The Rarenaissance era, which we've been living in for the past eight years, has seen the embers of Rare reignite across the games and studios of the Donkey Kong Universe. As the era nears its end and we prepare to embark on what's next, Hyle and Mitchell reflect on the last near-decade of the DKU!
Mar 13, 2022•2 hr 12 min
Happy holidays! Hyle and Jeff discuss the holiday season, and a season of change, in Sea of Thieves. As Season Five winds down, we look back at sitting down, talk about eating pounds of rat, question who's the true star of loads, and review the introduction of Belle and the Shrouded Islands adventure!
Mar 06, 2022•2 hr 27 min
Let's guzzle some tea and have another chat about Sabre Wulf! Hyle has revived his DK Vine Forum series "The Slush Fun'd" to chronicle his experiences playing the Game Boy Advance cult classic, and he and Dustin will delve into all of his findings and theories, including the game's timeline placement in the DKU and a grand unifying theory between it, Donkey Kong Land, Conker's Pocket Tales, Donkey Kong 64, Banjo-Tooie, Mario Super Sluggers, Donkey Kong Country Returns, Sea of Thieves, and... Imh...
Feb 27, 2022•3 hr 5 min
We give our quick thoughts on Banjo-Kazooie on Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack. The performance, the differences, and the joy of having the Nintendo 64 version available once again!
Feb 20, 2022•58 min
In the first of several special Tribunal episodes throughout the season, Hyle and the gang set out to reexamine if Sabre Wulf for the Game Boy Advance should be considered part of the shared universe of Donkey Kong. It's a twisty, convoluted journey into how shared universes have evolved in the popular imagination over the past 50 years, DK Vine's own rules on the subject, and how it all relates to the weird case of a 2004 GBA game about an old British man getting chased by a wolf.
Feb 13, 2022•1 hr 41 min
It's a special LIVE New Year's Forecast 2022! Hyle and Gibbon look into the ORB to see what the year ahead may entail for the Donkey Kong Universe, and then they usher in 2022 for the homeland of Rare and Playtonic!
Dec 31, 2021•1 hr
Inspired by the fervor that Fangamer's RareRacers pins caused, Hyle, Cameron, and Jeff sit down to discuss all of the various shapes and sizes that a new Rare racing game could take and what we would most like to see. Got milk?
Dec 30, 2021•2 hr
Since our discussion of the Dinosaur Planet ROM, even more of it has been uncovered. In fact, we now have an entire view of the game's storyline and shocking twists, some of which differ quite a bit from Star Fox Adventures. Steve from off of Rare Gamer returns to discuss the alternate reality that could have been!
Dec 23, 2021•3 hr 4 min
In the Kongversation's last Sea of Thieves recap of the year, Hyle and Jeff look back at Season Four of Rare's ongoing pirate prequel, which explored the underwater kingdom of the Sirens, saw Halloween and Thanksgiving-inspired events, and... introduced Kremlings?
Dec 09, 2021•1 hr 40 min
The Kongversation discusses all of the big news about Playtonic's ambitious plans before focusing on Demon Turf, the new Hell-based 3D platformer published by Playtonic Friends and featuring an appearance by Yooka and Laylee!
Dec 03, 2021•1 hr 28 min
DK Vine's love/hate relationship with the Mario Party franchise has been well-documented on the Kongversation and elsewhere, so what happens when we get a Mario Party "greatest hits" package that focuses heavily on nostalgia for the Nintendo 64 trilogy? We discuss and debate the return to Mushroom Village, as well as all of the Kong-based representation in the game!
Nov 14, 2021•1 hr 43 min
Our journey with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has come to an end. Hyle and Mitchell sentimentally reflect on one of the wildest content cycles for any game we've ever covered. We also ponder what could possibly be next for the Smash franchise!
Nov 04, 2021•2 hr 23 min
The Kongversation geeks out over Fangamer's new RareRacers merchandise line, kicking off with Banjo and the first-ever Timber the tiger merchandise!
Oct 19, 2021•2 hr 1 min
The Kongversation connects the dots and lays out the case for why Donkey Kong Country fans should be happy, seeing as how we're on the verge of the greatest time for the franchise since the 1990s. Featuring insights on the purported new game, the movie, and the just-announced theme park! Co-starring Josh "The Geek Critique" Wallen!
Oct 09, 2021•3 hr 26 min
DK Vine teams with The Cartoon Gamer to have a Kongversation about the big DKU stories of the September 2021 Nintendo Direct: Banjo-Kazooie on the Nintendo Switch and Seth Rogen and Fred Armisen as Donkey and Cranky Kong in Illumination's Super Mario movie!
Sep 28, 2021•1 hr 57 min
The Kongversation navigates a four-hour voyage across the waters of chat as we discuss the epic crossover between Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean and Rare's shared universe. Spoilers ahoy!
Sep 19, 2021•4 hr 18 min
D.M. Cumbo, the mind behind Dreamprism Press and the author and artist of Yooka-Laylee and the Kracklestone, joins us once again on the Kongversation for a chat about the creation of the graphic novel, collaborating with Playtonic, and why you should VOTE FART.
Sep 12, 2021•2 hr 18 min
In honor of the Grand Tome Edition available now at Limited Run Games (https://www.limitedrungames.com/products/yooka-laylee-and-the-kracklestone-graphic-novel), the Kongversation tackles the official Yooka-Laylee graphic novel, Yooka-Laylee and the Kracklestone! How did the work change the way Hyle and Cameron view Yooka-Laylee, and why is it worth the time of any longtime fan of the DKU?
Sep 05, 2021•1 hr 52 min
The Kongversation is joined by two fathers of the Donkey Kong Universe: the designer of the modern Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong, Kev Bayliss, and legendary composer David Wise. They're on the podcast to chat about their careers (including Donkey Kong Country, Diddy Kong Racing, and Star Fox Adventures) and also their new venture: DK Creations Ltd. and the multi-media comic experience SALAMANDOS!
Aug 22, 2021•59 min
With the news that Nintendo is shutting down Dr. Mario World, rendering it inaccessible to play, the Kongversation takes a look at the history of Nintendo games that are lost to time, the Donkey Kong Universe's close calls over the years, and Nintendo's practices with game preservation compared to Xbox and others.
Aug 17, 2021•1 hr 19 min
It's a game that came out in November of 2019 set in the summer of 2020 that didn't actually happen until August of 2021. In this episode, Hyle and David discuss the stupid continuity ramifications of Donkey Kong being an Olympic athlete in every sport!
Aug 08, 2021•1 hr 34 min
Who's the most stand-up, solid dude in the Donkey Kong Universe? Not that piece of trash Conker! The Kongversation makes the case for Banjo, a bluegrass-loving hillbilly with cosmopolitan tastes, an enormous heart, and only light manslaughter charges.
Aug 01, 2021•3 hr 4 min
Hyle watched all five "Pirates of the Caribbean" films for the first time in order to have proper context for Sea of Thieves: A Pirate's Life. He has opinions, so Jeff will be the Ebert to his Siskel in the Kongversation's first-ever Film Critique!
Jul 22, 2021•1 hr 13 min
Hyle and Jeff discuss everything Season Two brought to Sea of Thieves and some things it didn't, including disguising yourself as a barrel, Forts of Fortune, and the sweet creamy taste of squirrel milk. Press play to find out which is which!
Jul 16, 2021•1 hr 56 min
The Donkey Kong franchise has turned 40! To celebrate, DK Vine's LIVE Kongversation (originally broadcast on https://twitch.tv/dkvine) honors the last four decades, and every era, of Donkey Kong. To help with the festivities, several notable names behind DK's storied legacy even drop in with their warmest regards!
Jul 10, 2021•3 hr 56 min
Hyle's been suffering from deliberating insomnia for nearing two weeks, so he spends the first episode back from E3 railing against Space Jam, for some reason. He also discusses Mario Golf: Super Rush, which has been getting mixed reviews across mainstream gaming sites. What does DK Vine think, and how much of it comes down to the glistening perfection of Donkey Kong soaking wet in the rain?
Jul 02, 2021•1 hr 28 min
E3 2021 is over. All of the games have been revealed. All that's left is a summer of perpetual longing. To help find closure, an exhausted Hyle is joined by Cameron and Gibbon to bring things full circle on a LIVE Kongversation (broadcast on https://twitch.tv/dkvine) on the Friday after E3!
Jun 18, 2021•1 hr 36 min
Hyle is drunk. Jeff is drunk. Mitchell is sober, although he's drunk on power. Nintendo's E3 was a disappointment for Donkey Kong fans, but DK Vine tries to make the best of it on a LIVE Kongversation (broadcast on https://twitch.tv/dkvine) covering the Nintendo Direct!
Jun 15, 2021•2 hr 23 min
Captain Jack Sparrow has joined the DKU. The bizarre (and robust) crossover between Sea of Thieves and Pirates of the Caribbean takes over E3 Sunday and the LIVE Kongversation (broadcast on https://twitch.tv/dkvine) for the Xbox and Bethesda Showcase!
Jun 13, 2021•1 hr 53 min
E3 is here! E3 is at home! On our LIVE E3 preview (broadcast on E3 Friday on https://twitch.tv/dkvine), Hyle and a panel of DK Viners discuss what the all-digital return of the biggest gaming event of the year might yield for the Donkey Kong Universe. The new Donkey Kong game? A second or THIRD Donkey Kong game? Everwild? Banjo-Kazooie? BACONHEADZ? Nothing is too ludicrous to speculate on!
Jun 11, 2021•2 hr 6 min