The Kongversation: Donkey Kong Universe Discussion

The Kongversation takes listener calls about Donkey Kong Bananza! From excitement to concern, Hyle and Cameron dig deep to address some of the hottest-button Bananza issues in DK fandom!

Trying to peel away from Donkey Kong Bananza, the Kongversation finally discusses Mario Kart World in length! But we are the Kongversation, so we're addressing all of the Donkey Kong stuff in the game. Namely, how World seems to finally be hitting the gas to actually be competitive with Diddy Kong Racing, our thoughts on new and returning DK-related tracks, and how we think the other Kongs will ev...

A couple of days after Donkey Kong Bananza's reveal, Hyle and Josh sit down to discuss their in-depth thoughts on the first new, standalone Donkey Kong in 11 years, the first new 3D Donkey Kong in 25 years, and the beginning of Donkey Kong's new era under Nintendo EPD!

Broadcast live earlier in the day on https://www.twitch.tv/dkvine, Hyle and Malik discuss their initial thoughts on the Nintendo Switch 2, Mario Kart World... and the reveal of Nintendo EPD's long-in-development Donkey Kong game!

Sea of Thieves: Season 14 was all about MAKING MISCHIEF! From waddling around as barrels (like Klobbers in the Donkey Kong) to sneaking around (like the Sneak King in the Burger King), Hyle and Jeff recap the tumultuous, sometimes messy, often confusing, but otherwise delightful capper to Rare's 2024!

The Donkey Kong Country version of Donkey Kong, along with Diddy Kong, crossed over with Tetris for the very first in either franchise's history back in February with Tetris 99's 45th MAXIMUS CUP event. Was a complete Kongo Jungle reimagining of the classic puzzle game enough to finally convert Hyle... or at least convince him that it's nearly as good as It's Mr Pants?

Based on his appearance in the upcoming Mario Kart game for the Switch 2, as well as a new range of merchandise, it appears that Donkey Kong's design is being updated in the games. Specifically, to the design first seen in 2023's The Super Mario Bros. Movie. But put your mass hysteria about the death of Donkey Kong Country aside! DK Vine breaks down why DK's supporting cast is safe, why this is st...

The Kongversation is returning with the return RETURN to Returns! Donkey Kong Country Returns HD arrived in mid-January 2025 on the Nintendo Switch while riding a wave of unprecedented momentum for the Donkey Kong series. Still, the port is not without its controversies. Is Returns HD the definitive version of the thrice-released adventure?

Broadcast live on https://twitch.tv/dkvine, the Kongversation's season ends with our annual New Year's Forecast! Hyle and Dustin look ahead to what 2025 has in store for the DKU across Playtonic, Rare, and Nintendo! Hyle also finally goes too far and turns the entire F-Zero fandom against him, so that's fun.

In Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts, you could obtain a hood ornament called "The Spirit of Pants". But on this episode of the Kongversation, we argue that Mr. Pants is the true spirit of Rare. Honoring 20 years of the greatest puzzle game of all time, Hyle and Freezer examine the in-universe history of Rare's underwear mogul and television presenter who's appeared and been alluded to across their sh...

2004 was a year in flux for Donkey Kong as the franchise swung between its past and future, with one of the most memorable and successful new releases of the year being... Donkey Kong Country 2? Hyle and Cameron break down the brilliant, thrilling, surprising, and occasionally infuriating changes the Game Boy Advance remake made to the beloved adventure on Crocodile Isle!

The Geek Critique returns to the Kongversation to help Hyle grapple with a newly relevant question now that Banjo-Tooie is on Nintendo Switch Online: What is it about the game that's historically kept it from clicking with fans of even the original Banjo-Kazooie, or inspired rabid devotion that eclipses all else? With NSO making it easier than ever to get into it and helping to mitigate the issues...

All three Donkey Kong Land games have finally arrived on Nintendo Switch Online! Hyle and Malik discuss why these counterparts to the classic Donkey Kong Country titles are so important to DK fanatics of the 1990s, then share some obscure or little-discussed Donkey Kong Land trivia!

Donkey Kong 64 turned 25 years old on November 22, 2024. Celebrated DK64 fan and annual 101% streamer of the game Courtney joins the show to discuss the Kongs' sole 3D platforming adventure (thus far), the complicated position it holds within the fandom, and how the Donkey Kong 64 Randomizer has breathed life into it for a new generation! (Unlike Wrinkly Kong.)

What made Donkey Kong Country such a unique, groundbreaking cultural event for Nintendo fans in 1994? Yes, it was the graphics, music, sound, and game design. But as Hyle and Dustin argue, it was also the instruction booklet's unique sense of humor. The Kongversation opens up Dan Owsen's manual masterpiece!

Broadcast live on https://twitch.tv/dkvine on the 30th anniversary of Donkey Kong Country's release in the Americas, Hyle and Malik reflect on three decades of DKC dominance!

The original Donkey Kong Country introduced or reinvented several all-time classic video game characters. But out of the 17 core, singular characters in the game, where do they rank? Hyle and Jeff put the Kongs, Animal Buddies, and Bosses of DKC through Tier Maker to see how they stack up to each other... using only the criteria of their performance and presentation in that very first game!

Broadcast live on https://twitch.tv/dkvine after the first ever Donkey Kong-themed Nintendo Direct, Hyle and Josh discuss Shigeru Miyamoto's walkabout in Donkey Kong Country at Super Nintendo World!

Escape to a tranquil forested valley in the foothills of Donkey Kong Island. A dense temperate grove of pines, ape-eating plantlife, and cascading lakes of spiders. You don't need to be a vulture to appreciate the culture of the trees and the towns within Vine Valley!

EGX x MCM Comic Con was held in London during the last weekend of October with three big DKU-related panels and playable demos of the upcoming Yooka-Replaylee and Dunk Dunk (also featuring playable Yooka and Laylee). DK Vine correspondent Dray was on the scene and they're now on the Kongversation to talk about the 30 Years of Donkey Kong Country panel, news from Playtonic, and the latest from Rare...

It's the third Mario Party game on the Nintendo Switch. It's the second in a row that excludes Diddy Kong. It's a series that Hyle and David long burned out on. And yet... is it their favorite Mario Party in 25 years? Either they're full of hot air or there's plenty to explore in Super Mario Party Jamboree for even the most jaded Mario Party cynic!

Hyle and Cameron discuss Rare's Craig Duncan's promotion to head of Xbox Game Studios and Joe Neate and Jim Horth's taking over operations at Rare. We also weigh what that means for the future of the studio and its beloved properties!

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past several days, you know that Banjo-Tooie is coming to Nintendo Switch Online. Hyle and Dustin discuss the surprising announcement that took Rare and DKU fandom off-guard and also what this means for the rest of Rare's Nintendo library!

Was the long-awaited return of Captain Flameheart in Sea of Thieves a flaming inferno or but a smoldering cinder? Hyle and Jeff discuss Season 13 of Sea of Thieves, which saw the inclusion of the Burning Blade World Event, Skeleton Camps, and... Ellie the elephant? Just a little clickbait for the algorithm there. We're having a good time.

DK Vine has not been to the new Nintendo Museum in Kyoto, Japan. But we have plenty to SAY about the new Nintendo Museum! Specifically, all of the surprising Donkey Kong Universe inclusions and references found within its two stories... including Diddy Kong Racing and Banjo-Kazooie!