Nintendo has taken a bold step by revamping Donkey Kong's design, as first spotted by fans in the gameplay reveal of Mario Kart 9 during the Nintendo Switch 2 event. For years, even decades, Donkey Kong's appearance remained consistent across various games like Mario Kart 8, Mario Tennis, and Donkey Kong Country Returns. However, the new design, which many fans believe draws inspiration from the successful The Super Mario Bros. Movie, marks a significant shift.

The redesign has not only been showcased in Mario Kart 9 but has also been integrated into a new line of Donkey Kong merchandise. As reported by Nintendo Life, Reddit user cookiemaster221 shared images of the new products, noting, "History is being rewritten in front of our very eyes."

History is being rewritten in front of our very eyes
byu/cookiemaster221 indonkeykong

The new merchandise features a Donkey Kong with a more approachable appearance, characterized by a softened, less furrowed brow. Reddit user SmallBlueSlime commented, "They're giving him the Kirby treatment, but backwards. Instead of making him angry, they're making him chill." Other fans expressed mixed feelings about the change, with some lamenting the loss of Donkey Kong's iconic eyebrow, which they felt conveyed both kindness and strength. One supporter of the new look stated, "It's alright in my opinion. They probably did it to make him look more goofy and less angry."

Since the brief glimpse in Mario Kart 9, where Donkey Kong appeared in only a few scenes and not in great detail, fans have been eager for more. An extended look at the redesigned Donkey Kong in action is expected in April during a Nintendo Direct focused on the Switch 2.

The console reveal trailer for the Switch 2 offered only a few hints about the new hardware, focusing primarily on its appearance. It confirmed that the Switch 2 will be mostly backwards compatible, that the Joy-Cons will feature a new button, and validated a theory about using the controller as a mouse.