The Forgotten Retro Hero: Donkey Kong Jr. for Smash Switch!

[Oddball]

Hurts to say it, but I’m probably the only person in the world that doesn’t like how Rare messed up the source material and changed both the already iconic characters (DK and DK Jr.) and their respective designs, specially when those aspects were already fully established, mainly thanks to Donkey Kong 94.

The only part of the revamp that really bugs me is Donkey Kong not being the Original Donkey Kong. And even then, they can't seem to make up with mind whether DK is the son or the grandson of the original.

On top of that, they keep treating the new Dk like he's the original in all the spinoffs and Donke Kong vs Mario games.

 

[Mr. Stevenson]

The only part of the revamp that really bugs me is Donkey Kong not being the Original Donkey Kong. And even then, they can't seem to make up with mind whether DK is the son or the grandson of the original.

On top of that, they keep treating the new Dk like he's the original in all the spinoffs and Donke Kong vs Mario games.

Oh yeah that too. Honestly, the idea of Cranky being the original Donkey Kong is so farfetched I just can’t accept it. I know he’s old but the guy barely even looks like an actual gorilla much less like DK himself, and how the hell did he even age that fast in the first place?! It’s all pure mumbo jumbo!

Also even the Melee trophy makes a reference of the current DK actually being the original one.

 

[Mr. Stevenson]

Y’know it’s pretty funny how much Nintendo still promoted Donkey Kong Jr. even after the DKC games came to life.

Spoiler

But it only begs the question: if Nintendo really preferred Jr. to Diddy then why the hell didn’t they interfere when Rare were planning on replacing him?!

I theorize that had Rare actually stayed true to the source material and made him the sidekick of DK, Donkey Kong Jr. would’ve been in Smash Brothers 64 or perhaps Melee. And boy would I kill to live in that timeline.

 

[GoodGrief741]

Y’know it’s pretty funny how much Nintendo still promoted Donkey Kong Jr. even after the DKC games came to life.

Spoiler

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But it only begs the question: if Nintendo really preferred Jr. to Diddy then why the hell didn’t they interfere when Rare were planning on replacing him?!

I theorize that had Rare actually stayed true to the source material and made him the sidekick of DK, Donkey Kong Jr. would’ve been in Smash Brothers 64 or perhaps Melee. And boy would I kill to live in that timeline.

The story goes Rare wanted DK's sidekick to be DK Jr. but Nintendo didn't like how they redesigned him, and told them they had to either use the original design or make the sidekick a new character. And thus Diddy was born.

 

[Mr. Stevenson]

The story goes Rare wanted DK's sidekick to be DK Jr. but Nintendo didn't like how they redesigned him, and told them they had to either use the original design or make the sidekick a new character. And thus Diddy was born.

I know but they should have just given Rare the first option, at least imo.

 

[GoodGrief741]

I know but they should have just given Rare the first option, at least imo.

DK Jr. wouldn't have fit well with the aesthetic of DKC, he's very cartoony in an old school vibe and they were going for something more hip and of the moment. They made the right choice for the game they were making.

 

[Mr. Stevenson]

DK Jr. wouldn't have fit well with the aesthetic of DKC, he's very cartoony in an old school vibe and they were going for something more hip and of the moment. They made the right choice for the game they were making.

That’s your opinion. I agree that Jr.’s design feels very retro (one of the reasons why I love him more), along with DK’s old design. But I don’t see how the hell that makes him unfitting.

They both look perfectly well adapted to me here, and if anything it would only warrant some variety in character design.
Besides you can say the same thing about Mario at some points, his design looks equally old school in contrast to a lot of characters and styles from his games, and I never saw him unfitting in anyway. Contrasting? Yes, but not unfitting.

 

[GoodGrief741]

That’s your opinion. I agree that Jr.’s design feels very retro (one of the reasons why I love him more), along with DK’s old design. But I don’t see how the hell that makes him unfitting.
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They both look perfectly well adapted to me here, and if anything it would only warrant some variety in character design.
Besides you can say the same thing about Mario at some points, his design looks equally old school in contrast to a lot of characters and styles from his games, and I never saw him unfitting in anyway. Contrasting? Yes, but not unfitting.

Whatever our personal preferences may be, I don't think it's a stretch to claim that the characters' "hip" designs played a major part in the DKC trilogy's marketing and commercial success during the 90's.

 

[Mr. Stevenson]

Whatever our personal preferences may be, I don't think it's a stretch to claim that the characters' "hip" designs played a major part in the DKC trilogy's marketing and commercial success during the 90's.

Bet they’d have been just as successful with the original ones.

 

[Gengar84]

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Bet they’d have been just as successful with the original ones.

I’m just one person so I don’t know how much my opinion really counts for but I might as well share my personal thoughts on the matter. I’m 37 so I grew up during the NES and SNES eras and Donkey Kong Country is one of my favorite game series ever. I’ll go so far as to say that I think DKC2 is the best platformer ever made.

That being said, I don’t think I would have ever given the games a chance if it wasn’t for RARE’s redesign. I never had any interest in DK before that and I feel his current design is leagues better than his original. Even so, I think it would still be fun to bring back the old character on occasion and even use Jr. more often, at the very least bring him back for Mario Kart.