The Kongversation: Donkey Kong Universe Discussion

Who is Kevin Callahan? That's the question at the heart of this long-awaited interview! The mysterious blogger who fueled the Diddy Kong Racing sequel rumors for years has finally been uncovered, and he's sitting down with Hyle and Nick for close to an hour of hard-hitting questions! Not listening to this podcast would be a "no, no, no! Wrong way!"

It's time to talk about our Nintendo Switch first impressions! One problem. Nobody on the DK Vine staff has thought to purchase one yet. That's why we reached out to Josh Wallen, aka The Geek Critique (https://www.geekcritique.org), to sit down with us and chat about the Pro Controllers and the Joy-Cons of the system for an epic three hour discussion.

With Yooka-Laylee nearing release and revealing Sea of Thieves info coming outside of the confines of the secretive Technical Alpha, there's no time like the present to do another news roundup on both upcoming major games! Keeping it spoiler free save for what both Playtonic and Rare have officially announced, we hype ourselves up for the two new additions to the shared Rare universe. This episode...

You heard beloved Donkey Kong Universe character Richard Nixon (from off of #IDARB)! It's time for another Call Sack episode, where the Kongversation takes any and all phone messages from the DK Vine Hotline. Dial 1-281-410-KONG to be on the next one! On this edition, we discuss the finer points of adult bookstore etiquette and get into the history of clowns. This all somehow relates back to Donke...

As the gaming world gets prepared to SWITCH out their soiled underwear in anticipation for Nintendo's new mulligan console, a discontented minority have already proclaimed it dead on arrival thanks to the incoming Zelda downloadable content. On this episode, Hyle and Nick examine how hyperbolic these concerns are while looking at our own history of DLC in the Donkey Kong Universe. Is DLC ever a go...

Everything is turning 20, and now it's Mario Kart 64's turn. At least it's not old enough to drink and drive yet! On this episode, Hyle and Cameron reflect on the very first "Cameo Game" in the Donkey Kong Universe. How was Rare's Donkey Kong treated in the hands of another developer? Less importantly, how much fun is the game itself?

Last year, Hyle lost a bet that he now has to make good on. The consequence? Letting notorious Kongversation caller "Mametchi" co-host an episode of the show. Yes, it's a very bizarre edition of the Kongversation! We're ostensibly here to talk about Universal Studios' upcoming Super Nintendo World park and the possibility of a Donkey Kong minecart ride, but we're really at the whims of Mametchi fo...

In light of New Donk City in Super Mario Odyssey, the Kongversation asks if we're headed towards a full-on attempted merging of the Donkey Kong and Mario series. Hyle takes Nick on a journey through time, exploring how the wall separating the two franchises was built and how it's been slowly chipped away at over the course of 20 years. Should we be worried? Can the Donkey Kong Universe survive?

K. Rool. He's gone from being a tossed-off parody of the typical big fat lizard boss to one of the most beloved Nintendo and Rare characters of all time. His fanbase has grown wildly over the last couple of years, but will his owners ever catch on? They will if they listen to this episode! Here's the two-and-a-half hour life story of K. Rool, from what we know about his early days all the way up t...

The Kongversation returns for its fifth year to discuss Nintendo's seventh console! All the highlights of the recent reveals are discussed, but, us being the Kongversation, we naturally want to talk about one thing above all others: New Donk City in Super Mario Odyssey.

In this scam of an episode, Hyle and Nick discuss Star Wars! Star Wars and how it relates to the Donkey Kong Universe, right? Uh, sure. That sounds like something we'd do. Let's roll with that. Rogue One spoilers ahead!

We'll meet again some sunny day! On the season finale, we take up some unresolved business from 2016 in the form of the games Tracky Train and the modern Killer Instinct. Then, we look ahead to a year in which we might all die, but we'll hopefully get some awesome games before the fallout hits us.

It all wraps up here! The final four worlds of the game (K3, Razor Ridge, KAOS Kore, and Krematoa) are extensively discussed, followed by our take on that Queen Banana Bird ending. What more could possibly be said about Donkey Kong Country 3? Find out on Spotlight: Donkey Kong Country 3 (Game Boy Advance), coming in 2025!

In the third part of Spotlight: Donkey Kong Country 3, Hyle and Nick discuss the first four worlds of the game! Lake Orangatanga, Kremwood Forest, Cotton-Top Cove, and Mekanos are all covered in absurd detail. Or should that be Mekanos and then Cotton-Top Cove? Should that have been Nick and then Hyle? Should we have done this episode before the last one? RELATIVITY HAS STRIPPED ALL ORDER FROM MY...

In an exhaustive three-and-a-half hour second part, Hyle and Nick discuss the plot, setting, and characters of Donkey Kong Country 3. We also get into the behind-the-scenes shift, as a new team took the reins of Donkey Kong and put their own unique touch on the mythos. It's an episode filled with big-jawed crocodiles, parallel birds, and, of course, BEARS!

Our Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! extravaganza begins! On the first part, Hyle babysits giant toddler Nick who helps him reminiscence about the year leading up to Donkey Kong Country 3. What were the preconceptions about a third Donkey Kong Country? What was finding out all of the information like? How did one react when first confronted with the notion of the Brothers Bear?...

It's been over a year since the last Kevin Callahan sighting, but if we look even further backwards in time we'll learn about a different Diddy Kong Racing sequel. On this episode we discuss the studio Climax's bizarre pitch to Nintendo for Diddy Kong Racing Adventure, a GameCube fever dream featuring Diddy Kong, Banjo, Conker, Mumbo Jumbo, and Cranky Kong soaking in mud.

Greetings comrades! DK Vine was under assault this week by Putin-backed forces thanks to a comedic political article we ran. While the site is now almost fully restored across the board, Chad and Hyle decide to shake off the stress by opening the Call Sack and discussing a myraid of topics about Donkey Kong, Rare, and Playtonic that you the people called in with! To be on a future Call Sack episod...

Are you sick of people talking politics yet? Good! Because on this episode, we talk about politics! How do campaigns, elections, and government work in the Rare Archipelago? We'll examine the systems that Donkey Kong Island, the Isle O'Hags, Willow Woods, and the rest all use to govern. If that sounds like a boring civics lesson, then don't fear! We also do a lot of cheap Bill Clinton impressions...

The realization that most DK Vine staff members and their associates have birthdays from the last week of October through November made us think of birthdays in the Donkey Kong Universe. How do ageless cartoon characters handle birthdays? Or... ARE they ageless? How DOES getting old work in the shared universe of Donkey Kong, Banjo, and Conker? Everything from Donkey Kong's canonical birthday mont...

The Nintendo NX is dead! Say hello to the Nintendo Switch, the true mastermind behind our years of speculation on Nintendo's Wii U mulligan. On this episode of the Kongversation, Hyle and Nick (and Chad, sort of!) give their first thoughts on Nintendo's initial roll out of Switch information.

After fighting a recent illness that's kept him off his feet, Hyle stumbles out of bed with a delayed Kongversation recorded just before the unveiling of the Nintendo NX. Joined by Star Fox enthusiast Cameron Reigle, they ask what could possibly save the Star Fox franchise after the colossal failure of Star Fox Zero. Believe it or not, their answer isn't a Tricky solo game. I mean, sure, they'd su...

Abandoning the need to celebrate things that happened in the autumn of 1996, the Kongversation instead discusses recent news concerning both Yooka-Laylee and Shovel Knight. Included is an exclusive Yooka news report filed by a listener who played the game at Twitchcom!

20 years after its release, Hyle throws a three-pronged claw controller to Nick to help him discuss the brilliant yet flawed legacy of the Nintendo 64. Equal parts celebration and examination, we reflect on the memorable games and complicated history of the system that led Nintendo to where it is today. Only '90s kids will understand this episode!

20 years of Donkey Kong Land 2! On this Spotlight episode, Hyle is rejoined by the long lost Joe Mudd to discuss the most curious game in Rare's Donkey Kong-related output. Not a port, not a remake, but definitely not an original game either. What is Donkey Kong Land 2 and what sense can we make of it? It's time to raise Crocodile Isle one more time! We hope you enjoy Lockjaw's Saga...