Summary
Donkey Kong is a true icon of gaming. While he may not be as famous as Mario or Link, theDonkey Kong Countryseries is still regarded as one of the best platforming franchises of all time, which has greatly helped the character’s popularity. However, while it’s true that the series has his name in the title, Donkey Kong isn’t the protagonist in every single game in the franchise, as there are many instances where there are other characters sharing the spotlight with him, and there are even some cases where he’s not in the game at all.
TheDonkey Kong Countryfranchise introduced many more members of the Kong family outside the titular Donkey Kong, some of which have proven to be fan favorites, while others did not have this everlasting impact on the franchise. But whichDonkey Kong Countrycharacters are the best in the series?
Funky Kong has always been one of the most popular Kongs in the franchise, even if he was never a playable character in the series until the release of the Nintendo Switch port ofDonkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze,which is one of the best platformers on the system. The reasons for his fan-favorite status may be his attire and attitude, as he’s a laid-back monkey who enjoys surfing.
He’s only had one single appearance as a playable character inTropical Freeze, and he even wasn’t in the base game. He was added in the Switch port to add an easy mode to the game, as Funky can double jump, hover in midair, and even breathe underwater for a short time. His gameplay style is not bad at all, but he still has to get his first, proper outing as a main character.
Kiddy Kong is one of the most forgotten characters in the series. He’s only appeared inDonkey Kong Country 3: Dixie’s Double Trouble,which is often considered the weakest chapter in the franchise, and he failed to leave an impression for many reasons. First of all, he’s a crying toddler, which surely isn’t a captivating trait for a main character. Secondly, he is widely seen as an inferior protagonist when compared to the more charismatic Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong, who were both absent in the game.
Finally, Kiddy Kong doesn’t even have a cool, unique moveset, as his main abilities are just longer jumps and being able to launch Dixie Kong. This, more than anything else, might be the reason why he was never brought back in later installments.
4Cranky Kong
Donkey Kong Country 3 & Tropical Freeze
As many players know, Cranky Kong is the original Donkey Kong, the one from the arcade game, who has grown a lot older and grumpier since his first appearance. He can be found in everyDonkey Kong Countrygame in a supporting role, but he only became a playable character inDonkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze on Wii U, which isone of the best platformers on the system.
His moveset in the game is based around his crane, which allows him to bounce on spikes. This can prove very helpful, especially considering that the game is not easy at all to beat. To get the most out of Cranky, players can use him as a second character while playing co-op, to compensate for his weaknesses with another Kong’s abilities.
Dixie Kong made her first appearance inDonkey Kong Country 2: Diddy Kong’s Quest,which is widely regarded as one of the most difficult platformers on the SNES. She has since starred inDonkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong’s Double Troubleas the titular protagonist, and she came back to the series after a hiatus inDonkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze.
Her playstyle revolves around her prehensile ponytail, which allows her to grab objects and slow down her descents during jumps. This last feature is especially usefulsince the games frequently require precise platforming, and it’s much easier to have a safe landing using Dixie instead of other Kongs. This is what makes her one of the best playable Kongs in the games, and a fan favorite for fans.
Diddy Kong was introduced as Donkey Kong’s sidekick in the firstDonkey Kong Countrygame, and he’s the character with the most appearances in the series, as he is only missing fromDonkey Kong Country 3,and he has even had his own racing spin-off. Diddy’s playstyle is very similar to Donkey Kong, but he’s somewhat more agile and a little faster, thanks to his smaller physique.
InDonkey Kong Country: Tropical Freezehe is given a new ability in the form of his barrel jetpack, which allows him to clear larger gaps. This addition helped Diddy stand out more as a character, as he now has an exclusive move that isn’t shared with Donkey Kong. Given he was in almost every game in the series, fans can’t really imagine aDonkey Kong Countrygame without Diddy Kong.
The best playable Kong in theDonkey Kong Countryseries couldn’t be any other character than Donkey Kong himself. Ironically, he’s made fewer appearances in the series than Diddy Kong but that doesn’t take away the fact that he’s the star of this franchise,and he’s even one of the most beloved characters inMario Kart. His moveset may lack the unique abilities other Kongs have, but his gameplay style is still one of the most satisfying in the franchise, just because of his weight in jumps and attacks.
Other than that, he’s the most charismatic member of the Kong family, which comes as no surprise as Donkey Kong is the character players have spent more time with over the years. There will probably never be a betterDonkey Kong Countrycharacter, and that’s just how things should be.
