The Super Mario Bros. Movie may have focused on the titular Italian plumbers, but it also features the character that started it all – Donkey Kong. If it weren't for him, Mario wouldn’t be where he is today without the trouble caused by Cranky Kong in the 1981 arcade game.

Donkey Kong has since appeared in games across four different decades, and the Donkey Kong franchise has certainly made its mark on different generations since its inception. However, the newest batch of fans may not be aware of just how many Donkey Kong games are out there and their influence on the gaming industry. Out of all the titles, a few have stood the test of time and continue to showcase the best of what the franchise has to offer. What are the best Donkey Kong games?

Updated March 16, 2024 by Mark Sammut: Who knows when the next Donkey Kong game will materialize? Well, Nintendo knows, but the publisher does not currently seem that interested in giving the iconic mascot his own project. 2024's Mario vs. Donkey Kong was a nice alternative, though.

14 Donkey Kong (Arcade)

The Start Of Something Special

In 1981, Donkey Kong debuted on arcade machines, and the rest is history. Not only for the Donkey Kong franchise but the Super Mario franchise, too, as it was the first game to feature the Italian plumber. Despite not taking long to beat, the arcade version of Donkey Kong is a classic with major replayability thanks to its relatively simple premise of rescuing Pauline from the clutches of Donkey Kong on a construction site.

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Not only did the original Donkey Kong introduce players to the character, it set up the lore within the franchise as it would later be revealed that his iteration of Donkey Kong was, in fact, Cranky Kong.

13 Donkey Kong Jr. (Arcade)

Donkey Kong (Jr.) Promoted To Hero

Donkey Kong Jr. follows from the original Donkey Kong arcade game, but the roles are reversed in this one. Mario is the villain this time, and Donkey Kong Jr. is on a mission to save his dad, Cranky Kong, from the mustached plumber.

The sequel is a vast improvement on the original, adding a new jungle setting with vines for Donkey Kong Jr. to climb to progress to the top of the stage. It also includes new enemies like Snapjaws, Sparks, and Nitpickers to deal with. Donkey Kong Jr. essentially builds upon what made the first one so popular.

12 Donkey Kong (Game Boy)

A Classic, Reimagined & Improved

More than a decade after its release, Donkey Kong was redeveloped for the Game Boy. The game builds upon its predecessor by featuring the original four levels of the arcade game with an additional 97 stages set over nine worlds.

Expanding upon what made the first game so popular, Mario is once again the protagonist and is challenged to save Pauline from Donkey Kong's clutches. This time, the titular ape is joined by his son, Donkey Kong Jr, who helps his dad thwart Mario in his arduous quest.

11 Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble

Slightly Different But Still Great

Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble was the last of the original Donkey Kong Country series, released in 1996. Donkey Kong 64 followed four years later, enhancing everything developer Rare had created up until that point. Donkey Kong 64 somewhat overshadows Dixie Kong's Double Trouble, mainly down to a few criticisms targeting the latter.

While still a great platformer by Rare, the sequel arguably tries to shake things up a bit too much, throwing in quite a few gimmicks while also changing the overall tone. However, these are subjective, and the game did feature all the hallmarks of the previous two Donkey Kong Country installments, like the memorable pre-rendered 3D imagery and creative level design.

10 Donkey Kong Jungle Beat

A Gimmick Executed Well

2003’s Donkey Konga introduced the famous DK bongos, and they made their almighty return in Donkey Kong Jungle Beat. Except this time, players weren’t playing a rhythm game. Instead, they were able to control Donkey Kong with the bongos.

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It may sound like a gimmick (which in some ways it is), but those “bongo-pounding controls” make for exciting gameplay, especially since the story is pretty basic for this game in that Donkey Kong’s mission is to conquer the jungle and defeat anyone who gets in his way.

9 Donkey Kong: Jungle Climber

Fun Blend Of Puzzles And Platforming

A comparatively forgotten Donkey Kong game, Jungle Climber builds on the ideas of King of Swing, a Game Boy Advance title that introduced a unique control scheme. Essentially, the gameplay predominantly revolves around using the device's shoulder buttons to guide Donkey Kong across pegs laid out across a stage.

This neat idea was expanded by Jungle Climber, ultimately providing a more complete and satisfying package than its predecessor. Even though neither project is a must-play, they are entertaining spin-offs that complement their handheld platforms while presenting enjoyable twists on an established formula.

8 Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again

A Polarizing But Enjoyable Spin-off

The Mario vs. Donkey Kong series just about qualified for this discussion. The games cast Donkey Kong as their villain, and their gameplay has very little in common with traditional platformers; nevertheless, Nintendo has produced eight of these projects over the last two decades, including a 2024 remake. If somebody is looking to sample this spin-off for the first time, they should start with Mario vs. Donkey Kong on the Nintendo Switch. It serves as a decent showcase of what this series can offer, while also featuring pretty good visuals and tight gameplay. That said, newcomers should check out some gameplay clips before they take the plunge, just so they know exactly what they are getting.

For this topic, Minis March Again! is acting as the representative for Mario vs. Donkey Kong as a whole. As always, Mario has to guide his mini-mes across a series of levels while trying to avoid Donkey Kong's challenges. The formula is straightforward but works well, and this particular iteration made good use of the DSi's features, along with offering a robust level editor.

7 Donkey Kong 64

Good But Frustrating

The N64 brought popular Nintendo characters to life in a 3D space, including Link in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Mario in Super Mario 64. The same goes for Donkey Kong 64, allowing players to control Donkey Kong from a 3D perspective.

The game follows a straightforward narrative, with Donkey Kong on a quest to rescue his friends and relatives from King K. Rool. Each character saved becomes playable as the player solves puzzles and minigames to progress in the story. With seven worlds and 200 goals to achieve, each character brings a new ability to the table. Donkey Kong 64 is also famous for featuring the notorious DK Rap, which has since seen a resurgence thanks to its appearance in The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

Donkey Kong 64 is one of the more polarizing entries in the franchise, and its reputation has gotten worse over the years. Quite a few aspects of the game have not aged well, and the campaign suffers from some serious bloat that makes revisiting it frustrating. That said, it was ambitious for its era.

6 Donkey Kong Land

A Game Boy Classic

After Donkey Kong Country's success, Donkey Kong Land was released in 1995 for the Game Boy. Donkey Kong Land was more like a companion game for Donkey Kong Country, featuring different level designs and boss fights. But developer Rare did a fantastic job translating the original's gameplay onto a different system.

Like most Donkey Kong games, it received a sequel – a conversion of Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest. It was well-received but criticized for being too similar to the SNES version.

5 Donkey Kong Country

Donkey Kong Jr., All Grown Up & Better Than Ever

While Donkey Kong Math Jr. was the first Donkey Kong game for the home console, the 16-bit classic Donkey Kong Country rebooted the franchise on the SNES. It certainly rejuvenated the character, seeing as this version was the first time players could play as a grown-up Donkey Kong Jr., alongside his nephew Diddy Kong, as they retrieved their stolen banana hoard from King K. Rool.

This Donkey Kong was initially referred to as Cranky Kong’s grandson, but it was later confirmed by Leigh Loveday, the writer of Donkey Kong Country 2, that this iteration was Donkey Kong Jr. all grown up.

4 Diddy Kong Racing

A Kart Racer That Sits Alongside Mario & Crash

Following in the footsteps of the first ever Mario Kart, Diddy Kong Racing follows Diddy Kong and his friends as they attempt to defeat the magical Wizpig by winning races all around Timber's Island. Players can drive cars, hovercraft, and airplanes in this game and progress to first place in the usual way by using traps and other effects.

The game was extremely well-received, praising the animation, graphic design, and use of iconic characters. Diddy Kong Racing was eventually remade for the Nintendo DS in 2007, but this iteration was not quite capable of recapturing the original's magic. Just to be clear, it is still fun, but its age shines through at times.

3 Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest

A Platformer Formula Perfected

In the second game of Nintendo’s underrated franchise, Diddy Kong is in the spotlight as the main character. The plot of Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest follows Diddy and Dixie Kong as they rescue Donkey Kong from King K. Rool. Despite coming out a year after the first iteration of Donkey Kong Country, the second title improved its gameplay by making Diddy run faster and giving Dixie the ability to jump high and glide aided by her hair.

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Diddy’s Kong Quest maintains the spirit of Donkey Kong Country while adding needed improvements like better graphics and sound design.

2 Donkey Kong Country Returns

A Return To Form

In 2010, the beloved Donkey Kong Returns, well, returned, this time developed by Retro Studios for the Nintendo Wii. It became one of the best-selling games on the Nintendo Wii, and revived what made the first Donkey Kong Country so good – solid level designs, imaginative gameplay, and fan-favorite characters.

The story introduced brand-new villains to the franchise in the form of Tikis, which replaced King K. Rool’s Kremlings from the original Donkey Kong Country. The game also featured a two-player mode, where a second player would control Diddy Kong during the overall adventure.

1 Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

One Of The Best Platformers Of The 2010s

Following the success of Donkey Kong Country Returns, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze impressed fans even further. Released for the Wii U and followed by the Nintendo Switch, Tropical Freeze built upon the success of the 2010 title by reintroducing even more fan-favorite characters like Dixie Kong and Cranky Kong. Funky Kong even made a resurgence in the Switch version.

Despite having fewer levels than Donkey Kong Returns, Tropical Freeze once again reinvigorated the franchise and gave fans a dose of the classic Donkey Kong Country games on the SNES with a modern twist. The characters feel heavier than in most other platformers, so the controls can take some getting used to; however, the game otherwise plays brilliantly. Retro's level design compares favorably to anything released during Rare's era, and the same can be said for the visuals and music.

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