Return of Donkey Kong is a canceled Nintendo Entertainment System game whose existence is attested in Nintendo of America publications from 1987 and 1988. It was featured as an upcoming game in the Official Nintendo Player's Guide in 1987[1] and the fifth issue (Feb/March 1988) of Nintendo Fun Club.[2]
Not much is known about the title aside from the fact that it was considered a follow-up to Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr., Donkey Kong Jr. Math, and Donkey Kong 3.[2] The two blurbs describing the game suggest that barrel-throwing would return as a mechanic, and that Donkey Kong would appear as a playable character for the first time.[1][2] No images were ever shown of the game and it is not known if Return of Donkey Kong ever existed past the conceptual stage.
References
- ^ a b "This is your chance to get hold of that barrel-throwing, mischief-making rascal Donkey Kong and take control! Nintendo's best known character is back. And he's up to more tricks and trouble than you can imagine!" "Coming Attractions". Official Nintendo Player's Guide, 1987, p. 159. Scan here.
- ^ a b c "That barrel-throwing rascal Donkey Kong is some kind of crazy. In Donkey Kong, he has Pauline in his clutches. In Donkey Kong Jr., he gets locked in a cage. In Donkey Kong Jr. Math, he knows the score in a math jungle. In Donkey Kong 3, he makes trouble for Stanley the bugman. And now Donkey Kong is soon to come back with more barrel-tossing fun. But this time you're in control! Are you video buff enough to handle the one-and-only Return of Donkey Kong? Watch for it!" "Sneak Peeks". Nintendo Fun Club News Vol. 5, Feb/March 1988, p. 10. Scan here.
| Donkey Kong games
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| Platformers
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Donkey Kong series
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Donkey Kong (1981, arcade) • Donkey Kong Jr. (1982, arcade) • Donkey Kong 3 (1983, arcade) • Donkey Kong Jr. Math (1983, NES) • Donkey Kong 3: Dai Gyakushū (1984, computer) • Donkey Kong (1994, GB)
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| Donkey Kong Country series
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Donkey Kong Country (1994, SNES) • Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (1995, SNES) • Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! (1996, SNES) • Donkey Kong Country Returns (2010, Wii) • Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (2014, Wii U)
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| Donkey Kong Land series
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Donkey Kong Land (1995, GB) • Donkey Kong Land 2 (1996, GB) • Donkey Kong Land III (1997, GB)
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| Mario vs. Donkey Kong series
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Mario vs. Donkey Kong (2004, GBA) • Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis (2006, DS) • Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again! (2009, DSiWare) • Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! (2010, DS) • Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move (2013, 3DS) • Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars (2015, 3DS/Wii U) • Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge (2016, 3DS/Wii U)
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| DK series
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DK: King of Swing (2005, GBA) • DK: Jungle Climber (2007, DS) (Banana Bonanza [Unknown, Adobe Flash] • Rolling Panic [Unknown, Adobe Flash] • Banana Grab [Unknown, Adobe Flash])
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| Miscellaneous
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Donkey Kong 64 (1999, N64) • Donkey Kong Jungle Beat (2004, GCN)
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| Racing games
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Diddy Kong Racing (1997, N64) • Donkey Kong Barrel Blast (2007, Wii)
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| Donkey Konga series
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Donkey Konga (2003, GC) • Donkey Konga 2 (2004, GC) • Donkey Konga 3 JP (2005, GC)
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| Other
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Donkey Kong Circus (1984, G&W) • Donkey Kong Hockey (1984, G&W) • Donkey Kong (1996, arcade) • Donkey Konk (1999, Adobe Shockwave) • Donkey Kong 64 Lore Quiz (1999, Adobe Shockwave) • Memory Kong (1999, Windows/Mac OS) • Couic d'or ! (1999, Windows/Mac OS) • Picross NP Vol. 8 (2000, SFC) • Kremling Krushin (2000, Adobe Flash) • Donkey Kong Country Barrel Maze (2003, Adobe Shockwave) • Mini-Mario Factory Game! (2004, Adobe Flash) • Hurling for Distance (2005, Adobe Flash) • Barrel-Blastapalooza (2005, Adobe Flash) • Donkey Kong: Jungle Fever (2005, arcade) • Mario vs. DK 2: Cannon Kaos (2006, Adobe Flash) • Donkey Kong: Banana Kingdom (2006, arcade) • Timber's Balloon Pop (2007, Adobe Flash) • Play Nintendo activities (2014–present)
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| Reissues
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Crazy Kong (1981, arcade) • Donkey Kong (1982, G&W) • Donkey Kong Jr. (1982, G&W) • Donkey Kong II (1983, G&W) • Donkey Kong Jr. + Jr. Sansū Lesson (1983, NES) • Donkey Kong 3 (1984, G&W) • Donkey Kong Classics (1988, NES) • Donkey Kong (1994, NGW) • Donkey Kong Country Competition Cartridge (1994, SNES) • Donkey Kong Country (2000, GBC) • Donkey Kong Country (2003, GBA) • Classic NES Series: Donkey Kong (2004, GBA) • Donkey Kong Country 2 (2004, GBA) • Donkey Kong/Donkey Kong Junior/Mario Bros. (2004, arcade) • Donkey Kong Country 3 (2005, GBA) • Diddy Kong Racing DS (2007, DS) • New Play Control! Donkey Kong Jungle Beat (Wii, 2008) • Donkey Kong Original Edition (2010, VC) • Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D (2013, 3DS) • Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (2018, Switch) • Mario vs. Donkey Kong (2024, Switch) • Donkey Kong Country Returns HD (2025, Switch)
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| Tech demos
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Unnamed Donkey Kong Country proof-of-concept (Unknown, VB) • puzzle (Unknown, N64) • spritemonkeyEX (Unknown, N64) • Mario vs. Donkey Kong Wii U demo (2014, Wii U)
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| Pitches / canceled games
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Donkey Kong no Ongaku Asobi (FC) • Donkey Kong IV (arcade) • Return of Donkey Kong (NES) • Super Donkey (SNES) • CD-i Donkey Kong game (CD-i) • Donkey Kong vs. Super Wario (SNES) • Donkey Kong and the Golden Bananas (SNES) • D.K.R. DMG (GB) • Donkey Kong Coconut Crackers (GBA) • Diddy Kong Pilot (2001/2003) (GBA) • Donkey Kong Racing (GCN) • Donkey Kong Plus (GCN/GBA) • Diddy Kong Racing Adventure (GCN) • Donkey Kong Country 4 (DS) • DK Bongo Blast (GCN) • Freedom (Switch)
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| Crossovers
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Super Smash Bros. series
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Super Smash Bros. (1999, N64) • Super Smash Bros. Melee (2001, GCN) • Super Smash Bros. Brawl (2008, Wii) • Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS (2014, 3DS) • Super Smash Bros. for Wii U (2014, Wii U) • Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (2018, Switch)
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| NES Remix series
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Main
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NES Remix (2013, Wii U)
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| Reissues
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NES Remix Pack (2014, Wii U) • Ultimate NES Remix (2014, 3DS)
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Game Pak
