1301 - Donkey Kong Country Returns HD First Impressions

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 still our same guy, and why this can only mean good things for the future of the franchise!

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 shared universe!

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 for the former, Hyle believes he has an answer for the latter. Banjo-Tooie is the ultimate game for Rare sickos!

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.)