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Donkey Kong is turning 45 this week. As an old-age gaming pensioner, I'm trying to comprehend that bananas news, but July 9, 2026 marks 45 years since our favorite tie-wielding ape first landed in arcades and changed the scope of gaming as we see it. Of course, he didn't have a tie back then and was more concerned with hurling barrels at Jumpman (aka Mario) than looking sharp, but he's come a long way.

There's been a hoard of DK-flavored goodies released in those 45 years, including the best Nintendo Switch 2 accessories , which feature Donkey Kong and friends. From a lenticular 'moving' Switch 2 case, plenty of amiibo, and Switch 2 Joy-Con covers, it's not too difficult to show off your love for the 45-year-old ape with your handheld, and I've gathered these a-peel-ing accessories down below.

With the Switch 2 still being pretty new, there aren't as many DK-themed Switch 2 goodies as I had hoped. With that in mind, I've thrown in some older amiibo and accessories that are compatible with the new handheld, so you've got plenty plenty of choices which are ripe for picking.

Turtle Beach

Turtle Beach Playtrek Hard Shell Travel Case Donkey Kong Nintendo Switch 2

Nintendo

Super Mario series amiibo - Donkey Kong

PowerA

Powera Enhanced Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 Wired Controller - Donkey Kong Flex, Gamepad, Game Controller, Wired Controller, Officially Licensed

Nintendo

Super Smash Bros series - Diddy Kong amiibo

Turtle Beach

Turtle Beach Rematch Wireless Gaming Controller: Donkey Kong Switch 2

Nintendo

Donkey Kong and Pauline amiibo

KeysFactory

Donkey Kong Bananza Joy-Con 2 TPU Covers

Nitnendo

Super Smash Bros series amiibo - King K. Rool

PowerA

Slim Case for Nintendo Switch 2 - Mario and Friends

My personal top Donkey Kong Switch 2 accessory picks

Donkey Kong Turtle Beach PlayTrek Switch 2 Travel Case

(Image credit: Future/Rosalie Newcombe) The Donkey Kong Switch 2 Case remains one of the best Nintendo Switch 2 cases available today as far as design goes. I reviewed the 'Mario Bricks' version earlier this year and was instantly swayed by its lenticular design, which is also featured on this model. Instead of a piece of hidden Super Mario art that reveals itself depending on your view angle, glancing at this Donkey Kong version makes the foliage behind DK and Diddy Kong's silhouettes appear to be moving.

The design is much more subtle on this version, and the case includes all the same amenities that I adored in the Mario version. You've got space for your Nintendo Switch 2 console, a small fabric mesh pocket for small accessories, and a dedicated space for storing up to 12 physical games, all for $29.99 (Amazon) , and even less when there are sales inbound.

Donkey Kong and Pauline amiibo

(Image credit: Future/Rosalie Newcombe) I love a good amiibo and have almost 200 of the Nintendo toys-to-life figures in my collection. Yet, the Donkey Kong and Pauline amiibo remain one of my favorites from the entire line due to the sheer detail that's on display. For one, the $29.99 (Best Buy) collectible has one of the most unique bases out there, featuring a smashed-up terrain that feels entirely on brand for Donkey Kong Bananza.

Secondly, the amiibo is of a much higher quality than your run-of-the-mill figures. A closer inspection of little Pauline will reveal her tiny painted freckles, and even the denim texture of her jeans has been sculpted for this release. Talking of Pauline, tapping it on your right Switch 2 Joy-Con also unlocks one of her cutest outfits in the game (Pauline's Diva Dress) early, alongside destructible KONG letters which come in handy when you need to destroy a bunch of terrain at a pinch.

Check out our guides to the best Nintendo Switch 2 controllers , the best Nintendo Switch headsets , and the best Nintendo Switch 2 cases if you want to make your Ninty setup completely bananas.

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2026 has been a big year for Game of Thrones fans, who have been treated to not one, but two official releases from the beloved fantasy franchise. Widely hailed as creator George R.R. Martin ’s favorite Game of Thrones project, the first new release of the year came all the way back in January with the premiere of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms . Consisting of only six thirty-minute episodes, the show felt like classic Game of Thrones scaled down to a much more intimate tale, which worked well enough to score a Season 2 renewal and confirmed 2027 return. Following just a few weeks ago was the highly anticipated third season of House of the Dragon , which is firing on all cylinders through its first three episodes.

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There's a relatively high chance Valve co-founder Gabe Newell and Hollywood director James Cameron are at least friendly. How do I know? They both partake in the hilariously ridiculous rich person hobby of investing in submarines.

One of the central figures behind Half-Life and Steam , Newell is already a relatively big player in ocean exploration, since he owns Inkfish, a research firm dedicated to learning about the ocean depths. He footed the bill on a new vessel known as RV6000, a 100-meter-sized project that recently started construction at a shipyard in Romania, and now he's taking his investment even further

Per Boat International , RV6000 is being put together by Vard, a Norwegian company, and once the outer hull is finished in Romania, it'll be sent to another shipyard in Norway to be finished. It's a state-of-the-art undertaking, described as "one of the most modern research vessels the world has seen" by Vard.

Here's the kicker: it's being handled by Oceanco, a manufacturer of high-end boats and the like Newell actually acquired himself last year. Let it never be said he does anything in half measures. He's following in the footsteps of James Cameron, who famously became infatuated by oceanic research while making 1997's Titanic, and is now a bona fide and highly qualified expert in the area.

The RV6000 costs €200 million (around $228 million) and now Newell's greenlit a second wave of investment, to the sum of €700,000,000 – or just shy of $800,000,000 – for the RV11000. This hulking mass comes to a total size of 162-meters, and it's expressly designed to go farther than most other deep sea vessels ever could.

The RV11000 will be able to hold 130 crew, and it's expected to follow the same pipeline as the RV6000. The latter should be finished in 2028, whereas the former is projected to be operational in 2030. Think of them when you're convincing your friend to buy a Half-Life bundle for $1 in the next Steam sale.

Uh-oh, the Steam Machine is having its own Xbox 360 "Red Ring of Death" moment, and Valve's lightbar codes point towards GPU failure.