Kong

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It has been requested that this article be rewritten and expanded to include more information. Reason: Include better coverage of The Super Mario Bros. Movie

Kong
Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Dixie Kong and Cranky Kong
The main Kongs of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze: clockwise from top, Donkey Kong, Dixie Kong, Cranky Kong, and Diddy Kong
First appearance Donkey Kong (1981)
Latest appearance Super Mario Party Jamboree (2024)
Variants
Relatives
Notable members
“I'm the king of the Kong, the simian Don Juan.”
—Diddy Kong, "Kong for a Day"

Kongs (known as Apes in production literature for the Donkey Kong Country television series)[1] are a species of sapient primates that make up much of the cast of the Donkey Kong franchise, with the eponymous character himself being one. Kongs are capable of actions such as speech and building houses and typically wear clothing, though the amount varies drastically with the individual, with Donkey Kong himself wearing only a tie, while many others wear full outfits. Kongs seem to be native to Donkey Kong Island, and they share an animosity with much of the crocodilian Kremling race. While most of them share the surname "Kong," they are not all directly related to one another. Kongs can resemble any number of real-life primates, with Donkey Kong, Funky Kong, and several others resembling gorillas; Diddy Kong resembling a monkey; Dixie Kong and Tiny Kong resembling chimpanzees; and Lanky Kong resembling an orangutan.

General information

Name

The name "Kong" comes from a Japanese slang word for "gorilla."[2]

Generic names of various real-life types of primates, such as "monkeys," "chimps," "gorillas," and "apes," are used fairly interchangeably to describe Kongs, especially in earlier media such as Saturday Supercade and the Donkey Kong Country cartoon, which never refer to Kongs as such outside their individual names. However, the term "baboon" seems to be reserved as an insult, potentially due to it sounding similar to the word "buffoon," and is even used against other species, such as Cranky Kong using it against Krusha in "From Zero to Hero." Despite this, Kongs are their own species separate from apes.[3]

Society

In the games, the society of Kongs lives on Donkey Kong Island, living in houses made of wood, usually built on top of trees. Donkey Kong is their king, though sometimes Cranky Kong fills the role of being a leader. Generic Kongs are not commonly seen, with most known members of the species being individual characters.

The instruction booklet for Donkey Kong Country states that Manky Kongs were rejected by the Kongs. Despite this, Lanky Kong, who is an orangutan himself, is friendly to the Kongs and also part of the Kong Family.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie, in contrast to the games, depicts the Kongs living in a bigger society and being more technologically advanced, having an entire factory dedicated to the manufacturing of karts.

Diet

Kongs usually take a strong liking to bananas, which are the subject of many stories involving the species. In particular, Donkey Kong has a cave full of them and is constantly seen eating them. Despite this, Kongs are also seen eating other kinds of food.

Speech

In the Donkey Kong Country series and in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Kongs are capable of speaking intelligibly. However, in most games where Kongs appear alongside other species, particularly humans, as demonstrated in Mario Super Sluggers and the Mario & Sonic series, they simply say the word "Ook" followed by a translation of what they are saying in parentheses. Sometimes they do not speak at all, such as in Saturday Supercade.

Kong Family

The Kong family in the credits.
The Kong Family

The Kong Family[4] (alternatively Kong family),[5] also known as the Donkey Kong Family,[6] Kong Klan,[7] DK Crew,[8][9] and DK Krew,[10] is the main group of Kongs, being Donkey Kong's family and close friends. The patriarch of the family is Cranky Kong, the original Donkey Kong. In the Donkey Kong franchise of video games, members of the Kong Family are either playable characters or supporting characters that aid the main heroes on their journey, although they also receive help from allies outside the family, including the Animal Friends and the Kremling K. Lumsy.

Though only officialized in Donkey Kong Country, the concept of a family of Kongs dates back to Donkey Kong Jr.

The family often uses the initials "DK" as a symbol, which most often represents Donkey Kong. It is seen on Donkey Kong's tie, DK Barrels, DK Coins, the Level Flags, DK Spaces, and various other objects around Donkey Kong Island. The symbol is also used in the Super Smash Bros. series, although in this context, it is used as the logo for the Donkey Kong franchise in general instead of just the Kong Family members (since King K. Rool and Klaptraps also use it).

According to Gregg Mayles, the characters were loosely intended to be an actual family, but the extended relations were left deliberately vague by the release of Donkey Kong Country due to uncanny details such as Diddy Kong having a tail and Candy Kong looking humanoid, as more priority was put in diversifying the designs rather than fitting it into a cohesive family tree background.[11]

List of Kongs

Donkey Kong's family

In addition, Donkey Kong Jr. has a relative referred to as Uncle Julius, albeit he has not been shown to be a part of the Kong clan.

Dixie Kong's family

  • Dixie Kong – Diddy Kong's girlfriend, Tiny Kong's older sister, and Kiddy and Chunky Kong's cousin.
  • Tiny Kong – Dixie Kong's younger sister, as well as Kiddy and Chunky Kong's cousin.
  • Chunky Kong – Kiddy Kong's older brother, as well as Dixie and Tiny Kong's cousin.
  • Kiddy Kong – Chunky Kong's younger brother, as well as Dixie and Tiny Kong's cousin.

Other members

Evil Kongs

Robotic Kongs

Kong species

Unused Kongs

Gallery

Emblem

  • Barrel

    Barrel

  • Coin

    Coin

  • Pennant

    Pennant

  • Portal

    Portal

  • Dirt pile

    Dirt pile

  • Star

    Star

  • Flag

    Flag

  • Switch

    Switch

Trivia

Names in other languages

Kong

Language Name Meaning Notes
Japanese コング[?]
Kongu 		Kong

Kong Family

Language Name Meaning Notes
Japanese コングファミリー[?]
Kongu Famirī 		Kong Family
Catalan Família Kong (The Super Mario Bros. Movie)[?] Kong Family
Chinese (simplified) 刚家族[?]
Gāng Jiāzú 		Kong Family
Chinese (traditional) 剛家族[?]
Gāng Jiāzú 		Kong Family
French Famille Kong[?] Kong Family
German Kong-Familie[?] Kong Family
Italian Famiglia Kong[?] Kong Family
Spanish Familia Kong[?] Kong Family

References

  1. ^ 1998. Computer Animation: A Whole New World. Rockport Publishers. ISBN 1564963772. Page 87.
  2. ^ De Maria, Rusel, and Wilson, Johnny L. (December 18, 2003). High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games (2nd edition). New York: McGraw-Hill/Osborne (English). ISBN 9780072231724.
  3. ^ KRoolKountry (January 15, 2024). Just a reminder that Donkey Kong is not an ape—he is a Kong. However, “going ape” is a phrase that can be used for Kongs as well!. X. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  4. ^ 1995. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest Instruction Booklet. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 21.
  5. ^ "Have you been to see the other members of the Kong family? They're not as useful as me of course, but they might be able to help." – Cranky Kong. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest.
  6. ^ 1994. Donkey Kong Country Player's Guide. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 5.
  7. ^ Munson, Terry and Paul Shinoda (1996). Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! Player's Guide. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 8.
  8. ^ "He's the first member of the DK crew!" – DK Rap singer. Donkey Kong 64.
  9. ^ "The DK Crew came to his tropical paradise for a little R&R." – Narrator. DK: Jungle Climber.
  10. ^ The back cover for the Game Boy Advance remake of Donkey Kong Country 2.
  11. ^ GameXplain (November 16, 2019). Talking with Rare's Creative Director for DKC's 25th Anniversary! (Cut Content, Wario Plot, & More) (27:06). YouTube (English). Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  12. ^ "Yes, but it's no ordinary one though! It was Cranky's great grandfather's! I can't let it go for less than 50 coins." – Bazaar. Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!.
  13. ^ "A newcomer to the Kong clan and the joker of the pack. I haven't a clue whom he's related to—must be some distant cousin or something." – Cranky Kong (1999). Donkey Kong 64 instruction booklet. Nintendo of America. Page 8.
  14. ^ "The well-mannered giant gorilla is, in the truest sense of the word, a great guy, and sticks to Lanky, his uncle once-removed." – Chunky Kong bio. German Donkey Kong 64 website.
  15. ^ 1994. Donkey Kong Country instruction booklet. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 29.
  16. ^ Proto:Banjo-Pilot/Diddy Kong Pilot 2001 § Story Text. The Cutting Room Floor. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
[Edit]
Kongs
Kong characters
Baby Kong • Bink • Bluster Kong (Leo Luster) • Candy Clone • Candy Kong • Chunky Kong • Cranky Kong (Young) • Cranky Kong's great grandfather • Diddy Kong • Dixie Kong • Donkey Kong (Baby, Robot) • Donkey Kong Jr. • Dread Kong • Driver • Eddie • Funky Kong • Ghastly King • Karate Kong • Kiddy Kong • Kong Fu • Lanky Kong • Mecha Donkey Kong • Mini Donkey Kong (Game & Watch) • Monkey Kong • Ninja Kong • Rabbid Cranky • Rabbid Kong (Mega) • Ringo • Snow Kong • Sumo Kong • Super Kong • Swanky Kong • Tiny Kong • Uncle Kong • Wrinkly Kong
Kong species
Chained Kong • Cyber Kong • Guerrilla • Helper Monkey • Kong • Manky Kong • Mini Diddy Kong • Mini Donkey Kong (toy) • Ninjape • Snow Ucky Kong • Uckykong
Donkey Kong's robots
Cannon Kong • Capture Kong • Catapult Kong • Circus Kong • Cool Kong • Crash Kong • Kongā
Kong groups
Donkey Kong's robots • Kong (boss group) • Kong Family
[Edit]
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Characters Main characters Donkey Kong • Luigi • Mario • Princess Peach • Toad
Antagonists Bowser • Kamek • Koopa General
Supporting characters BrKLnCouple • Cranky Kong • Driver • Francis • Giuseppe • Kong army • Lumalee • Mario and Luigi's family (Aunt Marie · Mario and Luigi's father · Mario and Luigi's grandfather · Mario and Luigi's mother · Mario and Luigi's niece · Uncle Arthur · Uncle Tony) • Penguin King • Spike • Toad General
Other characters Baby Luigi • Baby Mario • Baby Peach • Chanterelle • Chunky Kong • Diddy Kong • Dixie Kong • Funky Kong • Kiddy Kong • King Bob-omb • King Boo • Luigi's bully • Pauline • Pit • Super Mario Bros. Plumbing customer • Swanky Kong • Toadette • Yoshi
Forms Cape Mario • Cat Mario • Fire Mario • Ice Mario • Invincible Mario • Mini Mario • Super Mario • Tanooki Mario
Species Bat • Biddybud • Blooper (Blooper Baby) • Bob-omb • Bullet Bill (Bomber Bill) • Bramball • Buzzy Beetle • Chain Chomp • Cheep Cheep (Spiny Cheep Cheep) • Goomba (Goomba Tower) • Hammer Bro • Human (H. nintendonus) • Jellybeam • Kong • Koopa (Dry Bones · Koopa Paratroopa · Koopa Troopa · Spiny · Sledge Bro) • Luma • Maw-Ray • Penguin • Piranha Plant • Snifit • Toad • Yoshi
Locations Bob-omb Battlefield • Bowser's Castle • Brooklyn (Brooklyn Heights) • Castle Burger • Crazy Cap • Dark Lands • Jungle Kingdom • Fire Flower Fields • Great Ring of Kong • High Cliffs • Kart workshop • Mushroom Forest • Mushroom Kingdom (Toad Town · Mushroom Heights) • Peach's Castle • Punch-Out Pizzeria • Rainbow Road • Desert Area • Secret passage • Snow Kingdom • Super Mario Bros. Plumbing • Training Course • Warp Zone • Waterfall Area • Yoshi's Island
Items and objects ! Block • Anchor • Axe • Barrel • Bill Blaster • Bike (Bullet Bike · Mach Bike) • Blue mushroom • Blue Shell • Boomerang Flower • Bowser Statue • Box • Brick Block • Cannon • Cape Feather • Clear Pipe • Coin • Coin Block • Crate • Donut Block • Dragon Coin • Fire Bar • Fire Flower • Flying Question Block • Fruit (Banana · Carrot · Coconut · Grape · Melon · Pineapple · Turnip · Watermelon) • Girder • Goal Pole • Hammer • Ice Flower • Kart (Pipe Frame · Standard Kart · Tiny Titan) • Koopa Clown Car • Ladder • Lakitu's Cloud • Lift • Magic wand • Magical Potion • Mushroom Platform • Music Box • Mysterious pipe • P Switch • P-Wing • POW Block • Power Balloon • Question Block • Rocket Barrel • Rotating Block • Shy Guy balloon • Spike Trap • Snowball • Super Bell • Super Leaf • Super Mushroom • Super Star • Tanooki Suit • Trampoline • Warp Pipe • Wooden cutout • Yoshi's Egg
Miscellaneous Gallery • Illumination • Jump Man • Media • Quotes • References to other media • SMBPlumbing.com • Staff • The Super Mario Bros. Movie (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) ("DK Rap" · "Mario Brothers Rap" · "Peaches") • Universal Pictures • Voice actors
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