LEGO Donkey Kong: new sets announced

LEGO has announced that sets based on the Donkey Kong series are on the way. The reveal marks a new phase in the partnership between Nintendo and LEGO, which in recent years has brought together several franchises from both worlds, including Zelda, Animal Crossing, and Super Mario. With these latest developments, LEGO now appears to be focusing on a new range centered on Donkey Kong.

A look back at Donkey Kong's history

Donkey Kong first appeared in 1981 with the release of the arcade game of the same name. In the original game, Donkey Kong served as the main antagonist, with players taking on the role of Mario, then known as 'Jumpman'. The goal was to rescue Pauline, who had been captured by Donkey Kong. Over the years, Donkey Kong has evolved from villain to hero, building up a large cast of supporting characters including Diddy, Dixie, and Cranky. He has also faced a number of notable enemies, such as the Tiki Tak Tribe and King K. Rool and his Kremlings.

The LEGO sets

The newly announced LEGO sets give Donkey Kong fans a chance to explore their favorite characters and moments from the franchise. Donkey Kong-themed sets have already appeared in LEGO's Super Mario line, but it looks like these new releases will offer a broader range of designs and possibilities. In a short Instagram video, LEGO showed a barrel with details that hark back to the original Donkey Kong game, suggesting that a set based on the arcade classic may be on the way.

Beyond possible sets based on the original arcade game, there are plenty of other concepts LEGO could explore. For example, LEGO could consider releasing sets inspired by Donkey Kong Bananza's destructive environments, King K. Rool's iconic pirate ship, or recognizable locations from Mario vs. Donkey Kong. The flexible nature of LEGO sets would make it possible to turn many elements of the Donkey Kong world into buildable scenes.

Donkey Kong Bananza and the future

Donkey Kong Bananza, released last year, has renewed interest in the franchise and has already sold more than 4.5 million copies on Switch 2 in less than a year. This marks the first fully new Donkey Kong game in more than a decade, beyond remakes and ports. With the attention Donkey Kong has received recently, it is clear the franchise is entering a new era.

The future of Donkey Kong looks brighter than ever. The game continues to be supported with in-game events, and there are rumors that the big ape may even get his own movie. Seth Rogen, who voices Donkey Kong in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, has expressed enthusiastic interest in a spin-off. In addition, Illumination has a mysterious Nintendo film planned for 2028, which may have something to do with the DK crew.

The upcoming LEGO Donkey Kong sets show that LEGO and Nintendo plan to continue developing this beloved franchise, with possibilities for both nostalgic fans and new players. It will be interesting to see exactly which sets are revealed and how the partnership develops in the future.