Donkey Kong 64 fans celebrate! Nintendo will pay tribute to a pair of classic N64 characters via an upcoming Donkey Kong Bananza Emerald Rush DLC challenge.
After years left in the wilderness, both Chunky Kong and Lanky Kong will return in the DLC as “exclusive in-game statues”, Nintendo has today confirmed, as part of the upcoming So Strong It’s Funny in-game challenge.
The event, set to run from November 25 to December 2, will be set on the game’s Hilltop Layer. As of yet, there’s no word on exactly how may points players will need to rack up to earn these latest cosmetic items used to decorate DK Island.
Regardless, long-term Kong fans are simply celebrating the fact that Nintendo has referenced these long-lost characters at all, after only a handful of glimpses over the past few decades.
Brawny but gentle Chunky Kong (cousin of Dixie Kong) has only made three video game appearances since his 1999 debut in Donkey Kong 64. He cameos in a Donkey Kong Country 3 mini-game on Game Boy Advance, then pops up as a sticker and spirit in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Ultimate.
Eagle-eyed fans also spotted a split-second appearance by Chunky Kong in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, standing alongside an equally-brief appearance for Diddy and Dixie — though you’ll need to pause the film to really know it’s him.
Fans had hoped that this appearance, and the fact Nintendo had gone to the trouble of slightly tweaking his design, suggested more appearances for Chunky Kong in future. And indeed, Bananza’s upcoming statue seems to feature this same slightly-tweaked look. Could we see more of him in the upcoming Super Mario Galaxy Movie, or perhaps even that long-rumored upcoming Donkey Kong movie spin-off? Time will tell.
The long-armed Lanky Kong, meanwhile, is similarly little-seen. He didn’t get a Super Mario Bros. Movie cameo, but did appear as an unlockable character in 2007 Wii racer Donkey Kong: Barrel Blast. Could we be seeing more of him in the future too?
If you haven’t picked it up already, Bananza’s DLC is stuffed full of references to Donkey Kong 64 and other past classics, with appearances from Diddy, Dixie, Cranky, Squawks the parrot from Donkey Kong Country and DK’s house from Donkey Kong Country Returns. Other Kongs referenced (but not seen) include a poster for Candy Kong (don’t ask) and a pair of Donkey Konga bongo drums to bounce around on top of.
So now, who’s next for a return?
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
