Donkey Kong Country (series): Difference between revisions

|image=[[File:DKCLogo.png|250px]]<br>The logo used for the original three installments in the series.<br>[[File:Logo_DKC23.png|250px]]<br>The logo used for ''Donkey Kong Country Returns''<br>[[File:DKClogo3.png|250px]]<br>The logo used for ''Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze''

|number=11 (5 main, 5 remakes, 1 canceled)

The '''''Donkey Kong Country''''' series is a video game series of the [[Donkey Kong (franchise)|''Donkey Kong'' franchise]]. Although it usually stars [[Donkey Kong]] and his sidekick, [[Diddy Kong]], Donkey Kong also ends up kidnapped in several games. The series is a platformering series. The series was started and produced by [[Rare Ltd.|Rare]], until they were bought by Microsoft. Remakes are included in the [[Game Boy Color]], [[Game Boy Advance]], and [[Nintendo 3DS]] handhelds. The series was later revived by [[Retro Studios]] and their game, ''[[Donkey Kong Country Returns]]''. The ''Donkey Kong Country'' series also has well-received reviews and has greatly impacted future titles.  

The ''Donkey Kong Country'' series is also the inspiration for a very similar series created for the [[Game Boy]] systems, known as the [[Donkey Kong Land (series)|''Donkey Kong Land'' series]].

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===Remakes and ports===

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The ''Donkey Kong Country'' games are divided into worlds, all containing a variable number of levels, friendly [[Kongs]] who provide services such as saving, tips and minigames, and a boss battle that marks the end of the world. Worlds tend to be linear, although ''Donkey Kong Country 3''{{'}}s map allows for a limited degree of exploration.

The first ''Donkey Kong Country'' is famed for its usage of pre-rendered 3D sprites, which were rendered on then-cutting edge [[wikipedia:Silicon Graphics|Silicon Graphics]] workstation. Although not the first game to use these graphics (the Sharp X68000 version of ''{{wp|Ys I: Ancient Ys Vanished|Ys}}'' and ''[[wikipedia:Viewpoint (video game)|Viewpoint]]'' feature similar pre-rendered sprites, and predate ''Donkey Kong Country'' by several years), ''Donkey Kong Country'' was the first mainstream game to be extensively marketed around its pre-rendered graphics, with commercials for the game playing up that the SNES was able to output a game of its visual fidelity without needing expensive add-ons<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IM5rYucoQRU Donkey Kong Country commercial]. Retrieved November 05, 2015.</ref>, mocking the [[wikipedia:Sega Genesis|Sega Genesis]].

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|[[Donkey Kong]] is the main star and hero of the ''Donkey Kong Country'' series. Though he does get kidnapped by the [[Kremling Krew]] from time to time, he plays a major role in all the ''Donkey Kong Country'' games. He is the more powerful, but slower of the two apes that the player controls in the ''Donkey Kong Country'' games. He often thwarts King K. Rool's raid of his [[banana hoard]], but he also gets kidnapped by King K. Rool and plays the part of a hostage. In the latest game in the series, ''[[Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze]]'', Donkey Kong and his friends are kicked off [[Donkey Kong Island]] by a gang of Vikings.

|[[Cranky Kong]] appears in most ''Donkey Kong Country'' games, where he occasionally played some roles. He is the original Donkey Kong that attacked [[Mario]], and is said to be the current Donkey Kong's grandfather. He usually gives advice to the monkeys and helps them on their quest, and serves as an element of comic relief with his jokes and sarcasm. However, he plays a very minor role in ''Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!''. In the Game Boy Advance remake, he plays a slightly larger role by owning [[Cranky's Dojo]]. He runs [[Cranky Kong's Shop|a shop]] in ''Donkey Kong Country Returns'', and is playable in ''Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze''.

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|[[King K. Rool]] is the primary antagonist of the ''Donkey Kong Country'' series and the leader of the [[Kremling Krew]]. He usually steals something belonging to the Kongs in the games, such as Donkey Kong's [[banana hoard]] or even Donkey Kong himself, but always gets thwarted by the Kongs. In each game of the ''Donkey Kong Country'' series where he appears in, he goes by a different alias, such as Kaptain K. Rool in ''Donkey Kong Country 2'' and Baron K. Roolenstein in ''Donkey Kong Country 3''. Although he is the primary antagonist of the ''Donkey Kong Country'' series, he and his Kremling Krew have not appeared since ''Donkey Kong Country 3''.  

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|[[Funky Kong]] appears in all ''Donkey Kong Country'' games that were released so far, except for ''Donkey Kong Country Returns''. He helps the apes by providing them with mechanical services, such as lending them the [[Jumbo Barrel]], which enables the monkeys to travel in islands where they already cleared; later games where the vehicles he lends have a similar function. He also hosts minigames that promise certain rewards if cleared, such as [[Funky's Fishing]].

|[[Candy Kong]] first appears in ''Donkey Kong Country'', where she helps the apes save by managing [[Candy's Save Point]]. In the remakes of ''Donkey Kong Country'', she runs several minigames, such as [[Candy's Dance Studio]]. She does not have any other major role later in the series, partly because her role of saving the game progress is later occupied by Wrinkly Kong, although she does make cameos in several minigames in the remakes.

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|[[Winky]] mainly appears in ''Donkey Kong Country'', makes cameos in ''Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest'' and is mentioned in ''Donkey Kong 64''{{'}}s manual. In ''Donkey Kong Country''  he can jump high and can also jump on Zingers. In ''Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest'', a figurine of Winky is seen in the [[Monkey Museum]] where it is priced at five dollars. This cameo is removed in [[Cranky's Hut]] in the game's Game Boy Advance remake where a small Winky is instead seen hopping around in a cage. Winky is mentioned in the game's SNES manual.

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|The [[Kremling Krew]], led by King K. Rool, is the main antagonist organization of the [[Kong Family]]. They are mostly made up of [[Kremling]]s with different colors, sizes, shapes, and traits, and many make their appearance as enemies throughout the many levels of the series. They also are the primary cause of the [[Kong Family]] members getting kidnapped throughout the games, including Donkey Kong. King K. Rool and his aliases are often the final boss faced in the games, excluding ''Donkey Kong Country Returns'' and ''Tropical Freeze''.

|The [[Tiki Tak Tribe]] is the main organization of enemies in ''Donkey Kong Country Returns''. They resemble wooden masks or musical instruments, many having adornment feathers, and are references to real-life [[wikipedia:Tiki|Tikis]]. Their leader is [[Tiki Tong]]. Some Tikis have hypnotizing abilities, and these serve as the cause of the boss battles, hypnotizing creatures into fighting against Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong. Minor Tikis are found as regular enemies throughout the levels; most of them are drum-shaped.

Several stages based on the series appear in the ''[[Super Smash Bros. (series)|Super Smash Bros.]]'' series. In ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'', ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]'', ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Wii U]]'', and ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'', the stage [[Kongo Jungle (Super Smash Bros.)|Kongo Jungle]] appears. This stage takes place in a jungle from ''Donkey Kong Country'', and has a [[Barrel Cannon]] under the stage. In ''Super Smash Bros. Melee'', ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'', ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS]]'', and ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'', the stage [[Jungle Japes (stage)|Jungle Japes]] appears where Cranky Kong can be seen in the background and Klaptraps are stage hazards. In ''Super Smash Bros. Melee'' and ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'', the stage [[Kongo Falls]] appears. This stage contains Klaptraps, a Barrel Cannon. DK's Tree House can be seen in the background. Several themes and characters from the ''Donkey Kong Country'' series appear in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series a piece of music or [[Trophy (Super Smash Bros. series)|Trophies]]. In ''Super Smash Bros. for Wii U,'' the stage [[Jungle Hijinxs (stage)|Jungle Hijinks]] appears which is based on the level with the same name in ''Donkey Kong Country Returns''. On the stage, the player can travel between the foreground and background layer with Barrels Cannons. [[Screaming Pillar]]s appear on this stage.