Donkey Kong Bananza Might Bring Back the Kremlings

In approximately a month, the game “Donkey Kong Bananza” is set to launch on Nintendo Switch 2. This exciting release will revive many cherished aspects from the Donkey Kong Country games and DK64. So far, classic characters such as Diddy, Dixie, Cranky, and Rambi have made a comeback, along with levels that echo the SNES trilogy’s side-scrolling design. In the latest Nintendo Direct presentation, we’ve heard remakes of David Wise and Grant Kirkhope’s music, although neither will be contributing new tracks. However, one significant character from that era is yet to make an appearance – the Kremlings, who have been a constant adversary in the series.

The Kremlings, led by King K. Rool, made their debut in “Donkey Kong Country” back in 1994. Over time, they became regular characters in various games, but after Rare was bought by Microsoft, their appearances started to decrease significantly. Interestingly, the two Donkey Kong Country games developed by Retro Studios introduced entirely new antagonists: the Tiki Tak Tribe and the Snowmads.

The frequent speculation suggesting Nintendo might not be fond of the Kremlings and intentionally restricting their use appears to be unfounded. Instead, there’s a strong indication that the Kremlings could reappear in “Donkey Kong Bananza”, according to interviewer and podcaster Reece “Kiwi Talkz” Reilly on Twitter. His statement has significantly dampened theories about Nintendo harboring an anti-Kremling stance within their company.

According to Reilly, there’s a story circulating on the internet suggesting that Nintendo dislikes the Kremlings due to their connection with Rare, and that Retro Studios were forbidden from using them in their games. He thinks this claim is nonsense.

Via his Kiwi Talkz podcast, Reilly has conversed with various ex-Retro Studios team members over time and managed to uncover some intriguing tidbits. If it’s true that Nintendo previously prohibited Retro Studios from using the Kremlings, then it’s probable Reilly would have been informed about it. While this doesn’t definitively mean the characters will resurface in Donkey Kong Bananza, it does add some weight to Reilly’s statements. This implies there might be a chance we could see the Kremlings at a later date if they don’t feature in this specific game.

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In newer Nintendo games, the Kremlings have been seldom seen, but their leader was included as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. This indicates that Nintendo acknowledges Donkey Kong fans’ desire to see the Kremlings reappear. So far, Nintendo has been focusing on VoidCo members as the main antagonists for Donkey Kong Bananza, who are new ape-like enemies. It’s plausible that the Kremlings might show up in some form, according to what Reilly suggests. The game is scheduled for release on July 17th, and we should learn more details about their potential involvement in the coming weeks.

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2025-06-19 23:12