Donkey Kong's Artistic Evolution: A Veteran's Thoughts

Have you ever wondered how the people behind your favorite video game characters feel when their creations get a makeover? Well, we're in luck because Kevin Bayliss, the artist behind Donkey Kong's modern look, recently shared his thoughts on the Nintendo redesign. The spotlight is on Mario Kart 9 and the Switch 2 reveal trailer, where fans noticed some familiar characters with slightly different appearances. Donkey Kong's new look has been the talk of the town, especially among the Donkey Kong and Super Mario communities. Bayliss, a former Rare and Donkey Kong Country veteran, responded to a YouTube video by 'LUIZ do Comercial' that suggested Nintendo had shifted away from Rare's design back to DK's earlier looks. Bayliss took it in stride, saying, "You can take the KONG out of the Country, but you can't take the Country out of the Kong! " He added, "Everything changes, and change is good! " In a poll conducted by Nintendo Life, nearly half of the respondents approved of Donkey Kong's new look on the Switch 2. It's interesting to note that Bayliss' version isn't the only one out there. Donkey Kong was initially created by Shigeru Miyamoto, with Shigehisa Nakaue also contributing over the years. The redesign was revealed shortly after the release of Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, a game originally developed by Retro Studios, known for the Metroid Prime series. This latest development in Donkey Kong's artistic journey highlights how characters evolve over time, reflecting both their creators' visions and the community's preferences.