Funky Kong: Difference between revisions

|latest_appearance=''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]'' (''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass|Booster Course Pass]]'', Wave 6) (2023)

The game's [[Nintendo Switch]] port marks the first time Funky Kong is a playable character in the main series, as he is playable via the new "Funky Mode", which is catered towards beginner players. When selected in "Funky Mode", Funky Kong replaces Donkey Kong as the main playable character. His abilities, aided by his surfboard, are a combination of Diddy, Dixie, and Cranky, and they include [[Double Jump (airborne)|double jumping]], hovering, treading on [[Spike Trap|Spiked Floors]], and surfing on water in a similar fashion to water skipping. He can perform perpetual [[Roll Attack]]s and [[Corkscrew (Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze)|Corkscrews]] as well. In addition, he wears a yellow pair of goggles with a snorkel whenever he plunges underwater, enabling him to breathe without having to collect [[Bubble|Air Bubbles]]. Lastly, Funky's surfboard enables him to safely jump on enemies that the other Kongs (except Cranky) cannot safely jump on, such as the [[Snaggles]]. He can also perform a [[Hand Slap|Ground Pound]] like Donkey Kong, even on spikes. He can also execute the new Pluck move slightly faster than even Donkey Kong can, though unlike the latter, he cannot carry the other Kongs on his back, even in multiplayer.  

In the 1995 novel ''[[Donkey Kong Country: Rumble in the Jungle]]'', Funky Kong owns a custom-built plane made from a [[Barrel]], which he uses to transport clients around [[Donkey Kong Island]]. He promises [[Diddy Kong]] an exciting ride as a passenger while he performs tricks in the air. During their flight, they notice smoke coming from the long-abandoned [[Big Ape City]], which Funky prefers not to investigate because he doesn't enjoy looking for trouble. After Diddy's flight, Funky gets attacked by a swarm of [[Hogwash the Flying Pig|flying pigs]] near Big Ape City, causing his plane to crash. [[Donkey Kong]], [[Cranky Kong]], and Diddy cross the jungle on foot, to where he has been held captive by the [[Kremling]]s within Big Ape City. The Kremlings believe that Funky Kong is a spy, and they intend to use a painful "truth machine" on him, as ordered by [[King K. Rool]].

After breaking out of his cell, Funky involves himself in defeating a group of Kremlings, although he is normally "too laid back" to fight. He later inspects his plane in the cargo room and finds that he can easily repair most of the damage, although he requires a new water pump for the engine. He draws a map of the factory so that the other Kongs can find a replacement, due to having seen most of the factory while the Kremlings were deciding where to take him. After Funky successfully repairs the engine, all of the Kongs board the plane and Funky flies out from the factory through a hole in the wall. The plane is attacked by the flying pigs a second time; however, Funky has the idea to pour the plane's entire banana milkshake supply onto the pigs so that they are no longer able to fly. Funky then maneuvers his plane over King K. Rool's zeppelin, which allows Donkey Kong and Diddy to plant it with [[TNT Barrels]]. After destroying the Factory, Funky Kong flies the others back to their tree house in the jungle.

Some of Funky Kong's voice clips from ''Donkey Kong Barrel Blast'' are reused for his voice in this game. Additionally, Donkey Kong has a similar in-game model to Funky Kong in the game, with them also using many similar animations.<ref>[https://tcrf.net/Mario_Kart_Wii/Unused_Bones_%26_Animations TCRF], retrieved March 13, 2024</ref>

Funky Kong appears as one of four new racers in the sixth and final wave of the ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]'' ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass|Booster Course Pass]]'' DLC, alongside [[Diddy Kong]], [[Pauline]], and [[Peachette]]. His model is reused from ''Mario Kart Tour''.<ref name=Wave6>Nintendo of America (September 14, 2023). [https://youtu.be/BiJ7IoeuhXE Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Booster Course Pass Wave 6 - Nintendo Switch 9.14.2023]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved September 14, 2023.</ref> He is again a heavyweight character in this game, sharing statistics with [[Wario]], [[Dry Bowser]], and heavy [[Mii]]s. Funky Kong uses the turquoise [[Peach Parasol (glider)|Peach Parasol]] glider, making him and [[Kamek]] the only male characters (not counting [[Wiggler]], whose gender is unknown) to use a recolor of the glider. He also uses a red [[Super Glider]] instead of a light-blue one like in ''Mario Kart Tour'', making him the only character whose Super Glider color does not match their main vehicle color, with the red color presumably chosen to match the color of his surfboard. During the majority of his [[Jump Boost]] animations and his character selection animation, Funky Kong will pull out his surfboard and show it off.

''Donkey Kong 64'' has Funky radically change his attire once again, with him wearing a navy blue camouflage print attire and army hat, black combat boots and red teashades. He is noticeably more muscular than DK, though not as burly as [[Chunky Kong]].

More recently, Funky's appearance has remained consistent, being identical to his attire from ''Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!'', aside from his tool belt being replaced by a regular one and having no boots.

*'''Instruction booklet:''' ''"The sunglasses wearing, coolest of the Kongs. Preferring attack-based contests to races, he's the dark horse of the Jungle Jam."''

|image=[[File:DKBBFunkyKongIcon.png]]

|rival=[[Kludge]]

|boost=1

|speed=5

|agility=1

|unlock=Win the [[Diamond Cup]] with a Kong.

|-

|''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]'' (version 3.0.0)  

|2023 (''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass|Booster Course Pass]]'', Wave 6)

|Nintendo Switch