Donkey Kong Country Artist Responds To Fan Criticism Of Donkey Kong Redesign

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Addressing the discord among Donkey Kong enthusiasts regarding his appearance in Donkey Kong Bananza, his original designer offers some insight for those voicing their concerns.

Yesterday during the Switch 2 Direct presentation, both Donkey Kong Bananza and Mario Kart World’s new trailer were unveiled. This gave us a more detailed look at the revamped design for everyone’s favorite ape, Donkey Kong. Initially, we caught a sneak peek of him when the Switch 2 was initially introduced. As with any modernization of an iconic, cherished character, fan reactions have been varied.

Previously employed as a character designer at Rare and responsible for the revamp of Donkey Kong in the Donkey Kong Country series, Kevin Bayliss recently utilized platform X to share thoughts on the online reactions towards the updated appearance of everyone’s favorite ape.

‘People Need To Embrace Change’

It’s evident that Bayliss appreciates the recent redesign of the gorilla, and he strongly believes it surpasses its previous version.

…It’s puzzling that there seems to be a discussion. It’s still the same DK, just with an improved appearance. Perhaps it’s time for everyone to adapt to change more readily!

He replies to this post by pointing out that DK may undergo another update in about 20 years, much like how Mickey Mouse has been redesigned over the decades. He adds that change while preserving the essence of the original is a delicate art, but it must be done gradually. In his opinion, this latest version is just right.

The main objections to the redesign appear to largely revolve around the old saying, “If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.” However, this is part of an ongoing aesthetic overhaul for the entire Super Mario series, which has been in progress for a couple of years.

DK’s latest design draws inspiration from his previous designs as well as his appearance in the Super Mario Bros. Movie. This new look is reminiscent of the updated styles for Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach in Super Mario Bros. Wonder World and the mid-production makeover for Showtime! Peach. This change is part of a broader trend to make characters across the series more animated and exaggerated.

The redesign of Donkey Kong stands out as more significant compared to other updates. This transformation results in a more over-the-top appearance, a fact evident in the Donkey Kong Bananza trailer. This trailer intentionally emphasizes Donkey Kong’s face, highlighting his extraordinary expressiveness.

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2025-04-03 20:08