02. Donkey Kong

Franchise / home series: Donkey Kong

Notable non-Smash games: Donkey Kong (1981); Donkey Kong Country (1994); Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (2014)

Donkey Kong has been a playable fighter since the original Super Smash Bros. on Nintendo 64. As one of Nintendo’s earliest arcade icons, he represents the company’s classic roots and brings a powerful heavyweight archetype to the roster. He’s appeared in every entry, often pictured as a key representative of the Donkey Kong Country lineage and the broader Mario universe.

In Smash, Donkey Kong is designed as a high-power, close-range brawler with strong throws and powerful smash attacks. His trademark moves include Giant Punch, Spinning Kong, and Hand Slap, all of which emphasize his brute strength and physicality. Over the series, his grab game—especially his cargo throw—has become a defining part of his toolkit, giving him dangerous combo and kill setups despite his large hurtbox.

His design has steadily evolved visually and mechanically, with more expressive fur rendering, updated animations, and refinements to his movement speed and power. Donkey Kong stands as one of Smash’s definitive heavyweights, embodying the risk–reward style of slow, powerful characters and preserving the legacy of one of Nintendo’s earliest stars.)