Whether it’s movies, TV shows, video games, or even a music album/track, having a “killer name” is vital for something to stick in the minds of fans or critics. It doesn’t necessarily need to “pop” every time, as even a simple name can greatly impact people. But when you pair the right name with the right product, you get something that lasts forever. For example, the Donkey Kong Country series is synonymous with top-tier platforming and the best games to find Donkey Kong in. The line still exists today, and the name still resonates with gamers.
But as it so often does, eventually, a person looks at a title and goes, “How did they come up with the name?” In the case of Donkey Kong Country, that’s a bit fair to wonder. The first two words of the name are obviously about the main character, but DK doesn’t live in a country. Instead, he lives on an island. A large island, we grant you, but an island nonetheless. So why did the team settle on that name versus others?
A fan went to Twitter and asked ex-RARE game developer Kev Bayliss that question, and he gave a surprisingly simple answer:
Yep. Like many projects before it, the game was given its title thanks to the project codename. You’d be surprised how many project titles meant to be placeholders eventually become the final titles. Sometimes simplicity goes a long way to get things done, and clearly, fans didn’t mind the title at all, as the original trilogy was some of the most beloved games on the SNES.
Then, when you fast forward to when the franchise returned on the Wii and Wii U thanks to Retro Studios, fans couldn’t wait to get back into the DK action. Both titles were hits, and the Wii U version even got a port to the Switch, where it sold rather well.
That brings us to the irony of the series. Despite its recent successes on the last three consoles, it’s unclear whether Nintendo is working on a new DK title for the Nintendo Switch. Outside of the Wii U port, DK hasn’t had a title on the system, and many feel that’s odd as the previous two titles were incredibly high quality.
There are rumors that a massive Donkey Kong game is in the works, but until Nintendo confirms it, then we can’t know for sure. Hopefully, it’s not too long before we head into DK’s country again.
