Nintendo: 10 Strongest Donkey Kong Characters Ever, Ranked

Summary

Donkey Kong must fend off Void Kong to protect DK Island’s Banandium Gold, Gems, and Golden Bananas.
Funky Kong, Cranky Kong, and other strong apes in Bananza present formidable challenges for the villains.
From Chunky Kong’s raw strength to King K. Rool’s cunning, each Kong has unique abilities in the game.

In the game Donkey Kong: Bananza, instead of focusing on retrieving his bananas from King K. Rool or rescuing Pauline, Donkey Kong now finds himself in a new mission. He must thwart Void Kong and his excavating minions from VoidCo, who are trying to pillage DK Island of its Banandium Gold, precious gems, and crystallized golden bananas.

Even so, it’s possible that Void Kong should have reconsidered attacking DK’s home. DK is a formidable opponent, and his companions, the apes, are no pushovers either. These are the strongest DK characters the Bananza crew will encounter.

10. Funky Kong

Lives to Funk Instead of Fight

Debut: Donkey Kong Country (appearance), DK: King of Swing (playable)
Abilities: Super strength, stretching powers, vibration manipulation, can fly via his surfboard, and is skilled with weapons, items and vehicles.

Fun-loving Kong, true to his moniker, is all about surfing, showing off his jewelry, and taking life at a leisurely pace rather than embarking on thrilling expeditions. It’s probably why he’s spent the majority of his time as a non-playable character, fiddling with machinery or swapping coins for goods. He favors the race track, drums, or scaling heights over leaping onto adversaries.

If I were to embark on an adventure in “Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze”, I’d certainly give it my all! Just like a seasoned explorer, I breeze through the game without a single hitch or struggle. My prowess is comparable to that of Donkey Kong himself; I’ve withstood attacks from Lord Fredrik and retaliated with equal ferocity, though I often utilize my trusty surfboard and Boot Rocket Launcher for added support in our battles.

9. Cranky Kong

Donkey Kong Sr.

Debut: Donkey Kong (original), Donkey Kong Country (as Cranky Kong), Donkey Kong Barrel Blast (playable)
Abilities: Super strength, super endurance, is acrobatic via his cane, good with weapons.

In simpler terms, Cranky Kong, originally from the 1981 Donkey Kong game, appears to have grown even more powerful with time. Despite looking rather relaxed, sitting in his rocking chair and frequently scolding DK, Diddy, and their peers for not meeting his standards, he has demonstrated his prowess in several games by backing up his words with action.

Due to his appearance in the game “Tropical Freeze”, it’s clear that he’s as resilient and formidable as the younger characters. He can shatter Lord Fredrik, lift sunken ships, and use his cane to jump swiftly across levels while also fending off DK and other dangers. Therefore, he might just have a good reason to boast and bother his grandson!

8. Lord Fredrik

The Snowmad King

Debut: Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Abilities: Super strength, size manipulation, can summon enemies, blast ice, and change the weather via his magic horn.

Previously, the one referred to as Lord Fredrik held dominion. Both Cranky and Funky might be capable of causing him harm comparable to DK, but it demonstrates their resilience. Notably, among his accomplishments was when he mastered the DK Crew, forcing them into the island’s volcanic depths with a freeze attack and a stamp.

Apart from hurling ice projectiles at DK and his companions, he also has the ability to grow in size, amplifying his strength. However, these actions merely enable him to hold his ground against the giant ape; they don’t give him an upper hand. It seems this is why he continues to rely on his minions for assistance, and summons ice dragons using his enchanted horn.

7. Tiki Tong

Successor to Andross, Bongo Bongo, and the Bouldergeist

Debut: Donkey Kong Country Returns
Abilities: Flight, size manipulation, super strength, can summon enemies and breathe fire.

As a die-hard fan, I can’t help but marvel at Nintendo’s affection for those colossal heads with two hands! This design motif has graced the Mario series, The Legend of Zelda, and Starfox 64, making it inevitable that Donkey Kong would join the club. And indeed, he did in the form of Tiki Tong, the main antagonist in Donkey Kong Country Returns. In many ways, Tiki Tong resembles his successor, Lord Fredrik, as both summon their Tiki Tak Tribe forces to bolster them during battles.

Despite struggling against Donkey Kong (DK), Tiki demonstrates an impressive resilience in direct combat. Not only does he have a size advantage over DK, but he also possesses sufficient strength to grip and crush his opponent. Tiki can withstand some of DK’s most powerful blows, and even those from smaller characters like Diddy, showcasing an ability to keep fighting even after losing his hands. Although Tiki ultimately lost the fight, when he was defeated, his explosion had enough force to propel DK into space, giving him a final, victorious laugh.

6. Dixie Kong

The Best Flying Monkey Outside of Oz

Debut: Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest
Abilities: Super-strength, super-agility, skilled with weapons, can fly by spinning her ponytail, and is resistant to extreme temperatures.

Among the beloved characters in the series is Dixie Kong, who isn’t the tiny Tiny Kong. In Donkey Kong Country 2, she proved an excellent match for Diddy Kong, and later, in Donkey Kong Country 3, she shared the spotlight with her cousin Kiddy Kong. Interestingly, when it comes to strength, she’s quite comparable to Diddy. She can traverse various terrains tirelessly, lift ships out of water, and even combat ghostly adversaries.

In a comparison, both characters exhibit greater agility than DK, however, it seems that Dixie may be slightly swifter among her monkey companions. Notably, she’s capable of evading lightning bolts and swiftly spinning her ponytail to aid in gliding. An interesting trait is that quick characters often lack resilience, but Dixie matches the other Kongs in terms of damage resistance.

5. Diddy Kong

A Lot of Strength in a Little Body

Debut: Donkey Kong Country
Abilities: Super-strength, super-agile, skilled with weapons, can fly via jetpack, manipulate energy, telekinetic, resistant to extreme temperatures, and can breathe in space.

In many ways, Diddy Kong possesses similar abilities to Dixie, save for a few unique traits. He is swift and agile, leaping higher than Donkey Kong without needing to curl his tail as a spring. Moreover, certain games grant him extraordinary powers, such as telekinesis through the Megastrike move. Lastly, he’s renowned for his Peanut Popguns and Rocketbarrel Pack, which provide an edge in flight.

His physical prowess isn’t lacking, since he possesses the ability to lift ships similar to Dixie and Cranky. One of his most impressive feats was demonstrated in his ending within “DKCR”, where he accidentally butted the moon out of its orbit and into the Earth. Despite the malfunction of his Rocketbarrel pack at terminal velocity, he managed to accomplish this feat, which was less damaging than the Tiki Tong Tower, which sustained the impact of the moon’s landing.

4. Donkey Kong (3rd)

Banana Slammer

Debut: Donkey Kong Country
Abilities: Super strength, strong fighting skills, can stretch his arms and hover by spinning them, can blow out fires and clouds, resistant to extreme temperatures and mind manipulation.

Diddy Kong can ram the moon with a powerful headbutt, but Donkey Kong can shatter it with just one punch. It’s no surprise then that he’s considered the top ape and has outperformed all other competitors, much like how a GameCube controller dominates bongo drums. After all, he’s defeated both Mario Brothers, leaving them no choice but to retreat, and buried Wario in the ground, making him look like an overgrown, garlic-loving tree stump.

Despite being less nimble compared to his smaller counterparts, he’s swift enough to outmaneuver larger adversaries such as Lord Frederick, Ghastly King, and King K. Rool. His ingenuity in combat is evident, from utilizing his ability to hover with spinning arms, to cleverly employing his stylish new power-ups for an edge. If he lacked this creativity, then stronger enemies would have conquered Donkey Kong Island long ago.

3. Ghastly King

The True Ruler of the Fruit Kingdoms

Debut: Donkey Kong Jungle Beat
Abilities: Super strength, quick reflexes, strong fighting skills, and can fire energy projectiles.

In the game “Donkey Kong Jungle Beat,” Donkey Kong wasn’t only battling against Mario, K. Rool, Void Kong, but also the army of the malicious Ghastly King. The unique aspect of this game is that it was designed to be controlled using bongo drums, similar to those from “Donkey Konga.” To defeat the Ghastly King, players needed to play those drums more skillfully than even Matthew McConaughey could.

In this game, he’s the most formidable among the kings, standing out as one of the rare villains who forces Donkey Kong (DK) to rely on his nimbleness rather than his raw strength. To defeat Ghastly King (GK), DK must dodge his energy blasts, fireballs from Boss Pig Poppo, and his powerful kicks and sweeps. Whenever an opportunity arises, he should attack GK. A single hit from GK can send DK crashing into the nearest wall. If Donkey Kong takes too many such hits, it’s game over for him.

2. Chunky Kong

One Hell of a Guy

Debut: Donkey Kong 64.
Abilities: Super strength, size manipulation, invisibility, seeing invisible objects, supersonic belching, and wrestling techniques.

Among them, DK stands out with his intelligence, nimbleness, and bravery, making him a potential leader. However, when it comes to sheer physical power, there’s another Kong on DK Island who takes the crown – none other than Chunky Kong, although he hasn’t been seen much since Donkey Kong 64. He did make a brief appearance in the Super Mario Bros movie, so we know he’s not gone for good.

In a basic sense, Chunky can effortlessly lift rocks that would cause DK trouble, as well as other heavy objects. With his Hunky Chunky enhancement, he becomes even larger and powerful enough to create shockwaves from his burps, not to mention his assaults. However, he’s timid compared to DK and slower too, so he must gather courage to embark on adventures with the DK team.

1. King K. Rool

King For a Reason

Debut: Donkey Kong Country.
Abilities: Super strength, teleportation, invisibility, can generate shockwaves and rain cannonballs.

Despite DK’s reputation for being strong and courageous, he hasn’t always emerged victorious. He has defeated King K. Rool on numerous occasions, but each victory required effort, and even managed to be captured by the Kremling leader at the start of DKC2. While King K. Rool is more cunning than the mighty ape, he can also be bested in a one-on-one fight by DK.

In the game DK64, this character demonstrates a power comparable to Chunky’s, having fought two Kongs simultaneously and even battling five in succession. He has also shown resilience against DK’s destructive moon-strikes, survived falls from great heights, and can transform into an enormous size. Added to his abilities is the power of the Crystal Banana, making him strong enough to defeat DK with a single blow. Given these abilities, despite K. Rool’s eccentric plans and disguises, he remains the most significant danger to Donkey Kong and his companions.

2025-07-21 01:05