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Not really—Nintendo treats Donkey Kong and Bowser more like crossover rivals than friends. They can appear side by side in spin-off games and roster-based titles, but that does not mean Nintendo presents them as buddies in the story.
The confusion makes sense if you mostly see them in games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe or other crossover material, where the whole point is to put familiar characters together for competitive fun. In the main character framing, though, Bowser is Mario’s long-running enemy, while Donkey Kong is usually a separate protagonist, rival, or occasional antagonist depending on the game.
If you want the clearest answer: they are not officially described as friends, and “friendly rivals” is a better shorthand than “friends.” The next question is why they sometimes look that way, and that comes down to how Nintendo uses them across different game types.
Short answer
Donkey Kong and Bowser are not canonically friends. Nintendo’s current material still treats Bowser as Mario’s “eternal rival,” and Donkey Kong is framed more as his own character with his own conflicts, allies, and adventures. They may show up in the same games, but shared roster space is not the same thing as a friendship.
Why people think they might be friends
The biggest reason is simple: both characters often appear in the same crossover space. In party games, kart racers, and crossover rosters, Nintendo is not trying to tell a deep story about personal relationships. It is trying to make a fun lineup of recognizable characters.
That leads some players to read too much into the fact that DK and Bowser are grouped together. In practice, that usually means they are peers in a game mode, not allies in the lore.
What Nintendo’s official material suggests
Nintendo’s Bowser profile on the Bowser amiibo page describes him as Mario’s eternal rival. That is the important part: Nintendo’s own wording keeps Bowser in an adversarial role, even if he sometimes appears alongside Mario or temporarily helps him in certain crossover settings.
Donkey Kong’s modern official framing is different. Nintendo has recently centered DK in stories that focus on Pauline, the Kong crew, or his own adventures rather than on Bowser. For example, Nintendo’s current Donkey Kong pages and Mario crossover material keep DK in a separate lane from Bowser, which makes a friendship between the two even less likely as a canon reading.
How to think about their relationship
| Character | Usual Nintendo role | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Bowser | Mario’s main villain / rival | Usually framed as an enemy first, even when he appears in multiplayer or crossover content |
| Donkey Kong | Hero, rival, or occasional antagonist | His role changes by game, but he is not usually tied to Bowser as a close ally |
| Both together | Crossover roster characters | They can share a game without being written as friends |
Common exceptions and edge cases
Spin-offs can make them look friendly. Mario Kart, party games, and crossover titles often ignore story continuity for the sake of gameplay. A character being selectable alongside another character is not proof of a lore friendship.
Modern Donkey Kong is not the same as the original arcade setup. The original Donkey Kong game featured a different version of the character history, and fans sometimes blend that older material with modern DK. That can make relationship debates muddy fast.
“Frenemies” is fan shorthand, not an official label. You will see players use that word because it captures the odd mix of shared appearances and different roles. It is fine as a casual description, but it is not how Nintendo officially defines them.
Best way to describe their relationship
If you want the most accurate plain-English answer, call Donkey Kong and Bowser crossover rivals or distant peers, not friends. That description fits both the official material and the way they are used in modern Nintendo games.
So if someone asks, “Are Donkey Kong and Bowser friends?” the best response is: no, not officially. They may share the screen, the roster, or the kart track, but Nintendo does not treat them as close allies in the story.
Quick takeaway
Donkey Kong and Bowser are not friends in the official sense. They appear together often enough to confuse things, but Nintendo still keeps Bowser as Mario’s rival and Donkey Kong as his own separate character with his own conflicts. If you see them together in a spin-off, think “same game,” not “same relationship.”
FAQ
Are Donkey Kong and Bowser enemies?
Not in the same direct, story-based way that Bowser is Mario’s enemy. Donkey Kong and Bowser are usually treated as separate characters who may share crossover games rather than a dedicated rivalry with each other.
Why do Donkey Kong and Bowser appear together so often?
Because Nintendo likes to use both characters in roster-based crossover games where fun and variety matter more than strict story continuity.
Is Bowser ever on Mario’s side?
Sometimes, in spin-offs and special situations. Nintendo’s own character material allows for temporary alliances, but that does not change Bowser’s core role as Mario’s rival.
What is the most accurate fan shorthand?
“Friendly rivals” or “crossover rivals” is usually closer to the truth than “friends.”