DKC Atlas Forum

It's a valid question, really. Although, some of us may believe them to be inferior to the DKC's, and thus most automatically assume they aren’t canon. Others, such as the DKU, from my experience, consider the series canon. What are your reasons for (not) considering the DKL’s canon?

From my personal experience, I haven't played the DKL's too much... the one I played the most was the original DKL, and as a result, I became aware of that game's story through the instruction manual. Apparently, this game has a story different than that of DKC, where Cranky bets that Donkey and Diddy wouldn't be able to make another smash gaming hit like they did with DKC on a less graphically-competent system, the Game Boy. Apparently, Cranky arranges to have K. Rool broken out of jail so that he can steal the banana hoard again and start Donkey and Diddy on an entirely new adventure, and a new adventure it is! It has new enemies and areas, and even some new music. I'm rather mixed as to whether I should consider this particular DKL canon, but the story kind of irks me. It feels a bit malevolent of Cranky to let loose Donkey's arch-nemesis just for a bet. I know we're suppose to think that Cranky's an old grump, but I think this is a bit too much, even for him.

Like I said, my experience with the other two DKL's is very limited. I don't believe DKL2 has a unique story, and I read on the DKU some time ago that DKL2 takes place directly after DKC2, where Krocodile Isle has somehow resurfaced, which would explain the merged terrain (it's the second world, forgot the name) and the different level layouts. I don't know if DKL2's story goes along with the DKU's description of it, but if anyone has any more information to add about it, let me know.

DKL3 could possibly be canon, since it has its own unique story, so it's less likely to be considered a retelling of the same DKC3 story (which I believe is the case with DKC2-DKL2.) However, there's one, big problem that I found in DK64, which seems to question whether DKL3 is canon. In DK64, Wrinkly's ghost mentions that she died sometime after DKC3. If DKL3 occurred after DKC3, why didn't she say she died after DKL3? It would have been the last time we saw her alive in the DK continuity if we consider DKL3 to be canon. Although, she could be senile and completely forgot about being in DKL3 (like most DKC fans do.)

This is what I know about the series, which isn't much. In my opinion, DKL2 is the only DKL that doesn't have a very good chance of being considered canon, due to it's extremely similar premise to DKC2, which probably means that it's basically a reinterpretation of the same event that occurred in DKC2. Both DKL1 and DKL3 could possibly be considered canon, but DKL's story is weird and DKL3 is confronted with a rather interesting continuity problem posed by DK64, which questions whether it happened at all.

The games are canon, and not just ports, because they have there own unique stories that differentiates themselves from the DKC trilogy, but also ties itself into the series.


In DKL, Cranky bets they can't win the Hoard back again following the events of DKC. In DKL2 is much less so; to my understanding K. Rool uses the Kremling power source to resurface Krocodile Aisle and the Kongs have to repeat there adventure to defeat him again. This seems a lot more like a port, I could see how it's possible this isn't canon. DKL3 is about everybody racing to the lost world after the events of DKC3, making it a unique adventure.

So DKL2 is the only one that could possibly be non-canon.

I have the Donkey Kong Land 2 manual and it is the exact same manual from DKC2 just pocket sized so yeah.

But DKL2 is different, the KPS isn't spewing and Krockodile Kauldron and Krem Quay have been merged into Krem Kauldron!

Yeah, DKL2 is a unique adventure whether the story says so or not. Although there is no story or other proof to say that it's canon, there's also absolutely no contradictions or other reasons to consider it non-canon. If there's no reason to consider it non-canon, than we can safely assume it is canon.

The storyline goes like this:
DKC → DKL → DKC2 (I'm not sure what to put here either a '→' or a '/') DKL2 → DKC3 → DKLIII


DKC: K. Rool steals Banana hoard. Donkey and Diddy try to get it back.
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DKL: K. Rool steals Banana hoard again, Crancky bets you can't get it back. Donkey and Diddy try to get it back again.
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DKC2: K. Rool kidnaps Donkey. Diddy and Dixie try to rescue him.
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DKL2: K. Rool kidnaps Donkey again. Diddy and Dixie try to rescue him again. *??I'm not sure about this??*
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DKC3: K. Rool kidnaps both Donkey and Diddy. Dixie en Kiddy try to rescue them.
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DKLIII: Everyone races to the lost world to see who's first. (You play as Dixie and Kiddy.)

I'm sure about all of them except for DKL2...

Here's the DKL2 story, direct from the instruction manual:

King K. Rool and his band of Kremlings apenapped Donkey Kong. They're demanding the Kongs to hand over the banana hoard for Donkey's safe return. Donkey Kong would have a fit if they lost the banana hoard again. So it's up to Diddy and Dixie Kong to save him. Help the two monkeys make their way through all the Kremlings and all the traps to find Donkey Kong.

There you have it. The whole "K. Rool raised the Island again and his leadership is in jeopardy" thing was entirely made up by the DKU guys. The in-game differences are likely due to the GB's limitations.

My verdict? A mere retelling of DKC2 that doesn't take place after DKC2.

I consider DKL1 and DKL3 to be canon. The only reason I'm unsure about DKC2 is the same bosses come back. How would Krow come back? You killed him AND his spirit, so it doesn't make much sense. Sure, DKL3 used the same bosses from DKC3, but they didn't use Belcha and Squirt because they were stuck in that game. That's just my reasoning.

What does "canon" mean?

@ krematoa The accepted storyline/continuity in a tv/comic/video game series. Speaking of which I know I going to make some people here, but I concider none of the DKL games canon really and just because Rare made it doesn't mean it's canon. Street Fighter Alpha/Zero 1 is made by Capcom themselves and it is not a part of any crossover game. but it still isn't canon to the series like it's sequels.

I've looked more into this and, if someone considers this canon, which I'm mixed about, then I have some questions:
1. If Crocodile Isle resurfaced, then why is it flipped? Compare this:

to this:

2. If you look at the 102% ending to DKC2, you can see that Gloomy Gulch and K. Rool's Keep get destroyed by the geyser explosion. So, how could they be in this game? My guess is that K. Rool had the Kremlings rebuild them and try to make them look similar. That could explain Krazy Koaster and Dungeon Danger, since Krazy Koaster takes place in an indoor amusement park (or at least I assume since it is inside) and Dungeon Danger (they most likely couldn't reinstall the giant floor).
3. Like I mentioned in an earlier post, how do the bosses come back? I'm mainly focusing on Krow, because his spirit exploded. Did K. Rool perform some wierd voodoo spell to bring him back?
There are some other minor things, but those are the main ones. So, is this game canon? I don't know, maybe I'm looking into this too much.

Eh, I see DKLII as just a retelling. DKL and DKLIII however appear to be new adventures.

DKL was like; Cranky is sour because DK got such a success with his game. So he gives K. Rool a call to steal the banana hoard and bets DK can't get it back. Welp, he still does! The locations in this game are confusing. People say it's on DK Isle and the manual does too, but I think it's a new isle all to itself just near to DK Isle.

DKLIII doesn't have a kidnapped DK and Diddy at all. It's just Dixie setting out to find the Lost World together with Kiddy in a different part of the Northern Kremisphere. But K. Rool shows his ugly mug again and attempts racing 'em. That's where the whole time trail thing comes from. I presume this is a different lost world, too. And Wrinkly misspells Kremlings as Kremlins... ergh.

And no, I wasn't serious when I said K. Rool had an ugly mug. He's beautiful and he knows it.

The story in DKLIII goes somewhat like this: DK and Diddy say they are gonna find the Lost World. Dixie and Kiddy say that they are gonna get there first. KRool comes in and says that he's gonna race them too.

I guess Donkey Kong Land II is one of those "missed opportunity" games.

I mean honestly, does anyone here consider Hotel Mario to be canon?

I don't think any of the Mario games are canon. Maybe a few, but, eh.

I think that DKL2 is an extension in DKC2. I think Diddy and Dixie went through BOTH versions of the levels in their adventure.
Like: Prate Panic (SNES), Pirate Panic (GB), Mainbrace Mayhem (SNES), Mainbrace Mayhem (GB), etc.
I'm saying DKC2 and DKL2 were both, one mega-adventure, in my opinion.

HERE'S MY REMADE DKLIII STORY!

DK and Diddy say they are gonna find the Lost World. Dixie says she and Kiddy are gonna race them. Krool pops out from behind a bush and says that he's gonna race them too. Kiddy says "Mmmmmmm, tire."

Sorry to sound like an idiot, but is a cannon like a copy? because If It is, DKL2 is deffinitly a "Kannon". I don't have or have played DKL3 so I wouldn't know about It. I just heard KAOS Is really tiny.

Ribbedebie wrote:Eh, I see DKLII as just a retelling. DKL and DKLIII however appear to be new adventures.

DKL was like; Cranky is sour because DK got such a success with his game. So he gives K. Rool a call to steal the banana hoard and bets DK can't get it back. Welp, he still does! The locations in this game are confusing. People say it's on DK Isle and the manual does too, but I think it's a new isle all to itself just near to DK Isle.

DKLIII doesn't have a kidnapped DK and Diddy at all. It's just Dixie setting out to find the Lost World together with Kiddy in a different part of the Northern Kremisphere. But K. Rool shows his ugly mug again and attempts racing 'em. That's where the whole time trail thing comes from. I presume this is a different lost world, too. And Wrinkly misspells Kremlings as Kremlins... ergh.

And no, I wasn't serious when I said K. Rool had an ugly mug. He's beautiful and he knows it.

Hate how they didin't name the levels in DKL. and what's up with the level icons? the look like inner tubes.

Mr.Diddy wrote:Sorry to sound like an idiot, but is a cannon like a copy? because If It is, DKL2 is deffinitly a "Kannon". I don't have or have played DKL3 so I wouldn't know about It. I just heard KAOS Is really tiny.

If a story, movie, or game is "canon", it is considered part of the story, or continuity, of that series.
It has nothing to do with Kannon.

Master clyde super wrote:I don't think any of the Mario games are canon. Maybe a few, but, eh.

I think the Mario games are canonical in the order that they're released. None of the games seem to spark any serious continuity errors (unlike that filthy Link peasant).

I think we should consider the Donkey Kong Land series canonical.

First off, Donkey Kong Land was an entirely new Donkey Kong game. It's not like it had the same plot. Though they were similar, the banana heist was planned in a bet rather than a malicious attack. It was all predetermined.

Donkey Kong Land II was essentially the same as Donkey Kong Country 2. But don't you think that'd be something K. Rool would do? He's awfully repetitive in his attacks, whose to say he wouldn't try to repeat a plot twice? That could explain why the game is shorter and the island is in bad condition. The game makes it seem as though it's easier because the Kongs have done this all before and K. Rool hastily repaired the island after rising it from the abyss. He DID rebuild the K. Kruiser like four times.

As for Donkey Kong Land III, this game has ANOTHER new plot, even though K. Rool is still dressed up like a scientist. Dixie tries to prove herself as one of those strong, independent, "We can do it!" girls and enters the contest to show all the other manly explorers how adventuring is done (with her abnormally strong baby cousin, of course).