Donkey Kong Island

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Donkey Kong Island
Type Island
Debut Donkey Kong Country

Donkey Kong Island is a tropical island that acts as the primary setting for the Donkey Kong series and was first featured in Donkey Kong Country.

Information

Donkey Kong Island is a large tropical island which hosts a variety of ecosystems. A majority of the island is taken up by a giant mountain in the shape of Donkey Kong's head, although there also seem to be several smaller mountains, and the head was not visible during Donkey Kong Country Returns. Many of the island's different environments are found along various tiers of the mountain. There are also several tropical lagoons full of aquatic creatures. Donkey Kong Island is surrounded by several smaller islands that are primarily shown in Donkey Kong 64. This includes a floating island which contains the Fungi Forest as well as the Banana Fairy Island. Donkey Kong Country 3 indicates that the island is located within or in the proximity of the Northern Kremsphere, which implies that these lands are located within the northern area of their world (which is presumably the same world that contains the Mushroom Kingdom). Crocodile Island was also located near Donkey Kong Island prior to its destruction.

The island is home to a variety of species, depending on the game, but the dominant creatures of the island have been shown to be the Kong clan. It is uncertain if they have actual power over others living on the island, but they and their horde of bananas have attracted the wrath of others such as the Kremlings. The Donkey Kong Country instruction manual does describe Donkey Kong as being the master of the jungle, although the text also implies that it is only a self-proclaimed title. The original Country games showed the island as housing various unique creatures such as the Gnawty and the Zinger, while in Donkey Kong Country Returns, the island was populated with more standard jungle animals such as elephants and zebras. The island was also home to the Tiki Tak Tribe, who were left in slumber within the island's volcano until an eruption woke them. However, they were quickly defeated, seemingly with permanence, by Donkey Kong and Diddy at the end of the game. Although the Kremlings originate from Crocodile Island, some of the island's ruins (particular the ones from the original Country) have statues implying that the Kremlings resided at Donkey Kong Island at some point in the past.

The only time the island was in direct danger was in Donkey Kong 64, in which King K. Rool's Krocodile Island was equipped with a laser powerful enough to destroy the entire island, known as the Blast-o-Matic. Donkey Kong and his group were able to sabotage the weapon and defeat K. Rool.

Locations

The island's exact locations differ depending on the game in question, and some areas have conflicting names, so the areas are divided by location. King of Swing and Jungle Beat are referenced only sparingly, as the games are vague about whether or not they actually take place on Donkey Kong Island.

  • Jungle - The surface of Donkey Kong Island is covered mostly in jungles. Within these jungles are the homes of the Kong clan, including Donkey Kong's treehouse. His banana horde is usually stored in a cave beneath that treehouse. The jungle area containing the treehouse is called the Kongo Jungle in Donkey Kong Country (where it is the first world) and is unnamed in Donkey Kong 64 (where it is only a compact area with no enemies) as well as Donkey Kong Country Returns (as the first world). However, the first level (which has the treehouse) is called Jungle Hijinx in both Country and Returns. 64 has a separate jungle world known as Jungle Japes. The first world of Donkey Kong Land, "Gangplank Galleons Ahoy!", is located at a jungle near the island's shore. King of Swing also starts off in the Jungle World which may be the same area.
  • Mines - There are a series of mines found throughout Donkey Kong Island which are located in the mountains. They have apparently been stripped of all their ore already, but the tools, equipment and installations of the miners were still intact. There are several different kinds of mine levels that are primarily showcased in Donkey Kong Country, but the most emblematic is the mine cart area. In Country, the Monkey Mines (the second world) was primarily a mine area, and there were also some mining installations in the Chimp Caverns. In Returns, mine areas were scattered through various individual levels, although the Cave area (the fourth world) had the most prevalent mines.
  • Ruins - There are several ancient ruins found throughout the games which resemble Mayan or Aztec architecture, and they are usually located in lower tiers of the mountain. In Donkey Kong Country, such ruins were found at the Monkey Mines and Vine Valley. Land featured partially aquatic ruins known as Kremlantis. The ruins of 64 are the most different, being known as the Angry Aztec (serving as the second world) and being the only area with desert features. In Returns, a set of Ruins are the third world, and a Golden Temple appears as the game's hidden final world.
  • Forests - In addition to jungles, the island contains pine forests that are primarily located in the mountains. Some trees are large and sturdy enough to sustain a system of wooden platforms and huts. These structures are actually abandoned and are of unknown origin. Corresponding locations include the Vine Valley in Country (which is the third world) and the fifth world in Returns (which is unnamed but has a first level known as Vine Valley).
  • Mountain - The peak of Donkey Kong Island's mountain has different features depending on the game. In Country, it is a frigid area known as the Gorilla Glacier (which is the fifth world) which receives frequent snowstorms and blizzards. It also contains icy caves as well as treetop huts similar to those found in Vine Valley. Land has an area called the Monkey Mountains (which is the third world) which connects to clouds known as the Chimpanzee Clouds. Returns has an area called the Cliff (which is the sixth world) which is only partway up the mountain but has different features associated with prehistoric times such as tar pits and living fossils. Part of this area collapses after the level called Crumble Canyon is completed.
  • Factory - Despite being a tropical island, there are several dangerous factories located on the island, mostly in higher areas of the mountain. Donkey Kong Country had the Kremling-operated Kremkroc Industries, Inc. (which was the fifth world). Returns instead had an unnamed Factory (which was the seventh world) with a less clear origin, although it seemed that it was being used for the Tiki Tak Tribe's efforts. It is possible that the two factories are the one and the same. Both factories suffer from heavy pollution, to the point where Kremkroc had a poisoned lake nearby. The Factory in Returns had hidden switches which could affect the outside environment by clearing away smoke and preparing the rocket which could bring Donkey Kong to Colonel Pluck's lair.
  • Caves - There are a variety of caves of different kinds which are scattered throughout the island and all levels of the mountain. Specific cave worlds include the Chimp Caverns in Donkey Kong Country (which is the sixth world and is located high on the mountain) as well as the Crystal Caves in 64 (which is also the sixth world and located high on the mountain) and the unnamed Cave area of Returns (which is the fourth world but primarily contains mines).
  • City - Land uniquely has a city called Big Ape City which acts as the game's fourth and final world. It includes a construction sites with a resemblance to the setting of Donkey Kong. It is uncertain where it is located relative to the rest of the island as well as how directly it relates to the setting of Donkey Kong. There is a large blimp in the city where K. Rool is fought.
  • Volcano - In Returns, a volcano is shown at the peak of the mountain, which seems to contradict the existence of Gorilla Glacier. This volcano is where the Tiki Tak Tribe rested, and when the volcano erupted they were awakened. They built their tower in the volcano, which served as the eighth and final world. At the end of the game, the moon fell on the volcano, which destroyed the tower while also causing another eruption that returned the moon to its orbit.

Some areas from Donkey Kong 64 are also vague about their placement in relation to the island. Gloomy Galleon is accessed through Krokodile Island, but it looks like it could be a neighboring area of Donkey Kong Island. Additionally, Creepy Castle is reached by firing one's self through a cannon into the sky, which raises questions such as whether the castle is located high in the sky or if the cannon is actually taking the Kongs to a faraway area.

Sports

Various spin-off games have featured Donkey Kong levels which seem to be set on the island and in the past were usually closer to generic jungle environments than areas seen in the Country games. In some cases, it is uncertain whether the areas are actually set on Donkey Kong Island, particularly considering that some of the courts and stadiums could easily be imitations of environments on the island.

  • Kart Racing: Courses include Donkey Kong's Jungle Parkway in Mario Kart 64 (described as a tourist attraction with rocks thrown by angry natives), DK Mountain in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (which features a volcano), DK Pass in Mario Kart DS (which is a snowy mountain area that could be Gorilla Glacier), DK's Snowboard Cross in Mario Kart Wii (which is another glacial mountain, this time with snowboarding Shy Guys) and DK Jungle in Mario Kart 7 (which is based on Donkey Kong Country Returns and includes Tiki Taks). The first two Mario Kart Arcade GP games also feature a DK Cup consisting of DK Jungle and Bananan Ruins.
  • Golf: In Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, there is an unlockable course called the Congo Canopy which seems to be set within the Kongo Jungle. Mario Golf: World Tour also has a Returns-inspired DK Jungle course.
  • Tennis: The DK Jungle Court is used in Mario Power Tennis. It is uncertain whether or not it is actually set on the island, but this court notably mimics elements of the island from the Country series. There is similarly a DK Jungle court in Mario Tennis Open.
  • Soccer: The Konga Coliseum is featured in Super Mario Strikers and Mario Strikers Charged and is made out of wood.
  • Baseball: Mario Superstar Baseball and Super Mario Sluggers both have their own versions of a stadium known as the DK Jungle, which is a jungle environment containing ruins of an unknown civilization including a bongo-playing statue.
  • Other Sports: In Mario Hoops 3-on-3, one court is the DK Cruiser, which is set on a raft cruising down a river in the island. Mario Sports Mix features a similar course known as the DK Dock which supports all sports except for hockey.

The Mario Party games have also had some boards that seem to be set on Donkey Kong Island, which are depicted as a mix of jungle with ruins: DK's Jungle Adventure in Mario Party, DK's Treetop Temple in Mario Party 8, DK's Stone Statue in Mario Party DS and DK's Jungle Ruins in Mario Party 9.

Other Appearances

Video Games

Other Media

  • In the Donkey Kong Country cartoon, the island was instead called Kongo Bongo Island and lacked the Donkey Kong-faced mountain. Donkey Kong had a much clearer role as the guardian of the island in this version, and this responsibility was connected to the protection of the potent Crystal Coconut. The Kremlings also lived elsewhere on the island in this version, rather than having their own island home.

Trivia

  • Although Donkey Kong Country 2 and 3 are not set on Donkey Kong Island, the island is visible in the background of the world map for 2. In 3, the instruction manual's vague sense of direction indicates that the area where Dixie and Kiddy start from may be Donkey Kong Island.
  • The Big Ape City in Donkey Kong Land may have originally been intended to be the city where the original Donkey Kong took place. However, Super Mario Odyssey would later establish that those events actually took place in New Donk City.

See Also

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