Even though Mario is the more notable Nintendo franchise, Donkey Kong technically came first when it came to an ongoing series of titles. The Donkey Kong series has been going slightly longer than Mario and gives it a good run for its money regarding the greatest 2D Nintendo platformers.

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It's not just limited to platformers, as the racing genre sees a great DK title as well. Many of the Donkey Kong games are amazing and some of the best titles on a given system, yet there's also several hidden gems that aren't as well known but great in their own regard.

Updated on March 3, 2024, by Dominic Allen: With the recent launch of the Mario vs. Donkey Kong remake, it's a great time to look back at all the acclaimed DK titles that are out there. It's not a small subseries, but pretty huge, and virtually all the games are worth checking out. This has become easier in recent times because many of the titles are thankfully available on Switch.

10 Donkey Kong Arcade

Nintendo's First Breakout Hit

Mario with a hammer in Donkey Kong 1981 arcade game

Release Year

Platforms

1981

Arcade, NES, GBA, Switch (via Switch Online)

It's surreal, looking back, that this one arcade game was what put Nintendo on the map and made them into the giant they are presently. The original Donkey Kong remains solid to this day in its challenge, controls, and scoring gameplay.

It'll definitely seat back beginners due to some odd aspects like fall damage being present, which is usually a non-issue in 2D Mario games. Right now, kids can still pick up the arcade Donkey Kong and have fun with it because the controls are that tight and smooth.

9 Donkey Kong Game Boy

Essentially, The First Mario Vs. DK Game

The opening of Donkey Kong played on the Super Game Boy for SNES.

Release Year

Platforms

1994

Game Boy

A Game Boy classic everyone should play is Donkey Kong. At first, it may seem like an arcade port, but after the opening moments, the real title begins with Mario going through the same puzzle-platforming gameplay you would later see in the first Mario vs. Donkey Kong.

The controls and moves at your disposal are super fun to do, making the title stand out from other 2D platformers on the console. Unfortunately, the Game Boy Donkey Kong isn't available on Switch Online, which is a real shame as it's great to play before or after experiencing Mario vs. Donkey Kong.

8 Diddy Kong Racing

Severely Underappreciated Today

Diddy Kong races down the track on one of the dinosaur stages in Diddy Kong Racing

Release Year

Platforms

1997

N64, Nintendo DS

When it comes to N64 racing games, the biggest and most notable title has to be Mario Kart 64. However, another game is debatably better and more historically significant: Diddy Kong Racing. Developed by Rare, Diddy Kong Racing stood out from other titles due to its heightened focus on single-player with a big adventure mode and different types of vehicles to drive in.

The title became heavily influential to other racers like Crash Team Racing, to the extent that Naughty Dog put a track from a game into it during early production for testing purposes. It's sort of like when you learn to play guitar, in that you make sure you can play known songs well before you start making your own stuff.

7 Mario Vs. Donkey Kong

A Game You Can't Help But Smile At

Release Year

Platforms

2004/2024

GBA/Switch

If you want to play a game to brighten your day, Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a great option. The title itself is a solid, short, and sweet puzzle platformer with some good boss fights, but Charles Martinet makes this game way more entertaining.

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He speaks far more lines than normal, and some of them are very funny and meme-worthy. The remake's great as well, although it's not a huge upgrade in comparison to other stellar Nintendo remakes.

6 Donkey Kong Country

The Game That Put The Sega Genesis In Its Place

Donkey and Diddy Kong after beating a boss in Donkey Kong Country

Release Year

Platforms

1994

SNES, Switch (via Switch Online)

A lot of people today won't realize how big of a deal Donkey Kong Country was and the huge technological leap it offered. With the help of Silicon Graphics, DKC was the best-looking console game in the world and blew everything else out of the water.

The game itself was stellar, too, with diverse levels from swimming to minecarts to barrel blasting. All complete with a great soundtrack as well. After this title was launched, the 90s console wars were essentially over, and DKC remains a must-play classic SNES title.

5 Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong-Quest

One Of The Greatest 16-Bit Sequels

The splash screen of Donkey Kong Country 2, and in it it's easier to see the pun in the title.

Release Year

Platforms

1995

SNES, Switch (via Switch Online)

While Donkey Kong Country 1 was game-changing, DKC2 was bigger and better. This time, you don't play as Donkey Kong but must rescue him as Diddy Kong and newcomer Dixie Kong. The new character is a blast to play with, and the levels here are debatably the best 2D platformer levels on the system, right up there with Super Mario World.

Everything got heightened in this game, even the challenge, as there's a new Lost World area with six incredibly difficult levels to beat in order to achieve the real ending. Donkey Kong Country 2 is no question one of the best games on the SNES.

4 Donkey Kong 64

Amazing, But Desperately Needs A Remake

Donkey Kong N64 DK in his home

Release Year

Platforms

1999

N64

Rare had a stellar offering of 3D platformers on the N64, and Donkey Kong 64 is definitely one of them. Just like the Banjo-Kazooie games, the variety in the single-player is wild, with so many different minigames that the title never gets boring. You have five different characters to play as, and they're all fun, but certain issues hold this game back from the legendary status of the Banjo titles.

The sheer number of collectibles is tiresome, especially in regards to how frequently you'll need to change characters, and the game's way too hard, forcing you to beat DK arcade twice simply to progress. These issues can easily be rectified in a remake, and if that were done, DK64 would be a top three platformer on the system, no question.

3 Donkey Kong Jungle Beat

A One-Of-A-Kind Game

Donkey Kong jumping in Donkey Kong Jungle Beat for the GameCube

Release Year

Platforms

2004

GameCube, Wii

A real GameCube hidden gem has to be Donkey Kong Jungle Beat. Developed by the same internal Nintendo team that would later create Super Mario Galaxy, Jungle Beat works so well due to the DK Bongos peripheral.

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Using that controller feels great and satisfying, and unlike most other DK games, this one makes you truly feel like the almighty powerful gorilla DK's supposed to be. That rarely ever happens in the series, making Jungle Beat even more special and worth trying.

2 Donkey Kong Country Returns

A Phenomenal Revival

Donkey Kong Country Returns 3DS DK running across beach

Release Year

Platforms

2010

Wii, 3DS

After 14 years, another Donkey Kong Country finally arrived, and the wait was worth it. Even compared to other Wii platformers like New Super Mario Bros. Wii, DKCR outshines the rest of the pack. In New Super Mario Bros. Wii, you had to beat a certain number of levels in order to save the game, so if you get a game over, you may have to replay levels.

That's not an issue in DKCR, but the game's even harder to compensate. Returns has to be one of the hardest games on the Wii, but damn, does it feel good when you finally beat certain levels. The title's a blast from start to finish, and it's a shame it's not available on Switch to play alongside its superior sequel.

1 Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

One Of The Wii U's Best Games

Donkey Kong going through a Temple level in Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

Platform(s)
Switch , Wii U
Released
February 21, 2014
Developer(s)
Retro Studios
Publisher(s)
Nintendo

The follow-up to Donkey Kong Country Returns was Tropical Freeze, and it's close to a perfect sequel. The levels are even better and more diverse this time around, with two more playable characters here, or three if you're playing the Switch version.

Those additional characters are great to play and add more depth because you have to think about which character is the best match for a certain level or boss. The only knock against Tropical Freeze is that the bosses are a bit too long for their own good, but besides that, this game has to be one of the best platformers you can play on current systems.

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