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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallShigeru Miyamoto chose Donkey Kong because he wanted a name that suggested a silly gorilla. He said he believed “donkey” could mean “someone stupid,” while “Kong” meant gorilla to him. Nintendo of America did not hear the intended meaning, but Miyamoto kept the name because it was striking and memorable.
What Miyamoto meant by “Donkey Kong”
In a 2016 interview, Miyamoto explained: “we wanted to give the game a name that would suggest a silly gorilla, so we called it Donkey Kong.” He said that, after looking the word up in a dictionary, he understood “donkey” to mean not only the animal but also “someone stupid.” Nintendo’s interview with Miyamoto, published 4 November 2016, discusses the game as part of its 35th-anniversary retrospective.
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That was Miyamoto’s intended association, not a definition that English speakers universally hear in the word. In a separate interview from February 2000, he likewise said he wanted a dumb character and believed “Kong” meant gorilla. The English version is an archived translation, rather than a direct English-language transcript. The Mushroom Kingdom’s archive of the interview identifies the original Nintendo Online Magazine interview and translator.
Why keep a name Nintendo of America questioned?
Miyamoto said Nintendo of America objected that “donkey” did not communicate “stupid” to them. He nevertheless stuck with the name because he thought it was distinctive and would make an impression. The name therefore reflects his intended association and a deliberate choice to keep it—not an English meaning that the company universally recognized.
#1 Best Overall
- Explore a vast underground world—by smashing your way through it!
- A brand-new 3D platforming action adventure starring Donkey Kong and Pauline
- Bash through just about anything in groundbreaking exploration! Crash through walls and carve tunnels—the more you smash, the more areas open up to you
- Pair up with Pauline to use Bananza Transformations: smash through obstacles with the raw strength of Kong form, gallop with incredible speed as a Zebra, and more
- Team up with a friend in two-player co-op as Donkey Kong and Pauline! Blast foes and terrain alike with Pauline’s voice as you explore together
Was it supposed to be “Monkey Kong”?
The two interview accounts support a deliberate naming choice: Miyamoto wanted a silly or dumb gorilla and chose “Donkey Kong” despite the objection he described. They do not support the story that a translation mistake changed “Monkey Kong” into “Donkey Kong.” Donkey Kong first appeared in the arcade game; Nintendo’s 2016 interview also discusses its later Famicom/NES home-console version.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Jump, roll, and stomp through Donkey Kong Island in this 2D platforming adventure
- Help Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong recover their precious banana hoard from the villainous Tiki Tak Tribe in Donkey Kong Country Returns HD for Nintendo Switch! Stomp enemies, blast through barrels
- Play the game as it was first designed for Wii, or reduce the difficulty for extra hearts and other goodies to make your journey a little easier. This barrel-blasting adventure is visually enhanced
- Team up with a friend and take on the whole game as Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong
- Region-free compatibility: Region-free/unlocked game works on compatible systems; international version may differ in age rating, labeling or instructions
Rank #4
- Jump and climb your way through over 130 puzzling levels as Mario to retrieve the Mini-Marios stolen by Donkey Kong
- Overcome obstacles like spikes, lava, and falling bricks to make it to the end of each level
- Revisit the original challenge in Classic Style, or try Casual Style for a more relaxed experience
- Play through two new worlds, featuring new environments, enemies, and game mechanics
- Join the action as Toad and work together in the newly-added co-op mode
Rank #3
- Donkey Kong, diddy Kong, dixie Kong and cranky Kong return for the franchise's debut on the Nintendo Switch system!
- This title includes all the fun and challenge of the original game, plus a brand-new mode that lets new and novice
- Players Enjoy this critically acclaimed adventure as Groovy surfing simian funky Kong.
- Funky Kong can double jump, hover, perform Infinite rolls and even perform Infinite underwater corkscrews.
- Thanks to his sturdy surfboard, even spikes can't slow him down.
Rank #2
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