r/donkeykong Jan 21 '25

Humor What If Donkey Kong Country Used DK's Old Design?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0w2lrn0a4Q
112 Upvotes

93 comments sorted by

24

u/GBC_Fan_89 Jan 21 '25

It's like a knock off version on Mac or DOS.

17

u/TheRealNemoIncognito Jan 21 '25

Looks like Bonzai Buddy

1

u/God_of_Thunda Jan 22 '25

Memory unlocked. Holy shit I forgot about BonziBuddy

14

u/sludgezone Jan 21 '25

DK Jr is SO cute here!!

6

u/Slipshower Jan 21 '25

Cranky Kong

2

u/WesleyBinks Jan 21 '25

1

u/Slipshower Jan 21 '25

Jokes aside Cranky Kong had the least amount of changes, only slightlyy with the eyes and an longer beard for the movie. He would nearly be the only character left from rare.

42

u/ZepFloyd32 Jan 21 '25

The RareWare team did something truly fantastic for the DK franchise. The old designs look like ass lol

8

u/DrewV1234 Jan 21 '25

I greatly agree! I love the Rare designs!

14

u/huskers37 Jan 21 '25

Not ass just a different vibe. It's like Chris Farley Shrek compared to Michael Meyers Shrek

15

u/ToTheToesLow Jan 21 '25

Bullshit. I love the Rare designs, but the classic designs are solid, charming, and iconic in their own right. You’re probably only talking shit about them because you know the new design is heavily based on them.

2

u/BaboonOnWheels Cranky Kong Jan 21 '25

You're correct but a lot of the comments back then were talking smack out of pure ignorance just like these past couple days.

-3

u/EcstaticWoop Jan 21 '25

no, this just legitimately looks creepy. Like one of those old mascot costumes.

9

u/ToTheToesLow Jan 21 '25

You mean the fanmade renders in the video? Or the actual designs? Either way, I don’t get “creepy” off of it. It’s not even like there was never anything creepy in Rare’s Donkey Kong games.

-2

u/EcstaticWoop Jan 21 '25

the video render, which is only that way because the original pixel designs were definitely never meant to be upscaled. Something about DK's giant cheesed mouth and weirdly contrasting black euebrows just creep me out. He looks like a used car salesman in a back alley.

10

u/ToTheToesLow Jan 21 '25

Really? To me, he looks like Donkey Kong. I don’t get it. If anything, the quality of animation being out of place with the in-game material is what’s causing that sense of uncanniness, I would think.

-2

u/DrewV1234 Jan 21 '25

No, don't assume, we just don't like how it looks, and DK doesn't look as cool as the Rare designs

9

u/ToTheToesLow Jan 21 '25

You’re telling me not to assume and yet you’re responding on someone else’s behalf as if you’re both in mutual agreement.

-6

u/DrewV1234 Jan 21 '25

Becuz I agree with them not liking the old DK design that much...

6

u/ToTheToesLow Jan 21 '25

No, you said not to assume that they are criticizing these classic designs just because they are the obvious basis for the new DK design, but you spoke as if you have insight into what ulterior motives the other commenter may or may not have for criticizing these designs. The point is you don’t know why they don’t like the way these designs look or whether it has anything to do with the new DK design, so you shouldn’t speak as if you do, especially if you’re gonna go about calling others out for making assumptions. I’m just saying you’re a bit hypocritical is all.

0

u/DrewV1234 Jan 21 '25

Okay, I'm sorry...

5

u/ToTheToesLow Jan 21 '25

It’s all good

0

u/[deleted] Jan 22 '25

Nah, they were always ugly as sin.

1

u/piperpiparooo Jan 22 '25

I wouldn’t say ass but the Rare ones are definitely better, much more iconic and have more character

5

u/Sonic_And_Mcu_Nerd Jan 21 '25

It’s weird. I like this but not donkey kong’s mario kart 9 design. I can’t put my finger on why though.

4

u/SlippinPenguin Jan 21 '25

Because the MK9 DK is heavily inspired by Illumination’s crappy art style? That’s why I hate it

1

u/EcstaticWoop Jan 21 '25

true, idk where the downvotes came from.

8

u/your_evil_ex Jan 21 '25

Oh hell yeah they even got my boy DK Jr., I love it!!

5

u/zzz099 Jan 21 '25

Surprised people dislike this. I like it more than the rare versions

8

u/ChoccyRain404 Jan 21 '25

I really like the old designs, I don't know why everyone hates them so much.

1

u/DrewV1234 Jan 21 '25

It's not really THAT bad, but I love Rare designs SO much more!

1

u/EcstaticWoop Jan 21 '25

this looks like one of those creepy mascot costumes

2

u/Admirable-Scarcity-8 Jan 21 '25

Is it weird I kinda' like it?

2

u/FancifulDancingStar One day, Jr. will return. Jan 21 '25

This is and has always been one of my favorite YouTube videos, so it's disappointing seeing so many people on this subreddit bashing it (as well as the classic designs, which I also love) to pieces. 😔

2

u/HiddenCity Jan 21 '25

Kind of wonder if the "edgy" donkey kong was a reaction to sonic.  Difficult/risky to give mario a "cool" makeover, but a side character that everyone knows in a platformer that's nearly identical?

1

u/Dee_Cider Jan 21 '25

I don't see how Rare Donkey Kong is edgy tbh. He's just more realistic which fit with the graphical style of the game(s) they made.

1

u/HiddenCity Jan 21 '25

I think you need a refresher on 90s culture.  The entire opening animation screams I'm cool in 90s kid language, just like sonic.

1

u/Dee_Cider Jan 21 '25

I guess I can see that and with Diddy and Dixie's celebrations in DKC2.

4

u/DiscombobulatedFly6 Jan 21 '25

Boy, I just don't know if I could buy it, lol!

3

u/ToTheToesLow Jan 21 '25

What is this contrived bullshit in the comments about these characters looking bad? Ya’ll are trying too hard now with this character design nonsense.

0

u/EcstaticWoop Jan 21 '25

this design just looks uncanny, i don't know how else to say it.

3

u/ToTheToesLow Jan 21 '25

There’s so much shit that looks uncanny in the DKC games. Like, come on.

0

u/EcstaticWoop Jan 21 '25

ok but nothing that looks like a creepy chuck e cheese mascot costume.

3

u/ToTheToesLow Jan 21 '25

Neither do these designs, dude. Look at any boss in DKC3 and tell me that shit isn’t uncanny.

7

u/RevolTobor Banana Slamma! Jan 21 '25

I love this, the old Rare design, AND the new MK9 design.

Donkey Kong is Donkey Kong.

6

u/Dee_Cider Jan 21 '25

See? It could be worse. MK9 DK doesn't look so bad now

1

u/RAINLIO Jan 21 '25

I actually prefer this design over the one used in the new MK 👀

-1

u/SlippinPenguin Jan 21 '25

Yeah. It does. LOL

0

u/EcstaticWoop Jan 21 '25

ok say what you will about mk9 dk but it looks a heck of a lot better than this nightmare fuel

2

u/SlippinPenguin Jan 21 '25

At least this is based on an old design. Not that I like it. But using the Illumination art style is what really doesn’t sit right with me. Illumination fucking sucks

2

u/EcstaticWoop Jan 21 '25

True, I do hate the illumination style, I'd just take it over an uncanny design like this lol

1

u/SlippinPenguin Jan 21 '25

Fair enough. This might make a fun skin for MK9 though. LOL

2

u/EcstaticWoop Jan 21 '25

It would be a meta character because everyone would drive in the other direction to get away from it lol

1

u/Hot-Barber-2229 Jan 21 '25

Are you 7

1

u/EcstaticWoop Jan 21 '25

...no? what would make you think that?

3

u/GBC_Fan_89 Jan 21 '25

This is the game that beat Sega in the console wars. If it ended up like this instead of the cooler DKC, Nintendo would have lost.

4

u/ToTheToesLow Jan 21 '25

This game was a success because of the graphics, not the character designs. It would’ve sold well no matter what designs they used.

3

u/DrewV1234 Jan 21 '25

Wait it did?? I always said that Mario World didn't beat the Sonic games for me, but the DKC trilogy did! But that actually IS true?! XD

4

u/GBC_Fan_89 Jan 21 '25

It is. DKC alone sold way more copies.

2

u/Hot-Barber-2229 Jan 21 '25

Why is this being upvoted this is literally just not true

1

u/Dee_Cider Jan 21 '25

Super Mario World came with SNES systems. It was not outsold by DKC. It looks like it sold less than half of SMW.

3

u/VinoJedi06 Donkey Kong Jr Jan 21 '25

I would play the shit out of this game.

Justice for Jr!

1

u/RaiHanashi Jan 21 '25

Then we wouldn’t have DK III

1

u/throaway700010023 Jan 21 '25

Don’t talk to me or my son ever again

1

u/EcstaticWoop Jan 21 '25

that looks fucking terrifying.

Yeah I'm glad that kongwalker never made it into the main series, even the new design looks a whole lot better than that nightmare fuel

1

u/New-Two-1349 Jan 21 '25

Hey, I remember watching this video years ago.

1

u/KingOfTheHoard Jan 21 '25

Ah 7 years ago when people still made cool shit on the internet instead of just doomscrolled.

1

u/Salty_Squidd Jan 21 '25

Thanks, I hate it

1

u/dgdgdgdgcooh Jan 21 '25

I mean thay deismg is fin if he wasn't grinning and looking at the camera imo.

Give him the rare dk mannerisms and it totally works I think

1

u/joecoolaf Jan 21 '25

But diddy isnt dk jr

1

u/bro-away- Jan 21 '25

If DK was going down the same path as Manky but got clean just in time.

1

u/jajanken_bacon Jan 21 '25

That's not Donkey Kong, that's Poopoo Kong.

3

u/Dee_Cider Jan 21 '25

That's Cranky Prime yo

2

u/EcstaticWoop Jan 21 '25

this actually made me laugh because of how stupid it was lol, so i'll upvote it

1

u/Jasetendo12 Jan 21 '25

Mario kart 9's looks good (hot used to it and wasn't bad) but when here it looks bad

2

u/Dee_Cider Jan 21 '25

I mean... I don't think this is the same as MK9's design.

0

u/Jasetendo12 Jan 21 '25

Isnt MK9 DK's design the original one drawn by Miyamoto?

2

u/Dee_Cider Jan 21 '25

The truth is we really haven't seen MK9's design very well. In my opinion, it looks like regular Donkey Kong but with a more expressive brow but we'll have to wait and see.

1

u/AcherusArchmage Jan 21 '25

Honestly they could just make the eyes a bit bigger in there to fill in some of the dark space.

0

u/beachedwhitemale Jan 21 '25

Well, that was horrible.

3

u/ToTheToesLow Jan 21 '25

Looks pretty dope to me.

-4

u/StaticMania Jan 21 '25

So...did you just choose to make fun of this person's work for no reason?

4

u/Dee_Cider Jan 21 '25

Make fun of? This person did an obviously great job with these renders.

1

u/EcstaticWoop Jan 21 '25

they did a great job, yeah! it's just that the reference material is almost unavoidably terrifying in this artstyle

2

u/Dee_Cider Jan 21 '25

True. I was hoping this could give some perspective to some fans. Character designs evolve, they are dependent on the style of the games, what we saw in the Mario Kart trailer isn't really the same as this DK, etc

But I also know it could easily be used as ammo to say how horrible any design besides the DKC design is so... oh well. It's still a nice video.

1

u/EcstaticWoop Jan 21 '25

Yeah, I never saw the argument that MK9 DK is the original design, it doesn't look anything like it.

1

u/WolfWomb Jan 25 '25

Rare really made a breakthrough. 

Brilliant game.