Nintendo shows off Super Nintendo World’s Donkey Kong Country area, and it opens soon

Nintendo hosted a non-Switch 2 Nintendo Direct and gave a first look at Super Nintendo World’s Donkey Kong Country area, which is just a few weeks away from opening. Donkey Kong Country opens on Dec. 11, 2024, at Universal Japan’s Super Nintendo World. 

Donkey Kong creator Shigeru Miyamoto gave a brief tour of Donkey Kong Country during the Direct and highlighted some of the new area’s biggest features. One is a little rhythm game where three people work together to match the right tune and tempo on a set of bongo drums, a little nod to the Donkey Konga music games. There’s a Kong-themed restaurant with a sundae inspired by Donkey Kong’s habit of smashing barrels and a Kong-sized hot dog, among other menu items. 

You can hunt down K O N G letters scattered around the area, just as the swinging simians do in the DK Country games, and scan them with your armband for rewards. The bands from the main Super Nintendo World park work in Donkey Kong Country, so you won’t have to get another one.

If you do want to spend some extra money, Donkey Kong Country has its own souvenir shop themed after Funky Kong’s store from the games.

The main attraction is the Golden Temple, a roller coaster made with the notoriously challenging mine cart levels from Donkey Kong Country in mind. Miyamoto only showed a glimpse of the actual track – a steep incline leading to a barrel cannon – but he teased “rail jumping” and a little story about a sacred banana that’s got Cranky Kong in a bit of a tizzy.

Miyamoto said Super Nintendo World and Donkey Kong Country will open together at Universal Orlando in Florida sometime in 2025, though he didn’t have a specific date for that opening or for Donkey Kong Country’s opening at Universal Hollywood.