Funky Kong

Funky Kong
Funky Kong's artwork from the game Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze for Switch.
Alias(es)	Cool 'n' Hip Kong The Fun-Loving Kong
Residence(s)	Donkey Kong Island
Family	Tawks the Parrot (pet)
Species	Gorilla
Gender	Male
Affiliation(s)	Kong Family
Powers/Abilities	Technological Prowess, Tremendous Strength, Ground-Pound (only in DKC: TF), Climbing Skills, Rolling Attack (only in DKC: TF), Levitation (using surfboard), Double Jump (only in DKC: TF)
Enemies	Kremling Krew, Koopa Troopa, Snowmads
Game(s)	Donkey Kong Country Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest Donkey Kong Land 2 Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! Donkey Kong 64 Donkey Kong Coconut Crackers (canceled) Diddy Kong Pilot (unconfirmed; canceled) DK: King of Swing Donkey Konga 3 Donkey Kong Barrel Blast DK Jungle Climber Super Smash Bros. Brawl Mario Kart Wii Mario Super Sluggers Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
First Appearance	Donkey Kong Country (for SFC/SNES) (1994)
Latest Appearance	Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (for Switch) (2018)
Voice Actor/Actress	Toshihide Tsuchiya (2007-present), Damon D'Oliveira (in the DKC TV series), Jim Cummings (The Super Mario Bros. Movie)

"Lookin' good, Kongs! Buckle up and blast off, you're outta here!"

—Funky Kong in the game Donkey Kong Country for SFC/SNES

Funky Kong (ファンキーコング, Fankī Kongu in Japan) is a recurring character in the Donkey Kong series. Funky often serves as an ally to the Kong Family by offering services such as his transportation and weaponry. He is a helpful and happily willing ally to the series' titular hero and has proven his worth on numerous occasions.

Biography

Transportation Service

Funky Kong's artwork from the game Donkey Kong Country.

Funky Kong makes his debut in the original Donkey Kong Country game. Funky serves as the owner of the Funky's Flights in the Super Family Computer/Super Nintendo Entertainment System and Game Boy Color versions of the game, and the Funky's Fishing in the Game Boy Advance version, both appearing in every world map of the Donkey Kong Island, respectively. He will allow Donkey and Diddy Kong to use his Funky Barrel to travel to areas of the island the player has beaten for free. In the GBC and GBA versions of Donkey Kong Country, Funky also hosts Funky's Fishing, which is a combo-based fishing minigame.

Lending a hand in Crocodile Isle

Funky Kong returns inevitably in the game Donkey Kong Country 2. His role is largely unchanged, hosting a new flight service called Funky's Flights II, across the Crocodile Isle. Funky Kong actually owns two different aircrafts in this game. In the SFC/SNES version, he has the Biplane Barrel, and demands the initial fee of two Banana Coins per location of the service. In the GBA version, Funky owns a Gyrocopter and only demands Diddy and Dixie Kong to clear a single mission minigame on the vehicle before unlocking it. Each location of the Funky's Flights II hosts different missions and their rewards are single DK Coins. Lastly, during the regular ending cutscene of the GBA version of the game, Funky uses the Gyrocopter to rescue Diddy, Dixie, Donkey and Cranky Kong from The Flying Krock after Kaptain K. Rool is defeated for the first time and they escape from the island.

In the Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest Instruction Booklet, Funky claims he hates adventures as his reason for not taking a direct role in Diddy's battle with the Kremlings.

In the game Donkey Kong Land 2 for the Game Boy, Funky Kong's role is exactly the same as in Donkey Kong Country 2, with him allowing Diddy and Dixie to use his Biplane Barrel to travel to areas they have previously been to, for an initial price of two Banana Coins per location.

Mechanic Extraordinaire

In the game Donkey Kong Country 3, Funky Kong runs Funky's Rentals in the Northern Kremisphere, near Bazaar's General Store. At the beginning of the game, Dixie Kong must visit Funky in order to pick up her cousin and partner throughout the game, Kiddy Kong, as well as the Motor Boat. As Dixie and Kiddy progress through the game, they can gain various items and give them to Funky, who will use them to create new, more powerful vehicles, such as the Hover Craft and Turbo Ski, for them to use and reach new locations.

Throughout Donkey Kong Country 3, references to Funky working on a "secret project" are made by the Brothers Bear. If Dixie and Kiddy do bring Funky all the DK Coins obtainable, he will give them his Gyrocopter, which they can use to locate the Banana Bird Queen and her last three children.

In the GBA version of Donkey Kong Country 3, Funky Kong's role is essentially the same as in the original, with the only difference being that he will allow Dixie and Kiddy to play some challenge minigames in his shop after each new vehicle is unlocked. if the Kongs beat all these minigames, Funky will reward them with a Banana Bird.

In the Brazilian commercial for Donkey Kong Country 3, it can be seen that Funky's sprite from Donkey Kong Country 2 was still being in use at the time. It is unknown why it changed.

Weapon Supplier

Funky Kong as seen in the game Donkey Kong 64 for Nintendo 64.

In Donkey Kong 64, Funky runs Funky's Armory, which, as its name implies, is a weapons shop from which the Kongs can buy weapons and accessories. Funky Kong will also give away free ammunition if the Kongs visit him and he has nothing available for sale. In this game, Funky is located in every world except Hideout Helm. Each Kong has a unique gun. Donkey has the Coconut Shooter, Diddy has the Peanut Popguns, Lanky has the Grape Shooter, Tiny has the Feather Bow, and Chunky has the Pineapple Launcher.

During the ending cutscene of Donkey Kong 64, it is Funky who delivers the final blow (after Chunky Kong in the actual fight) to King Krusha K. Rool. As the Kremling King is distracted by Candy Kong and her beauty, Funky, equipped with a rocket launcher, fires a boot at him, which knocks K. Rool through the ceiling of his arena and on to K. Lumsy's Island, where he receives a beating from K. Lumsy.

Donkey Kong Country Returns and Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D

While Funky Kong is absent from the games Donkey Kong Country Returns and Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D, he is jokingly alluded to by Cranky Kong who says he does not know anybody with an airplane that using one would be convenient.

From Shop Keeper to Adventurer

Funky Kong appears in the game Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, taking Cranky Kong's role as the shop owner due the old ape's playable status. The shop is called Funky's Fly 'N' Buy. In the Nintendo Switch version of this game, Funky also becomes a playable character for the first time in a main Donkey Kong Country game via the new Funky Mode. He has five hearts, uses a surfboard to hover, possesses a double jump, can stand on spiky platforms, and can breathe indefinitely underwater. If Funky visits his shop as a playable character, it will be maintained by his new pet named Tawks the Parrot, who mimics his style and character.

Spin-off Appearances

Diddy Kong Pilot (2003 build)

Kritter and Funky Kong flying as seen in the prototype Diddy Kong Pilot (2003 build), who replaced with Banjo.

Funky was going to appear as a playable character, as seen on the character selection screen in the canceled game Diddy Kong Pilot. After Rare being acquired by Microsoft Game Studios, the game was repurposed as the game Banjo-Pilot for GBA, Funky was replaced with Banjo.

DK: King of Swing

Funky Kong's role in the game DK: King of Swing is largely minimal, with him appearing only in the opening cutscene, after King K. Rool steals all the DK Medals. Funky makes his first playable appearance in the game's Jungle Jam modes, where his partner is Dixie Kong. He has a very high strength, like most of his other appearances, but lacks the ability to jump high and far.

DK: Jungle Climber

In the game DK: Jungle Climber, Funky, along with the bulk of the Kong Family, goes on vacation to Sun Sun Island. When Donkey, Diddy, Cranky meet the banana-like alien Xananab and decide to help in his quest to reclaim his Crystal Bananas stolen by the Kremling Gang, Funky apparently assists in their quest by flying them to the islands. If the Donkey Kong collects all the Oil Barrels on an island, he can give them to Funky to power his Biplane Barrel to fly them to an extra stage shaped as a miniaturized version of the island they are on. With the absence of oil barrels in the Wormhole, Funky obviously does not go through the wormhole to chase after King K. Rool. Funky Kong is also playable in the multiplayer mode.

Donkey Konga 3

Funky Kong appears as a playable character in the Japan-exclusive game Donkey Konga 3, showing that he can play music like the other Kongs.

Donkey Kong Barrel Blast

Funky Kong also appears as an unlockable character in the game Donkey Kong Barrel Blast. In order to unlock him, a Kong racer must win the Diamond Cup. His speed stat is at maximum, though his boost and agility are at minimum level. Funky's main rival is Kludge. His barrel rocket has the mechanical layer exposed and he attacks with powerful kicks. In title scenes of Records and Options, he is shown looking over the record board with Kludge, Tiny Kong, Dixie Kong, and Kip and tuning his barrel rocket with assistance from Dixie.

Other Appearances

Mario Sports Series

Mario Super Sluggers

Funky Kong made his second appearance as a playable character in a Mario game in the baseball title Mario Super Sluggers. He is the only Kong in the game who bats with his right hand, while fielding with his left hand. He has good chemistry with all the Kongs and bad chemistry with the Kremlings. He is unlocked after he joins the player in Challenge Mode.

Mario Kart Series

Mario Kart Wii

In the racing game Mario Kart Wii, Funky Kong makes his very first playable appearance in an official Mario game. He is a large-sized character, unlocked by obtaining four Expert Staff Ghost Data on Time Trial mode. While he does not have his own race course, he does have his own battle track, the Funky Stadium. Funky Kong is considered the fastest character in the game. If the player watch closely to the stats of large-sized karts and bikes, the player can see Funky Kong is indeed a bit faster in some karts and bikes than other large-sized characters.

Mario Kart Tour

Funky Kong performing a trick with his surfboard in Mario Kart 8: Deluxe.

Funky Kong returned to the Mario Kart series in the mobile game Mario Kart Tour. He made his debut alongside Dixie Kong in the jungle tour in May 2020.

Mario Kart 8: Deluxe

Funky Kong made his grand return to a home console Mario Kart in the final wave of the Booster Course Pass DLC. He rejoined the race alongside Diddy Kong and Pauline. He is in the heavy weight class.

Super Smash Bros. Series

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Funky Kong cameos as a collectible trophy in the game Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

• Trophy description: "A sunglassed surfer and friend of the Kongs. Funky Kong is indeed funky, from his looks to his lingo. Funky provides different services to the Kongs throughout the different games, be it a barrel-transport system or ammunition expertise. He may have tired of business dealings, as he's been a barrel-race participant more recently."

Funky is also featured as a sticker in the same game.

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U/ 3Ds

Funky cameos again as a collectible trophy.

• Trophy description: "Has he remodeled his personal jet into a shop? Maybe he thinks it will encourage his items to "fly off the shelves." He claims he ran an airport once... Maybe that's true. Much like his style of conversation, I'm sure it was a pretty funky experience."

Funky running "Funky Kong's Shack" in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Funky Kong is one of many "spirits" in the game, he is represented by Captain Falcon who likes to use the bullet bill item, a reference to Funky's many vehicles and how they blast off at high speeds. He is accompanied by Donkey & Diddy Kong who you will also need to defeat and with a base power of 9000, Funky's spirit is one of the more challenging battles. Funky Kong is one of 24 "Master Spirits" in the game that have a special role and his is to be one of five characters in charge of running a spirit points shop, which he calls Funky Kong's Shack. You can hear the song "Funky's Fugue" from Donkey Kong Country play as you browse the shop.

Donkey Kong Country Animated Series

Funky Kong as seen in the first season of the Donkey Kong Country animated series.

In the Donkey Kong Country animated series, Funky Kong appears as a major character, with his character being relatively the same as in the games - the owner of Funky's Flights and one of Donkey Kong's closest friends. Like his video game conterpart, he still calls DK "Donkey-Dude". As well as enjoying surfing and dancing, Funky is portrayed as exceptionally spiritual in the show, known to talk about subjects such as karma quite often. On the show, Funky is portrayed as having golden colored fur instead of brown, wore more goggle-like glasses.

In the episode "From Zero to Hero", Funky is revealed to have water in his head and a tiny brain, symbolizing his mediocre intelligence. Also, it is revealed that if Donkey Kong never existed he is shown to be one of Diddy's lackeys and lonely.

In the English version of the animated series, Funky Kong spoke with a Jamaican accent, provided by the voice actor Damon D'Oliveira.

Literature

In the novel Donkey Kong: Rumble in the Jungle, Funky Kong takes Diddy Kong for a flight. While above the jungle, Diddy points out that the deserted Big Ape City is strangely active again. After dropping Diddy Kong off, Funky investigates, but is captured by the Kremlings. Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong go into the city to save him.

In the German edition Club Nintendo, Funky Kong appears in a somewhat minor role in the comic "Donkey Kong in: Banana Day 24", where he appears at the celebration the Kong Family has at its end. In Club Nintendo's comic book length adaptation of Donkey Kong Country 2, Funky makes a brief appearance in the scene where Cranky explains Banana Coins and Kremkoins to Diddy and Dixie.

In the Donkey Kong comic "Bumm-Badabumm im Urwald", Funky (being called "Funky-Kong") despite not actually appearing in the story, does play a crucial role in it. In the comic, Funky is the one who alerts Donkey, Diddy and Dixie Kong, through drumming, that the Kremling Krew has plundered all the bananas on Donkey Kong Island.

Other

There is a large amount of merchandise of Funky Kong, most of it based off his appearance in Donkey Kong Country or the television series, has been released. This includes objects such as statuettes, plush dolls, mini figures and key-chains.

Physical Appearance

Funky Kong has various designs throughtout games, but a staple detail are his pairs shades that often keep his eyes undisclosed. In Donkey Kong Country, Funky wore a red polka-dot bandana, a gold chain, orange/yellow trunks and multi-colored sandals. In Donkey Kong Contry 2, he keeps the same red polka-dot bandana (though it is purple in his sprite) and chain, but wears purple trunks and black sandals. Donkey Kong Country 3 marks the first time Funky wears his now-staple tank top and cut-off shorts. He also wears a tool belt, a single bracelet on his right wrist, and laced black shoes. In Donkey Kong 64, Funky wears a full camouflauge military uniform, complete with a cap and black shoes. In earlier games his fur was brown, but it has been changed to a distinct dirty blonde color.

Personality

Funky is portrayed as bold and energetic, and often uses casual phrases in his speech. According to his guide biography from Mario Kart Wii as well as he himself stating in the story from the manual of Donkey Kong Country 2, Funky Kong is not the adventuring type, preferring to aid his friends through other means, such as through his shops and flight services. Despite his dislike for adventuring, it seems that he is willing to adventure to help his friends if circumstances become sufficiently dire, as he is a playable character in the Nintendo Switch version of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, where the Snowmads have taken over the island while ejecting the Kongs. In said game, he is shown to be sporting and eager for fights, treating confrontations with Snowmads with a casual and indifferent attitude. Funky's hobbies include such things as surfing and tinkering with and building various machinery such as vehicles and weapons (such as repairing a crashed plane with a barrel).

Quotes

See also: Funky Kong/Quotes

Game Appearances

• Donkey Kong Country (1994)
  • Donkey Kong Country (GBC) (2000)
  • Donkey Kong Country (GBA) (2003)
• Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (1995)
  • Donkey Kong Country 2 (GBA) (2004)
• Donkey Kong Land 2 (1996)
• Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! (1996)
  • Donkey Kong Country 3 (GBA) (2005)
• Donkey Kong 64 (1999)
• Donkey Kong Coconut Crackers (2001) (role unknown)
• Donkey Konga 2 (2004)
• DK: King of Swing (2005)
• Donkey Konga 3 (2005)
• Donkey Kong Barrel Blast (2007)
• DK: Jungle Climber (2007)
• Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (2014)
  • Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Switch) (2018)

Other appearances

• Mario Kart Wii (2008)
• Mario Super Sluggers (2008)
• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (2018) (Master spirit/Spirit shop owner)
• Mario Kart Tour (via update) (2020)
• Mario Kart 8: Deluxe (Booster Course Pass DLC) (2023)

Non-physical appearance

• Super Smash Bros. Brawl (2008) (trophy/sticker)
• Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U (2014) (trophy)

Gallery

Artwork

Funky Kong's artwork from the game Donkey Kong Country 2.

Funky Kong's artwork from the game Donkey Kong Country 3.

Funky Kong's photograph as seen in the Dixie Kong's Photo Album during the regular ending cutscene of the game Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! for SFC/SNES.

Funky Kong's artwork from the game Donkey Kong Country for GBC.

Funky Kong's artwork from the game DK: King of Swing for GBA.

Funky Kong's artwork from the game Donkey Konga 3 for GameCube.

Funky Kong's artwork from the game Donkey Kong Barrel Blast for Wii.

Funky Kong's trophy as seen in the game Super Smash Bros. Brawl for Wii.

Funky Kong's artwork from the game Mario Kart Wii for Wii.

Funky Kong's alternative artwork from the game Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze.

Sprites

Funky Kong's sprite from the game Donkey Kong Country.

Funky Kong's sprite from the game Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest for SFC/SNES.

Funky Kong's animated sprite from the game Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest for SFC/SNES.

Animated sprite of Funky Kong's map icon from the game Donkey Kong Country 2.

Funky Kong's sprite from the game Donkey Kong Country 3.

Funky Kong's sprite from the game DK: King of Swing for GBA.

Screenshots

Funky Kong as seen in the game Donkey Kong 64 for Nintendo 64.

Trivia

• In the game Donkey Kong Country, without his bandanna and shades, Funky Kong looks very similar to Donkey Kong due to using the same character model, except for the shade of his fur being lighter.
  • It is speculated that, due to their very similar appearances, Funky Kong and Donkey Kong are likely brothers.
  • With Cranky Kong being Donkey Kong's grandfather, it is speculated that the old primate is also Funky Kong's grandfather as he takes over the item shop/family business between the games Donkey Kong Country Returns, Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze.
• Funky Kong's surfboard in Donkey Kong Country has the brand name Nintendo on it.
• The wings of Funky Kong's Biplane Barrel display the rounded logo of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force.
• Funky Kong's tank top in later games resembles Donkey Kong Jr.'s.
• Donkey Kong's head is shaped like a coconut, while his eyes/eyebrow shape was inspired by Zitz's eyes/eyebrow shape, one of the toad main characters from the Battletoads game series, also created by Rare, the developer of Donkey Kong Country. Funky Kong's sunglasses are possibly taken from Rash, also one of the toad protagonists from the Battletoads series.
• Funky Kong's appearance closely resembles to Thrilla Gorilla, a mascot who appeared in two sports games for the Nintendo Entertainment System called Town & Country Surf Designs: Wood & Water Rage (1988) and Town & Country II: Thrilla's Surfari (1992). It was first believed that Rare got the inspiration of Funky Kong from Thrilla Gorilla's design, though this was disproven by Steve and Gregg Mayles, one of the lead artists and the designer of the game Donkey Kong Country, respectively. According to Steve, they never saw Thrilla Gorilla before, and they both come from the United Kingdom, meaning they did not know much about the games for the NES that came out in North America. Gregg says back in 1994, he wanted one of the Kongs to be cool, and for surfing is pretty cool with that Funky was born. In 2018, Funky would probably be some kind of bearded hipster Kong.
• During the ending cutscene of the game Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Diddy Kong is shown mimicking Funky Kong's surfing pose when he riding on the flower pedals. Inside levels of the same game Diddy displays similar movements when he is on Funky's surfboard during an idle animation.
• Funky Kong in video games and other media has showcased and achieved many feats..