Broadcast live earlier in the day on https://twitch.tv/dkvine, DK Vine kicks off its Stinky Ape Summer by discussing what's possibly on deck concerning Rare and Donkey Kong in the upcoming game showcases from Xbox and Nintendo... and what was just revealed by Playtonic in the form of Yooka-Replaylee!
Diddy Kong Racing upended Donkey Kong Country fandom in 1997 by setting itself up as a backdoor pilot for Rare's Banjo-Kazooie and Conker franchises. This created a lot of expectations for the rest of the cast. Hyle and Jeff reflect on all of the Diddy Kong Racing spinoffs we wanted... and some that came close to existing!
The original Mario vs. Donkey Kong, which received a Nintendo Switch remake earlier this year, has turned 20! While controversial within corners of the Donkey Kong fandom, the series has endured for two decades with numerous sequels. Resident Mario vs. Donkey Kong enthusiast I.M. Gibbon joins noted skeptic Hyle to discuss the history of Donkey Kong Arcade Era revivals, how it led us here, and the game's unique place in both the Mario and DK franchises!
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair." There was one Dickens of an E3 that contained enough Donkey Kong Universe games for two cities... and wildly divergent moods toward the futures of Nintendo and Rare. The Kongversation remembers E3 2004 from DK V...
The Kongversation catches up with all the latest news and updates on the Donkey Kong Country half of Super Nintendo World! While the expansion has been delayed until the end of the year in Japan, Universal Orlando has fully revealed its existence for next year's Epic Universe. This includes new details, never-before-revealed specifics, and a fresh international identity for a certain Donkey Kong character.
The results are in! DK Vine's Patrons (https://www.patreon.com/dkvine) have voted on who drafted the best library of DKU games on the DKU Draft 2024 Special. Hyle and Jeff analyze the politics of DKU fandom and what went into drafting the winning team (as well as the losing two)!
We get into all of the features, both exciting and controversial, of the Shmegoobagooba's Season 11! Yes, welcome to Worm Week. Rare's doubled it! Number go up :)
Inspired by the NFL Draft, the Kongversation sits down Hyle, Jeff, and Mitchell to each draft five Donkey Kong Universe video games for their respective teams. With a mad scramble to recruit the favorites, it quickly becomes a mad scramble of gamesmanship and heartbreak. Which captain will score the superior DKU library?
One of the most iconic and enduring locations in the Donkey Kong Universe, Banjo's comfy country cottage tucked away in Spiral Mountain has been the starting point of nearly every adventure he and Kazooie have embarked on since 1998. Hyle and Dustin break down the history, and the hidden secrets, of this charming bear den!
Nintendo and Illumination have announced they're releasing "a new animated film based on the world of Super Mario Bros." in 2026. The question that naturally arises with such odd phrasing is, will this be a direct sequel to the previous film or the purported Donkey Kong spinoff? The Kongversation champs some popcorn and slanders some Hollywood stars in our debate over the nature of Nintendo's next blockbuster film!
The Kongversation once again opens up the Call Sack! Our listeners called the DK Vine Hotline at 1-202-630-VINE to prompt us on what to discuss across the wide Donkey Kong Universe!
In DKU Architects, the Kongversation examines the creative philosophies behind the minds that helped shape the Donkey Kong Universe. Up first is the design brilliance of Gregg Mayles, the creative juggernaut at Rare who lent his talents to Donkey Kong Country, Banjo-Kazooie, Viva Piñata, Sea of Thieves, and more!
Hey, it's Tiptup! Believe it or not, Diddy Kong Racing's speedy turtle, who would go on to become a minor character in the Banjo-Kazooie series, was once one of Rare's most popular characters. Learn about the fervent late 1990s devotion to the maestro as we explore his life history on the Kongversation!
Why do a fourth episode on Stop 'N' Swop? What more could possibly be said for the fabled scrapped feature that would have connected Banjo-Kazooie, Donkey Kong 64, Banjo-Tooie, and at least three more of Rare's N64 titles? Steve from off of Rare Gamer is back to take it to the fridge, freezer, or shower!
The Kongversation discussing a Super Mario Bros. game? What? Why? Because it takes one of the world's biggest Donkey Kong Country fans, as well as one of the world's biggest Sonic the Hedgehog fans, to talk about the virtues of the most maligned and misunderstood entry in the Super Mario series. Hyle and Josh Wallen chat about Super Mario Bros. 2!
The Kongversation catches up with Sea of Thieves' final months of 2023 with the three big new features added to the game: Guilds, the Skull of Siren Song, and Safer Seas!
The most recent new, standalone Donkey Kong game is now one decade old. It's a dubious, depressing milestone for any DK fan, but Hyle's joined by The Cartoon Gamer, Malik, to help look on the bright side of things and warm the cold sensation of 10 years wandering the frozen tundra!
Hyle and Cameron discuss Rare's sudden, surprising multiplatform spread across Xbox, Nintendo, and PlayStation consoles! Between five more titles arriving on Nintendo Switch Online and Sea of Thieves coming to PlayStation 5, what does the future hold for the rest of Rare's past and present?
The Kongversation kicks off its 12th season! After discussing some news about DK Vine up front, Hyle and Dustin get into their thoughts on the Nintendo Switch remake of Mario vs. Donkey Kong. While the original is controversial in certain corners of Donkey Kong fandom, does the remake hit any differently 20 years later?
DK Vine rings in 2024 for the UK while ringing out Season 11 of the podcast. What does 2024 look like for the Donkey Kong Universe, specifically the Donkey Kong franchise, Banjo-Kazooie, and Yooka-Laylee?
We discuss the recent 30-second ad for the upcoming Donkey Kong Country expansion to Super Nintendo World!
Following up on the Spotlight episode for 2003's browser game, Hyle and Josh are back with some surprising revelations about Donkey Kong Country Barrel Maze and Skyworks Technologies, Inc., the studio behind the magic! Be sure to watch the YouTube version of this episode at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00vNYtO3T78 for the full effect!
2023 saw a unique video game crossover when the world of LucasArts' Monkey Island, the classic point-and-click adventure series, crossed over with Rare's shared universe in Sea of Thieves. Stalwart Rare diehard Hyle is joined by Monkey Island fanatic Dustin and Sea of Thieves expert Jeff to break down all three installments of "The Legend of Monkey Island" and determine if it was the middle ground to win us all over!
Universal Studios Japan has unveiled many of the details for the upcoming expansion to Super Nintendo World entitled Donkey Kong Country. DK Vine discusses all of the major news and ramifications of the biggest Donkey Kong story of the decade!
Donkey Kong Country Barrel Maze was a 2003 browser game licensed by Nintendo to promote Donkey Kong Country for the Game Boy Advance on the Candystand.com website. Explore the history and surprisingly intricate lore of the DK game the general public never knew existed!
Hyle's about a month into his journey as the world's first self-employed Donkey Kong journalist. But where are the checks and balances? What professional can hold him accountable? Mitchell Wolfe returns to the podcast to give Hyle his DK Vine performance review!
We were going to do a two-hour episode but then we realized we had to DOUBLE IT!! The Kongversation looks back at Mario Kart Double Dash!! and the GameCube racer's many triumphs, notorious frustrations, and unique place in Mario Kart history!
The moment we had given up on more than once has finally come to (Booster Course) pass: Diddy Kong is in Mario Kart 8! Along with Funky Kong's addition, the biggest hindrance towards DK fans embracing the most recent console iteration of the series has been resolved. Hyle and Cameron share their initial thoughts on finally getting to play a nine-and-a-half-year-old game with slightly different primates!
Travel back to Rare's Manor House, circa early 1998, as a recently uncovered document reveals a previously unknown game and new details about the origins of another. Explore what could have been for the Diddy Kong Racing cast in the immediate aftermath of their hit N64 racing game!
Grabbed by the Ghoulies is a brilliant entry in Rare's shared universe and one of our favorite titles. But their Xbox debut has been dismissed and maligned by mainstream gamers since its release in 2003. What's the disconnect between the two sides? Altermentality returns to the podcast to discuss exactly why Ghoulies has grabbed true believers for two decades and counting!
