King K. Rool: Is King K. Rool in Donkey Kong Bananza?

Donkey Kong Bananza is a love letter to the long-running series starring the iconic gorilla. As such, many familiar faces from earlier games have returned in the newest DK title, including the main character's sidekick, Pauline (who also starred in Super Mario Odyssey), the other Kongs, and even the Kremlings. This also includes the latter's head honcho, King K. Rool, the mainstay antagonist of the franchise.

However, the game stars a new cast of villains in the form of the Void Company. So what role does the returning crown-clad green croc play in this latest adventure? Read on to learn more.

Note: This article contains major spoilers regarding Donkey Kong Bananza's endgame, so readers are advised to exercise their discretion going forth.

Looking for Crossword hints & solutions? Check out latest NYT Mini Crossword Answers, LA Times Crossword Answers, and Atlantic Crossword Answers

King K. Rool returns in Donkey Kong Bananza

King K. Rool steps in during the finale of the game (Image via Nintendo)

The iconic antagonist appears in the story after the heroes take down Void Kong, the head of the Void Company, as both parties attempt to free the Bandandium Root. As Void Kong tries his hand at a last-ditch attempt to reach the Root to take it for himself, he is defeated by King K. Rool, who has been freed from his prison by Pauline's song.

Rool then becomes the antagonist of the game that Donkey Kong and Pauline must contend with, as he too wants the Banandium Root for his own nefarious use. Chasing him down to the final Planet Core area, the duo must overcome a series of challenges as they pursue him.

This leads to the green croc being transformed after absorbing the Banandium Root's energy, forcing Donkey Kong and Pauline to take him on in a showdown as the true final boss of Donkey Kong Bananza. After a joke credits scene, the fight shifts to the city, where the second and final phase of the boss fight begins against a newly transformed K. Rool, King of Rot.

Fans of the villain since the beloved Donkey Kong Country games on the NES will no doubt be delighted to see him make a comeback, despite the reveal's relatively short duration.

Read more: How long is Donkey Kong Bananza?

About the author

Siddharth is an esports and gaming writer at Sportkseeda. With nearly 10 years of experience in the industry, he also contributed to renowned publications like Gameffine (formerly IndianNoob), the British retro FPS magazine E1M1, and Gaming Purists, the latter being a passion project which he founded with friends.

Holding a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Siddharth's journalistic pursuits extend beyond reporting; he throws himself into the heart of gaming communities. His positive exploits in the industry have led him to interviewing Rohit Jain, a prominent Tekken 7 player from India.

Though he currently specializes in Nintendo, Overwatch 2, and RPG coverage, Siddharth's expertise spans a multitude of platforms and genres. He believes in doing extensive research across a mix of official, community-driven and diverse media sources for all of his article categories.

Siddharth has been an avid follower of Pewdiepie, which has also helped him expand his horizons to new gaming genres and titles. Beyond gaming, he indulges his love for literature with a particular fondness for horror and thriller novels. Moreover, Siddharth’s culinary enthusiasm for global cuisine enriches his palate.

Know More

Check out our NYT Connections Helper to get hints and answers for today's connections puzzle.

Edited by Niladri Roy