The 10 WEIRDEST Donkey Kong Games

Donkey Kong Circus (1984)

There were a plethora of different Donkey Kong games made for the Game & Watch handheld toyline. On the surface, it just seems like a simple game where you have to keep DK juggling pineapples while avoiding fireballsand nothing more. But what makes this weird is how its a straight-up remake of a previous Game & Watch device that was initially starring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck instead of DK and Mario. Whats more is that when you look into the devices coding, youd notice that Mario and Donkey Kong still have the same object labels as the Disney duo. It winds up making Donkey Kong Circus feel like a bit of a bootleg instead of a new game for the leader of the bunch.

Donkey Kong 64 (1999)

After so many years of 2D platforming in the Donkey Kong Country games, one would think the N64 would just get a fourth Country game with better visuals than the SNES games had. But DK64 wound up being a drastically different kind of game, even more wildly different than any Donkey Kong game that came before or after. Not only do you have to bounce between playing DK and the other Kongs, you also have to utilize different gadgets that bring a rather odd demeanor to the game. Really, did you ever expect to play as a coconut gun-wielding Donkey Kong? Or an ape with long arms that can inflate himself? Its a solid game, but theres no denying how out there DK64 is compared to every other game in the franchise.

DK: King of Swing (2005)

Initially, King of Swing looks like the perfect kind of game for DK. This was an entire game where DK had to cling onto pegs to climb various areas. However, older folks were able to identify what this game may have started out originally during development, or, at the very least, which Nintendo IP was being recycled for this title. King of Swings gameplay and mechanics are eerily similar to the NES game Clu Clu Land. Released in 1984, Clu Clu Land had players guiding Bubbles as she swung and flung herself around a board to collect gold. Even stranger, Bubbles herself appears as an unlockable character in King of Swing. In other words, this DK spin-off was essentially a spin-off of a long-forgotten Nintendo classic. We miss you, Bubbles!

Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move (2013)

Were all well aware of the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series and how it kind of floundered as more sequels were being made over the years. Minis on the Move kind of features the same puzzle gameplay you expect, but its so basic with its guide the object to the goal structure. But thats not what makes it weird. No, the strangest part about this game is how neither Mario nor Donkey Kong really have anything to do with the game in general. Youll only ever see one of the other as still images in the menusand thats it. No cutscenes, no story, nothing. Better get comfortable seeing the soulless Minis make their way to the goal; its the most company youre going to get.

Donkey Kong Bananza (2025)

Lets just acknowledge the elephant in the room on this one. Outside of gameplay, Donkey Kong Bananza has been deemed an incredibly weird game for DK for the sole reason that he looks different. Indeed, this is the first time Donkey Kong has been redesigned since Rare developed Donkey Kong Country in 1994. Since then, hes only had minor tweaks to keep up appearances and follow tones across distinct aesthetics. For Bananza, well, this is a drastically new look for the gorilla, and apparently, Nintendo went through with this change to make him more expressive. Strange given the previous design was expressive across a multitude of games, but sure, whatever floats your boat.

Donkey Kong Jungle Beat (2004)

Now, in terms of the game, the environments, the mechanics, the boss fights, everything regarding the software itself, this is the most Donkey Kong video game ever made! So, what makes it weird? Well, its the hardware, and were not talking about the purple lunchbox we called the GameCube. Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat could only be played with a peripheral known as the DK Bongos. Yes, Nintendo insisted that this game should only be played with a set of plastic bongos, a game that required smacking the bongos like a mad man and even clapping on occasion to grab collectibles. Needless to say, a lot of parents saw this peripheral and immediately saw how much noise this thing was going to make. So, some kids wound up getting the peripheral banned at friends houses. To this day, we dont know why support was not implemented for a normal GameCube controller.

Donkey Kong Barrel Blast (2007)

In all honesty, Barrel Blast was an interesting racing game for what it was. Racing your friends with rocket-powered bongos was a neat concept to integrate into the Wiis motion controls. But what makes this a strange outing is for a couple of reasons. First, the roster is somewhat lackluster. Where in the world are Kiddy, Swanky, and Chunky Kong? Why is Candy Kong not playable? And why is the Kremling side filled with normal enemies and characters that never appeared in another game prior? Could we really not pull any other bosses from the Country games or even Jungle Beat? And secondly, could we really not just try to continue Diddy Kong Racing? Did the 2006 DS remake really perform that badly?

DK: Jungle Climber (2007)

We promise we arent trying to double dip. Yes, this is a sequel to King of Swing with new mechanics and levels possible thanks to the DSs dual screen functionality. However, this was one of those sequels that felt like a bit of a step down compared to its predecessor. First off, the difficulty scaling is pretty uneven at times. Secondly, the number of playable characters has shrunken down to a measly four compared to the original games whopping eight. And even then, only two of those four are playable via wireless multiplayer. It just doesnt hold up as well as King of Swing did in replayability.

Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kongs Double Trouble (1996)

Lets be perfectly clear here - each of the three original Donkey Kong Country games is excellent. But of the three, Dixie Kongs Double Trouble is the oddest banana of the bunch. Cool to have Dixie take a starring role, butwith Kiddy Kong? Kinda bizarre. Even stranger are the bosses themselves. Previous games were normal animals and maybe a beefier Kremling or two before you reach K. Rool. But DKC3 has robots, a rock slug, a sentient barrel, and K. Rool poses as a mad scientist. It certainly goes off the deep end compared to the first two games, but its part of the games charm if you ask us. Besides, no Donkey Kong adventure is as weird as our final entry

Donkey Kong Jr. Math (1983)

Yes, there actually was a Donkey Kong game that delved into the realm of edutainment. You know, that genre parents loved putting us through because we were playing games AND learning outside of school. You must control Jr. across vines and platforms to build an equation that results in the number DK is holding above his head. And this is not a bootlegged game - this was developed and published by Nintendo themselves! This would be the only edutainment game the gaming giant would make themselves, too, as sales were utterly abysmal. Why do you think that is? If youre curious at all to play this game, it is actually available as a part of Nintendo Switch Onlines NES catalog. But you know, dont be surprised if you only play it for a minute or two.

What do you think is the weirdest Donkey Kong game ever made? Let us know down in the comments, and dont forget to subscribe to MojoPlays for more great videos everyday!