Summary
Although his rival, Mario, has become the more prominent franchise, Nintendo fans continue to love and appreciateDonkey Kongafter all these years. This affection is evident with the release ofDonkey Kong Bananza, one of the most anticipated games of the year, which launched on June 12, 2025. The game is the latest in a long line of titles that have varied in their challenge levels.
From his original debut in theDonkey Kongarcade game to later titles on the Wii U and Switch consoles, Donkey Kong has taken gamers across a variety of worlds with signature challenges. Some DK games prove to be delightful jaunts in the universe that Nintendo has created over the years, while others can push players' buttons and put their skills to the test.
The original game featuring the titular character, along with Mario, playeda crucial role in defining video gamesfor an entire generation. Without it, Nintendo may not have become the company it is today. InDonkey Kong,everyone’s favorite ape serves as the villain, while Mario attempts to rescue Pauline from DK’s grasp as he constantly throws barrels down a tower filled with obstacles.
Since there is no official ending toDonkey Kong, the game continues to become more challenging, testing players’ reflexes until they are ready to stop. One wrong move is enough for Mario to fail, as all arcade games were essentially designed to maximize the number of quarters they pulled from consumers. However, this is far from the hardest arcade game to ever exist.
8Donkey Kong Country
The SNES Allowed Donkey Kong’s Grandson To Shine
When the SNES launched, everyone received new Mario games as expected. However, Nintendo decided to bring back Donkey Kong in a brand-new way, featuring 2.5D visuals and sidescrolling gameplay. It was all thanks to the team at Rare, who helped turnDonkey Kong Countryinto an iconic 90s game that spawned its own franchise.
Collecting the various items, such as letters that spell Kong, along with every banana, is easier said than done if someoneis aiming for 100% completion. Some levels are marathons of running, jumping, or riding vehicles, requiring the player to memorize every frame to collect everything, which can even result in an alternate ending after beating the evil King K. Rool.
Many fans considerDonkey Kong Country 3: Trixie’s Double Troubleto be the black sheep of the original Rare era of games because it feels a lot like more of the same. On the one hand, it still features the addictive 2D action side-scrolling gameplay that fans loved. On the other hand, some players felt that the third installment didn’t do enough to distinguish itself from the previous two games.
Despite this,Trixie’s Double Troublehas enough quality to be a memorable title in the series, with Trixie and Kiddy Kong taking the lead to thwart Baron K. Roolenstein’s plot. The game offers a challenge, but it’s manageable for fans of the first two entries, especially since it is noticeably shorter, even when aiming for 100% completion.
When the series made a triumphant return on the Wii,Donkey Kong Country Returnsmade a big splash by going back to basics, delivering 2D gameplay with 3D visuals. It may feature new developers at the helm of the project, but most fans were pleased with how it looked, sounded, and played, delivering a capable game that combines collecting bananas and fighting the Tiki Tak Tribe.
The difficulty ofDonkey Kong Country Returnsvaries depending on which release of the game players have access to. The original version on the Nintendo Wii stood out from otherDonkey Kong Countrytitlesfor its noteworthy motion controlsthat were not only mandatory but also created some frustration. The HD remaster for the Nintendo Switch allows players to utilize conventional controls if they prefer, which makes the experience slightly easier.
What began as an exclusivefor the Nintendo Wii Uwas given a remaster on the Nintendo Switch, allowingDonkey Kong Country: Tropical Freezeto be a definingDonkey Konggame for two generations of Nintendo fans until the release ofDonkey Kong Bananza. It features Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Dixie Kong, and Cranky Kong as four playable characters, with Funky Kong as a bonus.
Some levels inDonkey Kong: Tropical Freezecan test players' patience, particularly in the later parts of the game that feature challenging enemies and tricky platforming sections. However, most fans agree thatTropical Freezestrikes a fine balance as a moderately challenging game. It offers a consistently enjoyable experience that never becomes overly stressful or tedious for players.
Donkey Kong makes a leap to 4K visuals on the Nintendo Switch 2 featuring a new design, partner, and open-world gameplayakin toSuper Mario Odyssey. Those familiar withOdysseywill get an idea of how challengingDonkey Kong Bananzais, as Donkey Kong and Pauline dig into the center of the planet to collect gold and bananas.
As the game progresses, Donkey Kong always feels like he is prepared for anything that comes his way, whether it is taking on the latest boss or completing an objective. However,Donkey Kong Bananzaalso never feels too easy, offering a balanced difficulty throughout that keeps the player on their toes just enough to maintain the story’s fun and engaging tone.
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Questis the second game in the Rare series, following a similar concept to its predecessor. Players move left and right to collect bananas, letters, and other items. Often regarded as the definitivetitle in theDonkey Kongseries, this game allows players to play as Diddy Kong in his own side-scrolling adventure.
As a sequel,Diddy’s Kong Questtakes the formula established by the original and expands upon it, creating a 2D sidescroller that gradually increases in difficulty over time. Since the game is much longer than the first, it allowed Rare to go all out with more collectibles and more intricate levels that will push players to the limit in some instances.
Those familiar withMario KartorCrash Team Racingmay think they know what they are getting into withDiddy Kong Racing, but it’s an entirely different beast to deal with. It’s a demanding racer that is known for punishing players if they make the slightest mistake in a race, making it a challenge in itself to regain their placement, whether it’s in a car, boat, or aerial vehicle.
Diddy Kong Racingalso puts even more emphasis on characters having unique perks and weaknesses that can change an entire race, especially in the multiplayer mode. Strangely enough, Donkey Kong was excluded from the roster in favor of other Kongs and charactersfrom other Rare games, such asConker’s Bad Fur DayandBanjo-Kazooie.
Rare drew inspiration fromtheir other 3D platformer franchise,Banjo-Kazooie, and attempted to incorporate it intoDonkey Kong 64, a title that remains divisive on the Nintendo 64 after many years. Part of that is due to its difficulty, which is not the result of innovative game design, but rather the game’s gimmick of having a multitude of characters to play as.
Many collectibles can only be acquired by specific characters, which requires backtracking.A lotof backtracking. In certain areas, only one item requires a character like Diddy Kong or Tiny Kong to reach it, forcing the player to go back, find a character swap point, and return to the area as that character. It drags the gameplay on for much longer than needed, often leaving players frustrated byDonkey Kong 64rather than thrilled.
