Nintendo explains why it won't let iconic character be naked in new game
There's an odd trend of characters made for children walking around in the nude. For those who've questioned why Winnie-the-Pooh only wears a red crop top, or why Donald Duck puts on a towel after getting out of the shower despite not wearing any trousers, another naked icon is back in the news.
The video game market is stacked full of titles that include naked characters, jiggle physics, or Lara Croft's classic 'triangle' breasts, while modders have taken things to the extreme to give you the likes of a nude Leon Kennedy in the Resident Evil 4 remake.
However, Nintendo's family-friendly image of appealing to all means it's been forced to address an awkward issue with one of its icons.
While the gaming giant is known for having Mario as its mascot, that portly plumber made his debut way back in 1981's Donkey Kong. Originally known as Jumpman, Mario evolved to become the face of Nintendo thanks to 1983's Mario Bros. Sadly, Donkey Kong (although it was his grandpa in the first game) was pushed to the sidelines.
Advert
There have been a handful of solo games for Donkey Kong, while he's recently gained popularity thanks to Seth Rogen voicing him in The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
If you weren't already confused by why Donkey Kong is called Donkey Kong, then what about how he tends to walk around in the buff?
As DK returns to consoles and leads Donkey Kong Bananza on the Switch 2, developers have explained why the grumpy gorilla has been forced to cover up.
For those who don't know, Donkey Kong has previously gone viral as part of the 'You May Spank It, Once' meme. During a 1997 animated adaptation of Donkey Kong Country, the titular character was seen sitting on a dock with his buttocks proudly protruding.
We haven't tended to bat an eyelid at a trouser-free DK (Rogen's version didn't wear pants in the movie), but in an 'Ask the Developer' blog that comes courtesy of GamesRadar+, producer Kenta Motokura explained the outfit change.
They just casually calling him “Naked” 😭 pic.twitter.com/MG6cXdknHs
— ExpandDong(BANANZA ARC) (@ExpandDong15) June 18, 2025
Saying the team was "conscious of how Donkey Kong would look from the back while he's moving," the fact that Donkey Kong Bananza is a third-person game affected how things were done.
Motokura says that the old designs used across Donkey Kong's history of predominantly 2D platformers didn't matter because it was just 'a mass of brown fur', but for an upgrade to a 3D platformer on the Switch 2, he needed a revamp.
The producer continued: "That inspired us to make some creative adjustments to his outfit, such as giving him britches and suspenders."
Similar to how Mario got an array of unlockable outfits in Super Mario Odyssey, Donkey Kong has an eclectic wardrobe this time around.
Still, we're sure a few eyebrows will be raised at how Motokura says he wanted Bananza's DK to "look rich and thick." That sounds like some people's wishlist in what they look for in a man...or monkey.