In an exclusive interview with IGN, the renowned video game visionary Shigeru Miyamoto shared his thoughts as anticipation grows for the upcoming Epic Universe theme park in Orlando, Florida. The conversation touched on a variety of subjects, notably the revamped designs of fan-favorites Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong. Miyamoto emphasized his vision for making these beloved characters even more expressive. Take a look at his insights:
IGN: You created Donkey Kong on pieces of paper; he’s your creation. Back in Donkey Kong ’94, you had a producer role, and that was where he became more expressive for the first time. Now, with a new game and a fresh design, what’s it like to witness his evolution alongside you?
Miyamoto: When it comes to creating characters, I remain deeply involved. Reflecting on the first generation of Donkey Kong Country, we collaborated with Rare to bring it to life.
During our discussions about evolving Donkey Kong, we developed Jungle Beat. We partnered with the team behind 3D Mario, utilizing the technology of the era to enhance Donkey Kong's expressiveness. Revisiting Rare’s original design, we pondered what innovative changes we could implement to make it even more engaging. With the forthcoming movie in mind, we decided to embrace this new, evolved Donkey Kong design.
Thanks to Greatsong1 for the news tip!