Rumor: Leaked Concept Art Reveals Canceled Donkey Kong Game from Vicarious Visions

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Key Takeaways

  • Alleged concept art for a canceled Donkey Kong game leaks online, sparking speculation.
  • Vicarious Visions was supposedly working on an open-world Donkey Kong game codenamed Donkey Kong Freedom.
  • The rumored game was scrapped around 2016 due to shifting focus to Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy.

As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of gaming under my belt, I must say that the leak of alleged concept art for a canceled Donkey Kong game from Vicarious Visions has stirred quite a bit of nostalgia and curiosity within me. The Donkey Kong series, being one of Nintendo’s oldest franchises, holds a special place in my heart, and the prospect of an open-world Donkey Kong adventure was indeed intriguing.

A supposed sketch for an abandoned Donkey Kong game by Vicarious Visions has surfaced on the internet. The Donkey Kong series is one of Nintendo’s oldest and best-known franchises, dating back even before Super Mario Bros., and it was through this franchise that players were first introduced to the famous gorilla character as well as Nintendo’s plumber mascot. Over time, Donkey Kong has made appearances in various spin-offs and crossovers, aside from his own platforming games, but he hasn’t headlined a new video game since Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze in 2014.

Previously this year, there were news leaks suggesting that Blizzard Albany, formerly known as Vicarious Visions, had been developing a Donkey Kong game for the Nintendo Switch under the code name “Donkey Kong Freedom”. The project was said to feature an open-world setting where Donkey Kong would be on a quest to save his jungle habitat from destruction. However, it’s rumored that this project was canceled around 2016, with Activision directing Vicarious Visions’ efforts instead towards the “Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy”.

A piece of art that seems to be related to an unreleased Donkey Kong game has popped up online, shared by Reddit user BirdonWheels. As Nintendo Life reports, the artwork shows Donkey Kong standing before what appears to be jungle ruins, with a door adorned with monkey and banana images amidst a lush green scenery. The user claims to have found this art while rummaging through an old hard drive containing Vicarious Visions’ assets, and the timestamp on the image dates back to June 20, 2016.

Leaked Artwork Gives Players A Look At The Rumored Donkey Kong Game from Vicarious Visions

Around this period, there were whispers that Vicarious Visions was developing a supposed “Donkey Kong” game. However, the authenticity of this concept art is uncertain. As per earlier reports from this year, the hypothetical “Donkey Kong Freedom” game would have emphasized smooth movement mechanics, like sliding on vines and swinging from trees. This image seems to showcase the start of a level in a temple setting.

Although it’s just speculation at this point, as Donkey Kong Freedom was rumored to have been canceled because of the fall of the Skylanders series, leading Activision to divert their attention from single-player experiences. However, fans are still eagerly anticipating a fresh Donkey Kong title. Interestingly, developer Forever Entertainment is planning to release Donkey Kong Country Returns HD on the Nintendo Switch by January 16, 2025.

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2024-10-23 20:36