey Kong Country's "Theme" appears in Donkey Kong Country Returns, where it plays on the title screen. This arrangement returns in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, where it plays in Kongo Jungle 64, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, where it plays in every Donkey Kong-series stage. Another arrangement based on "Cranky's Theme" plays in Cranky Kong's Shop.
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
An arrangement plays in the opening cutscene of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze.
 Opening | File info 0:29 |
Donkey Kong Land 2
A chiptune arrangement of "Steel Drum Rhumba" by Grant Kirkhope plays on the file select screen of Donkey Kong Land 2.
| File Select | File info 0:30 |
Mario Tennis series
Arrangements in the Mario Tennis series were by Motoi Sakuraba.
Mario Tennis (Nintendo 64)
In Mario Tennis for the Nintendo 64, an arrangement plays on the Donkey Kong Court, and another arrangement plays during Donkey Kong's trophy celebration.
| Donkey Kong Court | File info 0:30 |
Mario Tennis (Game Boy Color)
In Mario Tennis for the Game Boy Color, a chiptune arrangement of the arrangement that plays on the Donkey Kong Court in Mario Tennis for the Nintendo 64 plays in the Banana Bunch minigame and on the Jungle Court.
| Jungle Court / Banana Bunch | File info 0:30 |
Mario Power Tennis
Like in the game for Nintendo 64, an arrangement plays during Donkey Kong's trophy celebration in Mario Power Tennis.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong series
Mario vs. Donkey Kong
In Mario vs. Donkey Kong a clarinet arrangement of the theme, together with the Ground Theme from Super Mario Bros., plays on the game's title screen.
| Title Screen | File info |
Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis
In Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis, an arrangement of the theme plays on the title screen, along with some parts of the Super Mario Bros. Ground Theme.
| Title Screen | File info |
Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again!
In Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again!, a slow, jazzy C major arrangement of the theme plays on the title screen, along with snippets of the Super Mario Bros. Ground Theme. It is based on Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis's arrangement.
| Title Screen | File info |
Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem!
In Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem!, a slightly different arrangement of the theme plays on the title screen. While it still features the exact same snippets of the Super Mario Bros. Ground Theme, it is now played in E♭ major with a trumpet used as the melody, is more of a marching band arrangement, and has an extended melody. Another G major arrangement without the Super Mario Bros. Ground Theme snippets plays during the results screen for each level, though half of it also uses concert flute trills for improvisation.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars
Another arrangement exists in Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars which closely resembles the Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! title screen arrangement, and is now played on a violin. This arrangement returns in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate under the title "Title Theme - Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars" and can be played in any Mario-series stage.
| Title Screen | File info |
Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge
A slightly different version of the arrangement heard in Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars plays on the title screen for Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge.
| Title Screen | File info |
DK series
DK: King of Swing
In DK: King of Swing, an arrangement based on "Cranky's Theme" plays in Cranky's Lectures.
| Cranky's Lectures | File info 0:30 |
DK: Jungle Climber
An arrangement based on "Cranky's Theme" appears in DK: Jungle Climber.
| Cranky's Theme | File info 0:30 |
Donkey Kong Barrel Blast
An arrangement appears in Donkey Kong Barrel Blast, where it plays in Cosmic Highway.
| Cosmic Highway | File info 0:26 |
Super Smash Bros. series
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the theme is incorporated into "Opening (Donkey Kong)", which is actually an arranged medley of themes from Donkey Kong and plays in 75 m. It was arranged by Shota Kageyama, who would later go on to compose for the Pokémon game series. This arrangement returns in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, where it plays in the same stage as Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, where it plays in every Donkey Kong-series stage.
| Opening (Donkey Kong) | File info 0:29 |
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
An arrangement appears in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, titled "Donkey Kong Country Returns (Vocals)". It was arranged by Kenji Yamamoto, who served as the music supervisor for Donkey Kong Country Returns, and is based on that game's title screen arrangement, but with vocals similar to those heard in Grassland Groove from Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze and an electric guitar added. It plays in Kongo Jungle 64. This arrangement returns in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, where it plays in every Donkey Kong-series stage.
| Donkey Kong Country Returns (Vocals) | File info 0:29 |
Nintendo Land
In Nintendo Land, the original version plays on the title/setup screen of Donkey Kong's Crash Course, while an arrangement based on Donkey Kong Country's Cranky's Cabin plays during Crash Course itself.
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
In Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, the theme is incorporated into "Midboss Melody", the mid-boss theme from the Donkey Kong Adventure DLC. The theme also plays during battle preparations and in a cutscene when the gate opens in the DLC.
| Midboss Melody | File info 0:21 |
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
In The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which was scored by Brian Tyler, an arrangement of the theme is interspersed in the unused track "Drivin' Me Bananas". The track begins with the backing melody from "Donkey Kong Country Returns", while the original melody is used halfway through, and the track ends with the second part of "Theme" from Donkey Kong Country.
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | タイトルBGM[2] Taitoru BGM |
Title BGM |
References
- ^ Super Smash Bros. series Sound Tests
- ^ a b Game Sound Museum ~Famicom Edition~ 02 Donkey Kong. VGMdb. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
| Donkey Kong | |
|---|---|
| Characters | Donkey Kong • Mario • Pauline |
| Levels | 25m • 50m • 75m • 100m |
| Items and objects | Bolt • Conveyor Belt • Hammer • Ladder • Lift • Parasol, Hat & Bag |
| Enemies and obstacles | Barrel • Cement tub • Fire • Fireball • Jack • Oil drum |
| Other | 25m Theme • Gallery • Media • Opening • Staff |
