Donkey Kong recently received a redesign across Nintendo's games and merchandise, and in a new interview, Mario and Donkey Kong creator Shigeru Miyamoto explained the logic behind updating the iconic Nintendo character.
Speaking with IGN, Miyamoto said he still plays a role in managing and creating Nintendo's iconic characters. He said the team recently went back to the Rare-designed version of the character from Donkey Kong Country and reevaluated it.
"When we were talking about trying to create new versions, evolving Donkey Kong, we created the game called Jungle Beat," Miyamoto said. "We worked together with the team that made 3D Mario. With the technology that was available at the time, we were able to make Donkey Kong more expressive. And going back to the design that Rare came up with, we reevaluated; what can we do with the design to make it more expressive? And then when it comes to the movie, we decided to move forward with this new generation Donkey Kong design."
Fans first noticed Donkey Kong's new look in the Super Mario Bros. movie, and later spotted his updated design in footage of Mario Kart World and various Nintendo merchandise. Donkey Kong's new look is most notable in the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive Donkey Kong Bananza, where he has a more expressive face, more detailed fur, and wears overalls.
Despite the changes, his design is still fairly close to the one cooked up by Rare artist Kevin Bayliss, who recently told fans upset about the new design to "embrace change more" and "give a big warm welcome for the new DK."
Donkey Kong's new design will first be playable in Mario Kart World, a Nintendo Switch 2 launch title releasing June 5. The character's solo adventure, Donkey Kong Bananza, will be available July 17 for Switch 2. In a hands-on Donkey Kong Bananza preview, we called Donkey Kong's new ability to destroy the environment "childlike fun."
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Speaking with IGN, Miyamoto said he still plays a role in managing and creating Nintendo's iconic characters. He said the team recently went back to the Rare-designed version of the character from Donkey Kong Country and reevaluated it.
"When we were talking about trying to create new versions, evolving Donkey Kong, we created the game called Jungle Beat," Miyamoto said. "We worked together with the team that made 3D Mario. With the technology that was available at the time, we were able to make Donkey Kong more expressive. And going back to the design that Rare came up with, we reevaluated; what can we do with the design to make it more expressive? And then when it comes to the movie, we decided to move forward with this new generation Donkey Kong design."
Fans first noticed Donkey Kong's new look in the Super Mario Bros. movie, and later spotted his updated design in footage of Mario Kart World and various Nintendo merchandise. Donkey Kong's new look is most notable in the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive Donkey Kong Bananza, where he has a more expressive face, more detailed fur, and wears overalls.
Despite the changes, his design is still fairly close to the one cooked up by Rare artist Kevin Bayliss, who recently told fans upset about the new design to "embrace change more" and "give a big warm welcome for the new DK."
Donkey Kong's new design will first be playable in Mario Kart World, a Nintendo Switch 2 launch title releasing June 5. The character's solo adventure, Donkey Kong Bananza, will be available July 17 for Switch 2. In a hands-on Donkey Kong Bananza preview, we called Donkey Kong's new ability to destroy the environment "childlike fun."
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