Why Donkey Kong Got a Makeover, According to Shigeru Miyamoto

Lately, fans have been buzzing about Donkey Kong’s fresh new look. From memes to Reddit threads, everyone seems to have an opinion, but for the most part, people are liking the change. While Nintendo had been mostly silent on the reason behind the redesign, we finally got some insight straight from the legend himself, Shigeru Miyamoto, during an interview with IGN.

According to Miyamoto, the main reason for giving Donkey Kong a makeover was to make him more expressive. This wasn’t just about aesthetics; it was about emotion, movement, and personality. Nintendo has always strived to make its characters feel alive, and DK was due for an upgrade.

Miyamoto pointed back to Donkey Kong Jungle Beat from 2004, a game that first pushed the boundaries of what DK could express. That title marked a major shift, thanks to the tech they had at the time. It allowed for more animated facial expressions and lively movement, something they wanted to build on even further for today’s audiences.

He also mentioned that back in the Donkey Kong Country era, they worked closely with Rare to bring DK into a new dimension. But now, with newer tools and creative vision, Nintendo took the chance to reimagine him again, this time with more life and energy, especially in preparation for the upcoming movie and recent games like Donkey Kong Bananza.

So when it comes to character creation and working with characters, I still take an active role in that. And looking back to the first generation Donkey Kong Country, we worked with Rare to create Donkey Kong Country.

When we were talking about trying to create new versions, evolving Donkey Kong, we created the game called Jungle Beat. We worked together with the team that made 3D Mario. With the technology that was available at the time, we were able to make Donkey Kong more expressive. And going back to the design that Rare came up with, we reevaluated; what can we do with the design to make it more expressive? And then when it comes to the movie, we decided to move forward with this new generation Donkey Kong design.

Looking at DK in his current form, especially in the latest game and movie promos, it's easy to see what Miyamoto means. His expressions are sharper, his movements are fuller, and he simply feels more alive than ever.

Interestingly, even Kev Bayliss, the original artist behind DK’s look in Donkey Kong Country, voiced his support for the redesign. In his words, “I don’t understand why there’s any debate to be had. It’s still DK, only better looking.” That's a strong endorsement from someone who helped shape DK’s identity.

And it’s not just Donkey Kong who got an upgrade. Diddy Kong’s design also saw some tweaks, though the changes were more subtle compared to his big buddy. Nintendo clearly approached Diddy’s revamp with extra care, likely to preserve the charm that fans already loved.

At the end of the day, this isn’t just about a new coat of paint. It’s about evolution. Nintendo wants its iconic characters to grow with the times, and Donkey Kong’s expressive new look is just the next step in that journey.

(via IGN)