Missing No More? Diddy Kong’s Surprise Appearance in DK Bananza

By now, we’ve all heard about Donkey Kong Bananza since its debut during Nintendo Direct’s livestream. Yes, yes, we’re all excited, yay Donkey Kong! BUT, something is missing! Or someone, to be more precise, Diddy Kong. Donkey Kong’s sidekick (or relative, we can talk lore another time). In the newest Mario Kart, Mario Kart World, Diddy Kong was suspiciously absent from the roster of racers (but they have a rando cow? really?)

To make matters even worse, he hasn’t even shown up in any of the Donkey Kong Bananza trailers, something that many fans are salty over! The main title that he should be in, and they haven’t shown him! Talk about letting the fans down, Nintendo!

There’s a Small Bit of Hope!

They Casually CHANGED THE THUMBNAIL of a news video they uploaded 2 days ago with 2 NEW RENDERS INCLUDING DIDDY
byu/Big-daddy-Carlo indonkeykong

However, thanks to an awesome Reddit user (nay, hero) who spotted something interesting in an updated thumbnail on the Original Switch’s News app. That interesting something was featuring Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong! Rejoice! 

The original thumbnail used the design that many would recognize as the Rare redesign of Donkey Kong back in 1994, which is when Diddy Kong was created. Now, the thumbnail shows us the new design of DK (that we’ve already seen so, NEXT) as well as the new render of Diddy Kong! Yes, he got a new look as well! 

Diddy Kong Rocking the New Look

Okay, while his transformation isn’t as in-your-face as DK’s, there are some changes that many fans of the franchise will notice. Let’s go over the details:

• What’s Stayed the Same:
  • He’s still a short King (Kong, heh)
  • Signature red long-bill cap and red t-shirt with yellow star
  • The potbelly that probably came from eating too many bananas 

• What’s Different:
  • The retractable teeth that Rare created or nowhere to be seen, he now sports a nice set of pearly whites
  • More space between his eyes, which means we can see him making more expressions (admittedly,y this will probably be hilarious)
  • The Nintendo log is absent from his hat (which boo because now we can have him a a conspiracy nut away of the Matrix that is Donkey Kong)

Final Thoughts

So, YAY, Diddy Kong has not been left by the wayside, forgotten to time like your childhood toys in the back of the closet! This could also mean that Diddy Kong will make an appearance in the new Bananza game. Fans aren’t even mad about the redesign, it’s kind of hard to be when Kevin Bayliss (former Rare designer and the one who redesigned DK back in 94) gave his official “Yep, that tracks” and greenlighted the newest iteration of the DK designs!

“Thank you Nintendo for improving your Diddy Kong character, and being sympathetic towards my original design. They both now look better than ever. I can now rest in peace.”

So, we are all waiting (impatiently, some might say) for Donkey Kong Bananza to release so that we can finally settle the question of Diddy Kong’s existence in the new version of the DK universe!