Name: Walnut
Debut: Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Right on the heels of Pestnut, we’ve got another nut, and this one’s even nuttier! Convergent evolution between a plant and a round, fortified, slow-moving animal may be fascinating and surprising, but this is just ridiculous. Here we have, going by the name, a walnut that has evolved to look like a walrus!
I guess I can KINDA see why they would go for this design choice? There’s the obvious “wal-” in both words, and walruses and walnuts both have a tough, brown, wrinkly exterior... But I thought the DK franchise was supposed to be more down to earth than Mario! Most of the enemies, however cartoony and anthropomorphized, are usually recognizable animals, or sometimes plants. But here we have a plant-based creature that you wouldn’t even RECOGNIZE as a plant if you didn’t know its name!
Walnut’s design is based on the less resistant Waldough, whose name is a humorous play on the name “Waldo”. Dough because he’s soft and vulnerable compared to the armored Walnut! See? THIS is fun wordplay. Not baffling and misleading. Take notes, Walnut!
