A new Donkey Kong game might be in the works for the Nintendo Switch, and the talented team behind 2017's Super Mario Odyssey could be the ones making it. While the great ape with a love of bananas and a dislike of crocodiles who want to steal them remains a beloved icon of Nintendo, he hasn’t seen a true console title since 2014’s Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze - ports and remasters notwithstanding.
Having been first introduced as an enemy of "Jumpman" (who would later be known as Mario) in the original Donkey Kong arcade cabinet back in 1981, the character has seen several peaks and valleys over the years. The Donkey Kong series would hit its stride in the mid-90s thanks to Rare, who developed the classic SNES title Donkey Kong Country and its two sequels as well as the 3D Donkey Kong 64. After Rare was acquired by Microsoft in 2002, Donkey Kong would continue in the form of numerous spin-offs until its next true sequel in the form of Retro Studios’ Donkey Kong Country Returns, which was released on the Wii in 2010.
According to a tweet by Youtuber LonelyGoomba, which Nintendo Life would later verify, Nintendo is supposedly looking to revive the Donkey Kong franchise with a new in-house title by Nintendo EPD, the development team behind Super Mario Odyssey. These sources claim that, unlike Odyssey, this new game will be in a 2D or 2.5D format rather than pure 3D. Adding to this, video game news leaker Zippo claims that the Donkey Kong Country title made famous by Rare won’t be returning in this new installment, and that series mainstays Diddy Kong, Cranky Kong, and the Kremling Krew will all be making appearances. Furthermore, an official announcement could be made at this year's E3 next month.
Nintendo EPD would be a great choice to helm a new Donkey Kong game, as Super Mario Odyssey was met with high praise when it arrived on the Switch in 2017 for its fresh and innovative sandbox take on the classic 3D gameplay of Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine. It quickly became one of the Mario franchises' best-selling titles within two years, and talk of a possible sequel remains a popular subject of internet rumor.
With E3 right around the corner, the timing is just right for the announcement of a new Donkey Kong game, especially since players haven’t seen the lovable ape in his own interactive adventure for such a long time. Of course, Nintendo EPD being in charge of this hypothetical title is still just a rumor at this point, so fans should stay posted for a more official development of this news as it unfolds.
Source: LonelyGoomba (via Twitter), Nintendo Life, Zippo