Cranky Kong

"Sure looks like I'm Mr. Popular today, yes siree!"

- Cranky Kong

Cranky Kong is Donkey Kong's grandfather who constantly rambles and complains. He has made numerous appearances throughout the Donkey Kong Series. He usually acts as a guide in the games to help his grandson Donkey Kong or his friends along their journey. However, in Donkey Kong Country 3, he played the Kongs' rival in Swanky's bonus game. In some appearances, he is indicated to be the original Donkey Kong from the Donkey Kong arcade game and Mario's main adversary in the game prior to his retirement. Because of his claims to be the original Donkey Kong, he often looks down on his grandson and breaks the fourth wall by saying that Donkey Kong will never be as great a character as he was during his prime.

The Main Ape
According to the Donkey Kong Country series, Cranky Kong is the original Donkey Kong from the arcade games. (although Nintendo, who owns the Donkey Kong rights, has only occasionally supported this; usually they indicate that there is only one Donkey Kong). During his youthful prime, Cranky Kong kidnapped Pauline, was kidnapped by Mario, and even battled Stanley the Bugman in a greenhouse.

Missin' the Old Days
Apparently, after his defeat by Stanley the Bugman, Cranky migrated to Donkey Kong Island; here he grew old and bitter.

Cranky's first appearance as Cranky was in Donkey Kong Country. Here Cranky lives in a slightly rundown shack known as "Cranky's Cabin". From here, Cranky gives advice on the game's various items and locations to his grandson Donkey Kong and his friend Diddy Kong.

Though Cranky is not actually in Donkey Kong Country's Game Boy sequel, Donkey Kong Land, he is the one that sets off the events of the game. Cranky, slightly jealous of Donkey and Diddy's success over the evil King K. Rool, tricks them into making a bet with him; if Donkey and Diddy can reclaim Donkey's banana hoard from King K. Rool again, this time on an eight-bit system, he will admit that they are adequate gaming heroes. In the end Cranky ends up eating his words when Donkey and Diddy once again defeat K. Rool and the Kremling Krew.

Monkey Museum Curator
In Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest Cranky sets up his "Monkey Museum" on Crocodile Isle. Once again Cranky will give out information, this time for a price. In this game Cranky also scatters several DK Coins throughout the game's various levels. Once Kaptain K. Rool is defeated, Cranky will tally Diddy Kong and Dixie Kong's "hero status" by how many DK Coins they have collected. Donkey Kong Country 2 also introduced Cranky's wife and Donkey Kong's mother, Wrinkly Kong.

In the Game Boy Advance remake of Donkey Kong Country 2 Cranky's role remains relatively the same as in the original game. Although a new sidequest involving Cranky was added to the game; it seems with the "fabulous fortune" he made in Donkey Kong Country, Cranky bought a racing ostrich he names Expresso. After bulking up Expresso using feathers, the Kongs can race Expresso for Cranky and try to get trophies for the grouchy old Kong in exchange for rewards.

An Enemy Again
In Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! Cranky's appearances are more or less cameos. In Swanky's Sideshow, Cranky Kong acts as Dixie and Kiddy Kong's opponent in various ball throwing mini-games. Cranky also appears at the end of Donkey Kong Country 3 to criticize Dixie and Kiddy's victory over KAOS and Baron K. Roolenstein. If players manage to get the game's "best" ending Cranky will do a few water-skiing tricks before holding up a sign which says "THE END" in runny ink. He is also at the top of the All-Time Greats list at the end of the game, having beat the game in 04:22 with 103%. If the player beats the game with the TUFST code activated, thereby attaining 105%, they will get a trophy of Cranky Kong in a black belt's outfit and will be named the 'Immortal Monkey!'.

In the Game Boy Advance remake of Donkey Kong Country 3 Cranky runs several dojos, aptly named Cranky's Dojo to prepare for his "First" game, Cranky Kong Country. In Cranky's Dojo, players can gain the ability to play as a shield wielding Cranky during a Bristles dodging mini-game. Cranky's Dojo mini-game must be beaten at least once to gain a Banana Bird.

Returning to the scene
Cranky returns in Donkey Kong Country Returns as the only other Kong representative other than DK and Diddy. In this game, he runs his own shop in each world, in which he sells Heart Boosts, Map Keys, Balloons, Banana Juices and even Squawks. While DK is buying some items, Cranky will often make snide remarks on what the ape buys and will even give out hints during his ramblings.

Defying His Age
Cranky Kong reappears in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, as one of the four playable characters, alongside his grandson, his great-grand-nephew, and Dixie Kong. Here, he serves as a buddy character, able to ride on DK's back. He is able to use his cane to Ground Pound, and can use it like a pogo stick to bounce over spikes, jump higher, and defeat enemies that everyone else can't. He can also throw sets of false teeth as a projectile. When the Kong Pow move is utilized with him, all enemies turn into Banana Coins. The game marks his first playable appearance as his current self in a platformer.

The Mad Scientist
Cranky's next appearance after the original DKC trilogy would be in Donkey Kong 64. Here, Cranky has seemingly taken up science as a hobby; Cranky's Lab can be found in every area of Donkey Kong 64 except Hideout Helm. At Cranky's Lab the Kongs can pay for several potions that can give them new powers and abilities. Also if the Kongs manage to collect fifteen Banana Medals Cranky will allow them to play Jetpac, an early Rare game. The Kongs must beat the Jetpac game in order to obtain the Rareware Coin. Cranky also acts as the Kongs coach during their boxing match against King Krusha K. Rool.

A very little known fact about Cranky's role in DK64 is that it was one of several themes based on the old Donkey Kong Country TV show, in which Cranky was sometimes seen mixing up magic potions to use on either himself or others to advance that episode's plot.

More Training
In DK: King of Swing Cranky Kong, along with ghost of his wife Wrinkly, teaches Donkey Kong (and thus the player) how to use the games unique controls. Cranky, along with Candy Kong, is the only Kong who is not playable in DK: King of Swing's Jungle Jam mode.

Even More Training
Cranky once again appears in DK: Jungle Climber. He teaches DK and Diddy how to play the game, and also appears in various levels to teach them moves. Cranky has a very strangely active and good-tempered role in this game, as he follows DK and Diddy and Xananab through the various islands. He also tells the characters what they can do with the various Banana Coins, DK Coins, and Oil Barrels he finds throughout the levels once they are collected.

Barrel Blasting
Cranky appears in Donkey Kong Barrel Blast as a secret character, unlocked by playing Candy's Challenges, Challenge 24, and winning. He has oddly high stats, and is a rival to King K. Rool. Contrary to popular belief, this is his not first North American playable appearance, as he was playable in the Cranky's Dojo minigame in the Game Boy Advance version of Donkey Kong Country 3. He was also playable in the Japan-only Donkey Konga 3.

Donkey Konga
Cranky also appears in the Donkey Konga series, though he is only playable in the series' third installment, Donkey Konga 3.

Piloting failure
According to the gameplay video on YouTube and some early screenshots, Cranky was to be a playable character in the 2001 build of Diddy Kong Pilot. Nothing else is known.

Piloting the skies
Cranky is an unlockable playable character in the 2003 build of Diddy Kong Pilot. He can be unlocked once Team Kremling completes all of the cups in their mode and all of the dogfights. When his team is selected, there are four different Cranky slots strangely. Also, he has high speed and acceleration along with a low amount of weight. He is about identical to T.T. in his stats and is replaced by Bottles in Banjo-Pilot. He also can be seen right next to his cabin talking to the player after completing a certain task.

In Super Smash Bros.
Cranky makes a small cameo in the background of Jungle Japes in Super Smash Bros. Melee, where he can be seen pacing back and forth in his cabin. He technically makes another minor cameo in Super Smash Bros. Brawl where appears in sprite form as his younger self in the stage 75m, which is based on the original Donkey Kong game.

Trophy Information
''A village chief and bitter old codger. Cranky uses his extensive knowledge and wisdom to provide helpful hints. He has also made appearances in a white lab coat as a potion-dealing chemist, granting the Kongs special abilities. Donkey Kong: Barrel Blast features Cranky as a playable character for the first time.''

Appearances in Other Media
Cranky was also a main character on the Donkey Kong Country television series. Here Cranky was as grouchy and bitter as he was in the games, he was also Donkey Kong's father. However, he's far less arrogant then in the video games. On the show, instead of living in a cabin on the ground like in the games, Cranky instead lives in a cabin on a tree-top village, similar to ones seen in the area Vine Valley from the Donkey Kong Country game. On the show, Cranky was also seen to be adept at potion-making and magic, a trait later carried on into the games.

He also appeared in the Club Nintendo comic "Donkey Kong Country". He is the first one to discover that King K. Rool has stolen the Kongs' Banana Hoard, which follows the story of the game. Cranky's appearance in the comic differs slightly from his standard look, as he is wearing a blue shirt instead of a gray or brown one.

In the comic "Donkey Kong in: Banana Day 24", published in the same magazine, he supported Donkey, Diddy, Dixie and Kiddy on their mission to save the Earth from being pulled away from the sun by a giant UFO. It was his idea to carry on negotiations with the aliens so they would release the Earth. The President of the United States puts a space shuttle at the Kongs' disposal, and Cranky is the one to navigate it. He beams Donkey, Diddy and Dixie into the UFO and stays in the Kongs' space shuttle meanwhile. When their mission succeeds, he navigates the space shuttle back to Earth, where the Kongs are being hailed by the people. Euphorically, Cranky tries to kiss a random girl, much to her disgust. After returning to their jungle, Cranky gets in trouble with his wife Wrinkly because of this. During the events of this story, Cranky did not show much of his grouchy traits as often discovered in the games, but instead appears as a helpful person.

Cranky got his own action figure in the late 1990s due to the popularity of the DKC TV show.

Quotes
"Look!...Look at this!...As I rock, my beard swings! Waste of frames in my opinion!"

- Donkey Kong Country

"The best switch is the one on top of your N64, as you can turn off your silly 3-D adventure and let me get some sleep."

- Donkey Kong 64

"Someone sure has a vivid imagination! I've been everywhere and I can tell you that none of these places actually exist!"

- Donkey Kong Country 2 manual

"Back in my day, we used to have REAL gameplay... We didn't have any of this fancy 3D stuff"

- Donkey Kong Country

"I've got more gameplay in my little finger than this entire game does!"

- Donkey Kong Country

"I did this using one life! And I took less than an hour!"

- Donkey Kong Country

"Say hello to your old grandpappy Cranky. I'm back by popular demand to offer my wealth of gameplay wisdom for this unnecessary sequel"

- Donkey Kong Country 2

"Now, go ahead and switch that cartridge off, so I could get some sleep! I reckon I've earned it!"

- Donkey Kong Country 2

"Try all you'd like, this game will never be as good as Donkey Kong Country, and even THAT was rubbish anyway!"

- Donkey Kong Country 2

"Even I could run faster than you, Lanky. Even while carrying K. Rool on my back!"

- Donkey Kong 64

"It's not a simple game of questions and answers this time! You've gotta beat yours truly if ya hope to win any prizes!"

- Donkey Kong Country 3

"That's not fair! Some of their targets were twice the size of mine!"

- Donkey Kong Country 3