Donkey Kong gets a surprising new look in the Mario Kart 9 Switch 2 reveal

Donkey Kong looks very different from his typical in-game appearance in the Mario Kart 9 Switch 2 demo footage, thanks to a redesigned design.

Also, Nintendo finally gave the fans theirs first look at Switch 2another big talking point for the trailer was confirmation that the new A Mario Kart game is on the way.

The first new entry in the franchise since 2014, Mario Kart 9, the name fans have given the new project, has become the talk of the town. From speculation that it will be bigger than ever allow up to 24 riders fight at once, to new maps, elementsand more, there are many expectations for the new rider.

While almost all of the Mario Kart 9 announcements were received positively, one hidden piece of information surprised many and gave fans their first look at the new Donkey Kong redesign.

As one of the oldest and most beloved characters in the Mario franchise, Donkey Kong is a well-known and favorite racer for many Mario Kart fans. His updated design is very different from what is usually seen in Donkey Kong, but closely resembles his appearance from the Super Mario Bros. movie.

Donkey Kong’s size and physicality are much closer to how he is presented in the The movie Super Mario Broshis face shape and structure are also clearly inspired animated film record holder.

A new Donkey Kong Super Mario Bros. design inspired by the movies

It didn’t take long for fans to pick up on Donkey Kong’s design changes, with many taking to social media to share their thoughts on the new look.

“Mario Kart Donkey Kong’s new design made me notice how weird old DK’s banana shaped eyebrows are,” shared user X (formerly of Twitter).

And while some dig the remake because it reminds them of “old school Donkey Kong,” others are much less excited. “Oh shit, they enlightened him,” declared another user X, while others asked: “What have they done to my son?”

From the footage shown in Switch 2, Donkey Kong appears to be the only Mario character to receive a redesign for Mario Kart 9.

However, with a closer look at the game expected in the coming months, that may well change.