We’re over a barrel now… Beat your suspiciously smooth chest and descend from the canopy, because it’s time to talk about one of gaming’s oldest icons! David and Sam zoom in on two time periods that distinctly represent the “mid-point” of DK’s life from today: the Country-seasoned heyday of a life in the Rare barnyard, and Nintendo’s subsequent attempts to re-bottle that lightning in a post-buyout vacuum. No need for an Expansion Pak, because there’s plenty of developer deep-dives, Kiddy Kong cross-sections, and more tangents than you can shake an ostrich at. Bananaaa slamma!

Find us at: https://gamertime.online/

Special thanks to Jammin’ Sam Miller for their Donkey Kong Country soundtrack restorations as used throughout the ep!

Topics discussed: Ultimate Play the Game, Rare, Ltd., Donkey Kong Country 1-3, Donkey Kong Land 1-3, Donkey Kong 64; Nintendo vs. Namco, the DK Bongos, Donkey Konga 1-3, Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat, DK: King of Swing / Jungle Climber, the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series

Also mentioned: House Flipper, “Groverhaus”, Control, the Nintendo Switch 2, Balatro, The Zachtronics Solitaire Collection, Mindwave; E3 2010, the ZX Spectrum, Slalom, Donkey Kong Jr. Math, Popeye no Eigo Asobi, Donkey Kong ‘94, Donkey Kong Country (GBC/GBA), Yooka-Laylee; It’s Mr. Pants, Donkey Kong Racing, Banjo-Pilot, Taiko no Tatsujin, Ele-Conga, Odama, Plesschen Twist & Paint; the New Play Control! Series, “Bull Beat” (UE5 tech demo), Beat Nebula, Squat Bot; Paon, Clu-Clu Land, Heave-Ho, Turnip Mountain, Nintendo Software Technology

Music used:

Fanfare, Title Theme, Simian Segue [from “Donkey Kong Country”] - David Wise, Eveline Novakovic
DK’s Island Theme [from “Donkey Kong 64”] - Grant Kirkhope
Chuckie Egg Theme - Nigel Alderton
Forest Interlude [from “Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest”] - David Wise
Treetop Tumble [from “Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong’s Double Trouble”] - Eveline Novakovic
DK Rap [from “Donkey Kong 64”] - George Andreas, Grant Kirkhope
Song Select [from “Donkey Konga”] - Junko Ozawa, Jesaan
Hint Movie [from “Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat”] - Mahito Yokota
Pirate’s Scorn [from “Donkey Kong Country” (TV series)] - Ron Rubin, Pure West Music (2023 remaster by Josi Molina)

Further reading:

“Developer Lookback: A Rare Breed” - Retro Gamer #20, pg. 26-33 (Darran Jones et. al, 2006)
“The Evolution of Donkey Kong Country” - Retro Gamer #237, pg. 18-27 (Rory Milne, 2022)
“A Rare Celebration” - Retro Gamer #250, pg. 18-43 (Paul Drury et. al, 2023)
“Return of a Legend: Rare co-founder Tim Stamper on the past, present and future” - MCVUK (James Batchelor, 2015) [available at: https://web.archive.org/web/20230925222428/https://mcvuk.com/development-news/return-of-a-legend-rare-co-founder-tim-stamper-on-the-past-present-and-future/]
“Nintendo's Project H.A.M.M.E.R: The Untold Story” - Unseen64 (Liam Robertson, 2015): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lMLRIwiB_c