Ever because the Nintendo Swap 2 launch trailer appeared again in January exhibiting gameplay from the upcoming Mario Kart World, followers have been debating one element specifically: the brand new character design of longstanding favorite Donkey Kong.
Cuter and goofier than ever, the brand new Donkey Kong design is a far cry from what we have grow to be used to because the character first went 3D. And a few followers are actually not pleased.
There have been A LOT of debates over DK’s new design in comparison with his previous design Loads of opinions have been floating round so I wanna analyze this from the angle of a DK fanHighlighting variations between the two Designs and what I consider is flawed with the brand new design pic.twitter.com/4TiIBItjhlApril 13, 2025
In a thread on X that already has near one million views and over 200 feedback, the artist Kemmo Ado gives an in depth breakdown of Uncommon’s developer Kevin Bayliss’s Donkey Kong design from 1994 and compares it to the brand new look.
Kemmo outlines the everyday shapes used to convey completely different traits in character design: spherical characters are cute and pleasant, like Kirby, sq. characters are robust and dependable, like Wreck it Ralph and triangular characters are sharp, cool, harmful, like Sonic or Bowser. Uncommon’s Donkey Kong mixed these so as to add complexity to the character.
His physique is powerful like a sq., and his hair, eye shadow and smile have a triangular edge, however he nonetheless has a sure roundness to him. Evaluate that to the brand new Donkey Kong (see Nintendo’s Donkey Kong Bananza trailer beneath).
Donkey Kong Bananza – Nintendo Direct | Nintendo Swap 2 – YouTube
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What followers complain about is that the Donkey Kong redesign goes heavy on the roundness on the expense of the sting. The result’s that it strips the nuance from the character’s persona, making him really feel blander and extra generic.
It is true that whereas good design usually simplifies and makes issues speedy and simple to interpret, that method can be reductive, particularly relating to character design. Characters may be complicated and multi-faceted – sure, even a online game gorilla. Solely Dizzy the egg ought to actually have a single form.
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The Donkey Kong arcade sprite (Picture credit score: Nintendo)
To be sincere, I type of agree with these arguments in opposition to the brand new Donkey Kong design. However I nonetheless find it irresistible. Why? Pure nostalgia I suppose. I really feel like the brand new design rekindles the simplicity of the Eighties arcade video games I keep in mind. Certain, he is much less delicate – much less cool and assured maybe – however I all the time keep in mind him as a goofy gorilla.
However it is because I am a sentimental previous man who remembers the arcade recreation. I’ve to confess that when it comes to pure character design, the critiques of the brand new design are legitimate.
Donkey Kong Bananza can be launched on 17 July. Mario Kart World can be launched on 5 June alongside the Nintendo Swap 2 console. See our piece on Nintendo Swap 2 preorders.
Within the meantime, take a look at the divisive leaked Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered’s artwork, one developer’s Titanfall x The Finals recreation and the Black Mirror Thronglets recreation.
