There’s been quite a buzz around Donkey Kong’s revamped appearance in Donkey Kong Bananza. Amidst all the chatter, an artist decided to take a creative spin by imagining how the King of Swing might have looked in the upcoming Switch 2 game if Nintendo had stayed true to its earlier design choices.
“I’m not a fan of DK’s portrayal in Bananza,” said Felipe Valdés in an X post from April 20. “So, I tweaked some of his stranger expressions to align more closely with Rare’s classic design,” they explained, inviting others to share their thoughts.
Valdés’ adjustments focus on making Donkey Kong’s enormous new mouth smaller and giving his soft brows a more defined, rigid look.
In Bananza, Donkey Kong comes across as a playful character full of expressions, while Valdés aimed to channel the gritty, nostalgic vibe from the Rare era like in Donkey Kong Country. Personally, as someone stuck in my old ways, I lean toward the classic style, though I do appreciate Nintendo’s eagerness to inject humor and liveliness into his Bananza moves.
Of course, it’s crucial to remember that these are just still images. As appealing as they are, the older Rare design might not have meshed well with the artistic direction Nintendo pursued for Bananza. While I admire Valdés’ dedication to this passion project, we shouldn’t shout “Nintendo, hire this artist” simply because of some polished edits. Crafting a video game is a complex and detailed process. Some of us might favor Donkey Kong’s traditional look, but it’s vital not to overlook the hard work put in by the Bananza development team. The end result is quite impressive.
