Nintendo Revamps Another Classic Character—Check Out the Reveal

Nintendo has recently unveiled a new design for Diddy Kong, following a similar redesign for Donkey Kong. The updated look features a more cartoonish aesthetic with rounded eyes and a friendly smile, showcasing the company's shift in character design that aligns with the visuals seen in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. These changes were spotted during the Licensing Expo 2025 in Las Vegas, where attendees were able to view the refreshed look. In addition to Diddy Kong, Princess Peach has also received a slight redesign to match her film appearance as seen in Princess Peach: Showtime! with the Nintendo Switch game covering her new look. This redesign trend hints at a cohesive branding strategy for upcoming projects, including the anticipated title Donkey Kong Bananza for the Nintendo Switch 2.

Diddy Kong's design has been revamped to feature a more cartoonish style, characterized by rounder eyes and a friendlier smile, aligning with contemporary animation trends.

The anticipation builds for Nintendo's upcoming titles, including Donkey Kong Bananza, expected to include not just Donkey Kong but possibly other characters such as Diddy Kong and Cranky Kong. Given the success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which prominently featured Donkey Kong, this redesign reflects a strategic marketing approach to ensure character designs are appealing and relevant to both games and movie tie-ins.