Cranky Kong

Cranky Kong is Donkey Kong's fourth-wall breaking and constantly complaining and rambling father. Cranky is also, possibly the original Donkey Kong.

Appearances as Donkey Kong
Due to the fact that Cranky is always refered to as Donkey Kong, never Cranky Kong in the original Donkey Kong arcade trilogy he will be refered to as such in the following section of the article.

DK's first appearance was in Donkey Kong - an arcade game named after him, being the lead villain. Though it is accepted by most people that the Donkey Kong in this game is actually Cranky Kong; Donkey Kong's elderly father in his younger days, he still goes by the name 'Donkey Kong'. In this game, the player controls Mario (called 'Jumpman' in this game) to the top of four different construction sites to rescue his girlfriend, Pauline, who is being held captive by DK. The player must guide Mario to the top of the screen, avoiding barrels thrown by the ape and other traps. After the fourth level, DK lies unconscious on a pile of girders, and Mario and Pauline embrace at the top of the screen. Though this is where the arcade game ends and resets to the first level, the Game Boy game released in 1994 sees DK grabbing Pauline again, and running off into the Big City, with Mario giving chase. This arcade game, created by Shigeru Miyamoto, was hugely successful - if it failed, the history of gaming would have been very different.



Trapped
In Donkey Kong's sequel, Donkey Kong Jr. Donkey Kong ends up being captured by Mario and imprisoned in a cage. It is up to Donkey's son, Donkey Kong Jr. (possibly the current Donkey Kong) to rescue his father from his imprisonment. Eventually after getting past several traps and obstacles set by Mario, Donkey Kong Jr. manages to release Donkey Kong Sr. and the two Kongs end up sending Mario flying.

Battle in the Greenhouse
Donkey Kong next appeared, minus Donkey Kong Jr. in the game Donkey Kong 3. Here Donkey is once again an antagonist. In this game Donkey, for unknown reasons, breaks into a greenhouse where is confronted by Stanley the Bugman. Here Donkey ends up being defeated by the spray-gun weilding Stanley.

Aside from the various ports and remakes of the Donkey Kong arcade games Cranky, before he became Cranky did not make any other appearances, aside from the non-canon edutainment game Donkey Kong Jr. Math for the Nintendo Entertainment System.

It should be noted that it is disputed over whether or not Cranky actually was the original Donkey Kong or not.

Appearances as Cranky Kong
Apparently after his defeat by Stanley the Bugman Cranky migrated to Donkey Kong Island, here grew old and bitter.

Cranky's first appearance as Cranky was in Donkey Kong Country. Here Cranky lives in a slightly rundown shack, from here Cranky gives advice on the game's various items and locations to his son Donkey Kong and his nephew Diddy Kong.

Though Cranky is not actually in Donkey Kong Country's Game Boy sequel, Donkey Kong Land he is the one that sets off the events of the game. Cranky, slightly jealous of Donkey and Diddy's success over the evil King K. Rool tricks them into making a bet with him; if Donkey and Diddy can reclaim Donkey's banana hoard from King K. Rool again, this time on an eight-bit system he will admit that they are adequate gaming heroes. In the end Cranky ends up eating his words when Donkey and Diddy once again defeat K. Rool and the Kremling Krew. In Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest Cranky sets up his "Monkey Museum" on Crocodile Isle. Once again Cranky will give out information, this time for a price. In this game Cranky also scatters several DK Coins throughout the game's various. Once Kaptain K. Rool is defeated Cranky will tally Diddy and Dixie Kong's "hero status" by how many DK Coins they have collected. Donkey Kong Country 2 also introduced Cranky's wife and Donkey Kong's mother, Wrinkly Kong.

In the Game Boy Advance remake of Donkey Kong Country 2 Cranky's role remains relatively the same as in the original game. Althought a new sidequest involving Cranky was added to thew game; it seems with the "fabulous fortune" he made in Donkey Kong Country Cranky bought a racing ostrich he names Expresso. After bulking up Expresso using feathers the Kongs can race Expresso for Cranky and try to get trophys for the grouchy old Kong in exchange for rewards.

In Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble Cranky's are more or less cameos. In Swanky's Sideshow Cranky Kong acts as Dixie and Kiddy Kong's opponent in various ball throwing mini-games. Cranky also appears at the end of Donkey Kong Country 3 to critisize Dixie and Kiddy's victory over KAOS and Baron K. Roolenstein. If players manage to get the game's "best" ending Cranky will do a few water-skiing tricks before holding up a sign which says "THE END" in runny ink.

In the Game Boy Advance remake of Donkey Kong Country 3 Cranky runs several dojos, aptly named Cranky's Dojo. In Cranky's Dojo players can gain the ability to play as a sheild weilding Cranky during a Spiny dodging mini-game. Cranky's Dojo mini-game must be beaten atleast once to gain a Banana Bird.

Cranky's next appearance would be in Donkey Kong 64. Here Cranky has seemingly taken up science as a hobby; Cranky's Lab can be found in every area of Donkey Kong 64 except Hideout Helm. At Cranky's Lab the Kongs can pay for several potions that can give them new powers and abilities. Also if the Kongs manage to collect fifteen Banana Medals Cranky will allow them to play Jetpac, an early Rare game. The Kongs must beat the Jetpac game in order to obtain the Rareware Coin. Cranky also acts as the Kongs coach during their boxing match against King Krusha K. Rool.

In DK: King of Swing Cranky Kong, along with ghost of his wife, Wrinkly teaches Donkey Kong (and thus the player) who to use the games unique controls. Cranky is the only Kong who is not playable in DK: King of Swing's Jungle Jam mode. Cranky also appears in the Donkey Konga series, though he is only playable in the series' third instalment, Donkey Konga 3.

Cranky makes a small cameo in the backround of one of Donkey Kong's stages in the game Super Smash Bros. Melee.

Appearances in Other Media
Pre-Cranky Donkey Kong also appeared in a few episodes of the Saturday Supercade and Captain N: The Game Master. Whether this was Cranky or simply the current Donkey Kong is unknown.

Cranky was also a main character on the Donkey Kong Country television series. Here Cranky was as grouchy and bitter as he was in the games, he was also Donkey Kong's father. On the show instead of living in a shack like in the games Cranky instead lives in a tree-top village, similar to ones seen in the area Vine Valley from the Donkey Kong Country game. On the show Cranky was also seen to be adept at potion-making and magic, a trait later carried on into the games.

Cranky got his own action figure in the late 90's due to the popularity of the DKC tv show.

Trivia

 * In Donkey Kong 64 Cranky calls Donkey Kong his grandson, despite Donkey being called son by Cranky in previous games.