> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://idleweekend.net/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Which Donkey Kong Game to Play First? A Simple Starting Pick - URL: https://idleweekend.net/which-donkey-kong-game-to-play-first/ - Published: 2026-10-12T04:25:40.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-12T04:32:08.000Z - Description: New to Donkey Kong and not sure where to begin? Start with the 1994 Donkey Kong, then move to Donkey Kong Country, and add Bananza when you want something newer. - Author: Alex Morgan - Tags: Donkey Kong, retro games, game recommendations, platformers, #gce-37f4fcfc Both sit at the top of the play order fans use for the series, so you get a clear path instead of guessing. [\[1\]](https://howlongtobeat.com/user/GCTuba/lists/78634/Donkey-Kong-Play-Order?ref=idleweekend.net) The series has many entries, so a clear order helps newcomers. The list runs from Donkey Kong (1994) through Donkey Kong Country, Donkey Kong Land, and two more Country games. [\[1\]](https://howlongtobeat.com/user/GCTuba/lists/78634/Donkey-Kong-Play-Order?ref=idleweekend.net) Your best pick still depends on what you enjoy. If you want modern 3D play, a 2026 ranking of the best Donkey Kong games includes Donkey Kong Bananza, and the rest of this article shows how it compares. [\[2\]](https://www.eneba.com/hub/games/best-donkey-kong-game/?srsltid=AU7gw4VtZgllg3WN4lVDKGHC4-sn4k2Y-eZnm0-Ifj9zUoYOkVcBagnL&ref=idleweekend.net) ## How do the main Donkey Kong starting points compare? The four starting points differ mainly in where they sit in the play order and in who they suit best. The table below sets them side by side. | Game | Place in play order | Best for | | ------------------- | --------------------------- | ----------------------------------------- | | Donkey Kong Country | Second entry on the list | Players who want the classic run in order | | Donkey Kong Bananza | Not part of the classic run | Players who want modern 3D platforming | The list keeps going after that, so the classic run is a long one. Donkey Kong Land is the least urgent of the four for most newcomers. If you only want a few good games, you can leave the Land titles for later. Bananza is the outlier. One ranking calls Donkey Kong Bananza an almighty reintroduction to the world of 3D platforming for DK, and arguably the Switch 2's first absolute must-play. [\[3\]](https://www.nintendolife.com/guides/best-donkey-kong-games-of-all-time?ref=idleweekend.net) That makes it a strong pick if you want modern 3D play and do not care about the original order. Bananza stands apart as a modern 3D entry. Donkey Kong Land fits best once you have decided you want the full set. ![Three vintage game consoles sit side by side on a table, their screens showing different pixel-art scenes.](https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?q=three%20retro%20game%20consoles%20side%20by%20side%20on%20table&w=800&h=450&rs=1&c=4) ## Why start with the 1994 Donkey Kong? The 1994 Donkey Kong is the first entry on the play order that one fan list uses for the series, so it is where a run-through of the series begins [\[1\]](https://howlongtobeat.com/user/GCTuba/lists/78634/Donkey-Kong-Play-Order?ref=idleweekend.net). Start there if you want to follow the games in the order that list sets out. Being first on the list is about sequence, not quality. It does not mean this is the best game in the series. Learn more in [Donkey Kong Walkthrough NES](https://idleweekend.net/donkey-kong-walkthrough-nes/). ### What the play order shows The list is a community-made run order. It starts with Donkey Kong (1994), then moves on to Donkey Kong Country, Donkey Kong Land, Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, and Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! [\[1\]](https://howlongtobeat.com/user/GCTuba/lists/78634/Donkey-Kong-Play-Order?ref=idleweekend.net). Reading it from top to bottom gives you a clear path, so you always know what comes next. ### Why it makes a good first step You start with the series at its most basic, then watch its ideas grow in the entries that follow. Each later game is easier to appreciate when you already know what it builds on. It also keeps the early experience simple. You are not dropped straight into a large 3D world with a lot of new systems. You learn the series one step at a time, which suits newcomers who want to ease in. ### Treat it as a starting point The play order tells you where to start, but it cannot tell you which entry you will enjoy most. Once you finish it, you can keep going in order or skip ahead to a game that appeals to you more. ![A close-up of a 1990s handheld game console with a glowing pixel-art jungle scene on its small green-tinted screen.](https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?q=close%20up%201990s%20handheld%20game%20console%20with%20pixel%20art%20screen&w=800&h=450&rs=1&c=4) ## Is Donkey Kong Country the natural second step? In the play order list, Donkey Kong (1994) comes first and Donkey Kong Country follows it directly [\[1\]](https://howlongtobeat.com/user/GCTuba/lists/78634/Donkey-Kong-Play-Order?ref=idleweekend.net). The Country line keeps going after the original. The list names Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest and Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! as the next entries in that run [\[1\]](https://howlongtobeat.com/user/GCTuba/lists/78634/Donkey-Kong-Play-Order?ref=idleweekend.net). Each one builds on the game before it, so you see the series develop from one Country game to the next. If you want to play the series in order, these are the games to play. Playing them in that sequence means each game feels like a natural next step rather than a jump. A simple way to use this order is to finish one game before you start the next. For example, after you beat Donkey Kong Country, you can pick up Diddy's Kong Quest, since it is the next title on the list. Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! comes after that. This path is the easiest way to follow the Country games in sequence. It also gives you a clear starting point if you are new to the series and want to avoid guessing which game comes next. ## Should you start with the newest game, Donkey Kong Bananza? ### Bananza is the modern pick if you want 3D play now If you want a modern Donkey Kong game and don't need the classic order, Donkey Kong Bananza is a strong choice. Nintendo Life calls it an almighty reintroduction to the world of 3D platforming for DK, and arguably the Switch 2's first absolute must-play [\[3\]](https://www.nintendolife.com/guides/best-donkey-kong-games-of-all-time?ref=idleweekend.net). The praise is why it keeps showing up on current lists. A 2026 ranking highlights Bananza among the adventures worth playing in the series right now [\[2\]](https://www.eneba.com/hub/games/best-donkey-kong-game/?srsltid=AU7gw4VtZgllg3WN4lVDKGHC4-sn4k2Y-eZnm0-Ifj9zUoYOkVcBagnL&ref=idleweekend.net). If you own a Switch 2 and want something new, that makes it a natural first stop. Bananza suits you if your main goal is to see what Donkey Kong looks like today. You get a full 3D adventure from the start, so you won't spend your first hours on the older style of play. If the modern experience hooks you, you can go back to the older games later with a clear sense of what you enjoy. ### If you want the classic order, save Bananza for later If you'd rather play the series in order, leave Bananza for later. Starting with the older games lets you watch Donkey Kong's design change step by step, so Bananza lands as a payoff instead of a detour. For a closer look, read [Donkey Kong Jr. Walkthrough](https://idleweekend.net/donkey-kong-jr-walkthrough/). Here's a simple way to decide: - **Want something new now?** Start with Bananza. - **Want the full history?** Begin with the classics and save Bananza for the end of your run. Either route works. The real question is whether you want to meet the series as it is today or follow its path from the beginning, and your answer to that settles it. ## Where do the Donkey Kong Land games fit in? Donkey Kong Land comes after Donkey Kong Country in the play order list, not before it. The list runs Donkey Kong (1994), Donkey Kong Country, Donkey Kong Land, then Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest and Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! [\[1\]](https://howlongtobeat.com/user/GCTuba/lists/78634/Donkey-Kong-Play-Order?ref=idleweekend.net). So the Land games sit in the middle of the series run, and you can reach them after the first two entries. Whether you need them depends on what you want from the series. One fan on a Nintendo Switch board says Donkey Kong '94 and the Donkey Kong Land trilogy are musts if you plan on getting every mainline DK game [\[4\]](https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/189706-nintendo-switch/80917134?ref=idleweekend.net). That is one fan's opinion, and it applies mainly to completionists who want every entry. If you just want a good game to play, you can skip the Land games at first. Think of it like a weekend with two games: that is enough to see how the series grew, and the Land games can wait for a later session. When you are ready for more, return to the Land games and fill in the rest of the list. Going back later keeps the early games fresh and gives you a clear reason to pick up the handheld entries. ## So which Donkey Kong game should you pick? Playing them in that order lets you see how the series grew from one game to the next. Pick Bananza first only if you want a modern 3D entry and don't need the classic order. Donkey Kong Bananza is an almighty reintroduction to the world of 3D platforming for DK [\[3\]](https://www.nintendolife.com/guides/best-donkey-kong-games-of-all-time?ref=idleweekend.net). Once you're hooked, add the Donkey Kong Land games and the rest of the list, which continues with Diddy's Kong Quest and Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! [\[1\]](https://howlongtobeat.com/user/GCTuba/lists/78634/Donkey-Kong-Play-Order?ref=idleweekend.net) ## Sources 1. [Donkey Kong Play Order](https://howlongtobeat.com/user/GCTuba/lists/78634/Donkey-Kong-Play-Order?ref=idleweekend.net) 2. [14 Best Donkey Kong Games of All Time (2026 Update)](https://www.eneba.com/hub/games/best-donkey-kong-game/?srsltid=AU7gw4VtZgllg3WN4lVDKGHC4-sn4k2Y-eZnm0-Ifj9zUoYOkVcBagnL&ref=idleweekend.net) 3. [Best Donkey Kong Games Of All Time](https://www.nintendolife.com/guides/best-donkey-kong-games-of-all-time?ref=idleweekend.net) 4. [I want to play every Donkey Kong game. - Nintendo Switch](https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/189706-nintendo-switch/80917134?ref=idleweekend.net)