Nintendo's recent unveiling of the Nintendo Switch 2 and Mario Kart 9 has sparked excitement, but one character's redesign has captured particular attention: Donkey Kong. His appearance seems heavily influenced by the design from The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
While most characters in the Mario Kart 9 trailer looked familiar, Donkey Kong's new look is strikingly different from his established design, seen for years in games like Mario Kart 8, Mario Tennis, and Donkey Kong Country Returns. The movie's successful reimagining of the character appears to have inspired this change.
The brief glimpse of Donkey Kong in the Mario Kart 9 trailer doesn't allow for a detailed comparison, but the differences are already apparent. A more thorough side-by-side analysis will likely be possible after the April Nintendo Direct, which is expected to showcase the Nintendo Switch 2 in greater detail. The console reveal trailer offered hints about the Switch 2's appearance, backward compatibility, new Joy-Con buttons, and the potential use of the controller as a mouse.
Although a 2025 release window was announced, the Nintendo Switch 2's arrival is more likely to be in June or later, due to upcoming worldwide hands-on events. Registration for these events is expected to open shortly.
