DKC

DKC is commonly used to refer to the Donkey Kong Country video game series, a line of side-scrolling platform games developed by Rare and published by Nintendo. The original Donkey Kong Country was released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1994 and was notable for its pre-rendered 3D graphics and jungle setting. The series centers on Donkey Kong and his allies, including Diddy Kong and later Dixie Kong, as they defend their banana hoard from King K. Rool and his Kremlins.

The core games in the early run are Donkey Kong Country (1994), Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (1995), and Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! (1996). Each title combines exploration with precise platforming and hidden collectibles such as bananas and secret exits. The games are recognized for inventive level design, the addition of new animal companions, and varied stage themes that range from jungles to underwater settings.

After Rare's acquisition by Microsoft in 2002, Nintendo partnered with Retro Studios to revive the series with Donkey Kong Country Returns for the Wii in 2010, followed by Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze for the Wii U in 2014 (later ported to Nintendo Switch). The DKC games have influenced the platform genre and remain notable for their technical quality, enduring characters, and continued presence in Nintendo's catalog. The abbreviation DKC is sometimes used to refer specifically to the original SNES game as well as the broader series.