Swanky Kong
- “Give them a big hand folks! Good evening, I'm Swanky Kong and you're tonight's contestants on my Bonanza! It's easy to play! Just pick a game and you're away!”
- —Swanky Kong, Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
Swanky Kong is a member of the Kong Family and a game show host. He is notable for being a flashy entrepreneur; in his first appearance, he wears a blue coat and has an afro hair style. In his second appearance, however, he wears a fancy suit with a matching cane, and his hair is covered by a bowler hat. His face resembles that of Donkey Kong's.
History
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
In Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, Swanky hosts a Jeopardy!-like game show at Swanky's Bonus Bonanza; here, he provides three quizzes to Diddy and Dixie Kong regarding the game's content, and he requires a fee of Banana Coins if the Kongs want to participate. By successfully answering every question from a quiz, the Kongs are rewarded with extra lives from Swanky. Swanky's role is optional in the game. Swanky does not play a main role in the game.
In the Game Boy Advance version, Candy Kong appears as Swanky's assistant on the show. Swanky's role is no longer optional because the Kongs have to complete all three quizzes of a world in exchange for a DK Coin. If Diddy and Dixie complete every quiz, Swanky provides them with a photograph of himself.
Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!
In Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, Swanky hosts a circus tent called Swanky's Sideshow, where participants can compete in a ball-throwing contest for prizes. Only the upper half of his body is shown, as he is always shown to be inside of a barrel (including in his Dixie Kong's Photo Album photograph). However, Swanky's entire body is shown from his official artwork.
Dixie and Kiddy can pay Swanky with a few Bear Coins to compete various throwing contests against Cranky Kong. If the Kongs can get a higher score than Cranky, then Swanky awards them with prizes, including Bananas and Bear Coins. Like the prequel, Swanky's role is optional and is unrelated to the main storyline.
For the Game Boy Advance version, Swanky hosts a different location, Swanky's Dash. He allows Dixie to compete in a virtual reality-type minigame which involves her collecting stars on a rotating landscape. Kiddy cannot participate because he is too young. Swanky's outfit also went unchanged from his previous appearance in Donkey Kong Country 2. When the Kongs win at his first challenge, Swanky rewards them with a Banana Bird and a DK Coin—Dixie is not required to participate in subsequent challenges.
Donkey Konga 2
Swanky Kong makes a few cameos in Donkey Konga 2. In Freestyle Zone, both his artwork from Donkey Kong Country 2 and Donkey Kong Country 3 sometimes appear on-screen as the player is freely drumming. He is also one of the selectable badges after finishing a song or in the Match That Badge! challenge. His badge is not featured in the Japanese version, which instead has a badge of a regular human.
Other appearances
Mario Superstar Baseball
Swanky’s tent from Donkey Kong Country 3 makes a cameo appearance in the Donkey Kong Jungle in Mario Superstar Baseball. Swanky himself appears on a wooden billboard.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Swanky Kong appears in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as a support Spirit, using his original artwork. The battle to unlock him involves battling Donkey Kong, who is easily distracted by items.
List of appearances by date
| Title | Description | Release Date | System/Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest | Non-Playable Character | 1995 | SNES |
| Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! | Non-Playable Character | 1996 | SNES |
| Donkey Kong Country 2 (remake) | Non-Playable Character | 2004 | Game Boy Advance |
| Donkey Konga 2 | Cameo | 2004 | Nintendo GameCube |
| Mario Superstar Baseball | Cameo | 2005 | Nintendo GameCube |
| Donkey Kong Country 3 (remake) | Non-Playable Character | 2005 | Game Boy Advance |
| Super Smash Bros. Ultimate | Cameo as a spirit | 2018 | Nintendo Switch |
Gallery
Artwork
Artwork from Donkey Kong Country 2:Diddy's Kong Quest
Artwork with the Kong Family (Swanky appears on the far right)
Sprites
Donkey Kong Country 2 and 3 (GBA)
Donkey Konga 2 (Freestyle Zone)
Donkey Konga 2 (Freestyle Zone)
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (spirit)
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | スワンキーコング Suwankī Kongu |
Swanky Kong |
| Kongs | |
|---|---|
| Kong characters | |
| Baby Kong • Bink • Bluster Kong (Leo Luster) • Candy Clone • Candy Kong • Chunky Kong • Cranky Kong • Cranky Kong's great grandfather • Diddy Kong • Dixie Kong • Donkey Kong (Baby) • Donkey Kong Jr. • Dread Kong • Driver • Eddie • Funky Kong • Ghastly King • Karate Kong • Kiddy Kong • Kong Fu • Lanky Kong • Mini Donkey Kong (Game & Watch) • Ninja Kong • Rabbid Cranky • Rabbid Kong (Mega) • Ringo • Sumo Kong • Super Kong • Swanky Kong • Tiny Kong • Uncle Kong • Wrinkly Kong | |
| Kong species | |
| Chained Kong • Cyber Kong • Guerrilla • Helper Monkey • Kong • Manky Kong • Mini Diddy Kong • Mini Donkey Kong (toy) • Ninjape • Snow Ucky Kong • Uckykong | |
| Donkey Kong's robots | |
| Cannon Kong • Capture Kong • Catapult Kong • Circus Kong • Cool Kong • Crash Kong • Kongā | |
| Kong groups | |
| Donkey Kong's robots • Kong (boss group) • Kong Family | |
