In preparation for the transition to the Nintendo Switch 2, theNintendo Switchjust got a new update with some fresh profile images for fans to use, but one in particular is drawing a lot of criticism. Most of the profile images are simple glow-ups of the characters with brighter colors and slight tweaks. Donkey Kong’s, however, is based on his more significant new redesign, which has drawn a lot of attention and been a point of contention since it was first seen.
A Reddit post bythetripp45shares a look at the redesigns, andfans in the comments are not happy about Donkey Kong’s new profile image. The new look is based on his upcoming appearance inDonkey Kong Bananzaand features a pretty substantial redesign of the iconic character. In fact, the only profile picture that saw a significant change was Donkey Kong’s, which may have shone the spotlight on it even further.
Donkey Kong’s New Look Matches Bananza
It’s Certainly More Expressive
It has been a long time since a major Nintendo character has gotten a significant redesign, so naturally,changing the look of an iconic character has proven divisive. Some fans and evengame developers have defended the redesign, while others think it doesn’t resemble the Donkey Kong that we all loved and knew. DK is more expressive in his new design, and his eye spacing is much closer than before.
The older icons have been replaced, and with DK’s being the most changed, it’s naturally drawing a lot more attention than the others.Most of the unhappiness regarding DK’s new design seems to stem from nostalgia, with Reddit userLewcastersaying:“I don’t mind the new DK design, but they shouldn’t replace the older icon, I love using it because it reminds me of my childhood.“Fans originally spotted a Donkey Kong redesignin the then-unnamedMario Kart Worldwhen the Switch 2 was announced back in January, but the final look has been tweaked a bit more.
Our Take: The Redesign Will Take Some Getting Used To
Still A Good Look For DK
The new design has been divisive so far, but after fans get used to seeing DK and his wide range of facial expressions,I think fans will come around to at least appreciating the new design. At the same time, I understand how, for some fans, overhauling Donkey Kong can be like taking Mario’s red hat and plumber pants away and replacing them with a black fedora and a purple tuxedo as his main design.
WithDonkey Kong Bananzaset to be thefirst 3D Donkey Kong game sinceDonkey Kong 64, a generally well-received classic, a fresh coat of paint for DK in his new 3D adventure might be exactly what he needs. Still, taking away the original Donkey Kong design completely from theNintendo Switchaccount profile images stings a little. Maybe some more retro-style images will be added in the future to appease both fans who want the original DK design and those who enjoy his new look.
