Line #182 YMMV/DonkeyKongCountry


1	This page is for YMMV in the ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry'' series as a whole. For individual games:
2
3	* ''YMMV/DonkeyKongCountry1''
4	* ''YMMV/DonkeyKongLand''
5	* ''YMMV/DonkeyKongCountry2DiddysKongQuest''
6	* ''YMMV/DonkeyKongCountry3DixieKongsDoubleTrouble''
7	* ''YMMV/DonkeyKong64''
8	* ''YMMV/DonkeyKongCountryReturns''
9	* ''YMMV/DonkeyKongCountryTropicalFreeze''
10
11	----
12
13	[[foldercontrol]]
14
15	[[folder: The games]]
16	* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: [[AwesomeMusic/DonkeyKongCountry Enough for its own page.]]
17	* BrokenBase:
18	** Fans either view the original [=DKC=] games as classics, or overrated [[FollowTheLeader Mario clones.]]
19	** The absence of King K. Rool and the Kremlings in Retro's titles has divided the fandom. Some are okay with their absence, arguing that it allows Retro's titles to stand out more from Rare's and that the new villain groups like the Tiki Tong Tribe and the Snowmads do a great job at further expanding upon the ''Donkey Kong'' universe and keeping the games fresh. Others, however, despise their absence, given how much of an iconic staple they are in the ''Donkey Kong Country'' franchise, and consider the Tiki Tong Tribe and the Snowmads to be [[ReplacementScrappy uninteresting and unsuitable replacements]] who don't do anything that couldn't have already been done with King K. Rool and the Kremlings.
20	* CommonKnowledge: The original trilogy was and sometimes still is lauded for demonstrating the [=SNES=]' 3D capabilities, when in truth the three games are just as 2D as ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld''. The graphics are not real-time rendered in 3D, but are sprites taken from 3D models that were rendered separately on a computer, with the smooth, mostly fluid movement simply being a matter of characters having plentiful "in-betweener" animation frames.
21	* CriticalDissonance:
22	** An interesting case, there are actually a substantial number of professional reviewers who dislike Diddy Kong, whereas among fans he is an extremely popular character.
23	** The GBA ports are much appreciated by critics, while long-time fans seem to criticize [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks each and every change they made from the original.]]
24	* DancingBear: While the SNES trilogy has always been loved for its super-fun gameplay, it's obvious that the main draw of the series in its heyday (and the obvious key to its staggering success) was [[SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome the superb pre-rendered CGI sprites]], which were nothing short of jaw-dropping for a SNES game, and all without any add-ons or even a Super FX chip. This ironically became a criticism of the game, saying it wouldn't have been as loved or fun without the graphics—-which prompted Rare to develop the ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongLand'' series on Platform/GameBoy (and later successfully porting the first ''DKC'' onto Platform/GameBoyColor) which kept the solid gameplay of the consoles intact, in spite of the inevitable downgrade to 8-bit (but still first rate for handheld) graphics. In hindsight, while the graphics are dated now, the series (particularly the first two) are still acclaimed as legitimate platformer classics, once again owing to their still first-rate gameplay, and the appealing cartoon art has helped take the burden off the dated CGI.
25	* DemonicSpiders:
26	** Kabooms from ''Donkey Kong Country 2''. If you're even a second late from jumping, they run right into you and explode. Black/dark gray Klobbers steal lives away from you on contact. Their cousins, the Klasps, which are found in both ''Donkey Kong Country 3'' and ''Donkey Kong Land III'' also qualify.
27	** Zingers are lethal on contact and cannot be harmed except by projectile attacks or while under the effect of an invincibility barrel. ''[=DKC2=]'' introduces reinforced red Zingers that can only be killed with TNT or invincibility. The Buzzes in ''[=DKC3=]'' serve the exact same purpose.
28	* FanNickname:
29	** "[[MemeticMutation Dong]]" for DK himself.
30	** [[{{Spoonerism}} Kiddy Dong]] for Diddy Kong, for basically the same reasons people call DK "Dong".
31	* FandomEnragingMisconception:
32	** The Donkey Kong featured in the DKC games and the modern Mario spin-offs is not the Donkey Kong from the original arcade games. The original arcade DK is explicitly confirmed to be Cranky Kong, with modern DK being a LegacyCharacter who inherited the name from Cranky. Trying to suggest otherwise is a good way to raise the hackles of ''DKC'' fans. Not helped by Nintendo themselves saying this in the early 2000s with Donkey Kong's bios in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros64'' and ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosMelee'' saying that he first appeared in the original arcade games and the back of the ''VideoGame/MarioVsDonkeyKong'' box saying "For the first time in ages, Mario faces off against his original foe!". ''VideoGame/MarioSuperstarBaseball'' was the first Nintendo game to say that Cranky was the arcade game Donkey Kong with ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosBrawl'', ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosForNintendo3DSAndWiiU'' and ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'' keeping it up for GrandfatherClause (Cranky Kong's Spirit Battle in ''Ultimate'' is against a white-furred Donkey Kong with the 25m Music playing).
33	** People will often mistake Diddy and Dixie for siblings. They're supposed to be an OfficialCouple. This bugs fans, especially shippers.
34	* FandomRivalry:
35	** ''DKC'' has something of a fandom rivalry with Nintendo's more mature, anime-styled niche franchises, especially ''VideoGame/KidIcarus'' and ''Franchise/FireEmblem''. Part of this rivalry was due to the perception that ''DKC'', once revered as one of the most revolutionary and popular series in gaming, was shafted in favor of ''KI'', ''FE'' and similar franchises, with the latter in particular getting a huge popularity and marketing boost in TheNewTens. ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' helped matters due to the relative amounts of character representation of each of the series, with the highly demanded King K. Rool failing to make the cut. As such, many ''DKC'' fans are bitter over this relationship and lash out at ''KI'' and ''FE'' for being "niche", appealing to "weebs" and veering away from the quirky, cartoony aesthetic of ''DKC'' and [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros its flagship parent series]]. This, in turn, incenses ''KI'' and ''FE'' fans who bash ''DKC'' for its "kiddy" feel[[note]]even extending it to ''Mario'' in some cases despite the series normally being a SacredCow among Nintendo fans[[/note]] and for the alleged "overrated" nature of its games and characters, arguing that ''DKC'' itself became somewhat niche after its debut. This has been toned down since the ''Kid Icarus'' franchise hasn't been getting a lot of attention after ''for 3DS/Wii U'' and King K. Rool becoming a newcomer in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate''.
36	** The series ''used'' to have one with ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'' after the revival of the series by Retro Studios turned out to be much more successful than the hated ''VideoGame/MetroidOtherM'', which caused the revival to get a sequel making ''Metroid'' fans angry of how Donkey Kong is "stealing the spotlight" away from ''Metroid''. Once ''Metroid'' got two new games announced at E3 2017, however, the rivalry died down. It helps that in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'', there's almost always a ''Donkey Kong'' newcomer for each ''Metroid'' newcomer.
37	** Within the franchise, there is a rivalry between the Creator/{{Rare}}-developed games and the Creator/RetroStudios-developed games. Fans who prefer the Rare games tend to criticize the Retro games for their LighterAndSofter tone, cartoonish art style, changes to gameplay, and emphasizing loud action over the quiet ambience of the original games. Fans who prefer the Retro games consider them better for their more modern art style, gameplay, and emphasis on action while considering the Rare games dated and simplistic.
38	* FriendlyFandoms: This has started to develop with the ''VideoGame/CrashBandicoot'' series over time, as both series feature cartoony animals who live on tropical islands and are often famous for [[NintendoHard tough-as-nails]] platforming.
39	* GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff:
40	** The Japanese love [[SurferDude Funky Kong.]]
41	** The series itself may not be a complete example because Donkey Kong originated in Japan, but the ''Donkey Kong Country'' games did very well in Japan despite their Western developers. The third game actually sold significantly more in Japan than it did overseas, probably because it was a SNES game released after the Nintendo 64, and unlike everywhere else, Japan tends to continue supporting consoles even after their successors come out.
42	* HypeBacklash: At the time of the series' initial release, the massive amount of publicity and hype centered almost entirely around the impressive graphics, with little attention paid to anything deeper. As a result, it became [[http://web.archive.org/web/20081018083938/http://archive.gamespy.com:80/articles/september03/25overrated/index18.shtml popular]] in the following decade to refer to it as "overrated", with "unspectacular" or "standard" gameplay. However, in the years since that time, the game has actually undergone something of a ''re''-re-appraisal, as more critics have come to realize that the gameplay actually ''is'' quite well-designed and creative, and that the game remains fun and memorable to this day even without the fancy visuals.
43	* ItsShortSoItSucks: A common complaint about the first ''Donkey Kong Country''. It is more often the main complaint about ''Donkey Kong Land 1'' and ''3''.
44	* ItsTheSameNowItSucks: The main criticism of ''Donkey Kong Land 2'' and ''3'' is that they're basically watered down ports of ''[=DKC=] 2'' and ''3'', with nothing to truly make them stand out from their console counterparts. The first game doesn't get this as much, as while it certainly recycles content from the first ''Country'' game, it also has a share of original content to give it its own identity.
45	* LGBTFanbase:
46	** The Kremlings, basically since their inception, but the MediaNotes/FurryFandom has made them into icons of BaraGenre artwork that emphasizes their masculinity and/or muscles. K. Rool and Krusha, in particular, are loved by furries and muscle enthusiasts. The gay fanbase got an exponential boost thanks to K. Rool's appearance in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'', against all expectations.
47	** Funky Kong is another icon of the fanbase, but to a lesser extent than the Kremlings. Ironically, Donkey Kong himself, while still popular, doesn't come close to Funky in this regard.
48	* LoveToHate: [[BigBad King K. Rool]] is a despicable tyrant who [[BadBoss abuses his minions]] and is perfectly [[WouldHurtAChild willing to kill children]]. However, his [[BewareTheSillyOnes goofy, yet intimidating demeanor]] and [[AdiposeRex iconic]] [[MadEye design]] make him one of the most memorable and well-liked antagonists in the ''Mario'' canon.
49	* MagnificentBastard:
50	** ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'': Snide was once King K. Rool’s chief technician who helped him create the Blast-O-Matic to destroy DK Isle, but when he was fired by K. Rool out of paranoia, Snide sought revenge. Secretly collaborating with the Kongs to put a stop to K. Rool’s plans, Snide is able to stall the Blast-O-Matic’s firing process long enough for them to stop the machine and eventually ensure K. Rool’s defeat.
51	** ''VideoGame/DKJungleClimber'': [[NeverSmileAtACrocodile King K. Rool]] aims to steal the Crystal Bananas to take over the universe. To this end, he and his men steal them from benevolent alien Xananab and flee before the Kongs arrived to investigate, leaving both parties to mistake each other as enemies and wreck the ship. Throughout the game, he stays one step ahead of the Kongs, using the Bananas to power up his minions to distract the Kongs, at one point luring them into a trap and leaving in his space ship before they got out. Eventually being cornered, he tricks the Kongs into preparing to fight him and escapes to Xananab's home world, fighting the Kongs when they follow and find him, first by replicating Donkey Kong's moves, and then by using the Banana to grow big and try to crush the Kongs.
52	* MemeticLoser: Despite being the franchise's namesake, Donkey himself occasionally gets this treatment. In the SNES trilogy, he's only been playable in one game and has been [[BadassInDistress kidnapped]] twice. When he ''is'' playable, players tend to treat him as being outclassed by the other Kongs due to them being more agile (and platforming-friendly) and/or having more tools at their disposal (to the point that they're basically mobility powerups for Donkey in the ''Returns'' series single-player, and there's nothing he can do that they cannot on their own, which is a far cry from ''Donkey Kong Country 1'', where his advantage over Diddy was being able to defeat sturdier enemies with stomps). This even extends to games outside the franchise, like ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'', where Donkey is consistently a LowTierLetDown.
53	* MemeticMutation:
54	** Expand Dong[[labelnote:Explanation]]A type of parody image that chops up letters from the ''Donkey Kong'' games' packaging and rearranges them to form outrageous (and often outrageously sexual) statements, going on to be applied to other media franchises as well over the years.[[/labelnote]]
55	** To a lesser extent on Tumblr, "Do not forget this ape."
56	** Funky Kong ASMR[[labelnote:Explanation]]A parody of ASMR videos where Funky Kong gives the listener encouraging advice in a sensual-sounding whisper, punctuated by other stock ASMR sounds like chewing gum.[[/labelnote]]
57	** The Great Ape War.[[labelnote:Explanation]]A nonsensical, nonexisting event that's often brought up when dicussing Donkey Kong worldbuilding, which is well-known for its high disregard for consistency.[[/labelnote]]
58	* MisBlamed: Creator/ShigeruMiyamoto is often credited to saying "Donkey Kong Country proves that players will put up with mediocre gameplay as long as the art is good." This is a shame, especially since [[BeamMeUpScotty he probably never actually said that.]] He stated in a [[https://web.archive.org/web/20100621150550/http://wii.ign.com/articles/110/1100039p3.html 2010 interview]] that he does like ''[=DKC=]'', saying that he worked closely with Creator/{{Rare}} on the project. He also was instrumental in Retro Studio's revival of the series in TheNewTens.
59	* MorePopularReplacement: Chunky Kong had a much more warm reception by fans after he replaced his brother Kiddy Kong, in turn, allowing to play as the tank role without making [=DK=] unplayable and also for having a more captivating personality than Kiddy, who was just an ordinary baby personality-wise.
60	* MorePopularSpinoff: More people seem to be familiar with this series than the original ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong''.
61	* SugarWiki/MostWonderfulSound:
62	** The "AAUGH" noise that some enemies make when being defeated is always good for a laugh. Especially when it echoes.
63	** Also, when you have one Kong, and you are traversing a tough level, the sound of a Kong in a DK barrel makes a great HopeSpot.
64	** The chimes you hear when you reach the goal of a level also count.
65	* PopularityPolynomial: The series was huge in the mid-90s, with both critics and gamers praising it to no end. While ''[=DKC3=]'' may not have had the impact the first two games had[[note]]it was, after all, released two months after ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'' - by which time, 2D platformers were perceived as a thing of the past[[/note]], the series remained popular, though the critical praise tapered a bit drawing closer to the TurnOfTheMillennium. Sometime during the mid-2000s, HypeBacklash set in, and it became trendy among critics and gamers to badmouth the series. Most retrospectively attribute this to spite over Rare's decision in late 2002 to leave Nintendo for Microsoft, while others point to a well-publicized quote supposedly from Shigeru Miyamoto, proclaiming that the series was all graphics and no gameplay. Either way, the ''Donkey Kong Country'' series found its way onto many "Most Overrated Games Of All Time" lists and was seen as a prime example of all that was wrong with the mid-90s shift to 3D. Fortunately, the backlash subsided greatly after ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryReturns'' became a massive critical and commercial success. And the series' reputation has, since, returned to greatness among critics and gamers.
66	* PopularWithFurries: The original SNES trilogy and 64, thanks in no small part to the Kremlings.
67	* RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap:
68	** Squawks went from being virtually useless in ''[=DKC1=]'' to fulfilling a vital role in ''[=DKC2=]''. Also, Squawks' purple PaletteSwap (named Quawks, according to ''Donkey Kong Barrel Blast'') goes from being just a prop in ''[=DKC2=]'' (and blue) to a playable character with a separate, equally useful moveset in ''[=DKC3=]'', able to grab barrels and use them instead of shooting eggy-nut dealies. In ''Returns'' and ''Tropical Freeze'', Squawks can hint the player on where hidden puzzle pieces are. For many beginning players and completionists, Squawks is frequently purchased in shops.
69	** Tiny Kong, thanks to her [[MsFanservice complete redesign]] in ''VideoGame/DiddyKongRacing'' for the Nintendo DS which earned her quite a few fans in the process, especially those who already liked her personality but hated [[SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute how she was essentially a clone of Dixie.]] Though averted with some who liked her cute younger design, and were rather unsettled at seeing a kid character suddenly fanserviced up.
70	* SacredCow: After surviving its PopularityPolynomial in the 2000s and being revived in 2010, the ''Donkey Kong Country'' series has managed to build an incredibly loyal fanbase, with many within proclaiming the games to be among the best and most tightly-designed 2D platformers ever made.
71	* ScrappyMechanic: Happens in all games except ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'' (more commonly occurring in the ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongLand'' trilogy due to hardware limitations), when any of the character(s) fall down from a great height faster than the game can keep up with them. The game mistakenly thinks you fell down a bottomless pit, resulting in you losing a life. Have fun repeating part of the level again due to FakeDifficulty! This was fixed in the GBA ports, since the GBA has a more powerful processor than the SNES.
72	* SoBadItsGood: The little-known novel adaptation of the first game (dramatic reading available [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1DNfP9LItU here]]). While nobody expects a children book based on a mostly plotless videogame to be a great work of literature, it doesn't make the stiff dialogue and repetitive plotting any less amusing.
73	* {{Squick}}: Tiny Kong's redesign, to some. The aging and fanservicing up of an underage character disturbed a few fans, while others are repulsed by the idea of making an ape attractive at all, though the latter case is not to the same degree as Candy Kong.
74	* SugarWiki/SweetDreamsFuel: "Aquatic Ambiance" from ''[=DKC1=]'' is often a big favorite among fans for its relaxing nature. Special mention goes towards the remix from ''Tropical Freeze'', thanks to modern technology. Listen [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9blO1zCCy8M here.]]
75	* TheyChangedItNowItSucks: The redone graphics for the GBA ports of ''Donkey Kong Country 1'' and ''2'' were received poorly by both critics and fans and are considered to be a blight on what are otherwise considered to be {{Polished Port}}s. This is in part due to the colors getting brightened and oversaturated with the darker levels receiving new brighter colors in order to make them visible on the GBA (which at the time, was notorious for its dark screen). While this was understandable, many felt the saturated and brighter colors came at the expense of and ruined much of the atmosphere of the original games. This does not apply to the port of ''3'' as it largely remains faithful to the SNES version (thanks to being released around the GBA SP, which had a front/backlit screen), although some people still think the overworld art looks pretty cheap and plastic-y.
76	* UnintentionalUncannyValley:
77	** Many of the original trilogy's renders have not aged very well and in fact can look rather grotesque, mainly because they attempted to look simultaneously cartoony and realistic. For example, [[https://www.mariowiki.com/images/9/93/Klump_DKC_art.png Klump's saggy manboobs]] or the [[https://www.mariowiki.com/images/a/a9/Manky_kong.jpg Manky Kong's everything]].
78	** Some find Candy Kong and post redesign Tiny Kong to fall into this territory, due to their more humanlike proportions compared to the other Kongs.
79	* SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome: Back in the day, the graphics were absolutely amazing, and they still hold up remarkably well today. And more amazing is that the games didn't use any add-ons, or even the SNES Super FX chip; everything you see on-screen is done on the actual hardware![[note]]If you're wondering how, it's because the graphics aren't 3D models rendered in real-time, but are rather well-animated sprites created from rendered 3D models.[[/note]]
80	* VocalMinority: Most of the ''DKC'' fandom is fairly peaceable and [[FriendlyFandoms gets along well with other Nintendo fandoms]], and is always happy to share memories and [[MemeticMutation memes]] from their series. One wouldn't know this from looking at King K. Rool's extremely vocal cult following in the ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' fandom, which has been known to not only attack other franchises, but also ''Donkey Kong Country'' games that don't feature K. Rool (even deriding the [[EvilIsCool widely-loved]] [[VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryTropicalFreeze Snowmads]] just for [[ReplacementScrappy not being the Kremlings]]).
81	* UnderusedGameMechanic:
82	** After the SNES trilogy, the role of the [[PowerUpMount animal buddies]] [[DemotedToExtra decreased greatly]]. ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'' only features Rambi the rhino and Enguarde the swordfish, who appear in one main level each (Rambi also appears in the final level, while Enguarde gets a minigame); you don't get to ride them either, your Kong just transforms into them. Rambi is the lone buddy in ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryReturns'' and ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryTropicalFreeze'', and he appears in just three or four levels in each game. (While Squawks is also present in both of the games, his only role is to guide the Kongs to the locations of the jigsaw pieces instead of being ridable).
83	** The fact that ''Donkey Kong himself'' was only playable in the first entry of the SNES trilogy baffles many fans. Thankfully later entries do a better job compromising extra characters and DK himself.
84	[[/folder]]
85
86	[[folder: The cartoon]]
87	* AccidentalAesop: "Kong for a Day" has one thanks to Diddy Kong's ineptitude as ruler when King K. Rool attacks: "A capable, unpopular leader is better than a popular, incapable one."
88	* AccidentalInnuendo: In some of the songs.
89	** "Our Love is Stronger than a Golden Banana" [[MemeticMutation has a rather]] [[http://youtu.be/RYh0mKQmWfM?t=19m42s infamous line.]]
90	** Cranky's lesser-known, but still unfortunate line about anyone who "[[DoubleEntendre takes the banana.]]"
91	** "Yes Means No," if taken out of context.[[note]]The proper context is that Diddy is trying to help with DK's nerves over proposing to Candy by convincing him that she is not being dead serious about expecting DK to marry her[[/note]]
92	--> '''Diddy:''' ''Yes means no and no means yes, it should be rather obvious!''
93	** [[https://youtu.be/QzNR3l-3dRc Hey Dix!]][[note]]It's meant to be a shorthand for "Dixie".[[/note]]
94	** The episode title "A Thin Line Between Love and Ape" is meant to be a play on the movie ''A Thin Line Between Love and Hate'', but considering what "ape" rhymes with, and the fact that the episode partially revolves around Bluster brewing a love potion to force Candy to marry him...
95	* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation:
96	** Many fans likes to view Krusha's GeniusBruiser personality from "Speed" as his true self.
97	** In [[ItsAWonderfulPlot "It's a Wonderful Life,"]] [[spoiler:Diddy is the future tyrant of Kongo Bongo without Donkey Kong around. Fans started to view Diddy's selfish behavior in previous episodes ("Kong for a Day" especially) as his evil side slipping into view.]]
98	** Thanks to the VHS release of "The Legend of the Crystal Coconut" (which was actually a compilation of the titular episode, "Bug-A-Boogie", "Booty and the Beast", and "Ape-nesia") airing the episodes out of order, which resulted in one of the flashbacks in "Ape-nesia" appearing before the actual event, some fans imagine that Diddy Kong can see the future.
99	** Does Candy Kong genuinely love Donkey Kong [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold despite her constantly butting heads with him]], or is she [[GoldDigger only in it because of his future status]] as ruler of the island? In "From Zero to Hero" she even considers marrying Bluster when he claims she'll inherit his wealth once he supposedly dies, giving some fuel to the latter fire.
100	** The [[MacGuffin Crystal Coconut]] itself is prone to this. Considering that it tends to grant wishes and requests no matter if they're good or bad, willingly promotes Diddy as future ruler in "Kong for a Day" and has even allowed a {{Jerkass}} like Bluster to consult it, it may not be as benevolent as the Kongs assume, being ChaoticNeutral at best.
101	* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: A surprising amount of the songs are actually REALLY good, even the ones with ''incredibly'' stupid lyrics.
102	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtGL5yKdSCk "I'm Nobody's Hero"]]
103	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3G5_rwvIi8 "King K. Rool's Finest Hour"]] is a fun, ominous villain song that's perfect for K. Rool's debut VillainSong and is usually considered his definitive one.
104	** Apart from Diddy's grating singing voice, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9-g7zRpayw Metal Head is actually a genuine catchy song, even if it does more or less steal from Daft Punk.]] This has even led to [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6-H2VSV1EY fan-made edits of the song]] that cut out Diddy's lyrics entirely.
105	** Every song featuring Captain Scurvy, especially [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACR1ODcds9Q Pirate's Scorn.]] It even got its own [[https://youtu.be/L2gTs_fbC1g brilliant rock-based cover]] from Scottish pirate metal band Music/{{Alestorm}}. As an added bonus, said band also named the album it featured on -- ''Curse of the Crystal Coconut'' -- after the {{MacGuffin}} from the cartoon.
106	** Most songs featuring Donkey Kong. Sterling Jarvis (the singing voice for Donkey Kong sans for "Our Love is Stronger Than a Golden Banana") has an ''excellent'' singing voice, making the songs sound like actual songs from the 90's.
107	** [[https://youtu.be/wj7bXE4ucow?t=52 "Bluster the Benevolent"]] actually has very powerful hooks that make you feel like you're watching an opera.
108	* BadassDecay: Every character except for Cranky, who's frankly more proactive than his game counterpart:
109	** Downplayed for Donkey Kong himself. He still retains his SuperStrength, but he's been [[AdaptationalDumbass turned into an idiot]].
110	** The cartoon frequently portrays Diddy as a TagalongKid who lets Donkey do most of the heavy lifting and is only occasionally useful at best (and outright TheLoad at worst) despite his role as the co-star of the first ''DKC'' and then main character of the sequel. Dixie is perhaps even worse, since she's so underused and her few appearances barely explore her ActionGirl qualities.
111	** King K. Rool in the games was a capable fighter who was able to abduct members of the Kongs several times. Here he's an IneffectualSympatheticVillain who is typically taken out with a single punch from DK.
112	** Krusha and Klump. In the games they're {{Elite Mook}}s who pose a problem when encountered, especially if you don't have DK (they're immune to Diddy's jump attacks). Here, Krusha is presented as rather threatening in the pilot, but after that is relegated to a slow-witted DumbMuscle henchman, and Klump is only mildly smarter in exchange for being far less physically impressive.
113	* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: "Bug A Boogie," when after Cranky laughs about the SnipeHunt he sent Donkey and Diddy Kong on, we cut to Skurvy's ship, where a song and dance routine is taking place. People tend to remember the song before the context. The songs themselves can be seen as [[BigLippedAlligatorMoment these moments.]]
114	* CantUnHearIt:
115	** For fans that grew up with the cartoon, Creator/BenedictCampbell is the iconic voice of K. Rool. It helps that K. Rool barely got voiced dialogue anywhere else, ''and'' Campbell gave a memorable performance. So much so that the crew behind the animated ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5-X58Tw6RQ&t Pirate's Scorn]]'' video created a follow-up titled ''WebAnimation/ReturnToKrocodileIsle'' that features Campbell as K. Rool alongside multiple other voice actors from the show. Needless to say, the fans ''loved'' it.
116	** Many also have this view of Creator/AronTager's performance as Cranky Kong in the show, since the voice compliments Cranky's role as the GrumpyOldMan perfectly. This was exacerbated in 2023 when Creator/FredArmisen gave a poorly received performance as Cranky in ''WesternAnimation/TheSuperMarioBrosMovie''.
117	* CultClassic: The show wasn't much of a hit (outside Japan at least), lasted only two seasons, and is basically forgotten compared to the far more well-known games that inspired it. Despite this it maintains a cult following that celebrates its bizarre animation, offbeat humor, and surprisingly good songs. It's often hailed as being far more entertaining than its poor reputation suggests, though not necessarily [[SoBadItsGood for the right reasons.]]
118	* DesignatedHero:
119	** Donkey Kong can slip into this at times. He is ''extremely'' stupid and tends to be selfish too, which very often leads to foolish, short-sighted decisions that cause a lot of problems for everyone.
120	** Candy Kong is a {{Tsundere}}, but tends to be so ''tsun'' that she often comes off as a {{Jerkass}} to everyone, especially Donkey Kong.
121	** The Kongs in general hold the IdiotBall so often that it can sometimes be hard to sympathize with them in episodes like "Vote for Kong-fidence" where they conveniently forget that K. Rool is the BigBad and put down DK for reasons besides his lackluster candidacy.
122	* EnsembleDarkhorse:
123	** Despite only appearing in a few episodes, Skurvy and his pirates are very well-remembered. They're basically the same type of TerribleTrio as K. Rool, Klump, and Krusha, but they manage to be genuinely intimidating and come off as far more dangerous and competent, while still being very funny and wacky.
124	** Also Dixie Kong, who maintains her popularity from the games and is considered criminally underused in the show.
125	** And then there's [[spoiler:Evil Diddy]] from [[ItsAWonderfulPlot It's a Wonderful Life]]. Villains were already quite popular on this show, but this guy is just epic.
126	** Leo Luster, [[spoiler:Bluster's alternate identity]], has a decently sized fanbase for the single episode he appeared in.
127	* EvilIsCool: The Kremlings may not be able to steal the Crystal Coconut they want, but they steal the ''show'' on account of being far funnier, cooler, and generally more entertaining to watch than the Kongs. They also tend to get better songs.
128	* FanNickname: Website/DKVine members like to call the show Lord Harry. The person who coined it did so initially to distance it from the games, feeling it was a bad show, though the members who like the show, or at least warmed up to it, started using it as an AffectionateNickname more than anything.
129	* FoeYayShipping: K. Rool using a love potion to turn DK and Candy into his servants.
130	* FountainOfMemes:
131	** The show's aberrant character models and animation coupled with contrastingly catchy and competent songs were both more than enough to grant memetic infamy to this otherwise unremarkable tie-in cartoon.
132	** The show's iteration of [[BigBad King K. Rool]] is the biggest one of the bunch, ''especially'' after the game version's inclusion in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate''. His [[EvilIsHammy hammy nature]], amusing faux-posh accent and surprisingly good {{Villain Song}}s led this version of the Kremling King being almost as big of a meme as [[WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehog AoSTH Robotnik]], causing a strong case of CantUnHearIt within the fandom.
133	* FridgeBrilliance:
134	** The fact that Klump and Skurvy have the same model makes perfect sense when you realize that Scurvy was based off of the in-game enemy from ''Donkey Kong Country 2'' named Kannon which was essentially Klump from the first game with a cannon and dressed in pirate gear. This is further justified when you also learn that [[spoiler:Skurvy is Klump's big brother.]]
135	** Another one involving Skurvy. In his debut episode, he had a pet parrot named Polly Roger. But when next we see Polly, he works for King K. Rool. Some fans have been wondering why Polly would work for K. Rool, especially considering that [[EvilVersusEvil K. Rool and Skurvy don't like each other]]. But we learn a very interesting fact about Polly in his last appearance "Speak No Evil, Dude." Aside from the obvious fact that he has ChronicBackstabbingDisorder and "would sell his own mother for a single cracker," it turns out Polly carries the highly contagious (and terminal) "Kongo Bongo Gone Wrongo" disease. It's possible that Skurvy got rid of Polly because he or his crew got infected by this bird's disease, or they otherwise heard about it. Suddenly, [[TheExile the unexplained switching of sides makes sense.]]
136	* FridgeHorror: In the pilot episode, Krusha is considerably more intelligent than he in all other episodes. Since the last we see of him in that episode is getting beat up by DK, it's possible that the beatdown ''gave him brain damage.'' A later episode then gives an x-ray of his body. His brain is actually missing from his skull, being down by his gut instead. It's possible that it got dislodged during the beatdown, [[ArtisticLicenseBiology seeing as this is a cartoon]]. The episode ''It's a Wonderful Life'' even supports this theory, as the Krusha found in the dream reality where DK never existed is significantly smarter than the actual Krusha, implying that Donkey Kong had ''something'' to do with it.
137	* GeniusBonus: The pronunciation of King K. Rool's name in the show being "King Kuh-rool" seems like a mispronunciation, until one realizes that that's how his name actually ''is'' pronounced in Japanese. It also makes his PunnyName more obvious.
138	* GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff: The show was so popular in Japan that it spawned its own unique merchandise line over there, including a collectible card game that not only featured elements of the show, but also from ''Donkey Kong 64''.
139	* HamAndCheese: While most of the voices come across as being rather flat and/or obnoxious, it's made clear that Benedict Campbell and Donald Burda are having an absolute ''blast'' with their roles as K. Rool and Bluster Kong respectively.
140	* HarsherInHindsight: At one point in "Speak No Evil, Dude", Klump misinterprets a sickly King K. Rool as wanting him to blow up the island. [[VideoGame/DonkeyKong64 It turns out Klump wasn't far off.]]
141	* HilariousInHindsight:
142	** In "Vote of Kong-fidence," DK briefly imagines himself in a boxing ring, wearing red boxing gloves, just like in his appearance as the {{superboss}} in the Wii version of ''VideoGame/PunchOut''. He can also fight King K. Rool in a boxing ring in ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64''.
143	** During the memetic "I'm gonna be a Star" sequence, Donkey Kong sings about wanting to drive around in a big fancy car. With ''VideoGame/MarioKartWii'' having the [[http://www.mariowiki.com/images/0/08/Honeycoupe-DonkeyKong.png Honeycoupe]] and ''VideoGame/MarioKart8'' getting a Mercedes-Benz as DLC, he finally got his chance. From the same song, Cranky Kong sings about how he's gonna "be a smash". Later, he would appear as a background element in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosMelee'' and later still, a spirit in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate''.
144	** In the opening scene of "To the Moon Baboon," DK briefly inquires whether there are [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4f9m4OYkCY bananas on the moon]].
145	** Also from "To the Moon Baboon," Diddy demonstrates his musical skills with a home made drum. [[VideoGame/DonkeyKonga Come 2004...]]
146	** "It's a Wonderful Life" has Diddy being the villain instead of King K. Rool. Maybe that tidbit serves as decent inspiration for [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p21YVXoHDuU this.]]
147	** A Kong with martial arts skills named Kong Fu appears in one episode of the same name. Nearly a decade later, another martial arts-based kong (Karate Kong) is an enemy in ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongJungleBeat''. And in the original Japanese version and the French release, Karate Kong is named Kong Fu.
148	** In "From Zero to Hero," Krusha and a Kritter mention meeting a "very cute lizard." Almost a decade later, ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongBarrelBlast'' has a female Kremling (Kalypso).
149	** "Follow that Coconut" begins with DK and Diddy talking about an annual soccer game with the Kremlings. Donkey Kong would later go on to be playable in [[VideoGame/MarioStrikers three soccer video games]], with Diddy also appearing in the later two. And the goalies in the first two games are Kritters.
150	** "From Zero to Hero" features King K. Rool's VillainSong, ''"My Finest Hour"''; which is an apt description of his inclusion in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'' 20 years later.
151	** Another ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' example: Diddy Kong had a stint as a notorious HighTierScrappy in the fourth game, and his infamous KO combo was known as the ''Hoo-Hah''. In the context of Smash, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=przv1sTtxm0 the theme song may as well have been about Diddy]].
152	** Green Kroc is a black recolor of the Kritter model with different clothes, a [[HalfDressedCartoonAnimal tattered pair of pants]]. In ''DK: King of Swing'', Kritters would be redesigned to wear little more than tattered pants.
153	** In the episode "Ape-nesia", Donkey Kong lost his memories from hitting his head and Skurvy takes Donkey Kong in with his crew, convincing him that he's a croc. Nearly two decades later in ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPandaLegendsOfAwesomeness'' we see the premiere of "Po The Croc" where yet again, a mammalian CGI hero, Po, loses his memory and is convinced he's a croc in a gang of villainous crocodiles, courtesy of Fung and his Croc Bandits.
154	** In one episode, Donkey Kong takes King K. Rool's crown, prompting an angry K. Rool to chase the Kong to get it back. In ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'', K. Rool can have his crown stolen by other players when he uses his side special, which will likely end up causing the exact same thing to happen.
155	** DK's excitement at being a movie star is this when, many years after the show's end, he would be on the big screen for real in ''Film/{{Pixels}}'' and ''WesternAnimation/TheSuperMarioBrosMovie'', the latter of which has him voiced by actual movie star Creator/SethRogen.
156	* HoYay:
157	** Several jokes implying that the Krocs are gay pop up in "Four Weddings and a Coconut."
158	** Klump and Krusha have their share throughout the show. In "Hooray for for Holly Kongo Bongo" their audition for Bluster's movie has them re-enacting the famous ending to ''Film/{{Casablanca}}'', complete with Krusha wearing a frilly pink hat and Klump holding Krusha in a romantic fashion.
159	** In ''A Thin Line Between Love And Ape'' K Rool tests Bluster's Love Potion out on Klump directly, making him speak of his undying affection towards his king. He even seems to be satisfied with the results until Klump starts getting a bit too forward, sounding like he himself is getting too excited by Klump's advances.
160	* JerkassWoobie:
161	** King K. Rool occasionally treaded around this territory. Sure, he's trying to take over the island and would probably kill the Kongs without hesitation, but he's SurroundedByIdiots and is an IneffectualSympatheticVillain. With all the abuse and misery he puts up with, you kinda pity him after a while.
162	** Bluster Kong also. He may be a greedy MamasBoy, but being a ButtMonkey is never fun, and it's shown that Bluster can be a JerkWithAHeartOfGold when he really has to.
163	** Eddie the Mean Old Yeti deconstructs this considering that he ''is'' mean, it's highly implied that his time alone on the White Mountains has made him GoMadFromTheIsolation which actually makes him [[TheWoobie a woobie]] at the same time.
164	* JerksAreWorseThanVillains: Diddy and Candy are more disliked by fans than the actual villains of the show, King K. Rool and Kaptain Skurvy. Despite being Donkey Kong's closest friends and allies, they are prone to mistreating him, sometimes for little or no reason. This is one of the main contributors to RootingForTheEmpire below.
165	* MainstreamObscurity: The number of people who've actually watched the show for its plot likely pales in comparison to the number of people who know about the show due to its FountainOfMemes status, courtesy of its bizarre animation, zany quotes, and surprisingly catchy songs.
166	* MemeticMutation:
167	** K. Rool screaming "'''WHYYYYY NOOOOTTTT!!!???'''" from "Bug a Boogie." [[note]]Used as a general reaction to something that the user wanted to happen but isn't happening for whatever reason[[/note]]
168	%%** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S86XCXalbSE WEEEELLLLLL LISTEN HERE WHILE I MAKE IT CLEAR]] (Zero-Context Example)
169	** A video called "OH MY GOD WATCH OUT DK" features a snippet from "Kong for a Day" with DK singing "I don't know what's happening to me" edited to look like a plane crashes into DK. There are variations that either have a character dubbed with DK's voice suffering similar disasters or people's reactions to the original video.
170	** "You may spank it... once."[[labelnote:Explanation]]A parodic caption attached to a photoset of Donkey Kong sitting on a dock, highlighting his weirdly pronounced butt in that shot. The photoset is a popular subject of further parody regarding characters with similarly large rear ends, sometimes depicting others attempting to spank them.[[/labelnote]]
171	** "I'll shower you with coconut cream pies"[[labelnote:Explanation]]A line from "Our Love is Stronger Than a Golden Banana" that gained attention for its AccidentalInnuendo factor, thanks to both the second, NSFW meaning of "cream pie" and Donkey Kong's sultry expression right after he sings the line. Consequently, the line's popular to quote among fans of the cartoon, often in connection to the franchise-wide "Expand Dong" meme.[[/labelnote]]
172	%%** I'm gonna be a star!/WE'LL BE DRIVING AROUND IN A FANCY CAR (Zero-Context Example)
173	** The show as a whole has reached minor memetic status, thanks to the bizarre animation, expressions and storylines, and the rampant insanity of the show in general, having spawned several {{YouTube Poop}}s.
174	** It was particularly common to reference the cartoon on Website/{{Twitter}} after King K. Rool was announced for ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate''.
175	** [[https://tenor.com/view/donkey-kong-mine-cart-ride-dispair-diddy-kong-gif-22844465 This gif]] tends to be used in instances describing a group of people riding in a vehicle and leaving after something disappointing, or even [[BlackComedy horrible and traumatic]], such as a group of people in the MediaNotes/FightingGameCommunity heading out after participating in a tournament and getting zero wins between all of them, or a family returning home after going out to an event that turned out to be terrible.
176	** "[[https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/man-it-hurts-to-be-this-hip Man it hurts to be this hip]]" from [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9B0-HFkpT4 Leo Luster's song]] is often paired with [[TotallyRadical failed attempts at appearing hip]].
177	** "Why did I use up my best material on this shindig?!"[[labelnote:Explanation]]In "Message in a Bottle Show", after Donkey Kong realizes he's not actually being elected the future ruler, everyone realizes they threw a farewell party for him for nothing and leave, with Diddy wondering why he even bothered telling jokes at it. The scene is commonly edited to make it sound like Diddy's [[CurseCutShort trying to swear before getting cut off]]. One edit even has it cut to the credits to make it seem like this CurseCutShort is what the GrandFinale of the series ends on.[[/labelnote]]
178	%%** Everything from WebVideo/UncleAl's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mUOymWLCqE Donkey Kong Country Abridged]]. And the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gvPvQP5B9k second one]]. (Zero-Context Example)
179	** "That's nuts. I had no idea he was real"[[labelnote:Explanation]]A comment on a Platform/YouTube video of a behind-the-scenes look at Medialab, the studio behind this show, in which DK is superimposed on top of a crate while speaking with an employee. Comes up in other instances where fictional characters appear in a real-world environment.[[/labelnote]]
180	* MoralEventHorizon:
181	** K. Rool's dirtiest trick came in "The Curse of Kongo Bongo." Magical chain letters are sent to all the Kongs, with a curse that if two people read them, the Crystal Coconut will lose its powers and the island will sink into the ocean. DK unknowingly reads his letter before he finds out what it is, and the rest of the episode concerns him and Diddy getting the rest of the letters before anyone can read theirs. K. Rool gets his hands on Cranky's spellbook which has his letter in it, and when Cranky explains the curse to him to make sure he doesn't read it by accident, K. Rool threatens to read it if Cranky doesn't give him the Crystal Coconut. Cranky points out they're ''all'' doomed if the island sinks, but K. Rool doesn't care. And if you think he's just bluffing, no; when Diddy and DK invade his lair to get the spellbook and letter, ''he reads it'', and then begins to panic when the island begins to sink. K. Rool wants the Coconut so badly, he would doom the entire island and everyone on it, including himself and his Kremlings, to get his claws on it.
182	** Bluster crosses this in "A Thin Line Between Love And Ape," where he wants to use a LovePotion to make Candy fall in love with him. When DK found this out, boy, [[BerserkButton was he pissed]]. [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness And DK is usually pretty easygoing and friendly most of the time]]. Not helping was, once again, the Crystal Coconut -- you know, the MacGuffin of this show -- actually giving Bluster the recipe for said love potion.
183	** Polly Roger crosses this in "Speak No Evil, Dude." It's revealed he carries the highly contagious "Kongo Bongo Gone Wrongo" disease. He knew full well biting Diddy Kong would spread the disease, yet he did it anyway. He also clearly was enjoying Donkey Kong struggling with his SadisticChoice between saving his best friend or the island. The threat of the island being blown up could have been prevented, but Polly held his tongue [[EvilIsPetty because K. Rool insulted him, and for no other reason.]] Not helping was the fact that, much like K. Rool in "Kong for a Day," Polly was a KarmaHoudini after all of this. Kinda makes you wonder why he's not a member of Kaptain Skurvy's crew anymore...
184	** While Krusha is normally a moronic PunchClockVillain, his GeniusBruiser persona in "Speed" crosses it with his plan to kill Donkey Kong. [[WouldHurtAChild He tricked Dixie and Diddy]] into a mine cart that had no brakes -- and a bomb rigged up on it that would detonate when it stopped -- and told Donkey Kong about it with the intent to kill all three of them. On top of that, he was willing to [[TheStarscream let K. Rool go down with them]], calling him ''disposable''. [[EvenEvilHasStandards Even Klump was appalled]].
185	* SugarWiki/MostWonderfulSound: DK's singing voice. Especially noticeable anytime he has to sing along with Diddy.
186	* NarmCharm: The whole show can count as this. Even with the writing being wildly inconsistent in quality and the animation being incredibly primitive, these can make the whole show an absolute treat to watch, with bits of legitimately good slapstick, wit and dialogue to help. Also, depending on who you ask, some of the songs fall into this category purely because of just how ''good'' they are for a show about Donkey Kong.
187	* NightmareFuel: DK's description of the bog monster.
188	* NightmareRetardant: ''"Follow that Coconut"'' features a scene where K. Rool grabs Diddy and ''dangles him over a sheer cliff'' [[WouldHurtAChild with the full intention of dropping him to his death if DK doesn't give him the Crystal Coconut.]] This would've been terrifying for young viewers, if the whole hostage situation hadn't been negotiated ''[[https://youtu.be/RFZzMbI-mSo through a rap.]]''[[note]]However, said rap does sound legitmately intimidating [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjarPq9dW98 when combined with Crocodile Cacophony]] from ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry2DiddysKongQuest.''[[/note]].
189	* OnceOriginalNowCommon: The show was one of the first to use MotionCapture technology as a primary animation technique. Impressive and revolutionary in mid-90, completely ubiquitous and vastly improved two decades later.
190	* OneSceneWonder: Bluster's SuperMode, Leo Luster, only appeared in a single episode late in the second season, but is beloved for his memetic factor.
191	* RootingForTheEmpire: K. Rool and his minions completely steal the show on account of being far cooler, funnier, and just more entertaining to watch than the Kongs, and this goes double for Skurvy and his crew who are a legitimate threat to the island and yet still rather funny, ''and'' both Skurvy and K. Rool get great {{Villain Song}}s. Between the villains being so much fun, and the Kongs being various shades of inept, stupid, or {{Jerkass}}es, one can find themselves hoping that some day the Kremlings will triumph.
192	* TheScrappy: This show's version of Candy Kong is wildly disliked for [[{{Jerkass}} always getting mad at Donkey Kong at the slightest provocation, even if Donkey Kong had nothing to do with it]], and [[EntitledBastard yet acting entitled to his help whenever she needs it]]. Even if she does have PetTheDog moments once in a while -- like, for example, the ending to "Speed" -- people still hate her for her rude, ungrateful and generally insufferable personality. It doesn't help that [[AdaptationalUgliness she has an ugly character design which barely resembles her game counterpart]]. Notably, [[CreatorsPest even Erika Strobel, the most prolific writer on the show, hated her]].
193	* SignatureSong: The two most well-remembered songs from the show are "Our Love Is Stronger Than a Golden Banana" for its [[MemeticMutation infamous]] [[AccidentalInnuendo "I'll shower you in coconut cream pies,"]] and "I'm Nobody's Hero" for being a genuinely good song and TearJerker moment compared to the rest of the show, to the point where it doesn't even feel like a cartoon song when taken out of context. "Finest Hour" has joined the ranks as well, especially after King K. Rool was announced for ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate''.
194	* SoBadItsGood: With early mo-cap CGI making up all the animation, how surreal and absurd the whole show is, and how hilariously bad the writing and story was, quite a lot of people look back on the show fondly, or even go out of their way to watch it for the first time, just how weird and funny the whole thing is.
195	* SpecialEffectsFailure:
196	** Oftentimes, a character's mesh will end up clipping with itself (especially noticeable with the model used for General Klump[=/=]Captain Skurvy) during the first season. The second season, while having noticeably stiffer looking movements less detailed textures, generally avoided this. The animators also seem to have taken a page from ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'' and made the body parts separate from each other.
197	** When Cranky, Diddy and K. Rool confront DK for supposedly putting the Crystal Coconut on a rocket bound for the moon in ''To the Moon, Baboon!'', Candy, Dixie and Bluster are all frozen, and don't move or emote. This was possibly done to avoid overloading the primitive mo-cap software with too many unique instructions at the same time.
198	* SuspiciouslySimilarSong:
199	** The last few measures of "Metalhead" sound a lot like Music/DaftPunk's "Around the World."
200	** The melody of "Bluster the Benevolent" is a variation of "Ding Dong Merrily On High."
201	** "Pirates' Scorn" bears a strong resemblance to "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8G_L9tXEwmc The Last Saskatchewan Pirate]]" by the Canadian comedy band The Arrogant Worms.
202	* TearJerker:
203	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtGL5yKdSCk "Nobody's Hero"]], which DK sings after K. Rool's machinations get him alienated from his friends.
204	** "Klump's Lumps," as well as Klump's song in the episode.
205	** "The Kongo Bongo Festival of Lights" cements Klump's status as a JerkassWoobie, showing him alone for the holiday season as the rest of the Kremlings excitedly leave for the holiday season to visit their loved ones, and being incredibly lonely and depressed, made worse by being unable to remember the end of a poem that's his only link to his long-lost family. Klump's song, "I Got No Family Tree," just drives it home even more. [[spoiler:Fortunately for him, he's reunited with his long-lost brother Skurvy before the episode ends.]]
206	** The entirety of [[ItsAWonderfulPlot "It's a Wonderful Life"]], which takes the premise of "Kong for a Day" and turns up a few notches. The other Kongs act like {{Ungrateful Bastard}}s towards DK and berate him for accidents he never intended (such as breaking Funky's board, causing the barrels at Bluster and Candy's factory to collapse and throwing Diddy's lucky ball too far). Cranky's case is even more noteworthy, as he is mad at DK for giving the [[MacGuffin Crystal Coconut]] an extra layer of protection ''even though Cranky was aware of how dangerous the Coconut was and how K. Rool could use it for evil''! DK then sleeps through the day, only to find all the Kongs angry at him ''because he slept through a dinner where he was the guest of honor'', and they all give up on him and tell him that they'd be better off without him. Poor DK leaves the island, singing about his feelings of rejection until he gets knocked out by a tree branch. He hallucinates Eddie (referred as the "Guardian Angel Yeti") showing him a world in which he never existed, in which Bluster and Candy have been married, Diddy is a tyrant and the new [=MacGuffin=] is a papier-mache lilypad guarded by the Kremlings. But even after DK pleads to Eddie to bring him back to existence, [[InSpiteOfANail things turn out the same way]] and his klutziness causes everyone to be mad at him once again, with the enemy Kongs and Kremlings forming an EnemyMine taking their wrath out on DK. Eventually, Donkey Kong wakes up and realizes that it was AllJustADream, the Kongs apologize to him for being mean earlier and [[EasilyForgiven the conflict is resolved]] [[EarnYourHappyEnding and it ends on a happy note]].
207	** DK's DespairEventHorizon moment in "Kong Fu", where he [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone realizes that his laziness]] might cost him the annual Donkey Kong Challenge and is certain Kong Fu will [[CurbstompBattle utterly destroy him]]. Even Cranky, who's hard on him at the best of times, clearly feels sorry for him.
208	* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter:
209	** Dixie Kong, despite her overall popularity, had the least amount of scenes in the show out of all the main characters.
210	** The Pirates only show up for a few episodes despite [[EnsembleDarkhorse stealing the show]] in most of their appearances. Notably, they disappear entirely after the first episode of Season 2.
211	** Upon getting hit by a minecart in ''Speed'', Krusha turns into a [[TheStarscream power-hungry]] GeniusBruiser that proves to be [[KnightOfCerebus far viler and more competent than K. Rool]]. Despite loads of potential, this would offer to shake up the show's dynamic, Krusha [[StatusQuoIsGod returns to normal after receiving another head injury]] with his more vile personality never resurfacing.
212	** The ''Country'' games had a wide array of supporting characters and bosses that could've appeared but the show only features 6 Kongs from the games, with K. Rool being the only boss to appear. While this can be partially explained by the limitations of CGI at the time [[note]]''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'' for example, could only have 12 Transformers on the show at a time[[/note]], the fact Dixie is the only character who debuted after the first ''Country'' game to appear is still disappointing.
213	* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot:
214	** "Raiders of the Lost Banana" concerns Donkey Kong stealing the Golden Banana from the Temple of Inka Dinka Doo, enraging the idol. K. Rool exclaims the Golden Banana has powers to rival the Crystal Coconut, and when DK returns it to the temple at the end of the episode, Polly Roger steals it for K. Rool. Cranky reveals that anyone intending to use the Banana for evil will be cursed with misfortune, which prompts a GilliganCut to K. Rool's lair exploding. While Inka Dinka Doo becomes a supporting character, the Golden Banana and its curse are never mentioned again.
215	** "It's a Wonderful Life" has an example. [[spoiler:Dixie is noticeably absent from this alternate universe. This is predictable given her rare appearances, but with Diddy as the evil tyrant of this world, and the series making it clear that they're in a relationship, one can imagine how cool it would have been to see her as his "evil queen."]]
216	** Song example: In "The Big Switch-A-Roo," one of the songs sung in that episode is titled "Metal Head." Yet despite the fact that it's the same as the name for fans of metal music...it's a hybrid of electronic music and rock music.
217	* UnintentionallyUnsympathetic: Some consider Donkey Kong to be this "Its A Wonderful Life", at least when compared to "Kong For A Day" another episode where everyone got angry at him. In "Kong For A Day" he was framed for all of the bad things by King K. Rool, the other Kongs rejected his attempts to apologize and refused to even let him explain his side of the story. In "It's A Wonderful Life" on the other hand, he actually did do the things that everyone was mad at him for, and instead of at least trying to apologize, he just made excuses and ran away, so the others had every reason to be angry with him. And when he sees what the world would have been like if he wasn't around, the narrative doesn't explain WHY Donkey Kong's absence turns Diddy into an evil dictator. It also shows that Candy would have been happy to marry Bluster and the Crocs are good without his presence (even Krusha is more intelligent), all implying that the world is in fact better off without him.
218	* ValuesResonance: "Speak No Evil, Dude", the episode in which Diddy avoiding his vaccination causes him to contract a deadly disease, hits closer to home in light of COVID-19.
219	* SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome: For its time, the CGI was quite something to behold. It still is today, but for ''[[UnintentionalUncannyValley all]]'' of the wrong reasons.
220	* TheWoobie: General Klump is generally the ButtMonkey of the show, so it's intended he gets this reaction. "Klump's Lumps" and "The Kongo Bongo Festival of Lights" completely cemented this status.
221	[[/folder]]

Context YMMV / DonkeyKongCountry