Summary
The Super Mario Bros. Moviemay have focused on the titular Italian plumbers, but it also features the character that started it all – Donkey Kong. If it weren’t for him, Mario wouldn’t be where he is today without the trouble caused by Cranky Kong in the 1981 arcade game.
Donkey Kong has sinceappeared in games across four different decades, and theDonkey Kongfranchise has certainly made its mark on different generations since its inception. However, the newest batch of fans may not be aware of just how manyDonkey Konggames are out there and their influence on the gaming industry. Out of all the titles, a few have stood the test of time and continue to showcase the best of what the franchise has to offer. What are thebestDonkey Konggames?
Updated August 03, 2025 by Mark Sammut:Finally, a new Donkey Kong game is out, and Bananza marks an exciting new era for gaming’s most legendary primate. However, where does it rank among the greatest DK games ever? Well, click below to learn that:
In 1981,Donkey Kongdebuted on arcade machines, and the rest is history. Not only for theDonkey Kongfranchise but theSuper Mariofranchise, too, as it was the first game to feature the Italian plumber.Despite not taking long to beat, the arcade version ofDonkey Kongis a classic with major replayability thanks to its relatively simple premise of rescuing Pauline from the clutches of Donkey Kong on a construction site.
Not only did the originalDonkey Kongintroduce players to the character, it set up the lore within the franchise as it would later be revealed that his iteration of Donkey Kong was, in fact, Cranky Kong.
Donkey Kong Jr.follows from the original Donkey Kong arcade game, but the roles are reversed in this one. Mario is the villain this time, and Donkey Kong Jr. is on a mission to save his dad, Cranky Kong, from the mustached plumber.
The sequel is a vast improvement on the original, adding a new jungle setting with vines for Donkey Kong Jr. to climb to progress to the top of the stage. It also includes new enemies like Snapjaws, Sparks, and Nitpickers to deal with. Donkey Kong Jr. essentially builds upon what made the first one so popular.
More than a decade after its release,Donkey Kongwas redeveloped for the Game Boy. The game builds upon its predecessor by featuring the original four levels of the arcade game with an additional 97 stages set over nine worlds.
Expanding upon what made the first game so popular, Mario is once again the protagonist and is challenged to save Pauline from Donkey Kong’s clutches. This time, the titular ape is joined by his son, Donkey Kong Jr, who helps his dad thwart Mario in his arduous quest.
Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong’s Double Troublewas the last of the originalDonkey Kong Countryseries, released in 1996.Donkey Kong 64followed four years later, enhancing everything developer Rare had created up until that point.Donkey Kong 64somewhat overshadowsDixie Kong’s Double Trouble, mainly down to a few criticisms targeting the latter.
While still a great platformer by Rare, the sequel arguably tries to shake things up a bit too much, throwing in quite a few gimmicks while also changing the overall tone. However, these are subjective, and the game did feature all the hallmarks of the previous twoDonkey Kong Countryinstallments, like the memorable pre-rendered 3D imagery and creative level design.
2003’sDonkey Kongaintroduced the famous DK bongos, and they made their almighty return inDonkey Kong Jungle Beat.Except this time, players weren’t playing a rhythm game. Instead, they were ableto control Donkey Kong with the bongos.
It may sound like a gimmick (which in some ways it is), but those “bongo-pounding controls” make for exciting gameplay, especially since the story is pretty basic for this game in that Donkey Kong’s mission is to conquer the jungle and defeat anyone who gets in his way.
TheDonkey Kongagames are fun as well, although they are mainly for younger players looking for fairly simple rhythm titles.
A comparatively forgottenDonkey Konggame,Jungle Climberbuilds on the ideas ofKing of Swing, a Game Boy Advance title that introduced a unique control scheme. Essentially, the gameplay predominantly revolves around using the device’s shoulder buttons to guide Donkey Kong across pegs laid out across a stage.
This neat idea was expanded byJungle Climber, ultimately providing a more complete and satisfying package than its predecessor. Even though neither project is a must-play, they are entertaining spin-offs that complement their handheld platforms while presenting enjoyable twists on an established formula.
TheMario vs. Donkey Kongseriesjust about qualified for this discussion. The games cast Donkey Kong as their villain, and their gameplay has very little in common with traditional platformers; nevertheless, Nintendo has produced eight of these projects over the last two decades, including a 2024 remake. If somebody is looking to sample this spin-off for the first time, they should start withMario vs. Donkey Kongon the Nintendo Switch. It serves as a decent showcase of what this series can offer, while also featuring pretty good visuals and tight gameplay. That said, newcomers should check out some gameplay clips before they take the plunge, just so they know exactly what they are getting.
For this topic,Minis March Again!is acting as the representative forMario vs. Donkey Kongas a whole. As always, Mario has to guide his mini-mes across a series of levels while trying to avoid Donkey Kong’s challenges. The formula is straightforward but works well, and this particular iteration made good use of the DSi’s features, along with offering a robust level editor.
The N64 brought popular Nintendo characters to life in a 3D space, including Link inThe Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Timeand Mario inSuper Mario 64.The same goes forDonkey Kong 64, allowing players to control Donkey Kong from a 3D perspective.
The game follows a straightforward narrative, with Donkey Kong on a quest to rescue his friends and relatives from King K. Rool. Each character saved becomes playable as the player solves puzzles and minigames to progress in the story. With seven worlds and 200 goals to achieve, each character brings a new ability to the table.Donkey Kong 64is alsofamous for featuring the notorious DK Rap, which has since seen a resurgence thanks to its appearance inThe Super Mario Bros. Movie.
Donkey Kong 64is one of the more polarizing entries in the franchise, and its reputation has gotten worse over the years. Quite a few aspects of the game have not aged well, and the campaign suffers from some serious bloat that makes revisiting it frustrating. That said, it was ambitious for its era.
AfterDonkey Kong Country’s success,Donkey Kong Landwas released in 1995 for the Game Boy.Donkey Kong Landwas more like a companion game forDonkey Kong Country, featuring different level designs and boss fights. But developer Rare did a fantastic job translating the original’s gameplay onto a different system.
Like mostDonkey Konggames, it received a sequel – a conversion ofDonkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest. It was well-received but criticized for beingtoo similar to the SNES version.
WhileDonkey Kong Math Jr.was the firstDonkey Konggame for the home console,the 16-bit classicDonkey Kong Countryrebooted the franchise on theSNES. It certainly rejuvenated the character, seeing as this version was the first time players could play as a grown-up Donkey Kong Jr., alongside his nephew Diddy Kong, as they retrieved their stolen banana hoard from King K. Rool.
This Donkey Kong was initially referred to as Cranky Kong’s grandson, but itwas later confirmed by Leigh Loveday, the writer ofDonkey Kong Country 2,that this iteration was Donkey Kong Jr. all grown up.
