The cartoon was mostly adapted from the first DKC, with some DKC2 elements incorporated later in its development, but DKC3 came too late in the process for them to draw from it. Which is actually a shame, because I agree that K. Rool's wife would have actually been perfect for the tone of that show.

I love Jungle Climber, but let’s be honest: Both the tone and real-world impact of Bananza far outclasses what it did with him. After Smash Ultimate and Bananza, K. Rool has some serious gravitas with mainstream gaming outside of the DK fandom bubble!

It’s probably gone from a 3 to a 6 (out of 10). Marginally higher than the last few Cameo Games (sans Mario Kart World). I feel that’s my baseline whenever Diddy’s in one of these at launch.

With the times being what they are, I wish I could live in a Donkey Kong 64 pencil box.

I said in my article that I think the toothy grin actually fits Diddy’s head for the first time with this design. It doesn’t make me want to gouge out my eyes, at the very least!

The problem is Dixie is vital to the DK series but effectively nothing to the heritage of Super Mario. And Diddy ekes through when Donkey Kong needs a partner. But hey, Funky came out of nowhere to be in Mario Kart Wii, so you never know!

I think it’s just down to a numbers game. Dixie got in Tour because they needed many characters. Same reason she was in the baseball and basketball games back in the day.

This will be less of an issue once we get some DK side games and DK characters aren’t just elbowing for space in Mario titles.

I personally doubt they’re going to use K. Rool in games of these sort (Sluggers was a different era), but you never really know with Cameo Games.

Diddy does tend to get in Tennis because DK needs a Doubles partner, but he still wasn’t in Ultra Smash. It almost feels like drawing names from a hat.

The thing is, I do think celebrating the small joys of what we love together is still important! The rich and powerful are freaks who only get off on hate, punching down, and exploiting others, and it’s necessary to hold on to some normalcy as we push back.

But it doesn’t come easy these days.

Alastair was fully actualized as a wonderful human being long before the rest of us learned how to tie our shoes.

That’s still coming, but I quickly lost the plot with that and this split off from it. I’m aiming to get it out next week, assuming my Snowmad video doesn’t consume me first.

The wonderful distraction of the DK series will hopefully get us all through to better times with the things that matter!