Current Events > I wonder why Donkey Kong didn't gain any popularity on Switch

(+) Yeah! (+)

Most Nintendo franchises have either grown since their last entry or have their all time highs on Switch.

Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze is one of the only exceptions.

Donkey Kong Country Returns was a massive success on Wii with just under 5 million sales. The 3DS port added another 1.5 million.

Tropical Freeze did pretty good on Wii U considering the circumstances. Sold 2 million. But the port on Switch only sold a little bit more with 2.65 million and Nintendo don't report its sales anymore.

In comparison Luigi's Mansion 2 sold around 5 million on 3DS and Luigi's Mansion 3 is about to cross 10 million on Switch.

It sold okay but I wonder why people didn't really seem to return from the original. Did it still have the stigma being a Wii U port? Would a new game have done better? With Retro being tied to Metroid Prime 4 I don't think we'll see another Donkey Kong game for a while.

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I think it's largely a marketing thing. Donkey Kong is in a weird place in terms of demographics, and I am not sure they managed to reach the target audience. It's more for older gamers looking for a challenging platformer, but feels like it is stuck in competing with Mario.

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Because $60 is too much for a platformer you beat in 12 hours and dont replay again until 8 years later.

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I don't think the DK series is as popular as most of Nintendo's other franchises. That being said I don't think Nintendo did a really good job advertising the Switch version.
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Smashingpmkns posted...

I don't think the DK series is as popular as most of Nintendo's other franchises. That being said I don't think Nintendo did a really good job advertising the Switch version.

This. I actually bought it and between the wii, 3ds, wii u and switch releases I couldn't tell you witch is the original, port, sequel, port of the original or port of the sequel. I mean I'm assuming the switch is the port /updated sequel just because it's last logically but Nintendo did a horrible job making 4 separate products actually look and sound like 4 separate products.

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I actually found tropical freeze to be very boring. When does it pick up?

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Is there even a new DK game on the switch?

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I keep waiting for a price drop, but that's also true for Luigi's mansion so I don't think I'm indicative

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Dakimakura posted...

Is there even a new DK game on the switch?

The Wii U port of Tropical Freeze. Most Wii U ports have gained more popularity on Switch.

Balrog0 posted...

I keep waiting for a price drop, but that's also true for Luigi's mansion so I don't think I'm indicative

I could see DK being one of the first Nintendo Select titles when they finally do those.

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I already played it on the Wii-U. Why would I get it at full price AGAIN on the Switch?

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I'm waiting for a new game and it's an anniversary year. Damn nintendo

Jeff AKA Snoopy posted...

I already played it on the Wii-U. Why would I get it at full price AGAIN on the Switch?

I'm not saying you should. Most Wii U ports sell more so it shouldn't matter.

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Jeff AKA Snoopy posted...

I already played it on the Wii-U. Why would I get it at full price AGAIN on the Switch?

Because more people bought a Switch than they did a Wii U.

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I personally did not like tropical freeze

Is this a hard precision platformer? Or is it a goofy fun game with wacky controls? Because it's actually a hard platformer with wacky controls

Njolk posted...

I personally did not like tropical freeze

Is this a hard precision platformer? Or is it a goofy fun game with wacky controls? Because it's actually a hard platformer with wacky controls

Wacky controls? What do you mean?

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Darmik posted...

Wacky controls? What do you mean?

Dk is super floaty and the enemies have unpredictable big hit boxes

I'd love to see another Donkey Kong Country game, but I feel like Nintendo needs to really shake up the series the same way original DKC did in 1994 against arcade games. It could be like what Breath of the Wild did to the Zelda series as well.

From a marketing stand point it needs a change. I love the Retro Studios DKC games, but they kind of "Mariofied" the vibes in terms of making them cartoony. Whereas the original DKC felt like a true product of the 90s in design, yet aged well. It was on forefront of technology, soundtrack was very hip, DK had attitude, K Rool was sinister, and world had a semi-realistic charm. The 2D platformer style of it was fresh too. It wasn't copying the big names like Mario, Kirby, Sonic, or Mega Man.

Splatoon basically had a similar impact for the 10s. The first felt super fresh and actually felt like Nintendo was aware of what decade they were in. Donkey Kong still sold good amounts, but lost its relevance in the 00s and 10s. DK64 followed in footsteps of Banjo-Kazooie thus lost it's uniqueness. Now it's only remembered for being a 3D collectathon taken too far. Then it was given back to Nintendo EAD and Jungle Beat happened. I for one loved it, but in end it was remembered for being a gimmick one off game. Retro Studios came in and did the series justice, although focusing too much on nostalgia at least for making new fans.

Along the way Donkey Kong lost that certain grasp it had in the mid 90s when Nintendo was supporting as one of the 3 pillars alongside Mario and Zelda. Hell, it had a cartoon series. That right there shows you how much Nintendo were investing into DK.

So my idea is make a DK game made for the 2020s in spirit without becoming this aged artifact in design and themes. The younger crowd growing up on Minecraft, Roblox, Fortnite, Five Nights, etc... are not interested in Donkey Kong. I'm not saying make DK into this crafting battle royale game, but Nintendo needs to recapture the imagination of DK. BotW had Nintendo really studying wrpg and open world games which paid off in the end.

wesastro911 posted...

I'd love to see another Donkey Kong Country game, but I feel like Nintendo needs to really shake up the series the same way original DKC did in 1994 against arcade games. It could be like what Breath of the Wild did to the Zelda series as well.

From a marketing stand point it needs a change. I love the Retro Studios DKC games, but they kind of "Mariofied" the vibes in terms of making them cartoony. Whereas the original DKC felt like a true product of the 90s in design, yet aged well. It was on forefront of technology, soundtrack was very hip, DK had attitude, K Rool was sinister, and world had a semi-realistic charm. The 2D platformer style of it was fresh too. It wasn't copying the big names like Mario, Kirby, Sonic, or Mega Man.

Splatoon basically had a similar impact for the 10s. The first felt super fresh and actually felt like Nintendo was aware of what decade they were in. Donkey Kong still sold good amounts, but lost its relevance in the 00s and 10s. DK64 followed in footsteps of Banjo-Kazooie thus lost it's uniqueness. Now it's only remembered for being a 3D collectathon taken too far. Then it was given back to Nintendo EAD and Jungle Beat happened. I for one loved it, but in end it was remembered for being a gimmick one off game. Retro Studios came in and did the series justice, although focusing too much on nostalgia at least for making new fans.

Along the way Donkey Kong lost that certain grasp it had in the mid 90s when Nintendo was supporting as one of the 3 pillars alongside Mario and Zelda. Hell, it had a cartoon series. That right there shows you how much Nintendo were investing into DK.

So my idea is make a DK game made for the 2020s in spirit without becoming this aged artifact in design and themes. The younger crowd growing up on Minecraft, Roblox, Fortnite, Five Nights, etc... are not interested in Donkey Kong. I'm not saying make DK into this crafting battle royale game, but Nintendo needs to recapture the imagination of DK. BotW had Nintendo really studying wrpg and open world games which paid off in the end.

All good points. Donkey Kong is arguably Nintendo's third most famous character right behind Mario and Pikachu and yet you wouldn't see that going by sales. It does seem like a franchise Nintendo hasn't quite figured out after the loss of Rare.

DKCR did really well but they didn't really keep up the momentum like they have with other franchises.

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