The list below is governed by each game's User Rating in our database and is subject to real-time change even after publication. Read on to find out more and see if Tropical Freeze, our original pick for number one, is still top banana...
While Mario is the undisputed man when it comes to all things Nintendo, let it never be forgotten that it was Donkey Kong who gave the plumber a leg-up in the world of video games. The ape's original game not only conquered the arcade and introduced the world to the character who would become Nintendo's mascot, it also saved the company and put it on the path to becoming the huge global concern and cultural icon it is today.
It's easy to forget just how many games Mario's erstwhile nemesis has to his name. From 1981's original Donkey Kong up to the present day, the ape and his clan have consistently featured in Nintendo games for more than four decades now. But what's the best Donkey Kong game?
Below you'll find every Donkey Kong game ranked from bad to brilliant. The ranking is based on each game's User Rating and is subject to real-time change — simply click on the star to rate any game on the list from 1-10 to have your say and influence the order.
We've included only games on Nintendo consoles, so you won't find obscurities like Donkey Kong 3 Dai Gyakushuu. We've also limited it to full games where the ape has a starring role — we'd be here all day if we included all of the karting and tennis games featuring the DK clan. We've also ejected the Game & Watch titles (which can be found digitally spread across various Game & Watch Gallery collections or DSiWare) and consolidated ports for the sake of brevity. DK and his crew have been in a whole bunch of games!
Enough monkey business. Let's take a look at the best DK games ever. Here w—, here w—, here we go!
28. Donkey Kong Jr. Math (NES)
Donkey Kong Jr. Math adds some arithmetic to the basic vine-swinging and platforming of Donkey Kong Jr. in a title that sucks all the fun out of both gaming and mathematics. It combines 'education' and 'entertainment' to make — you guessed it! — a terrible game. Think of the poor kid who got a launch NES console and this. There must have been at least one.
Don't feel too sorry, though. Boxed versions of Donkey Kong Jr. Math are worth a pretty penny these days, so silver linings and all that. The title makes the game sound dreary, and it very much is, but at least it delivers on the promise of its name, and a unique, surprisingly fun two-player experience is this retro curio's saving grace.
Previously available via Virtual Console, it's technically playable on GameCube, too, as it's one of the NES games included in the original Animal Crossing.
27. Donkey Kong Barrel Blast (Wii)
This DK racer really is bottom of the barrel. Originally a DK Bongo tie-in planned for GameCube, it got moved to its motion-controlled successor with the barmy bongo peripheral swapped for Wii Remote waggle. 'Bongo Blast' became 'Barrel Blast' and you shook your Wiimote and Nunchuk to accelerate.
Unfortunately, the racing is sluggish, the controls are hideous, and the visuals looked ropey even at the time. The fact that DK and Diddy featured in the excellent Mario Kart Wii only highlighted what a mess Donkey Kong Barrel Blast was. Developer Paon DP would do better with these characters in other games (King of Swing, Jungle Climber), but this was plain bad. The cover makes it look like the game could be fun. Trust us, it isn't.
26. Arcade Archives Donkey Kong 3 (Switch eShop)
If push came to shove, we'd personally prefer to sit down with Donkey Kong 3 over Donkey Kong Jr. purely for how it diverges from its predecessors in intriguing ways. Taking control of that most famous of Nintendo icons, er... Stanley the Bugman, you use bug spray to deflect the advances of flower fanatic Donkey Kong through your greenhouse. DK has enlisted an army of bugs and bees to keep you occupied while he makes off with your prize petunias.
Despite lacking the iconic gameplay and sound effects that have passed into video game lore, there's something oddly compelling about Stanley's battle against the headlining ape, and something a little sad in the knowledge that Stanley would vanish into obscurity afterwards. Well, that's not quite right; Stanley has had a handful of cameos over the years in games like Smash Bros. and the WarioWare series, but you rarely hear Nintendo fans clamouring for his return. Poor Stanley.
25. Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move (3DS eShop)
The first 3D entry in what to this point had been an exclusively side-scrolling affair, Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move translates the series' gameplay well to the third dimension, even if it doesn't really add anything to the basic formula. As you might have spotted from the title, the plumber and the ape have settled their differences this time around and are simply MC-ing things alongside Pauline here, thus diminishing Donkey Kong's presence somewhat. While the gameplay can sometimes become infuriating and feel a little unfair, MADMOTM (or 'mad-mottom', as nobody has ever called it but should) is still a fun time if you've got the patience for it.
24. DK: King of Swing (GBA)
With a lovely, pastel colouring to its art, DK: King of Swing takes the essence of Clu Clu Land and makes a decent game out of it. Using the shoulder buttons to swing around and grasp onto pegs throughout the jungle, this twist on DK gameplay is quite refreshing after so many standard 2D platformers and Mini-marching games. It's nice to see him doing something outside his usual wheelhouse which doesn't involve driving karts, smashing tennis balls, or swinging a golf club with one hand. It's not an absolute stone-cold classic, but DK: King of Swing is a fun little portable game and a breath of fresh air in amongst all his 2D platforming monkey business.
23. Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars (Wii U eShop)
Putting in an appearance on both Wii U and 3DS (the latter of which also received Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge which drew heavily on this series), Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars reverted back to 2D gameplay and gave us a taste of the enjoyable action-puzzler series in glorious HD for the first time. It's more of the same, although the Miiverse integration made sharing your workshopped levels a breeze, and when the base gameplay is this fun, it's easier to forgive how frequently Nintendo has gone back to its box of DK and Mario-shaped mechanical Minis.
22. Donkey Konga 3 (GCN)
The final, Japan-only entry in the trilogy, Donkey Konga 3 brought another bunch of banana-banging tracks a mere eight months after its predecessor debuted on Japanese store shelves. It's more Donkey Konga, which is never a bad thing. Trilogy remaster when?
21. Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Switch)
Mario vs Donkey Kong serves up a slick return to the 2004 GBA adventure that finds fresh fun in cooperative play. Yep, the new co-op mode really is the star of the show this time out and, alongside two new worlds, 'Plus' versions of each level, a Time Attack mode, and fancy new looks and sounds, there's plenty to dig into and enjoy with a core puzzle/platforming setup that has aged quite well. Just be aware that, if you're a more seasoned player looking for platforming challenges, this game finds its strengths as an experience for younger gamers or as a co-op title to enjoy with your kids. Taken as such, it absolutely earns a recommendation.
20. Arcade Archives Donkey Kong Jr. (Switch eShop)
The tables turned in this sequel to the arcade original, with Mario having kidnapped Donkey Kong this time, so it's up to Junior to rescue Kong Senior. We've had ports a-plenty over the years, but this Hamster's version of Donkey Kong Jr. enables you to flip your Switch into vertical mode for the most authentic experience you'll get outside an arcade. It's hard to argue that the base gameplay here hasn't aged, and you'll probably need a healthy dose of nostalgia and/or academic interest to get maximum enjoyment from it nowadays. There's definitely some retro fun to be had, but we can think of dozens of '80s classics we'd play before getting down with DKJ.
19. Donkey Konga 2: Hit Song Parade (GCN)
Following on less than a year after its predecessor, Donkey Konga 2: Hit Song Parade delivered more of the bongo-bashing same and essentially functions as a second song pack. It's still worth investigating if you're a rhythm-game gamer who didn't perish under a mountain of peripherals all those years ago.
Comments 51
Great list, that you also could recommend to newcomers.
Tropical Freeze is my personal favourite.
I hope we'll get a new Donkey Kong Country game soon.
I'd add the Mario Rabbids Donkey Kong dlc near the top. It's amazing and all DK
Top 3 is spot on, couldn't agree more
As much nostalgia as I have with the original DKC as my favorite, I’d say Tropical Freeze is technically the best DK game yet. Everything about that game is polished to a T. Gameplay, visuals, levels and especially the music are top notch.
I don’t understand why DK ’94 tops almost all the Countries. I played it and liked it, but I don’t think it should be so high compared to the Countries, and Mario vs. DK was actually the childhood game I have more attachment to.
DKC2 is definitely excellent, yet there are a few things I can nitpick. There’s random spikes in difficulty. I don’t like that we have to either beat the boss again or pay Funky banana coins just to leave a world. There’s no entirely underwater levels. Still a fantastic game, but I almost even prefer three. I love its northern mountainous atmosphere, Kiddy doesn’t bother me at all, it has actual underwater levels, and I can freely explore in and out of the world map. It might be basic compared to later games and the bosses are almost all just giant versions of enemies besides K. Rool, but when it comes to the overall presentation, I still personally prefer the original Country.
Donkey Kong Country 2 has never been beaten for me. I wish they had remade Donkey Kong 94 as it would look nice with some colour.
We need a new 2D Donkey Kong game.
Donkey Kong 64 11th yeah right. Such an underrated gem.
King of Swing is criminally underrated. It is in my top 10 GBA games, easy.
I want to love DK94, but I can't. Mediocre platforming and mediocre puzzling do not combine to make a great hybrid. As was said about Mario vs. DK in its recent review, DK94 is "fine."
@quinnyboy58 Yeah, too high.
For those of us with zero nostalgia for DKC2, is it really crème de la crème as I often see in Nintendo nostalgia rankings?
Where is Mini Mario and Friends amiibo Challenge?
I'll be honest, I've never played a DK country game. The only DK game that I have ever played was at the same time my first console game ever: DK64, and the nostalgia is huge with that one, I love it no matter what anyone says about it.
But I have been tempted to give Tropical Freeze a try for a long time, and considering how weak this 2024 year in gaming looks right now for all platforms, this may be the year.
If Tropical Freeze isn't the number 1 then its just wrong. Its the objectively best game. Probably one of the best games ever made. I rest my case!
Barrel Blast was called Jet Race here and honestly I didn't mind that game but my overall my favourite game here is to nobody's surprise Diddy Kong's Quest.
As long as number 1 wasn't DK64...the list is pretty good. I enjoyed the returns games a lot more than the country games. If you play them now I believe the snes country games just don't hold up anymore. I know it is sacrilege
I think we have to remove the nostalgia goggles because DKC Tropical Freeze is by far the best Donkey Kong game. It is actually the best 2D platformer I've ever played, and I've been playing since SMB 3.
DKC2 was very innovative at the time and the music is great, but the controls are a bit janky and unresponsive. You will also encounter some cheap deaths in some levels and the saving mechanic is very annoying.
This is what happens everytime with these lists. The top game ends up being whatever people are most nostalgic for lol
Tropical Freeze is easily my favorite. I do like the SNES games quite a lot, but both DKCR and TF are two of my favorite platformers of all time
Simple. The original Donkey Kong Country trilogy. Retro's entries aren't as inspired and controls are heavier.
As much as I love DKC2, for me the original is the best game. I reckon Tropical Freeze is the best of them all though.
It's a real shame we never got a new one for Switch. My only new DK experience this gen has been Arcade Archives DK.
It seems to be fashionable to hate on the new Mario vs DK for Switch, but no way is it a worse game than all of the Mario vs DK games that followed it (the minis games). And Barrel Blast and DK 64 should be a little higher on the list as well.
DKC 1-3 are THE DEFINITIVE platforming games of the SNES era. Yes, DKC2 trumps SMW, in my opinion.
Can't argue with number 1.
I had no idea Donkey Kong on gameboy was considered such a classic. Guess I overlooked it all these years assuming it was just a port of the og arcade game.
@Diowine it’s honestly the best platformer out there. Amazing challenge, the secrets levels are really hard but amazing if you manage to beat them. Except from the hidden levels you gain extra difficulty if you beat all the levels and can play only with a single king with no checkpoints. There is so much to do and the challenge is so much fun, that Tropical Freeze of s miles better to me than Mario Wonder, Rayman Legends or any other. I do t think it will be easily beaten.
Objectively DKTF is the best but i really wish they had gone for King K Rool as the nemesis. May just be nostalgia taking over but I just found the bosses a bit boring. For me tho the 3 DKC games are my top picks. The first one holds a special place in my heart as we were never a well off family with me being the youngest of 5 children. I bellyached for ages for DKC for christmas and i was told it was too expensive and would give me just 1 present. My parents along with my older brothers and sisters all clubbed together so i had it under the tree, along with other gifts. I remember crying and hugging them all. I was so happy that christmas. Now my parent are no longer here, every time i boot up a game with the ape in it i just think of that christmas and how lucky i was as a kid. Things we all take for granted until we get older,look back and wonder where the yime has gone. Kids and adults, never miss an opportunity to hug your parent and tell them you love them. Sorry for the life story 😂
@milliag Agree. I’ve been playing the Mario vs Donkey Kong remake and honestly at having a blast with it. Should be much higher on the list IMO.
@Kidfunkadelic83 Poor man, I send you a...
Wait a minute...
Kidfunkadelic83 wrote:
Personally, I'd put DK'94 at number one. It's the best DK game by a long shot. I'm also a little confused by the placement of the Mario vs DK Switch remake? Why is it so low?
@Znake great recommendation thanks. I have been looking for a nice 2D platformer Challenge for a while, something in the Celesteish style for example, or similar, and though Mario Wonder looks beautiful, the lack of challenge mentioned by mostly everyone made me look elsewhere.
@Diowine i can defenately say TF will challenge you, especially if your going for the collectables too. I remember having to step away from a couple of levels before i embedded my controller in to my TV😂
I'm glad to see DKC2 at the top. It's going on 30 years that it has remained in my top 10 games of all time, and I'm not a very nostalgic person. I've long since kicked out most "classic" games in favor of objectively better modern games, but DKC2 is like fine wine for me.
Even as much as I like the Retro Studio DK games, I think they pale in comparison to DKC2 (and even DKC3).
DK '94 is fun but overrated. I think that is an example of a game being highly rated due to very rose-tinted nostalgia glasses. I loved it back when I was 9 (when it came out) but returning to it now is a couple hours of bite sized fun that makes little lasting impression.
Tropical Freeze will be forever placed in my personal "Mount Rushmore" of platformers (and possibly games in general). That game never stopped being such a blast. It NEVER felt like a slog and/or "gotta get through this part so I can get to something better". It did such an amazing job of challenging me and making me pumped up for the next level. Once I 100% all the levels I was actually bummed out it was all over. And that doesn't happen very often.
The DKC games are all some of the best platformers ever made.
DKC2 is among the greatest video games ever created.
So the best game on this list only gets an 8.9 from users? I prefer lists made by people who know what they're talking about.
Nr one for me is still Tropical Freeze, and second the DK dlc for Mario Rabbids and third is DK country (og)
The right game won. Good.
For me, the OG Donkey Kong Country and Returns are my favorites, but all the Country series is great.
Haven't played the Mario vs DK games yet. I'll probably get the one on Switch at some point.
@Ganner Couldn't agree more!
No no no this is very bad list.
I always liked the first Donkey Kong Country better than the other two for the simple fact that you can’t play as Donkey himself in the sequels.
Maybe I'm in the minority here, but i found Mario and DK on 3ds as well as King of Swing to be excellent games, and ranking them so low seems wrong.
This list should have 1, perhaps even 2, more Donkey Kong games on it. Nintendo leaving Donkey Kong out in the cold for TEN years is absolutely the worst thing they've done this generation.
Switch has undoubtedly been a huge success by any measure, software included, but Nintendo's complete and utter mismanagement of Donkey Kong casts a significant shadow over it.
Jungle Beat has so much depth that most people probably never even scratched the surface of. It’s not a great game if you’re just trying to get to the end if the level, but if you’re a perfectionist trying to keep a combo going it’s arguably the best game ever with DK. So fun
Great list. I think you guys did DKC3 dirty, though. Fantastic game on par with DKC2 but probably less played due to timing vis a vis N64.
Tropical Freeze should be number 1.
@ManaOwls Tropical Freeze is such a fantastic game. The levels, the level design, The difficulty (it gets pretty dang hard but thats a very good thing for me it keeps me passionate about beating the game) and the music especially the Rocket Barrel stages omfg that Orchestra fast paced big band jazz that keeps getting more and more epic legit gives me goosebumps and the hair on my arms raise up. Just a fantastic game Iv been replaying it for the first time since I beat it on Wii U in like 2015 and just wow I need to replay this game atleast once a year. Its spectacular.
@Arcata Well sad and I wholeheartedly agree.
@Arcata Amen, brother (or sister or anything in between). Amen.
Yeesh. The monkeboi has been through some rough patches
@nocdaes Retro has been working on MP4 since the launch of the Switch. That's why there's no new DK game.
@batmanbud2 no that's not right I'm afraid. Retro were only put onto MP4 in January 2019.
Their last release was Tropical Freeze in February 2014.
It means two startling things...
1. February 2014 to January 2019 produced nothing from Retro. What did they work on? Did a DK game get panned? Was Star Fox GP actually real (lol) and got panned?!
2. Nintendo were so desperate with MP4 that they moved the production to a studio that themselves had produced nothing for FIVE years.
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