There is no denying that numerous Nintendo characters have transcended into iconic figures of popular culture and achieved the sale of tens of millions of units. These thunderous successes still resonate with us after 10, 20, 30, and even 40 years. From Mario, Luigi, and Bowser to Peach, Zelda, Link, and not forgetting Donkey Kong.
Donkey Kong, king of the jungle, has arrived
This character is one of the oldest in video game history, having started his adventures by climbing a gigantic scaffold while holding a still nameless princess captive, facing off against Mario’s predecessor, Climbman. He also appeared on LCD machines like Game & Watch before finally landing on consoles with an NES adaptation that remains a favorite among players today.
However, the vast majority of fans hold the character in high esteem because of the cartridges that were released in the 90s for the Super Nintendo, created by Rare, which are considered true masterpieces. With so many titles to choose from, we have compiled a list of his top 5 greatest hits. Are you familiar with them?
5. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest
Let’s kick off with the second installment of the franchise for Super Nintendo, which shifted the focus from Donkey Kong to one of his companions, Diddy Kong. Although it wasn’t as successful as its predecessor, it still managed to achieve impressive sales of 5.15 million units worldwide, which is not bad at all for a game ranking at the end of the top 5.
4. Donkey Kong 64
The character’s transition to three dimensions was a remarkable feat, greatly enhancing the SNES classic by improving the graphics and reworking the gameplay for the new game mode. It went on to sell a total of 5.27 million cartridges, cementing its success.
3. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
The character’s latest game makes a respectable entry into this top, taking third place. It served as an introduction to the franchise for many players, with a significant graphical improvement over its predecessor. It has sold well, with over 5.44 million units sold worldwide.
2. Donkey Kong Country Returns
The Donkey Kong franchise returned to its roots with this Wii game after several years without a title starring the character. It was a success and allowed Nintendo to regain lost ground with one of its most significant creations. The game sold more than 6.53 million units worldwide.
1.Donkey Kong Country
As usual, nothing beats the original. The first cartridge of the Donkey Kong Country series , which came to SNES and boasted graphics against the competition from SEGA and its 32-bits -32X-, continues to be the king of the jungle with a number of cartridges sold that is breathtaking: nothing more and nothing less than 9.3 million worldwide.
