Tiny Kong - AP Redesign!

[NinjaBunneh]

I'm not sure how many people have actually been FOLLOWING the character filled mess that is the DKC series, but a recent unusual design change occured.


This was Tiny Kong in DK64. Tiny Kong was supposed to be Dixie Kong's little sister and has the special ability to shrink. Admittedly she looks less hideous in-game.

This was the last game Tiny was seen in until Diddy Kong Racing DS...where she looked like...


BWA-HUH?! All of the sudden, Dixie Kong's LITTLE sister is decidedly bigger than her!

This look was then kept for Barrel Blast on the Wii and is also used in her Super Smash Bros. Brawl trophy.

(Yes. I took a million reference shots. Interesting side-note: She has a bigger ass than Candy Kong and Krystal) Nowhere in her trophy description is jer sudden age change even mentioned. Infact, they haven't even mentioned her being Dixie's sister in a very long while!

So what's the deal?

Well previously on Rare's Scribes page, they said that Tiny simply got older and for some reason no other Kongs did. For some reason I can no longer find this post.

However a more recent letter makes two points:
#1) Barrel Blast and DKRS were announced at the same E3, so the Barrel Blast design came first.
#2) Indeed, it was Nintendo/Paon's idea to change Tiny's look, not Rare's (for once!)
http://www.rare.co.uk/extras/scribes/20dec07/index.html

Originally Posted by Rare Scribes Page

5) Tiny still ticks me off, please, PLEASE when developing another game with Tiny in it, use the young one, PLEASE!!!

5) Too late, boy! Nintendo says she's a feisty teenager these days!

So why was her design changed when she's supposed to be the LITTLE sister? Well, I recently tried translating an entry in Japanese Wikipedia and got an interesting blurb: "Tiny and Dixie looked so similar that in America they were said to be sisters".

What does this mean? It means that Dixie and Tiny's relation was never mentioned in Japan, thus it was never taken into account when Tiny was redesigned.

As for WHY she was redesigned? Because she looked too much like Dixie probably.


Now, as for an in-game explanation for this occurance, none is given. I myself have cooked up quite afew theories (my favorite simply being the fact that Tiny can size-change so...), but really let's look at the facts: Time has no bearing in the DK and Mario universes. If DK and DK Jr. can both appear in Mario Tennis on N64, and Baby Mario, Luigi, and Peach can appear alongside their older selves? Yeah. Time and continuity do not matter (so about those Koopalings...).

Regardless, the following awesome drawing made me realize this needed a thread:

http://kanashimi-chan.deviantart.com...-more-81099240

As a side-note: I do intend to do a series of drawings based on the various Tiny theories I have. Also, the sheer number of different drastic character design changes (ESPECIALLY from Rare) almost warrants a thread of it's own! XD (Krystal was a 16 year old cat originally but became a 19 year old fox, Jet Force Gemini, Joanna Dark, ect.)

Anyway, more decent New Teen Tiny drawings:
http://cjl1217.deviantart.com/art/Ti...roove-67176416
http://thweatted.deviantart.com/art/...-Lips-79537099
http://skatcat.deviantart.com/art/Tiny-Kong-49104339
http://bignasty4life.deviantart.com/...y-now-48201355
http://cammiluna.deviantart.com/art/Okay-Okay-48176762
http://cammiluna.deviantart.com/art/...Phone-61669337
http://cammiluna.deviantart.com/art/Star-City-48681356
http://cammiluna.deviantart.com/art/...-Race-56129531

So...discuss?

[mecham]

Hmm...
Well, there is that clock-guy character...doh, I can't remeber his name, but I don't like the fact he is in some of the same pics as tiny. Oh, yes there is trouble in River City (or Jungle Japes for you hardy ssbb/ssbm/DK fans).

[Dragon FangX]

Role reversal? Maybe they felt tiny needed to be the older sister. Her design does make her more unique from the original version, original having the same mouth design as Diddy and Dixie.

[SdazVarence]

I'd say is a Retcon so that Tiny doesnt seem like a Dixie clone

[ProfessorMishap]

Tiny is still the little sister, cept she's... tall now. I don't care how she looks, when I first saw/played as her I thought she was adorable. (Despite Dixie fans weeboe'ing over her not being in 64.)

[no-name]

I stopped caring about the other Kongs long after the 3rd game. At the time, it was kinda lame.
However, I have to say that both versions Tiny look so much cuter than Dixie.

[NinjaBunneh]

Originally Posted by LinkG07

Tiny is still the little sister, cept she's... tall now.

According to Rare she's older now and Paon doesn't even know they're sisters.

...and since no one gives a damn about plot continuity I don't think it even counts as a retcon! XD

Again, I still love MY explanation. I mean, if Tiny can shrink, why not grow?

I don't care how she looks, when I first saw/played as her I thought she was adorable. (Despite Dixie fans weeboe'ing over her not being in 64.)

I wasn't that fond of her 64 design and as a guy who was sick of all these new Kongs the moment the title character stopped returning, yeah. Though seeing her in-game for the first time she is kinda cute there, but I think her original CG is hideous.

I mean, I liked Dixie at least, but the lack of DK in DKC2&3 always bothered me...and I never played 64 due to a deathly fear of Lanky.

SUPPOSEDLY, Rare made the decision to ONLY use characters from DKC1 in 64, which would generally be a good idea...if they didn't make new characters to fill in for the ones that weren't appearing. GAH!


BUT Tiny is much more awesome now. ^_^

[bstgate]

Originally Posted by NinjaBunneh

http://thweatted.deviantart.com/art/...-Lips-79537099

With a little imagination, if you look at the right images in the top and middle rows, it looks like Dixie transforms into surprised-looking Candy.

"Save your game" at that point? HELL YES!

[Miracle overloading]

I doubt that there's no such thing as time.
Wasn't it hinted in Donkey King Country that Cranky was the original Donkey Kong from the original games?

The way i see it, most of those series' games probably take place within a reasonably small timeline thous preventing most characters from noticeably aging.
Or maybe puberty hit Tiny alot harder/earlier than Dixie.

[mikewolfskin]

-_- OMG I hate Tiny I what Dixie back. I am so glad Nintendo sold dumb ass Rare and DK64 is a prime reason why.

[ProfessorMishap]

DK64 was fun >:U

[NinjaBunneh]

Originally Posted by Miracle overloading

I doubt that there's no such thing as time.
Wasn't it hinted in Donkey King Country that Cranky was the original Donkey Kong from the original games?

Yes and yet Donkey Kong (the new one) appeared alongside Donkey Kong Jr. (His past self) in Mario Tennis 64 (also, Baby Mario anyone?).

I think if DK wanted to punch time, he could punch time.

Originally Posted by mikewolfskin

-_- OMG I hate Tiny I what Dixie back. I am so glad Nintendo sold dumb ass Rare and DK64 is a prime reason why.

You DO realize Tiny and Dixie appear TOGETHER in both Diddy Kong Racing DS and Donkey Kong: Barrel Blast, right?