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Former RARE dev on redesigning Donkey Kong for Miyamoto, working on Yooka-Laylee

by rawmeatcowboy
08 July 2015
GN Version 5.0

A portion of an internal Playtonic interview with former RARE dev/current Playtonic dev, Kev Bayliss...

P: What was it like redesigning DK? Did Miyamoto-san shout at you?

KB: When working on his re-design I was just given a brief to make him look a little more modern than how he looked when he appeared in his own ‘Donkey Kong’ Arcade game. Nintendo were happy with the direction I took him in, and although he’s been tweaked a little over the years since, he’s pretty much the same now as he was when I modified him.

I didn’t actually meet Miyamoto until years later, when I spent a week in Japan working with him and Takaya Imamura on Starfox Adventures. We didn’t talk about Donkey Kong as we were busy working on the new project, but he was very friendly and seemed a very happy guy, so I assume (hope anyway!) that I didn’t ruin his original idea for him!

Today it makes me smile to see so many products with DK on the front, and that he’s pretty much still the same as he looked when I gave him a once-over. So that’s good enough for me – I must have done something right!

P: The Kickstarter stretch goals included character designs by yourself. What kind of crazy creations can we expect?

KB: Same old, same old! I’m working with Steve and Gav in particular at the moment on a few ‘NPC’ characters, some of which you may see more than others… ! So it’s all great fun.

There is a mixture of wacky and serious, darker style characters. This is a great time to be involved as these characters are being created ‘now’ and I am looking forward to seeing them in the future, making cameo appearances in other games, and expanding the Playtonic Universe!

[Link]