Cranky Kong

Cranky Kong in DK: King of Swing
Cranky Kong
Species	Kong
Hair color	Balding Gray
Eye color	Black
Relatives	Donkey Kong (son)
Debut	Donkey Kong Country

Cranky Kong is a supporting character from the Donkey Kong games who is infamous for breaking the fourth wall often, at least in his early appearances, as well as causing confusion about whether or not he is the original Donkey Kong from the arcade game..

The DK Question

In the English Donkey Kong Country manual, it is mentioned in the story that Cranky Kong is the original Donkey Kong, presumably making the current Donkey Kong the former Donkey Kong Jr. (or his son). However, with Nintendo reclaiming the Donkey Kong franchise, some newer sources have stated that the current Donkey Kong is also the original.

To avoid any argument on the subject, all information about Cranky Kong is listed here, while information about Donkey Kong can be found at his page.

Background

Cranky always complains about the modern games and yearns for his simpler arcade games (he was possibly the first video game character to break the fourth wall). However, he knew many secrets about the Northern Kremisphere and shared them for a price- whether it be enduring his dragging speeches or a more material price in the form of Banana Coins.

It started when Donkey Kong's banana horde was stolen by the Kremlings in Donkey Kong Country. Donkey and Diddy occasionally visited Cranky's hut for advice, but Cranky still wasn't content with DK chasing off the Kremlings at the end. In fact, he then dared DK and his sidekick Diddy to repeat the feat on the Gameboy, without any fancy graphics to help them. Cranky even called King K. Rool, and asked the tyrant to steal the bananas again, setting the events of Donkey Kong Land into motion. Cranky lost the bet, but he was able to lend the other Kongs his services once again in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest.

When Donkey Kong was apenapped by the Kremlings and held captive on Crocodile Island, Diddy volunteered to save him with his friend Dixie. Cranky doubted them and so hid 68 DK Hero Coins throughout Crocodile Island for them to collect, which was quite a feat for one of his age. This game also introduced Cranky's sweet wife, Wrinkly Kong. Cranky also traveled to his own huts on Crocodile Island, from whence he gave advice to the youngsters and used Expresso in ostrich races.

When Dixie was featured in the Gameboy Advance Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie's Double Trouble, Cranky saw that an adventure starring himself was inevitable (the instruction manual, seemingly supporting him being the arcade Donkey Kong, mentions he is training for a "comeback"). He opened up various dojos across the Northern Kremisphere to train for "Cranky Kong Country". He also allowed Dixie and Kiddy to aid him in his training, but charged them in the form of "those coins with the freaky bear heads on them". But if they did well, Cranky gave them rewards in the form of a Banana Bird or just normal Bananas. In the original Super Nintendo version of the game, Cranky instead appeared as a rival in the Swanky's Sideshow minigames.

In a bad turn of luck for the Kong family, particularly Cranky, Wrinkly Kong passed away. In Donkey Kong 64, Cranky was shown to have been studying chemistry and developed many potions which gave the Kongs new powers to help them in their latest adventure, after he was paid in Banana Coins. Cranky also let them play his classic Jetpac game, granting them the Rareware Token if they passed.

From then on, Cranky was portrayed as less aggressive and more mellow, acting more in the role of a tutorial: explaining the bongo drums in the Donkey Konga games (being playable in Donkey Konga 3) as well as the art of swinging in DK: King of Swing. He also followed Donkey Kong in DK: Jungle Climber after they discovered Xananab, an alien banana who had his Crystal Bananas stolen by King K. Rool. Although Cranky himself did not get in on the action, he followed Donkey and Diddy along and provided them with instructions on how to accomplish several things, usually by showing them to Donkey on a Nintendo DS. After K. Rool was defeated, Cranky enjoyed the feast of bananas with DK and Diddy before returning home.

Cranky Kong also appeared as an unlockable playable racer in Donkey Kong Barrel Blast, with K. Rool himself as his Kremling rival. He returned to a supporting role in Donkey Kong Country Returns, where he ran a shop in each area of Donkey Kong Island, charging Banana Coins for goods such as bananas, keys to extra levels and the parrot Squawks. He was back to his cantankerous old self and continually criticized Donkey Kong and Diddy while also occasionally giving out hints. He would also take mercy and dispense some free 1-Up Balloons if the player starts the game with a low amount of lives.

Other Appearances

In Other Media

• Cranky Kong appeared in the computer-animated Donkey Kong Country series. The series removed the video game references, but Cranky was still just as cranky as he was in the games. He was also Donkey Kong's father in this version and helped Donkey Kong to grow into his responsibility of protecting the Crystal Coconut. He also showed a talent for magic and brewing potions in this portrayal.

Trivia

• His Donkey Kong 64 potions were inspired by the short-lived Donkey Kong Country cartoon.
• Although he's a part of Donkey Kong Land's instruction manual story, he never appears at all in the game. He's also the only Kong to be left out of Donkey Kong Land 2 (although the game's instruction manual says otherwise due to being mostly copied over from Donkey Kong Country 2's manual). and the only Kong to never appear in any Donkey Kong Land games.
• Cranky's silhouette is seen in one of the Donkey Kong-based levels of Super Smash Bros. Melee. Cranky also appears as a trophy in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. for the Nintendo 3DS/Wii U.