Four newDonkey KongLEGO sets have just been announced, providing another expansion to LEGO’s growingSuper Mariocollection. Although it’s been nearly a decade since the release ofDonkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze,the last mainlineDonkey Konggame, the character remains a favorite among Nintendo fans—as evidenced by his meaty role in the recentSuper Mario Bros. Movie.Nintendo first collaborated with LEGO on the high-end LEGO Nintendo Entertainment System Building Kit in 2020, and from there the companies released various collaborations, including the LEGOSuper Mario 64and LEGO Mighty Bowser sets. A recent leak suggests that LEGO might even be expanding its partnership with Nintendo outside theSuper Mariofranchise, with along-awaitedThe Legend of Zeldaset, though that has not been confirmed at the time of this writing.RELATED:New Sonic the Hedgehog LEGO Sets Officially RevealedFor now, LEGO has announced a slew of adventure playsets starring DK and his friends, including “Donkey Kong’s Tree House Expansion Set,” “Diddy Kong’s Mine Cart Ride Expansion Set,” “Dixie Kong’s Jungle Jam Expansion Set,” and, for those who love smashing through walls and finding secret banana hordes, a smaller “Rambi the Rhino Expansion Set.” They range in price from $10.99 to $109.99, and each set has an August 1 street date.
The clip leans heavily into the DK family’s musical roots, reprising the familiar theme and highlighting Dixie’s love for jamming on guitar. Ditto for Kranky Kong’s drums, which help decorate DK’s tree house as the leading man leaps rope bridges and climbs trees to grab some prized bananas. Perhaps most surprising isthe inclusion of Funky Kong, who’s been around since the 1994Donkey Kong Countrybut had to wait until the 2018 Switch port ofTropical Freezeto become a playable character. LEGO apparently is keeping the Rambi the Rhino set close to the vest, as the character doesn’t appear in the teaser.
Following much anticipation for new sets based on Nintendo properties, LEGO is sure to find success by addingDonkey Kongto its roster. Some fans may chafe at the lack of classic arcade influence, including the fan who developedtheir own retro LEGODonkey Kongset(complete with tiered platforms, barrels, and even Pauline). But looking forward is more important here, as DK and friends are clearly due for another mainline game. This announcement suggests Nintendo is well aware of the characters' popularity, and it may even hint that fans will soon be able to play as them not just in LEGO form—but in pixel form as well.
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