Honestly, if you’d told me two years ago that we’d be arguing about the texture of a gorilla's fur in a racing game, I would’ve laughed. But here we are. It’s early 2026, the Nintendo Switch 2 has been out for over half a year, and Mario Kart 9—or Mario Kart World as Nintendo officially branded it—is the only thing anyone is playing.
But the real conversation isn't about the 24-player races or the wild new "free roam" mode. It’s about the leader of the bunch. Donkey Kong.
If you've booted up the game recently, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Nintendo didn't just give DK a high-def upgrade; they basically rebuilt him from the ground up, and the internet has thoughts. Some people love the "retro" vibe, while others think he looks like a rejected mascot from a cereal box. Let’s get into what’s actually going on with the big ape in the newest installment.
The Donkey Kong Redesign: Why He Looks So Different
For decades, we’ve been used to the Rareware-style Donkey Kong. You know the one: angular, slightly grumpy, and relatively realistic (for a cartoon gorilla). But in Mario Kart 9, Nintendo pivoted. They took heavy inspiration from The Super Mario Bros. Movie and his original 80s arcade roots.
He’s rounder. His eyes are wider. He’s got this goofy, expressive face that feels less like a jungle warrior and more like a Saturday morning cartoon character.
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Why the change? Basically, it’s about animation. The developers at Nintendo EPD wanted more "squash and stretch" in the characters. In the new 24-player chaos, you need characters that pop. The old DK model was a bit static. The new one? You can see the wind hitting his face during a drift. It's subtle, but it adds a layer of life that the series has never really seen before.
Mario Kart 9 Donkey Kong DLC Rumors
The base game launched with a solid roster, but if you’re a DK fan, you probably noticed something was missing. Where are the jungle tracks? Where is the Donkey Kong Country representation?
Right now, the rumor mill is spinning faster than a Red Shell. Recent datamines of the December 2025 Nintendo Today! app updates revealed a bunch of DK-themed assets. More importantly, eagle-eyed players spotted King K. Rool and Void Kong in the game's credits, even though they aren't playable yet.
If you've been following the news, the talk is all about a massive "Kong Family" expansion coming later in 2026. We're talking:
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- King K. Rool finally making his karting debut.
- The return of Diddy Kong Racing style tracks (or at least spiritual successors).
- New "Bananza" outfits for DK and Pauline based on last year's Donkey Kong Bananza.
It’s basically an open secret at this point. Nintendo is leaning hard into the DK franchise right now, especially with the 40th anniversary of various IPs hitting this year.
Dealing With the "Movie-fication" of Mario Kart
There’s a segment of the fan base that’s genuinely worried. You’ve probably seen the Reddit threads. People are calling it the "Pixar-ization" of Nintendo. They worry that by making characters like Donkey Kong look more like their movie counterparts, the games are losing their unique Japanese quirkiness.
I get it. Change is weird. But having spent about 40 hours in Mario Kart 9 since June, I can tell you that the new DK grows on you. When you’re mid-air, performing a stunt on a jet ski (yeah, the karts transform now), and you see him do a clumsy backflip with that huge grin, it feels right. It feels like Mario Kart.
What You Should Do Now
If you’re still rocking the old Switch, it might be time to consider the jump. Mario Kart 9 (World) is a Switch 2 exclusive for a reason—the hardware just wouldn't handle the physics and the 24-player lobbies otherwise.
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Here is your "DK Pro-Tip" for the current meta:
Don’t sleep on the "Jungle Junker" kart combo. Even with the design change, DK remains a heavy-class racer, meaning his top speed is monstrous. If you pair him with the new Slick-Frosted tires, you can maintain a higher mini-turbo stat than previous heavy builds allowed.
Keep an eye on the February Nintendo Direct. If the leaks about the Donkey Kong Bananza DLC are true, we’re about to get a whole lot more monkey business in our racing schedules. Grab those coins, practice your wall-jumps, and maybe try to embrace the new look. He’s still the same DK underneath the fluffier fur.
Go check your "Unlocks" menu in the Yoshi Eateries around the maps—there’s a rumored classic 90s skin hidden in the "To-Go Bags" if you hit a certain rank in the Star Cup.