The Mario Odyssey team is working on a new Donkey Kong game, it’s claimed
Several sources say Nintendo EPD is making a 40th anniversary title
The development team behind Super Mario Odyssey could be working on a new Donkey Kong game.
Nintendo Life was told by “an independent (and very trusted) source” that Nintendo EPD is developing a 2D/2.5D Donkey Kong game.
The report ties in with recent claims that Nintendo has brought Donkey Kong development back in-house with a view to releasing a game to coincide with the mascot’s 40th anniversary this year.
Leaker Zippo and YouTuber LonelyGoomba claimed to have heard of the project earlier this month, with the former writing: “It’s the big ape’s 40th anniversary, and while I’m not sure how Nintendo is celebrating the occasion, there is a new 2D DK game being developed by EPD Tokyo.
“Retro is obviously busy with other things, so Nintendo has taken it upon themselves to bring DK back in as internal series. Don’t expect the ‘Country’ moniker to return, as EPD Tokyo are not interested in making a sequel to games they didn’t make.
Further reading
Donkey Kong Country team reflects on the game’s 25th anniversary
“Diddy, Cranky and the Kremling Krew should all be returning in this installment. It sounds like this game is launching before the end of the year. An E3 announcement seems very likely.”
Retro Studios, which developed 2010’s Donkey Kong Country Returns and 2014’s Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (which also came to Switch in 2018), is currently working on Metroid Prime 4.
All three games in Rare’s Donkey Kong Country SNES trilogy were added to Switch Online last year.
And Nintendo is believed to be working on a Donkey Kong expansion for the recently opened Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan.
