Nintendo Goes All In on Donkey Kong Redesign Seen in Nintendo Switch 2 and Mario Kart 9 First Look

Nintendo's revamp of Donkey Kong, initially glimpsed in the Mario Kart 9 footage shown during the Nintendo Switch 2 announcement, is gaining traction. The character's design, unchanged for decades and featured in titles like Mario Kart 8, Mario Tennis, and Donkey Kong Country Returns, is undergoing a significant transformation. Many believe the new look bears a resemblance to the Donkey Kong design in the highly successful The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

While the updated video game model was only briefly seen in Mario Kart 9, Nintendo has now unveiled a line of merchandise showcasing the redesigned Donkey Kong. As highlighted by Nintendo Life, Reddit user cookiemaster221 shared images of these products, commenting, "History is being rewritten in front of our very eyes."

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The merchandise reveals a Donkey Kong with a softer appearance; his previously furrowed brow is now smoother and more rounded. Online reactions are mixed. Some commenters on Reddit likened the change to a "reverse Kirby treatment," noting the shift from an angry to a more relaxed expression. While some express nostalgia for the original design, others find the new look acceptable, suggesting it aims for a more playful and less aggressive aesthetic.

This merchandise offers a more detailed view of the redesign than the fleeting appearances in the Mario Kart 9 trailer. A more comprehensive look at the new Donkey Kong in action is expected in April during a Nintendo Direct focused on the Switch 2.

The Switch 2 reveal trailer itself provided limited details about the console's features, primarily focusing on its visual design. However, it confirmed backward compatibility, showcased a new, mysterious button on the Joy-Cons, and seemingly validated existing theories about using the controller as a mouse.