The Kongversation: Donkey Kong Universe Discussion

DK Vine's love/hate relationship with the Mario Party franchise has been well-documented on the Kongversation and elsewhere, so what happens when we get a Mario Party "greatest hits" package that focuses heavily on nostalgia for the Nintendo 64 trilogy? We discuss and debate the return to Mushroom Village, as well as all of the Kong-based representation in the game!

Our journey with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has come to an end. Hyle and Mitchell sentimentally reflect on one of the wildest content cycles for any game we've ever covered. We also ponder what could possibly be next for the Smash franchise!

The Kongversation geeks out over Fangamer's new RareRacers merchandise line, kicking off with Banjo and the first-ever Timber the tiger merchandise!

The Kongversation connects the dots and lays out the case for why Donkey Kong Country fans should be happy, seeing as how we're on the verge of the greatest time for the franchise since the 1990s. Featuring insights on the purported new game, the movie, and the just-announced theme park! Co-starring Josh "The Geek Critique" Wallen!

DK Vine teams with The Cartoon Gamer to have a Kongversation about the big DKU stories of the September 2021 Nintendo Direct: Banjo-Kazooie on the Nintendo Switch and Seth Rogen and Fred Armisen as Donkey and Cranky Kong in Illumination's Super Mario movie!

The Kongversation navigates a four-hour voyage across the waters of chat as we discuss the epic crossover between Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean and Rare's shared universe. Spoilers ahoy!

D.M. Cumbo, the mind behind Dreamprism Press and the author and artist of Yooka-Laylee and the Kracklestone, joins us once again on the Kongversation for a chat about the creation of the graphic novel, collaborating with Playtonic, and why you should VOTE FART.

In honor of the Grand Tome Edition available now at Limited Run Games (https://www.limitedrungames.com/products/yooka-laylee-and-the-kracklestone-graphic-novel), the Kongversation tackles the official Yooka-Laylee graphic novel, Yooka-Laylee and the Kracklestone! How did the work change the way Hyle and Cameron view Yooka-Laylee, and why is it worth the time of any longtime fan of the DKU?

The Kongversation is joined by two fathers of the Donkey Kong Universe: the designer of the modern Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong, Kev Bayliss, and legendary composer David Wise. They're on the podcast to chat about their careers (including Donkey Kong Country, Diddy Kong Racing, and Star Fox Adventures) and also their new venture: DK Creations Ltd. and the multi-media comic experience SALAMANDOS!

With the news that Nintendo is shutting down Dr. Mario World, rendering it inaccessible to play, the Kongversation takes a look at the history of Nintendo games that are lost to time, the Donkey Kong Universe's close calls over the years, and Nintendo's practices with game preservation compared to Xbox and others.

It's a game that came out in November of 2019 set in the summer of 2020 that didn't actually happen until August of 2021. In this episode, Hyle and David discuss the stupid continuity ramifications of Donkey Kong being an Olympic athlete in every sport!

Who's the most stand-up, solid dude in the Donkey Kong Universe? Not that piece of trash Conker! The Kongversation makes the case for Banjo, a bluegrass-loving hillbilly with cosmopolitan tastes, an enormous heart, and only light manslaughter charges.

Hyle watched all five "Pirates of the Caribbean" films for the first time in order to have proper context for Sea of Thieves: A Pirate's Life. He has opinions, so Jeff will be the Ebert to his Siskel in the Kongversation's first-ever Film Critique!

Hyle and Jeff discuss everything Season Two brought to Sea of Thieves and some things it didn't, including disguising yourself as a barrel, Forts of Fortune, and the sweet creamy taste of squirrel milk. Press play to find out which is which!

The Donkey Kong franchise has turned 40! To celebrate, DK Vine's LIVE Kongversation (originally broadcast on https://twitch.tv/dkvine) honors the last four decades, and every era, of Donkey Kong. To help with the festivities, several notable names behind DK's storied legacy even drop in with their warmest regards!

Hyle's been suffering from deliberating insomnia for nearing two weeks, so he spends the first episode back from E3 railing against Space Jam, for some reason. He also discusses Mario Golf: Super Rush, which has been getting mixed reviews across mainstream gaming sites. What does DK Vine think, and how much of it comes down to the glistening perfection of Donkey Kong soaking wet in the rain?

E3 2021 is over. All of the games have been revealed. All that's left is a summer of perpetual longing. To help find closure, an exhausted Hyle is joined by Cameron and Gibbon to bring things full circle on a LIVE Kongversation (broadcast on https://twitch.tv/dkvine) on the Friday after E3!

Hyle is drunk. Jeff is drunk. Mitchell is sober, although he's drunk on power. Nintendo's E3 was a disappointment for Donkey Kong fans, but DK Vine tries to make the best of it on a LIVE Kongversation (broadcast on https://twitch.tv/dkvine) covering the Nintendo Direct!

Captain Jack Sparrow has joined the DKU. The bizarre (and robust) crossover between Sea of Thieves and Pirates of the Caribbean takes over E3 Sunday and the LIVE Kongversation (broadcast on https://twitch.tv/dkvine) for the Xbox and Bethesda Showcase!

E3 is here! E3 is at home! On our LIVE E3 preview (broadcast on E3 Friday on https://twitch.tv/dkvine), Hyle and a panel of DK Viners discuss what the all-digital return of the biggest gaming event of the year might yield for the Donkey Kong Universe. The new Donkey Kong game? A second or THIRD Donkey Kong game? Everwild? Banjo-Kazooie? BACONHEADZ? Nothing is too ludicrous to speculate on!

The Kongversation has been historically negative about Mario Kart Tour. But recently, Hyle and Jeff got upgraded phones and have been able to give the game a fairer shot, discovering the hidden joys not immediately apparent to anyone afraid their phone is going to catch on fire halfway through a race. Also, Hyle spent $39.99 on Dixie Kong and feels the need to defend his choice.

Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled, as well as other recent entries in the Crash Bandicoot series, embraced the full history of the franchise's extensive characters and lore. Donkey Kong, on the other hand, has been whittled down to eight core characters. Come share the plight of the DK fan with Hyle and Jeff!

E3 fever is in the air, but we just passed the 20th anniversary of an E3 that still hasn't been cured for Donkey Kong Universe fans. Hyle and Cameron reminiscence about the magical pandemic of DKU games at E3 2001!

Well, the rumors are out now. Is Nintendo EPD working on a Donkey Kong game? Hyle finally discusses everything he knows (mostly) with Josh "The Geek Critique" Wallen before they speculate about what this potential game might entail!

Rare Gamer's Steve returns to the Kongversation to discuss even more about Stop 'N' Swop! Two days after our last episode on the subject, Rare employee and Stop 'N' Swop architect Paul Machacek revealed even more secrets about the fabled connectivity between Rare's N64 games, including a secret ending to Donkey Kong 64 and exactly how and when Nintendo killed the plan!