22 Best Donkey Kong Games, Ranked

Donkey Kong may have been Mario's first antagonist, but he quickly became one of Nintendo's most likable heroes. DK's games ranged from platformers in his early days to puzzle infusions and rhythm franchises. Despite a shortage of recent entries in the character's canon, he remains instantly recognizable to most gamers worldwide. Maybe looking back at the 22 best Donkey Kong games ever will serve as an earnest request to Nintendo: please don't forget the semi-dim-witted ape when searching for the next big hit of the season!

1 Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (2014)

There will never be a better 2D sidescrolling Donkey Kong title than Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze. Retro Studios perfected the format of the classics on the SNES, refined the mechanics from the 2010 predecessor Donkey Kong Country Returns, and even successfully recruited original Donkey Kong Country composer David Wise back into the fold. This game is platforming nirvana, plain and simple. 

2 Donkey Kong 64 (1999)

Nostalgia plays a little into the ranking of this niche Nintendo 64 platform game, but it also stands on its own two feet without melancholy remembrances of childhood. There's always one more item to collect or a minigame to play in this Rare-developed classic that pulls many elements from the more accomplished and acclaimed Banjo-Kazooie. 

3 Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (1995)

While the first Donkey Kong Country revolutionized gaming, the sequel expands on the gameplay elements we love. The game features crisper platforming, a more complicated and engrossing soundtrack, and the removal of Donkey Kong as a playable character. You can thank the last decision for introducing Dixie Kong and her unique ability to fly with a ponytail. 

4 – Donkey Kong Country Returns (2010)

After developing the Nintendo GameCube's best franchise (Metroid Prime), Nintendo gamers celebrated hearing Retro Studios would revive the SNES Donkey Kong Country series for a new generation. With modern graphics and an even higher difficulty level, this game is not for the faint of heart! 

5 – Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! (1996) 

Gamers have forgotten the third and final Donkey Kong Country game on the SNES, maybe because it came out after the Nintendo 64 shoved the previous generation console into the back of the dusty closet. That doesn't mean it's not an incredible game. Filled with new platforming mechanics, animal buddies, and jungle atmospheres, Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! has a little bit of everything (even some ingenious environmental analysis).

6 – Donkey Kong Country (1994)

Perhaps the most replayable game in the entire franchise, Donkey Kong Country introduced the character to a whole new audienec. The pre-rendered graphics and weighted platforming stand out from all other SNES games. The game also started a nearly decade-long partnership between Rare and Nintendo in which the second-party developer created many of Donkey Kong's best games. 

7 – Donkey Kong (1981)

It's the arcade classic that started it all! Gamers still play and enjoy Donkey Kong over 40 years after its release. DK plays the villain of this one, as Mario tries to climb up ladders and through the ape's bastion of barrels to free Pauline (a precursor character to Princess Peach). This game is still re-released on a myriad of consoles and gaming platforms today.

8 – Mario vs. Donkey Kong (2004)

A puzzle-platform game for the Game Boy Advance that pays homage to the original Donkey Kong, this little gem pits Mario against DK just like in the olden days. Besides this nostalgic storytelling approach, the gameplay is quite addicting. Players traverse a set of traps and hurdles on each level set by Donkey Kong, and brain teasers and physics-based jumping replace Mario's typical platforming prowess.

9 – Diddy Kong Racing (1997)

All the cool kids played Diddy Kong Racing back in the late 1990s! Rare's alternative to the Mario Kart series wasn't originally supposed to feature Donkey Kong's sidekick in the lead, but it served the game all the better. A more diverse set of vehicles and stages set this racer apart from its peers on the Nintendo 64 and PlayStation 1. 

10 – Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis (2006)

Two key gameplay differences make this game a worthy sequel to Mario vs. Donkey Kong: the Nintendo DS touchscreen makes for more interactive puzzles and user interface, and the decision to make the playable characters the Mini Marios instead of Mario himself. Also, the graphical upgrades of the DS make the colors and levels pop off! 

11 – Donkey Konga (2003)

Nintendo always enjoys a good gimmick, and they often turn out to be ingenious! Fans didn't expect a game like Donkey Konga when they heard about a GameCube DK game, but it's one of the best party experiences on the console. Beating the bongo drum peripheral to the sounds of classic rock and pop music with Donkey Kong aesthetics in the background makes for a great music game.

12 – Donkey Kong Jungle Beat (2004)

The bongo drums originally intended for Donkey Konga also served as a surprisingly good controller for a platform game. Donkey Kong Jungle Beat represents Nintendo's way of saying to fans who wanted an old-school DK game, “We see you.” Players control Donkey Kong through many of his classic environments in the jungle, but the rhythm of the drums gives the jumping and enemy-bashing a different kind of cadence.

13 – DK Jungle Climber (2007)

The sequel to DK: King of Swing, this improved follow-up uses the added screen of the Nintendo DS to give gamers more room for Donkey Kong to platform, climb, and swing around the jungle. The gameplay stands out for its unique puzzle elements of the grid structure, as aimlessly going from one section of knobs to another doesn't yield good results. Swinging from one chunk of land to another takes calculated thoughts and creative ideas. 

14 – Donkey Kong Jr. (1982)

If you ever want to play against an antagonistic Mario, look no further than Donkey Kong Jr. Mario has DK trapped, and players control Donkey Kong Jr. in a quest to free him. Most of the arcade platforming is intact from the first game, but some included climbing and new enemy types, making the experience very entertaining. 

15 – Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again! (2009)

The development and growth of the Nintendo DSi system owe a debt to the third game in the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series. The system's downloadable game marketplace featured Minis March Again!, and the game's level editor is a novel Nintendo design copied in the future by games like Super Mario Maker. 

16 – Donkey Kong Land (1995)

Donkey Kong Land epitomizes a legacy game. This means it's an essential title in gaming lore, but it's not exactly that much fun decades later. The game is a watered-down version of Donkey Kong Country released for the original Game Boy. Back in the day, a game like this was intended to make the player feel the same rush of adrenaline they would feel playing a console game. The graphical capabilities of the period failed to make this a reality, but the game should be appreciated for its effort. 

17 – DK: King of Swing (2005)

Apes swing around the jungle and climb on trees, so it makes sense Nintendo would make a game dedicated to DK's authentic lifestyle. The gameplay makes sense, with geometric sections roaming through the air while Donkey Kong spins in a circle on each piece of a platform. The game is the perfect little experience to play on the go with the Game Boy Advance. 

18 – Donkey Kong Land 2 (1996)

A year after Donkey Kong Land, the technology of the Game Boy hadn't improved, and hence the sequel presented no actual enhancements over the first game. The game only satisfied Donkey Kong die-hards, but at least the game shows Nintendo was trying to maintain the character's relevance in the mid-1990s.

19 – Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! (2010)

As the fourth game in the series, Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! starts to show some repetition, working against its favor. Fans who thoroughly enjoyed the first three games will still get the same puzzle platforming they've come to expect, and fans who didn't own a DSi appreciated this cartridge release. 

20 – Donkey Kong 3 (1983)

Donkey Kong's third outing doesn't rank as one of the better games in his canon, but it does provide some variety for those who want to try the ape amid a different genre. The game is a shooter, and Donkey Kong returns to being the antagonist after serving as the hero of Donkey Kong Jr. The playable character (surprisingly not Mario) is tasked with shooting a hanging Donkey Kong from underneath a couple of ropes amidst a mass attack of bugs.

21 – Donkey Konga 2 (2004)

Donkey Konga‘s success shouldn't have necessarily warranted a sequel, but cash is cash, right? Nintendo tried to capitalize on the first game with a whole new set of songs, such as “All Star” by Smash Mouth and “Losing My Religion” by R.E.M. Several new modes add a little more meat to the game, but playing the first game will suffice for most.

22 – Donkey Kong: Barrell Blast (2007)

Donkey Kong's first game of the Wii era is a racing title taking advantage of motion controls such as the Wii Remote. Originally a GameCube release with the bongo drum peripherals, the change in controls and consoles left many fans wondering why the finished product looks and feels rushed.