Dixie Kong's Barrel Of Support Spirits. Farewell Everyone, Thank You ALL For Making This Thread An Excellent Place For DK Fans!

[RetrogamerMax]

Something I think about at times is if the DK series has become a victim of a seeming Nintendo mentality (intentional or otherwise) of not wanting more than one type of franchise within a genre.

Once upon a time it felt like numerous Nintendo IP's generally co-existed with a type of game. The N64 could have a Mario Kart, Diddy Kong Racing, & F-Zero in its lifespan. 2D Mario in the 90s was a big hit along side 2D Donkey Kong, and 2D Wario. Star Fox Adventures could be an alternative alongside Wind Waker. Mario & Luigi was one brand of RPG next to Paper Mario being another. Two Banjo Kazooie games and DK64 complimented the release of Mario 64.

It feels like something that's become less common in the past 10 year as such variations have gradually disappeared. Mario Kart is THE Nintendo racer with any others being third party. 2D Nintendo platformers besides Mario (let alone 3D) are much rarer, with only the Yoshi subseries really getting consistent releases. Paper Mario gradually lost its RPG identity because M&L was cited as one to play if you wanted that (only for the latter to die itself). Any examples of Zelda like games that aren't official LoZ releases come from the indie sphere.

I guess it just feels like a landscape where stuff like DKR or a more significant DK presence doesn't feel as likely to happen anymore because there's a sense that their roles are already being filled by other games.

Yeah, but Nintendo always seems to at least leave one major IP in the dust for each or almost every generation: No Metroid game during N64 era, no mainline DK game during thw Gamecube era, no Star Fox game during the Wii era.

 

[InASnowBoundLand]

The results are in.

You voted. And you decided that Wrinkly is and should always be forevermore.... https://t.co/PqwKruUBlW pic.twitter.com/hx2O3Y5sgh

— Dixie Kong for Smash (@DixieforSmash) July 12, 2020

When Bazaar Bear poked his head into Wrinkly's Save Cave in the summer of 1997, he said something under his anxious breath that the people repeated loudly today:

"Wrinkly Kong is dead".

I'm sorry, Seashore War. You led a good propaganda campaign, but we cannot change the past. Or we are doomed to repeat it. I think.

 

[BirthNote]

The results are in.

You voted. And you decided that Wrinkly is and should always be forevermore.... https://t.co/PqwKruUBlW pic.twitter.com/hx2O3Y5sgh

— Dixie Kong for Smash (@DixieforSmash) July 12, 2020

When Bazaar Bear poked his head into Wrinkly's Save Cave in the summer of 1997, he said something under his anxious breath that the people repeated loudly today:

"Wrinkly Kong is dead".

I'm sorry, Seashore War. You led a good propaganda campaign, but we cannot change the past. Or we are doomed to repeat it. I think.

It was tragic seeing her go. The Kongs didn't take her passing well and even some Kremlings mourned. Klubba came by to pay his respects, and Swanky hung up his businesses to travel abroad in order to ease the pain.

And Cranky...his howls of agony went on for 2 years. DK made sure to reach out to him everyday, as they both lost a huge part of their lives. The 2 bonded profoundly as a result. Everyone knew why Cranky took up Mad Science. He didn't wanna succumb to old age like his beloved did.

 

[InASnowBoundLand]

I'm not sure it was old age. Sadly, Wrinkly is believed to have passed from an aggressive session of Mario Party 1's Minigame mode.

The N64 control stick was never meant to be rotated that fast...

 

[BirthNote]

Of course Nintendo would sweep the real cause under the rug.

They had big plans for Mario Party and they wouldn't let a beloved Kong's death get in the way.

 

[RetrogamerMax]

I'm not sure it was old age. Sadly, Wrinkly is believed to have passed from an aggressive session of Mario Party 1's Minigame mode.

The N64 control stick was never meant to be rotated that fast...

Of course Nintendo would sweep the real cause under the rug.

They had big plans for Mario Party and they wouldn't let a beloved Kong's death get in the way.

If Nintendo revealed that Wrinkly died because of playing the rotating mini games in the first Mario Party, we wouldn't have gotten anymore games after the first one.

 

[BirthNote]

100%. Nintendo chose profit over the life of a sweet old Kong. Those scoundrels!

 

[SeashoreWar]

So much propaganda in here... That hologram really has you guys fooled!

 

[RetrogamerMax]

So much propaganda in here... That hologram really has you guys fooled!

What hologram? Are you talking about Fatman?

 

[SeashoreWar]

What hologram? Are you talking about Fatman?

Wrinkly's hologram!

#wrinklyneverdied

 

[RetrogamerMax]

Wrinkly's hologram!

#wrinklyneverdied

Well from propaganda part it sounded like you were talking about Fatman. I believe you.

 

[SeashoreWar]

Well from propaganda part it sounded like you were talking about Fatman. I believe you.

No I don't have any opinion on him lol. I hadn't heard of him till he posted in here.

 

[Fatmanonice]

What hologram? Are you talking about Fatman?

A floating Popeye head would be pretty cool.

One thing I just wanted to say and then this thread can pretend I died horribly in plane crash or something but Dixie does have an interesting history with the Smash series. She was a trophy in Melee while Diddy didn't have anything, she was cut from Brawl, and she's technically been an ALT for Diddy since Brawl. Her history is weirdly similar to Waluigi's in that she's always had a presence of some kind in Smash since Smash became a celebration of Nintendo's collective history. It's interesting because she not only stars in her own game in the basically timeless DKC trilogy but she's playable in more of the games than Donkey Kong himself.

I've been doing this since 2005 and she's just one of those perpetually snubbed characters like Waluigi and Toad but, on the upside, this game has kind of been a godsend for snubbed characters. Characters that were passed over for one reason or another have come in with full force like Daisy and Ridley despite waiting literal decades for their turn. I don't think this escapes Sakurai and, as pointed out in the past, Sakurai has implemented ideas that he's had for most of series with this game like Ditto and Sukapon so the fears of him "forgetting" Dixie shouldn't be on the fanbases mind. With all the cut characters coming back and previously rejected characters like Chrom and Ridley finally happening, Dixie's situation really sticks out as a character that, like Geno, was attempted to be added as early as Brawl but be hit a snag or two.

In the end, I do agree with the assessment of this thread in that she's basically the last Nintendo All Star that isn't in yet. DK's a big deal to Nintendo and with its best installments has rivaled sales of mainline Mario games. I do think there will be another attempt soon to get back to those glory days because [explanation redacted] but Dixie has had a presence in the Smash fanbase for over 20 years and probably one of like FOUR characters that can actually make that claim. That said, [explanation redacted] paired with [explanation redacted] makes me strongly believe it's a matter of timing rather than Sakurai plum forgot or doesn't care.

 

[paperosbronzo]

Sigh, let us just move on...

If Dixie is in, what do you guys think would be her stage? I would want Bramble Blast.

I'd like a moving stage with lots of stage hazards (Kaos, the saw, Bleak, Karbine and maybe Kopter) based entirely on DKC3 (I mean... it's her game).
The stage starts in Lake Orangatanga, then moves across all the other areas and ends in Kastle Kaos with Kaos as a stage hazard.

 

[RetrogamerMax]

I'd like a moving stage with lots of stage hazards (Kaos, the saw, Bleak, Karbine and maybe Kopter) based entirely on DKC3 (I mean... it's her game).
The stage starts in Lake Orangatanga, then moves across all the other areas and ends in Kastle Kaos with Kaos as a stage hazard.

A DKC3 stage with all of this would be fun as hell.

 

[LiveStudioAudience]

I think Ghostly Grove might be my dark horse choice for a stage. Granted has some of my favorite aesthetics and music in all of Donkey Kong, but there's so many level elements they use for a stage. Ghost ropes that appear/disappear, occasional strong gusts of wind, Kloak throwing items (and occasionally hazards) at fighters; so much potential to stand out both in terms of visuals and gameplay.

 

[TheAnvil]

and she's technically been an ALT for Diddy since Brawl.

No, she hasn't.

Diddy having a pink colour scheme paying homage to her is no where near being an alt. That's like saying Gruntilda is an alt for Banjo because one of his palettes is based on her colour scheme.

 

[Fatmanonice]

No, she hasn't.

Diddy having a pink colour scheme paying homage to her is no where near being an alt. That's like saying Gruntilda is an alt for Banjo because one of his palettes is based on her colour scheme.

ALT = alternate costume/color. It's very distinctly Dixie's color scheme and I meant literally no offense. Now if you'll excuse me I have the charred remains of a plane crash to crawl back into.

 

[CannonStreak]

So, what do you think should be Dixie's victory theme if she has a unique one?

Here are two possibilities.

 

[Mushroomguy12]

So, what do you think should be Dixie's victory theme if she has a unique one?

Here are two possibilities.

This one always had a special place in my heart.

Man, I really hope it's not too long before DKC2 and DKC3 come to NSO as well.

 

[CannonStreak]

This one always had a special place in my heart.

Oh yeah! That would make a great victory theme for Dixie!

 

[Bodacious66]

ALT = alternate costume/color. It's very distinctly Dixie's color scheme and I meant literally no offense. Now if you'll excuse me I have the charred remains of a plane crash to crawl back into.

Hey I enjoyed reading your take on Dixie's chances of getting into smash. Even if its speculation and at the end of the day all we can do is hope it's still fun to think about

 

[RetrogamerMax]

This one always had a special place in my heart.

Man, I really hope it's not too long before DKC2 and DKC3 come to NSO as well.

Well DKC2's 25th anniversary is coming up in November so let's dream big and hope for the best.

 

[TheAnvil]

So, what do you think should be Dixie's victory theme if she has a unique one?

Here are two possibilities.

I say DKC3... But mostly because I hope if she happens she's a duo character with kiddy...

 

[ZeroJanitor]

I, for one, am voting for her DKC2 victory jingle. It's too iconic not to.

 

[RetrogamerMax]

Nice cameo. Though I wish there was a hint at something coming in the future in the text dialogue.

 

[GAINAX]

That's 2 DK references in the same month if you include the Crocodile Isle one found in Animal Crossing!

 

[NonSpecificGuy]

Something DK HAS to be happening over at Monster Games. The fact that they developed Returns 3D and then co-developed Tropical Freeze with Retro is, in my opinion very telling. I refuse to believe that Nintendo cut them loose and all they’ve been working on are NASCAR games.

 

[EricTheGamerman]

Something DK HAS to be happening over at Monster Games. The fact that they developed Returns 3D and then co-developed Tropical Freeze with Retro is, in my opinion very telling. I refuse to believe that Nintendo cut them loose and all they’ve been working on are NASCAR games.

To be fair, Nintendo has let a lot of talent go over the years and they've ended up doing next to nothing before fizzling out as studios and sometimes those studios make dumb choices. I would have hoped that Monster would have been picked up by Nintendo for another major project, or even just like a port of Returns 3D to Switch with an overhaul of the game to give it a definitive edition like Xenoblade got that combined the best elements of the prior two releases, but we will see.

 

[Mariomaniac45213]

Please no more ports for DK. He needs a NEW game. I dont want a Returns port for Switch. That would suck if Nintendo was like Returns for Wii, Tropical Freeze for Wii U, Returns again for 3DS, Tropical Freeze again for Switch, then Returns again for Switch! So is DK only allowed those 2 titles to constantly be recycled over and over on new hardware? That's extremely lame.

Either Nintendo needs to outsource the IP to Monster Games, Next Level, Playtonic, or Ubisoft (cause of the Rabbids DLC and the UbiArt engine) OR create a in-house studio mainly to develop DK titles since Retro is busy (as well as incredibly slow) making Prime 4 and other projects.

 

[NonSpecificGuy]

To be fair, Nintendo has let a lot of talent go over the years and they've ended up doing next to nothing before fizzling out as studios and sometimes those studios make dumb choices. I would have hoped that Monster would have been picked up by Nintendo for another major project, or even just like a port of Returns 3D to Switch with an overhaul of the game to give it a definitive edition like Xenoblade got that combined the best elements of the prior two releases, but we will see.

There were rumors that they were working on the third DKCR game but that was like...4 years ago? I’m not sure if they helped out with the Switch port of Tropical Freeze or not but if they really aren’t a part of the series right now that’s a damn shame. For anyone who hasn’t play DKCR3D literally Monster made like 7 levels in the last world of that game specifically for that version and they are legitimately the best levels in the games. Which just kind of proves that Monster could handle their own DKC and they could be the go to developer to keep that series going. Basically the same way MercurySteam was pegged to continue the 2D Metroid games which is, according to insiders, all but certain now.

 

[DeniroSerafim]

Go vote for Dixie.

 

[smashkirby]

Wasn't it said by Rare themselves that the whole reason Cranky became... marginally 'nicer', was due to Wrinkly passing? I know I've read somewhere that one of Wrinkly's dying wishes was for him to not be so tough on their grandson...

 

[LiveStudioAudience]

As far as future titles, I have to admit I wouldn't mind seeing some smaller (indie?) studios get a crack at DK, if just because we might get some quicker output in terms of actual releases.

I think the scope, graphical quality, and visual depths reached by both Returns and Tropical Freeze can be somewhat attributed to the budget that Retro had. However, there was a fundamentally sound gameplay core which made the games so fun to play in addition to being beautiful to look at; to the point where I think that aspect could be reasonably replicated/built on by a smaller developer.

Any such games likely wouldn't be the aesthetic masterpieces that the recent DK games have been (and I know to some degree that part has been a hallmark of Country releases), but a title like Impossible Lair demonstrated the potential of one type of evolution of DKC, And Playtonic managed to do so with both a lot of charm and without much of the resources that significant Ninteddo games have had.

 

[TheAnvil]

As far as future titles, I have to admit I wouldn't mind seeing some smaller (indie?) studios get a crack at DK, if just because we might get some quicker output in terms of actual releases.

I think the scope, graphical quality, and visual depths reached by both Returns and Tropical Freeze can be somewhat attributed to the budget that Retro had. However, there was a fundamentally sound gameplay core which made the games so fun to play in addition to being beautiful to look at; to the point where I think that aspect could be reasonably replicated/built on by a smaller developer.

Any such games likely wouldn't be the aesthetic masterpieces that the recent DK games have been (and I know to some degree that part has been a hallmark of Country releases), but a title like Impossible Lair demonstrated the potential of one type of evolution of DKC, And Playtonic managed to do so with both a lot of charm and without much of the resources that significant Ninteddo games have had.

Using Playtonic is cheating a bit. Since the bulk of the team behind DKC was involved with Impossible Lair!

 

[Dukemon102]

As far as future titles, I have to admit I wouldn't mind seeing some smaller (indie?) studios get a crack at DK, if just because we might get some quicker output in terms of actual releases.

I think the scope, graphical quality, and visual depths reached by both Returns and Tropical Freeze can be somewhat attributed to the budget that Retro had. However, there was a fundamentally sound gameplay core which made the games so fun to play in addition to being beautiful to look at; to the point where I think that aspect could be reasonably replicated/built on by a smaller developer.

Any such games likely wouldn't be the aesthetic masterpieces that the recent DK games have been (and I know to some degree that part has been a hallmark of Country releases), but a title like Impossible Lair demonstrated the potential of one type of evolution of DKC, And Playtonic managed to do so with both a lot of charm and without much of the resources that significant Ninteddo games have had.

If they give those indies enough budget to make it look as good and varied as the original DKCs at least. I don't think using The Impossible Lair is a good example of low budget.... because it's very noticeable in those game's assets. You always see the same circular chainsaws on every level (Sometimes they clash hard with the setting), the same city, factory, forest and sky city being re-used in multiple levels and it's very repetitive. The gameplay was enough to make up for the lack of variety, but I exited and tried to look out for different levels sometimes because you get burnt out of always seeing the same city.

About DK ports.... I'm not against them, but I think the best chance to have gotten a DKC Returns port on Switch would have been a pack with Tropical Freeze, it would have justified the $60 price and sold way more but noooo....

The obvious reason we are seeing so many ports for Switch is the fact that the console is portable, so it's the first chance we finally have to play many of these games on the go, that's why they are selling a lot, I have bought Okami, DMC3, Final Fantasies and such and it has been great.
But the pattern I have seen with Nintendo so far, is that if we don't see a port, the sequel is on the way, and if we get the port, the sequel was probably not being planned. I hope some franchise breaks that pattern soon, it's been way too long since we got any news and the drought is killing me and the game coming out the 17th is so dissapointing I don't want to talk about it.

 

[LiveStudioAudience]

I guess part of my thinking is that there is some really strong talent among smaller developers that could do some strong work with a Donkey Kong game if given a chance. There's been a number of 2D genres (the Metroidvania being the most common) that have felt revitalized in the past couple of years on the indie scene, and I have to believe there's a decent amount in it who were/are DKC fans itching to do something with it.

I'd love for DK to be a significant, AAA IP that Nintendo puts a great deal of effort and resources into, but as someone who's watched a lot of their favorite franchises go into either hibernation (Metroid, Punch Out), irrelevance (Star Fox), or disappear entirely (Mario & Luigi, F-Zero) I can't help but suspect that smaller companies/developers might be useful in getting it beyond the status of "nothing in the past six years except for a somewhat modified port." At this point I'd take a flawed DKC game from an indie maker than the vague promise of a possible great NIntendo DKC title supposedly down the line.

 

[BirthNote]

CornOnTheCob is the newest member of the Barrel, aka the newest Support Buddy AND Support Spirit. Welcome!

 

[Justin Little]

GameXplain put out a video on what happens when you put on the DK helmet in Paper Mario TOK, and someone pointed out there is a new theme song playing. I haven't watched it myself yet. I would put the video up in here, but my phone service sucks eggs where I live.

If so, perhaps this could be the best hint at a new game that went completely under our noses?

Edit: Oh, I see someone has already posted it here. My bad.

 

[Mushroomguy12]

Happy DKC release day on NSO!

New titles have now been added to the #NES & #SNES – #NintendoSwitchOnline collections of games, including Donkey Kong Country and more!
https://t.co/bU5ABQenr4 pic.twitter.com/tsqzvH7uV7

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) July 15, 2020

スーパードンキーコング/Donkey Kong Country#RedrawGameBoxArt pic.twitter.com/2BAcuqOSAI

— ラリアット/rariatoo@『ノス＆ザクロ』単行本発売中! (@rariatoo) July 14, 2020