Funky Kong

"Lookin' good, Kongs! Buckle up and blast off, you're outta here!"

- Funky Kong

Funky Kong (ファンキーコング Fankī Kongu) is a recurring Kong character of the Donkey Kong series. Funky Kong often serves as an ally to the Kong Family, offering services such as transportation. Funky Kong has also recently been appearing in most DK spin-offs and even Mario spin-offs. Funky Kong is voiced by Toshihide Tsuchiya.

Donkey Kong Country
Funky Kong makes his debut in the original Donkey Kong Country. Funky serves as the owner of Funky's Flights, which is available in every area of Donkey Kong Island. He will allow Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong to use his Jumbo Barrel to travel to areas of the island the player has beaten, with a unique theme while traveling. He serves no other major roles.

In Donkey Kong Country ' s Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance remakes, Funky also hosts Funky's Fishing, which is a combo based fishing minigame. He also assigns them missions to do in said game, such as removing ten polluted water bottles out of Kremkroc Industries, Inc.'s waters. Funky is also seen in the GBA's ending cutscene.

Donkey Kong Country 2/Land 2


Funky Kong returns inevitably in the sequel to Donkey Kong Country, Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest. His role is largely unchanged, hosting Funky's Flights II, the most major changes being cosmetic. Funky Kong actually owns two different aircraft in this game; in the original release, he has the Biplane Barrel, but in the Game Boy Advance remake he owns a Gyrocopter. Also in the remake he runs several mission based mini-games requiring the Gyrocopter that reward DK Coins. Lastly, he, in the GBA remake, bombs the Flying Krock after Diddy and Dixie defeat Kaptain K. Rool and escape via Gyrocopter away from Crocodile Isle.

In Donkey Kong Land 2 for the Game Boy, Funky Kong’s role is exactly the same as in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest, with him allowing Diddy and Dixie to use his Funky Barrel to travel to areas they've previously been to, for a price.

Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!


Funky Kong of course re-appears in Donkey Kong Country 2 ' sequel, Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!. In said game, he played more of a major and different role from his previous ones. He runs Funky's Rentals in the Northern Kremisphere, near Bazaar's General Store, and that is the only place he is found. In addition, he instead gives the player a few different types of Motor Boats, used for navigating the water-filled overworld of the Northern Kremisphere.

Upon meeting him for the first time, he will give Dixie Kong her cousin, Kiddy Kong to help her find Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong (and to take over baby-sitting him), and in return gives the two the Motor Boat. As the game progresses, they can unlock other boats by collecting certain items and giving them to Funky. These more advanced vehicles can do things the Motor Boat cannot - these vehicles are the Hover Craft, which goes over rocks, the Turbo Ski which can get a speed boost to climb over the waterfall, as well as Funky's "Secret Project" vehicle.

During various parts of the game, references to Funky Kong working on a "secret project" will be made by some Brothers Bears, and if Dixie and Kiddy go to Funky after, he will admit he is working on something. However, in order to use it, the player needs to have every single DK Coin and present it to Funky Kong. The end result is the only airborne vehicle in the game, the Gyrocopter, which they can use to fly over all terrain as well as find three secret Banana Birds for the Banana Bird Queen.

Donkey Kong Country 3 had a Gameboy Advance port in similar vein to the previous two games. Funky does the same as before, but also gives the player the option of doing various boat-related mini-games, rewarding a banana bird for beating them all. The only other difference is the fact that there are more DK Coins, meaning a higher demand for access to his "project".

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
After his absence from Donkey Kong Country Returns, (despite many fans wanting him to return), Funky reappears in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, where instead of flying the Kongs around the map, he runs the game's shop instead. It is currently unknown what his shop will sell, or if he will do anything outside of running it.

Donkey Kong 64
During the events of Donkey Kong 64, Funky runs Funky's Armory. Funky Kong in this game appears drastically different from the previous games - he now has a military getup, and he now, via his armory, can supply weapons to the Kong Family for a price. He also supplies free ammo if he has nothing else to sell. Similar to his DKC roots, he is located in every world except Hideout Helm.

In Donkey Kong 64 ' s ending cutscene, Funky delivers the final blow, after Chunky Kong, to King Krusha K. Rool while he is distracted by Candy Kong. Funky uses a rocket launcher, which fires a boot at him, knocking King Krusha K. Rool through the ceiling of his arena and on to K. Lumsy Island.

DK: King of Swing


In the story of DK: King of Swing, Funky Kong makes a mere cameo in the opening cutscene, after King K. Rool steals all the Jungle Jam Medals. However, Funky Kong, for the first time in the series, has been made a playable character in the game's "Jungle Jam" mode, and is partnered with Dixie Kong. Funky has maximum strength, but cannot jump too high and far.

DK Jungle Climber
Funky Kong goes on vacation with the Kong family during the events of DK Jungle Climber to Sun Sun Island. Funky Kong returns to his transportation roots, re-opening Funky's Flights in order to help Donkey and Diddy Kong get Xananab's Crystal Bananas. This time around, he will first ask for some Oil Barrels in order to power the new Barrel Plane, which had a re-design from DKC2. Funky Kong is also playable in the game’s VS. Mode.

Donkey Konga 3
Donkey Konga 3 marks Funky's one and only music-based appearance. Unfortunately, he would not be seen outside of Japan in the game. He is a playable character in-game.

Donkey Kong Barrel Blast
Funky Kong would make his first racing appearance in Donkey Kong Barrel Blast. He has high strength and is moderate in every other category. Kludge is his rival. He is unlockable by beating the Diamond Cup with a Kong character. This would not be Funky's only racing appearance.

Television


Funky Kong makes his television debut alongside other Donkey Kong Country characters in the Donkey Kong Country TV series. He was voiced by Damon D’Oliveira and given a generic Jamaican accent. Funky is portrayed similarly as he is in the game, a lounging surfer who owns Funky's Flights and is a longtime friend of Donkey Kong. He is also shown to talk about spiritual things such as karma. It is also worth noting he received a lighter colored fur, golden, in the show.

Literature
In Donkey Kong: Rumble in the Jungle, Funky Kong gives Diddy Kong a flight. They go to Big Ape City. Funky is later captured in the city after trying to investigate why no one was there by Kremlings.

"Donkey Kong in: Banana Day 24" is Funky's first Nintendo Power appearance. He makes a minor cameo at the end, celebrating the victory of the Kong Family. It's worth noting his Funky Barrel is used in the comic.

Club Nintendo's comic book length adaptation is his second appearance. His appearance is briefly where Cranky Kong explains Banana and Kremkoins to Diddy and Dixie Kong.

In "Bumm-Badabumm im Urwald", he alerts Donkey, Diddy, and Dixie Kong that the Kremling Krew stole the bananas of Donkey Kong Island. It's worth noting he was called "Funky-Kong", note the hyphen.

Mario spinoffs
Funky Kong's first and most famous appearance in the Mario series was Mario Kart Wii. He is an unlockable heavy character, playable by beating Four Expert Staff Ghost times in the time trials. He even gets his own battle stage, the popular Funky Stadium. Funky Kong has the distinction of having a slightly faster speed factor than the other heavyweight characters, and as a result is a very popular character. He made his second playable appearance in a Mario game in the Wii title Mario Super Sluggers.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Funky cameos as a collectible trophy:
 * Funky Kong
 * A sunglassed surfer and friend of the Kongs. Funky Kong is indeed funky, from his looks to his lingo. Funky provides different services to the Kongs throughout the different games, be it a barrel-transport system or ammunition expertise. He may have tired of business dealings, as he's been a barrel-race participant more recently.

Trivia

 * Funky Kong is shown to "air surf", or levitate in the air while making surfing positions in Donkey Kong Country 2. How he did this is never explained, nor does he ever use this ability after said game.
 * In Issue #261 of Nintendo Power's "The Score," a page listing the results of online polls, Funky Kong was voted the most wanted Kong not in Donkey Kong Country Returns.
 * Although he doesn't appear in DKCR, he is possibly mentioned indirectly by Cranky in the game, who wishes they had someone with a plane.