History Characters / DonkeyKongTheTitleCharacter

[[reidrect:Characters/DonkeyKongKongs]]

[[WMG:[[center:[-''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' '''[[Characters/SuperMarioBros Main Character Index]]'''\\
'''Main characters:''' [[Characters/SuperMarioBrosMarioBrothers The Mario Brothers]] | [[Characters/SuperMarioBrosAllies Allies]] | [[Characters/SuperMarioBrosTheKoopaKingdom The Koopa Kingdom]] ([[Characters/SuperMarioBrosBowser Bowser]] -- [[Characters/SuperMarioBrosBowserJr Bowser Jr.]] -- [[Characters/SuperMarioBrosTheKoopalings The Koopalings]] -- [[Characters/SuperMarioBrosOtherHighRankingSubordinates Other High-Ranking Subordinates]] -- [[Characters/SuperMarioBrosTheKoopaKingdomBosses Bosses]]) | [[Characters/SuperMarioBrosAssortedNasties Assorted Nasties]]\\
'''RPG characters:''' ''Characters/SuperMarioRPG'' | ''Characters/PaperMario'' (''[[Characters/PaperMario64 64]]'' -- ''[[Characters/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor The Thousand-Year Door]]'' -- ''[[Characters/SuperPaperMario Super]]'' -- ''[[Characters/PaperMarioStickerStar Sticker Star]]'' -- ''[[Characters/PaperMarioColorSplash Color Splash]]'' -- ''[[Characters/PaperMarioTheOrigamiKing The Origami King]]'') | ''[[Characters/MarioAndLuigi Mario & Luigi]]'' (''Characters/MinionQuestTheSearchForBowser'')\\
'''Spinoff series:''' ''Characters/YoshisIsland'' | ''Characters/LuigisMansion'' | ''Characters/MarioGolf'' | ''Characters/MarioTennis'' | ''Characters/SuperMarioMaker'' | ''Characters/DonkeyKong'' [[Characters/DonkeyKong series]] ([[Characters/DonkeyKongKongs Kongs]] -- '''Donkey Kong''') | ''Characters/{{Wario}}'' [[Characters/{{Wario}} series]] ([[Characters/WarioAndWaluigi Wario and Waluigi]])\\
'''Crossovers:''' ''Characters/PunchOut'' | ''Characters/SuperSmashBros'' | ''Characters/MarioAndSonicAtTheOlympicGames'' | ''Characters/{{Skylanders}}'' | ''Characters/MarioPlusRabbidsKingdomBattle''\\
'''Other media:''' [[Characters/SuperMarioBros1993 The 1993 film]]-]]]]]

[[WMG:[[center: [- ''Franchise/DonkeyKong'' '''[[Characters/DonkeyKong Main Character Index]]'''\\
[[Characters/DonkeyKongKongs Kongs]] ('''Donkey Kong''') | [[Characters/DonkeyKongAllies Allies]] | [[Characters/DonkeyKongVillains Villains]] ([[Characters/DonkeyKongKremlingKrew Kremling Krew]], [[Characters/DonkeyKongTikiTakTribe Tiki Tak Tribe]], [[Characters/DonkeyKongSnowmads Snowmads]])-]]]]]

This page is about the title character and protagonist of the [[Franchise/DonkeyKong Donkey Kong franchise]], which is a shared part of the ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' series.
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[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/donkey_kong_1.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350: [[VideoGame/DonkeyKong64 He's the leader of the bunch, you know him well...]]]]
->''"Banana-slamma!"''
->Debut: ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry1''

->Voiced by (English): Soupy Sales (''WesternAnimation/SaturdaySupercade''), Gary Chalk (''WesternAnimation/CaptainNTheGameMaster''), Chris Sutherland (SNES games), Richard Yearwood (''WesternAnimation/DonkeyKongCountry''), Sterling Jarvis (singing voice, ''WesternAnimation/DonkeyKongCountry''), Creator/CharlesMartinet (E3 1995), Grant Kirkhope (video games, 1999-2010)
->Voiced by (Japanese): Creator/KoichiYamadera (Japanese commercials 1994-2004, ''WesternAnimation/DonkeyKongCountry''), Creator/TakashiNagasako (video games, 2004-present)
->Voiced by (Latin-American Spanish): Rubén Cerda (''WesternAnimation/DonkeyKongCountry'')
->Voiced by (French): Franck Capillery (''WesternAnimation/DonkeyKongCountry'')

Donkey Kong ("DK" for short) is the grandson ([[DependingOnTheWriter or son]]) of Mario's original nemesis in [[VideoGame/DonkeyKong the game that bore his name]]. He's a big hulking gorilla with a penchant for tossing barrels and eating bananas. He's been pushed out of Mario's #1 spot by Bowser (and gotten [[VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry his own video game series]]), but has again challenged the plucky plumber in the ''Mario vs. Donkey Kong'' games. According to ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry'', the original Arcade Donkey Kong was actually his grandfather (now named "Cranky Kong"), and while this was disputed for a time, later games reconfirmed this.
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!Tropes associated with Donkey Kong:

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder: A-M]]
* AccessoryWearingCartoonAnimal: Wears a necktie and nothing else.
* TheAce: Donkey Kong is great at just about anything he does. Fighting bad guys, playing sports, racing, using weapons, and playing instruments.
* AdaptationalJerkass: The cartoon made him more selfish and egomaniacal.
* AdvertisedExtra: In the latter two ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry'' games, his name is front-and-center even though his role in either game amounts to a non-playable DistressedDude.
* AnthropomorphicZigZag: DK's character can range between dumb animal and tough guy who happens to be an animal, depending on the game. In the ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' series and his BonusBoss appearance in ''VideoGame/PunchOut'' (Wii), he walks and acts like a gorilla. In the ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry'' games (both the original trilogy and ''[[VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryReturns Returns]]''[=/=]''[[VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryTropicalFreeze Tropical Freeze]]''), he shows more human-like intelligence, but still walks around on all fours like a typical gorilla. In the cartoon and ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'', he is bipedal and shows far more human-like mannerisms, though in ''[=DK64=]'' he stands on all fours when idle.
* AntiVillain: In his antagonist roles, such as ''Videogame/MarioVsDonkeyKong''. DK doesn't really have anything against Mario. He just has trouble controlling his impulses and Mario has to rein him in.
* AuthorAvatar: If Grant Kirkhope's statements during his guest appearance on WebVideo/GameGrumps are to be believed, then DK is basically Grant himself.
* BerserkButton:
** Messing with DK's precious banana hoard or his friends ''will'' have '''painful''' consequences for whoever does it.
** He also really, ''really'' wants those Mini Mario toys. When he can't get one, he starts taking notes from his namesake.
* BigDamnHeroes:
** During the end of ''[=DKC2=]'', he manages to get loose from the rope that K. Rool has tied him with, and [[spoiler:uppercuts K. Rool clear through the ceiling]].
** In ''Mario Party 5'', rarely, when a player lands on a Bowser Space, DK will appear and punch Bowser, stopping him from doing what he would normally do and making Bowser leave with just 10 or 20 coins from the player. His bio from ''Mario Party 2'' even stated that he thought he could beat Bowser in a fight.
* BigGood: In ''VideoGame/MarioParty5'' through ''Mario Party 9'', he acts as an exact opposite of Bowser, having minigames where everyone always gets coins, and sometimes even gives stars to people. This is particularly shown in ''Mario Party 6'', where DK Spaces are on a board during the day, and Bowser Spaces replace them at night. On [[OminousFloatingCastle Clockwork Castle]], DK walks around the board and gives stars during the day, while Bowser walks around and steals them at night.
* BoisterousBruiser: He is very boisterous in ''Jungle Beat'', and it carries over to ''Donkey Kong Country Returns''.
* BreakingTheFourthWall: If you succeed at a bonus room puzzle while controlling him, he'll turn to applaud you and give you a thumbs-up for succeeding.
* BreakoutCharacter: From the BigBad of the first ''Mario'' game to the protagonist of his own franchise.
* BroughtToYouByTheLetterS: The DK on his tie.
* CatchPhraseSpoutingDuo: DK and Diddy in the ''DKC'' cartoon; they also give off this vibe in the games, though they never actually speak besides some brief exclamations.
* CharlesAtlasSuperpower: He's basically just a really strong ape. That said, [[spoiler:[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LleGVbLHx2w he punched the moon out of orbit]]]].
* CoconutMeetsCranium: {{Invok|ed trope}}able with the coconut gun in ''64''.
* CoolUncle: To Diddy, naturally. Due to Diddy's parents never being mentioned, Donkey is his main role model, and Donkey is always happy to hang out with his little buddy and let him tag along on any adventure.
* DashAttack: Even as a baby, he had strength to spare -- in Yoshi's Island DS, sequel to the original, he lends his burliness to whatever Yoshi is carrying him in a Wario-esque shoulder tackle.
* DefeatMeansFriendship: The end of ''Mario vs. Donkey Kong'', in which Mario beats DK, scolds him good, and gives him a Mini-Mario like he wanted all along.
* DependingOnTheWriter:
** Throughout the 90s and 2000s, it seems as though Nintendo and Rare couldn't decide on if he's Cranky Kong's son (making him an older Donkey Kong Junior) or his grandson (making him Junior's son), as both have gone back and forth on it quite a bit. Since TheNewTens however, Nintendo has largely settled on him being Junior’s son. There are also occasional cases, such as some of the Mario spin-offs and ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'', where it's heavily implied that the current Donkey Kong is the same Donkey Kong from the arcade games as opposed to Cranky Kong.
** Donkey Kong's personality also varies a bit depending on the developer. Rare tends to depict him as being a laidback and coolheaded guy most of the time, only getting aggressive when someone [[BerserkButton steals his Banana Hoard]] or messes with him and his friends. The titles developed by Nintendo however, put more emphasis on his animalistic aspects and many games developed by them (particularly the original release of ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongJungleBeat'') depict him as an aggressive, selfish BoisterousBruiser who isn't bad, but isn't entirely good either. Retro's depiction goes for a mix of both, going back to the more heroic persona he had back in the Rare-developed titles, while still retaining the BoisterousBruiser and animalistic qualities he gained in the Nintendo-developed titles.
* TheDeterminator: Shigeru Miyamoto called him "Donkey" because he's as stubborn as one. Depending on [[ProtagonistCenteredMorality who you're playing as]], this is either a good thing or a bad thing.
* DistressedDude: In ''[=DKC2=]'' and ''[=DKC3=]''. It turns into DamselOutOfDistress in ''[=DKC2=]'' when the player can't quite finish off K Rool however.
* TheDreaded: Even ''Bowser'' is afraid of him as seen in ''Mario Party 5'', when Donkey Kong rarely appears if someone lands on a Bowser Space:
-->'''Bowser''': Do... Donk... Donkey Kong!
* DumbMuscle: Donkey Kong is generally incredibly strong, but in some games he’s not too bright.
* EverythingsBetterWithMonkeys: Averted for the Kremlings.
* {{Expy}}: He [[VideoGame/DonkeyKong began]] as one for Franchise/KingKong, being a giant ape carrying a woman to the top of a skyscraper. The similarities were so apparent that Universal even unsuccessfully sued Nintendo out of alleged copyright infringement back in 1982. He would soon develop an identity of his own starting with ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry''.
* FacePalm: He'll do this if you screw up in a bonus room puzzle while controlling him. He also does this on the character select screen when entering a tag barrel in ''[=DK64=]'', if you highlight him and then move over to another Kong.
* FastballSpecial: He can throw Diddy Kong in ''Jungle Climber''.
* FullNameBasis: He's never referred to as just Donkey. It's always Donkey Kong, DK or D. Kong in Japan. (With the few exceptions being Cranky in ''Donkey Kong Country 2'' during one of his speeches in his monkey museum, Diddy during the ending of ''Donkey Kong Country 3'', and almost the entirety of ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64''.)
* FriendlyEnemy: To Mario in the ''Mario vs Donkey Kong'' series. He robs his Mini Mario industries and sometimes even kidnaps Pauline, but only because he likes Mario's toys, with a few games ending on DefeatEqualsFriendship.
* GeniusBruiser: Gorillas are highly intelligent animals and in many games Donkey Kong shows that he is pretty smart. He knows how to play instruments and how to use weapons and he can come up with clever solutions to problems sometimes.
* GentleGiant: If you are his enemy, then prepare for a world of pain. But if you are his friend, Donkey Kong shows that he has a heart as big as he is. Which is TruthInTelevision because real-life gorillas are actually very shy and gentle, becoming aggressive only when they or their families are threatened.
* GoKartingWithBowser: He can race with King K. Rool in ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongBarrelBlast''.
* GoodCounterpart: In any ''VideoGame/MarioParty'' game where he isn't playable, Donkey Kong acts as the good-aligned counterpart to [[BigBad Bowser]]. Both are large, hulking brutes who have their own spaces, but while Bowser's spaces usually hinder whoever lands on them, DK's aid anyone who lands on them by granting them coins or even stars.
* HeelFaceTurn: He becomes the protagonist of his own series and becomes friends with Mario and the other characters. However, whether or not Donkey Kong is ''the'' original DK or actually the son of Cranky is [[PlayingWithATrope played]] [[ShrugOfGod with]] throughout the franchise and spin-offs.[[note]]Nintendo eventually agreed with the notion of DK being Cranky's grandson, but other sources, mostly around the time of Rare's departure, would seem to suggest otherwise.[[/note]]
* HeterosexualLifePartners: DK and Diddy again, they're basically inseparable.
* HulkSpeak: In ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'', DK speaks like this as a way to [[LampshadeHanging lampshade]] the fact that he's stupider than the other Kongs.
* IdiotHero: In some games and the TV Series. He's not the most clever Kong, but certainly one of the bravest. Other games he’s actually smarter than he looks. To his credit, Otacon mentions in a Codec Conversation with Snake that he seems pretty smart by ape standards. He's also skilled at using weaponry and is smart enough to know how to play the drums.
* IdleAnimation: In ''DKC'', he'll beat his chest and roar into the distance. In ''[=DK64=]'', he'll swat a fly before eating it. In ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryTropicalFreeze'', he either pulls out a 3DS or a Switch(in a port) and plays a random game.
* ImprobableWeaponUser: At the end of Returns, [[spoiler:[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LleGVbLHx2w he weaponizes the moon]]]]. In the ''Mario Baseball'' series, he uses a boxing glove when batting, while his baby self uses a banana.
* ImmuneToMindControl: In ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryReturns'', Kalimba attempts to hypnotize Donkey Kong, to no avail.
* JackOfAllStats: In ''Donkey Kong Barrel Blast'', all of his stats are balanced. [[spoiler:Ultra Barrel DK however, is an outright GameBreaker as all of his stats are maxed out]].
* KillerGorilla: In the ''Mario vs Donkey Kong'' series, he acts as a menace to Mario by kidnapping Pauline and causing destruction over minor slights.
* LargeHam: Usually when something awesome happens, but also when riled up (as with real life apes). A good example is right before the final boss in ''Returns''. Donkey Kong and Diddy are ''pissed''.
* LegacyCharacter: As mentioned above, Cranky Kong was the first Donkey Kong before giving the title to the current one.
* LightningBruiser: Despite his size, he's actually quicker than one might think, especially in ''Jungle Beat''. This classification is even [[LampshadeHanging pointed out]] in a ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosMelee'' trophy. And the obvious inferences from the fact that the games are intense platformers, and DK's primary attack is a ''somersault''.
* LikeFatherLikeSon: He's definitely picked up at least some of his grandfather's old habits if the ''VideoGame/MarioVsDonkeyKong'' series is any indication, much to Mario and Pauline's displeasure.
* MagicMusic: In ''Donkey Kong 64'', ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'' and ''Super Smash Bros. for 3DS/Wii U'', played with bongo drums.
* MeaningfulName: His name is meant to indicate both his stubborn behavior (Donkey), and his massive size (Kong). Likely started out as a bit of an insult, but has since morphed into something between AwesomeMcCoolname and NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast.
* MegatonPunch: DK has had this since some of his earliest showings, starting with capping off the climax of ''Donkey Kong Country 2'' by delivering a meaty uppercut to K. Rool through the ceiling of his airship and bringing it back time and again since. Generally speaking, whenever DK whallops you, you're going to be kissing the sky for a good while.
** At the end of ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryReturns'', he ''[[spoiler:punches the moon out of orbit!]]''
** Not to be outdone, in the ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryTropicalFreeze'' DK pays Lord Frederick back for all the trouble caused by launching him ''out'' of the volcano, ''through'' his island-sized boat, and with such force that the huge walrus' impact with the sea destroys his fleet's remainder.
** His Giant Punch neutral special in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' serves as one.
** In ''Mario Party 5'', he rarely gives one to Bowser when someone lands on the latter's space.
* MightyGlacier:
** In ''VideoGame/MarioKart'', he falls under the "heavy weight, high top speed, low acceleration" weight class.
** In the SNES trilogy, he's slower than Diddy, but able to hurt larger enemies that would just laugh off an attack from the smaller primate.
** He started off as this in ''Super Smash Bros'', but eventually became a LightningBruiser from ''Melee'' and onwards.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: N-Y]]
* NatureHero: He IS the King of The Jungle.
* NoSell: A master of this. If you intend to put him down, you should use everything you have at your disposal out of the gate and [[DoubleTap double-tap]] to be sure. [[SuperStrength If]] [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge you]] [[MegatonPunch don't]]...
* OddFriendship: He shares good chemistry with Petey Piranha in ''Mario Superstar Baseball''. In ''Mario Super Sluggers'', their chemistry is neutral. He also has a friendly rivalry with Vector the Crocodile in the ''Mario & Sonic'' series, despite Vector being not too far off resembling a Kremling. They even share a special victory animation with each other in the ''Sochi 2014'' and ''Rio 2016'' Olympic games.
* OutOfFocus: After being the main character of the first ''Donkey Kong Country'', the next two games relegated DK to a DistressedDude who only appeared near the end.
* PrimalChestPound: He is a gorilla, so he often pounds his chest, as an IdleAnimation, a VictoryPose or a [[IShallTauntYou taunting move]].
* RealMenWearPink: His blue alternate costume since ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'' gives him a pink tie. ''Super Smash Bros. for 3DS and Wii U'' gave him an alternate costume with pink fur.
* TheRival: He's picked up the mantle from his grandad's old feud with Mario, and while the two are on amicable terms, it ''absolutely'' doesn't stop them from butting heads every now and again. But the two have been shown to be good friends and unlike Bowser and Wario, Mario is actually very friendly with DK most of the time. In ''Barrel Blast'', his rival is... [[TheGoomba Kritter]].
* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: This is how ''most'' of his adventures come about. Be it due to his bananas, his friends or his home, ''someone'' gets it in their head that hammering on the BerserkButton of an eight-foot, eight hundred pound gorilla [[TooDumbToLive is a terrible idea]]. To [[ArchEnemy K. Rool's]] credit, plenty of the time ''he'' at least tries to remove DK as a factor early on, but that's no excuse for the others who've incurred his wrath.
* RobotMe: The Mini Donkey Kongs and their variants from the ''VideoGame/MarioVsDonkeyKong'' series qualify. ''Barrel Blast'' have the [[http://www.mariowiki.com/images/8/87/CyberKong_DKBB.png Cyber Kongs]], who resemble the Franchise/{{Terminator}}.
* RollingAttack: In the ''Donkey Kong Country'' series. ''Donkey Kong 64'' has him do a swinging kick by default but you can still make DK roll if want. If Diddy is on his back Donkey Kong can roll further too. Rolling became his new Dash Attack in ''Super Smash Bros. for 3DS/Wii U''.
* ShockAndAwe: In the ''Mario Strikers'' series, his Super/Mega Strike has him using the power of lightning to shoot the ball towards the goal. During his Mega Strike in ''Mario Strikers Charged'' he gains GlowingEyesOfDoom and does a DeathGlare towards the ball before clapping it. One of his custom moves in ''Super Smash Bros. for 3DS/Wii U'' is the Lightning Punch. It takes less time to charge than his standard Giant Punch, but deals less damage and lacks [[ImmunetoFlinching super armor]].
* ShockwaveClap: Donkey's most used action in ''Jungle Beat''. He has a lot of other moves, but most are context sensitive (extra jump when coming up on a wall, pummeling something in your way, snatching bananas).
* SuperMode: In ''Jungle Climber'' he can use crystal stars to basically become invincible and to fly
* SuperStrength: He can carry and throw barrels easily, break through entire hordes of enemies with only his fists, and once ''punched the moon out of the sky'' (see MegatonPunch). The only characters in the Franchise/{{Mario}} franchise (and spin-offs) who might be stronger, let alone come close, are Bowser and Petey Piranha, and the only Kong to be stronger than him is Chunky Kong. Mind that, this is ''including'' the likes of Mario and Wario, who can generally pummel creatures dozens of feet tall or weighing in hundreds of pounds with no issue.
* ThirdPersonPerson: In ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'', he speaks in this manner.
* ThrowABarrelAtIt: TropeCodifier. Also provides the page image.
* TookALevelInBadass: Donkey Kong is a veritable '''beast''' in ''[[Videogame/DonkeyKongJungleBeat Jungle Beat]]''. Seriously, the guy isn't above fighting dirty and pulls no punches at all.
* TookALevelInJerkass: The ''VideoGame/MarioVsDonkeyKong'' series, [[CallBack for obvious reasons]], also has him play the antagonist role to Mario that Cranky once had, usually in a tantrum over not getting a Mini Mario toy.
* TopHeavyGuy: He has a huge, muscular upper body but short, twiggy legs.
* TrademarkFavoriteFood: Fittingly for a gorilla, bananas. K. Rool stealing his banana hoard is what spurs DK into action in the first ''Donkey Kong Country''.
* UnskilledButStrong: In the sports games, Donkey Kong tends to have high power but low technique, meaning he hits hard but struggles with precise shots.
* UseYourHead: Against the Rocs in ''Jungle Beat''. His side special from ''Melee'' and onwards allows him to bury opponents into the ground. His animation for the [[GroundPound Super Duper Simian Slam]] in ''Donkey Kong 64'' has him slamming his head on the ground. If he loses a bonus game in ''[=DK64=]'', he will tap his head with his hand before slamming his head on the ground twice.
* VitriolicBestBuds: Has this relationship with Diddy Kong at the end of the first game.
* YoungerThanTheyLook: If Cranky is the original DK from the arcade game, and Jr. really is this DK's father, then he's younger than the adult he looks like.
* YourSizeMayVary: Donkey Kong's size varies heavily from game to game, depending on whether making him big would be a hinderance in gameplay. Often he's a giant who is even larger than a real gorilla. [[note]]Gorillas are bigger than humans but they are on average shorter even when standing all the way up. Donkey Kong is often one of the tallest Mario characters even when he's on all fours.[[/note]] In other games however, he is closer in size to other characters. Compare the original ''Donkey Kong Country'' where he's only slightly taller than Diddy, to ''Donkey Kong Country Returns'' and ''Tropical Freeze'' where he's so big that Diddy can ride on his back.
[[/folder]]
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* TrademarkFavoriteFood: Fittingly for a gorilla, bananas. K. Rool stealing his banana horde is what spurs DK into action in the first ''Donkey Kong Country''.

* IdleAnimation: In ''DKC'', he'll beat his chest and roar into the distance. In ''[=DK64=]'', he'll swat a fly before eating it. In ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryTropicalFreeze'', he pulls out a 3DS and plays a random game.

** Donkey Kong’s personality also varies a bit depending on the developer. Rare tends to depict him as being a laidback and coolheaded guy most of the time, only getting aggressive when someone [[BerserkButton steals his Banana Hoard]] or messes with him and his friends. The titles developed by Nintendo however, puts more emphasis on his animalistic aspects and many games developed by them (particularly the original release of ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongJungleBeat'') depicts him as an selfish, aggressive and BoisterousBruiser who isn’t bad, but isn’t entirely good either. Retro's depiction goes for a mix of both, going back to the more heroic persona he had back in the Rare-developed titles, while still retaining the BoisterousBruiser and animalistic qualities he gained in the Nintendo-developed titles.

** Donkey Kong’s personality also varies a bit depending on the developer. Rare tends to depict him as being a laidback and coolheaded guy most of the time, only getting aggressive when someone [[BerserkButton steals his Banana Hoard]] or messes with him and his friends. The titles developed by Nintendo however, puts more emphasis on his animalistic aspects and many games developed by them (particularly the original release of ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongJungleBeat'') depicts him as an selfish, aggressive and BoisterousBruiser AntiHero who isn’t bad, but isn’t entirely good either. Retro's depiction goes for a mix of both, going back to the more heroic persona he had back in the Rare-developed titles, while still retaining the BoisterousBruiser and animalistic qualities he gained in the Nintendo-developed titles.

** Donkey Kong’s personality also varies a bit depending on the developer. Rare tends to depict him as being a laidback and coolheaded guy most of the time, only getting aggressive when someone [[BerserkButton steals his Banana Hoard]] or messes with him and his friends. The titles developed by Nintendo however, puts more emphasis on his animalistic aspects and many games developed by them (particularly the original release of ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongJungleBeat'') depicts him as an selfish, aggressive and BoisterousBruiser AntiHero who isn’t bad, but isn’t entirely good either. Retro largely goes back to the more heroic persona he had in the Rare days, while still incorporating the BoisterousBruiser and animalistic qualities he gained in the Nintendo-developed titles.

* {{Expy}}: He [[VideoGame/DonkeyKong began]] as one for Franchise/KingKong, being a giant ape carrying a woman to the top of a skyscraper.

** Donkey Kong’s personality also varies a bit depending on the developer. Rare tends to depict him as being a laidback and coolheaded guy most of the time, only getting aggressive when someone [[BerserkButton steals his Banana Hoard]] or messes with him and his friend. The titles developed by Nintendo however, puts more emphasis on his animalistic aspects and many games (particularly the original release of ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongJungleBeat'') depicts him as an selfish, aggressive and BoisterousBruiser AntiHero who isn’t bad, but isn’t entirely good either. Retro’s titles largely go back to the more heroic persona he had in the Rare days, while still incorporating the BoisterousBruiser and animalistic qualities he gained in the Nintendo developed titles.

** Donkey Kong’s personality also varies a bit depending on the developer. Rare tends to depict him as being a laidback and coolheaded guy most of the time, only getting aggressive when someone [[BerserkButton steals his Banana Hoard]] or messes with him and his friend. The titles developed by Nintendo however, puts more emphasis on his animalistic aspects and many games (particularly the original release of ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongJungleBeat'' depicts) him as an selfish, aggressive and BoisterousBruiser AntiHero who isn’t bad, but isn’t entirely good either. Retro’s titles largely go back to the more heroic persona he had in the Rare days, while still incorporating the BoisterousBruiser and animalistic qualities he gained in the Nintendo developed titles.

* DependingOnTheWriter: Throughout the 90s and 2000s, it seems as though Nintendo and Rare couldn't decide on if he's Cranky Kong's son (making him an older Donkey Kong Junior) or his grandson (making him Junior's son), as both have gone back and forth on it quite a bit. Since TheNewTens however, Nintendo has largely settled on him being Junior’s son. There are also occasional cases, such as some of the Mario spin-offs and ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'', where it's heavily implied that the current Donkey Kong is the same Donkey Kong from the arcade games.

This page is about the title character and protagonist of the [[Franchise/DonkeyKong Donkey Kong franchise]], which is a shared part of the [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Super Mario Bros. series]].

->Voiced by (Japanese): Creator/KoichiYamadera (Japanese commercials 1994-2004, ''WesternAnimation/DonkeyKongCountry''), Takashi Nagasako (video games, 2004-present)

* BigGood: In ''VideoGame/MarioParty 5'' through ''Mario Party 9'', he acts as an exact opposite of Bowser, having minigames where everyone always gets coins, and sometimes even gives stars to people. This is particularly shown in ''Mario Party 6'', where DK Spaces are on a board during the day, and Bowser Spaces replace them at night. On [[OminousFloatingCastle Clockwork Castle]], DK walks around the board and gives stars during the day, while Bowser walks around and steals them at night.

* SuperStrength: He can carry and throw barrels easily, break through entire hordes of enemies with only his fists, and once ''punched the moon out of the sky'' (see MegatonPunch). The only characters in the Mario franchise (and spin-offs) who might be stronger, let alone come close, are Bowser and Petey Piranha, and the only Kong to be stronger than him is Chunky Kong. Mind you, this is ''including'' the likes of Mario and Wario, who can generally pummel creatures dozens of feet tall or weighing in hundreds of pounds with no issue.

* TookALevelInJerkass: The cartoon made him more selfish and egomaniacal. The ''Mario vs Donkey Kong'' series, [[CallBack for obvious reasons]], also has him play the antagonist role to Mario that Cranky once had, usually in a tantrum over not getting a Mini Mario toy.

* CharlesAtlasSuperpower: He's basically just a really strong ape. That said, [[spoiler: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LleGVbLHx2w he punched the moon out of orbit]]]].

* DependingOnTheWriter: Throughout the 90s and 2000s, it seems as though Nintendo and Rare couldn’t decide on if he’s Cranky Kong’s son (making him an older Donkey Kong Junior) or his grandson (making him Junior’s son), as both have gone back and fourth on it quite a bit. Since TheNewTens however, Nintendo has largely settled on him being Junior’s son. There are also occasional cases, such as some of the Mario spin-offs and ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'', where it’s heavily implied that the current Donkey Kong is the same Donkey Kong from the arcade games.

* ImprobableWeaponUser: At the end of Returns, [[spoiler: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LleGVbLHx2w he weaponizes the moon]]]]. In the ''Mario Baseball'' series, he uses a boxing glove when batting, while his baby self uses a banana.

* JackOfAllStats: In ''Donkey Kong Barrel Blast'', all of his stats are balanced. [[spoiler: Ultra Barrel DK however, is an outright GameBreaker as all of his stats are maxed out]].

* LikeFatherLikeSon: He’s definitely picked up at least some of his grandfather’s old habits if the ''VideoGame/MarioVsDonkeyKong'' series is any indication, much to Mario and Pauline’s displeasure.

[[/folder]]

* LikeFatherLikeSon: He’s definitely picked up at least some of his father’s old habits if the ''VideoGame/MarioVsDonkeyKong'' series is any indication, much to Mario and Pauline’s displeasure.

* DependingOnTheWriter: Throughout the 90s and 2000s, it seems as though Nintendo and Rare couldn’t decide on if he’s Cranky Kong’s son (making him an older Donkey Kong Junior) or his grandson (making him Junior’s son), as both have gone back and fourth on it quite a bit. Since TheNewTens however, Nintendo has largely settled on him being Junior’s son. There are also occasional cases, such as some of the Mario spin-offs and ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'', where it’s heavily implied that the current Donkey Kong is the same Donkey Kong from the arcade games, usually ignoring Cranky entirely.

'''Spinoff series:''' ''Characters/YoshisIsland'' | ''Characters/LuigisMansion'' | ''Characters/MarioGolf'' | ''Characters/MarioTennis'' | ''Characters/SuperMarioMaker'' | ''Characters/DonkeyKong'' [[Characters/DonkeyKong series]] ([[Characters/DonkeyKongKongs Kongs]] | '''Donkey Kong''') | ''Characters/{{Wario}}'' [[Characters/{{Wario}} series]] ([[Characters/WarioAndWaluigi Wario and Waluigi]])\\

'''Main characters:''' [[Characters/SuperMarioBrosMarioBrothers The Mario Brothers]] | [[Characters/SuperMarioBrosAllies Allies]] | [[Characters/SuperMarioBrosTheKoopaKingdom The Koopa Kingdom]] ([[Characters/SuperMarioBrosBowser Bowser]] -- [[Characters/SuperMarioBrosBowserJr Bowser Jr.]] -- [[Characters/SuperMarioBrosTheKoopalings The Koopalings]] -- [[Characters/SuperMarioBrosTheKoopaKingdomBosses Bosses]]) | [[Characters/SuperMarioBrosAssortedNasties Assorted Nasties]]\\

[[Characters/DonkeyKongKongs Kongs]] ('''Donkey Kong''') | [[Characters/DonkeyKongAllies Allies]] | [[Characters/DonkeyKongVillains Villains]] ([[Characters/DonkeyKongKremlingKrew Kremling Krew]], [[Characters/DonkeyKongTikiTakTribe Tiki Tak Tribe]], [[Characters/DonkeyKongSnowmads Snowmads]]) ]]-]]]

'''Other media:''' [[Characters/SuperMarioBros1993 The 1993 film]] ]]-]]]

* DumbMuscle: Donkey Kong is generally incredibly strong, but not too bright.