The latest Nintendo Direct featured quite a few overdue comebacks from franchises that haven’t gotten much love lately. Nintendo surprisedMariofans withMario Strikers: Battle League,a revival of its beloved explosive sports title.Nintendo Switch Sportsalso made its premiere as a new official installation in the long-dormantWii Sportsseries. EvenKlonoaandChrono Crossmade appearances at the Nintendo Direct, making it a nostalgic presentation on the whole. Unfortunately, the Direct lacked one major Nintendo franchise that hasn’t been acknowledged in far too long:Donkey Kong.This isin spite of last year’s leaks indicating that Nintendo has a newDonkey Konggame in the works.
Details onthe rumoredDonkey Konggameare scarce, but with gamers having gone eight years without a newDonkey Konggame, just about any kind of game would be a relief at this point. While Donkey Kong himself at least remains a consistent presence inMariosports games and party games, his own franchise deserves acknowledgement too. Since Nintendo says that the Switch still has a few good years of operation left in it, hopefully that means theDonkey Kongfranchise will stage a comeback in the coming years by finally coming to Switch in a big way.
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Donkey Kong’s Absence
There’s no doubt that Nintendo is aware ofDonkey Kong’s important legacy.Nintendo Switch Online’s game libraryis filled with acclaimedDonkey Kongtitles, both from the NES and SNES eras. In contrast to that, though, Nintendo hasn’t released a new installation in the series since 2014 whenDonkey Kong Country: Tropical Freezecame out.Tropical Freezewas warmly received, both in its original Wii U debut and its 2018 Switch version, so it’s not likeDonkey Konghas fallen out of favor with Nintendo’s fans. Instead, it seems likeDonkey Kongjust hasn’t been a very high priority for Nintendo.
That certainly feels like a missed opportunity.Tropical Freezesold very well on the Switch, so there’s definitely interest in a newDonkey Konggame exclusive to Nintendo’s current console. It’s just a matter of Nintendo deciding to deliver a new game. Thankfully, Nintendo’s recent comments on the Switch’s lifespan indicate that there’s still time for the Switch to get its ownDonkey Kongtitle. Although the Switch is more than five years old, Nintendo says it’s in the middle of its life, rather than nearing the end. That meansDonkey Kongstill has ample opportunity to reclaim its former glory.
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A Possible Donkey Kong Resurgence
Nintendo didn’t reveal aDonkey Konggame in 2021 like leakers expected, but it still could be planning a new game. If the Switch does have multiple years of life ahead, then it would make sense if Nintendo wantsDonkey Kongto help extend the console’s lifespan. Even though Nintendo missedDonkey Kong’s 40th anniversarylast year, it could still plan a majorDonkey Kongevent sometime in the next few years, releasing a newDonkey Konggame while bringing a classic title likeDonkey Kong 64to NSO’s game library.
There was once a time whenDonkey Kongwas one of Nintendo’s biggest franchises. The originalDonkey Konggames helpedMarioget its start, and theDonkey Kong Countryseries was a champion of the SNES. Considering how important it is to the company’s history, Nintendo shouldn’t letDonkey Kongfall behind.The newDonkey Kongarea in Super Nintendo Worldinspires some hope that Nintendo plans to celebrate the franchise in coming years, but with no game announcements at the latest Direct, it doesn’t look like fans should expect a new game anytime soon. Hopefully it won’t be much longer beforeDonkey Konggets an exciting, experimental game, just like Nintendo’s other recent Switch titles.
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