Nintendo is often credited for single-handedly reviving the games industry in 1986 when the market crashed following an influx of underwhelming hardware and accompanying software. Thus, it stands to reason that the Kyoto-based giant has some of the biggest and most valuable IPs around, such as Mario, The Legend of Zelda, and Donkey Kong to name a few.
However, Donkey Kong wasn't created during the NES era, rather it started much earlier when creator Shigeru Miyamoto was still developing games for arcades back in 1981. July 8, 2021 marked the 40th anniversary of the titular ape, though this event felt quite unceremonious, to say the least.
Nintendo's Anniversary Events
While Nintendo has inarguably done a fantastic job with many of its IPs, helping those games reach the stature they enjoy today, that doesn't seem to translate into recognizing and celebrating their anniversaries. Nintendo's premier mustachioed plumber's 35th anniversary celebration was controversial, with Super Mario 3D All-Stars being seen by many as bland remasters of three of the best entries in the franchise. Adding to that is the fact that there were no announcements regarding what the next entry in the franchise would be, beyond the re-release Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury.
In a similar vein, The Legend of Zelda's 35th anniversary had a lot of hype and speculation surrounding it, with fans hoping for a remake or remaster of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time or Majora's Mask - to no avail. Nintendo is releasing a Skyward Sword HD remaster for the Switch as well as a Game and Watch console that features three classic entries in the series. While many fans might consider these announcements fine enough, many were disappointed to see Nintendo not honoring one of gaming's finest franchises with enough love.
Donkey Kong is the oldest of the bunch, and its anniversary went almost unrecognized. A developer who worked on the original Donkey Kong Country shared a new artwork of Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong aboard a minecart, which caught the attention of many fans. However, Nintendo seemingly glossed over it with almost no recognition posts from its social media accounts.
There have been a number of rumors surrounding the release of a new Donkey Kong game by Nintendo EPD set to release later this year. However, the game in question wasn't hinted at during Nintendo's Direct at E3 2021, which would suggest it might not be true - or perhaps the game will take a while to develop. If the latter is indeed true, it's all the better since Nintendo has already revealed a bunch of titles with little to no updates for years. Bayonetta 3 and Metroid Prime 4 are prime examples of that.
In addition to this, it's always best to reveal games when they are ready, as hype culture has already proven to have huge ramifications for developers. However, the unceremonious anniversary might have come off as quite disappointing to many. Others might even consider it irresponsible on Nintendo's part to not recognize and honor Donkey Kong; one of the company's premier mascots that helped it achieve the stature it enjoys today.