Skip to main content
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
Trending
  • Pokemon Winds and Waves
  • New Games for 2026
  • GamesRadar+ Replay
  • Mario Day deals
Don't miss these
Donkey Kong Bananza screenshot of Donkey Kong punching through the landscape with pieces of banana flying through the air
Donkey Kong With Donkey Kong Bananza, Nintendo learned "it is more fun to destroy that which is beautiful"
Yoshi and the Mysterious Boook screenshot of Yoshi smiling with eyes closed
Super Mario The next big Switch 2 exclusive, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, gets a May release date out of nowhere
DK and Pauline stare at an explosion of gold in Donkey Kong Bananza
Donkey Kong "Some ideas from Donkey Kong Bananza" may inform Nintendo's next big project, producer says
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
Animated Movies The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is on track for the biggest opening weekend of the year, but it might not 1-UP the original
Donkey Kong punching through rocks in Donkey Kong Bananza
Donkey Kong Donkey Kong Bananza devs want to make sure Mario and DK's games feel different
Donkey Kong Bananza DK and Pauline looking intrigued
Donkey Kong We asked Nintendo point-blank about Donkey Kong Bananza's biggest mystery: They wouldn't tell us who Pauline really is
Four pictures of games from our selection of the best Switch 2 games list, showing Donkey Kong, Cloud from Final Fantasy, Mario and Luigi, and three starter Pokemon.
Games The 20 best Switch 2 games to play in 2026
Mario riding Yoshi through space with Luigi and Peach flying along beside him
Animated Movies Super Mario Galaxy Movie reveals Donald Glover as the voice of Yoshi and more new casting in a star-spanning trailer
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
Animated Movies Super Mario Galaxy Movie release date, cast, plot, and everything else you need to know about The Super Mario Bros. sequel
Image of the Hori Princess Rosalina Switch 2 controller on a wooden table.
Gaming Controllers Move over Mario, this Rosalina Switch 2 controller is so stellar that it deserves its own day too
Princess Rosalina in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie trailer
Animated Movies Certified Nintendo fangirl and Rosalina actor Brie Larson says Super Mario Galaxy is one of her favorite games
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
Animated Movies Brie Larson knows "every detail" of Super Mario Galaxy, so trust her when she says the movie is "filled with references"
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
Animated Movies A Nintendo Nostradamus somehow predicted Donald Glover's Yoshi casting in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie over a year ago
Donkey Kong Bananza
Donkey Kong Donkey Kong Bananza devs admit the blatantly OP elephant transformation "probably went too far," but "it's fun"
Princess Peach and Mario in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
Animated Movies New Super Mario Galaxy Movie poster unveils first look at Super Mario Bros. 2 villain Wart
  1. Games
  2. Platforming Games
  3. Super Mario
  4. Mario Kart World

Switch 2 marks the end of an era as Mario Kart World is the first time in 20 years Donkey Kong's voice actor has changed, and the replacement seemingly comes straight from the Mario movie

News
By Scott McCrae published 5 June 2025

The voice actress who has been Peach and Toad since 2007 has also seemingly been replaced

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Mario Kart World screenshot
(Image credit: Nintendo)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
2
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Get the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
Subscribe to our newsletter

In case the redesign wasn't enough, fans have noticed that Donkey Kong may have also nabbed a new voice actor alongside the release of Mario Kart World on Nintendo Switch 2.

Fans on the Donkey Kong subreddit have got their hands on Mario Kart World, and despite the fact you need to unlock the big ape, they have noticed that the in-game credits are missing any mention of Takashi Nagasako, who has voiced Donkey Kong since 2004's Mario Power Tennis all the way through to 2024's Super Mario Party Jamboree, as well as his dad / grandad (it's unclear) Cranky Kong.

One thing Nintendo does in its games is only list the voice actors, as opposed to listing who they play, which is how Mick Wingert was mistakenly identified as Mario's new voice actor before Kevin Afghani confirmed it was him. So no one is listed with Donkey Kong next to their name, however, one name that is in the credits is Koji Takeda, who just so happened to be the voice actor for Donkey Kong in the Japanese dub of The Super Mario Bros. Movie (also Daruk in The Legend of Zelda series).

You may like
  • Super Mario Bros. Wonder Mario's new voice actor has "unbelievable respect" for 32-year icon Charles Martinet
  • Super Mario Bros. Wonder No, Super Mario's actor hasn't secretly been narrating any Nintendo Directs, despite the "weird narrative online"
  • Mario Kart World screenshot Switch 2 Mario Kart World content update seemingly leaked by Nintendo itself, players think a fan-favorite mode is returning

The other big deal to come out of this is that Samantha Kelly – who has voiced Princess Peach, Toad and Toadette since 2007 – is also absent from the credits of the game. However, once again since there are no character names listed, we don't actually have a great idea of who could take over, since Anya Taylor-Joy is unsurprisingly not listed in there.

One user points out that Princess Peach Showtime would have been her last time as Peach, which is ironic as the last Peach game – Super Princess Peach – marked Jen Taylor's final time in the role.

Presumably Donkey Kong will keep this new voice going into Donkey Kong Bananza. However, there is always a chance that Nagasako will reprise his role as Cranky Kong in the upcoming game, especially since he just did voice work for the Donkey Kong Country expansion at Universal Japan. Regardless, the last few years have been an end of an era for a ton of Mario voice actors.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's Nintendo Switch 2 journey isn't going too smoothly as Nintendo asks "please avoid using Mii Fighter in online play as much as possible."

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
CATEGORIES
Nintendo Switch 2 Platforms Nintendo
Scott McCrae
Scott McCrae
Social Links Navigation
Contributor

Scott has been freelancing for over three years across a number of different gaming publications, first appearing on GamesRadar+ in 2024. He has also written for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, VG247, Play, TechRadar, and others. He's typically rambling about Metal Gear Solid, God Hand, or any other PS2-era titles that rarely (if ever) get sequels.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Read more
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Super Mario Mario's new voice actor has "unbelievable respect" for 32-year icon Charles Martinet
 
 
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Super Mario No, Super Mario's actor hasn't secretly been narrating any Nintendo Directs, despite the "weird narrative online"
 
 
Mario Kart World screenshot Switch 2
Super Mario Mario Kart World content update seemingly leaked by Nintendo itself, players think a fan-favorite mode is returning
 
 
Donkey Kong and Dixie Kong in Returns HD
Donkey Kong Out of nowhere, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD gets updated with new content a year since launch
 
 
Donkey Kong looks sad in the Donkey Kong Country cartoon
Donkey Kong Donkey Kong Country designer says his version started life without fur, and shouts out the "hideous" TV show version
 
 
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Super Mario After 40 years of bangers, legendary Mario Kart and Luigi's Mansion director seems to have left Nintendo
 
 
Latest in Super Mario
Donkey Kong punching through rocks in Donkey Kong Bananza
Donkey Kong Donkey Kong Bananza devs want to make sure Mario and DK's games feel different
 
 
Yoshi and the Mysterious Boook screenshot of Yoshi smiling with eyes closed
Super Mario The next big Switch 2 exclusive, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, gets a May release date out of nowhere
 
 
Photo of the Mario and Luigi Nendoroid figures sitting next to eachother.
Toys & Collectibles Celebrate MAR10 Day in style with the very best Super Mario merch
 
 
Mario Kart World screenshot Switch 2
Super Mario Mario Kart World content update seemingly leaked by Nintendo itself, players think a fan-favorite mode is returning
 
 
Mario swims around in a Frog Suit in art for Super Mario Bros. 3
Super Mario Shigeru Miyamoto had to "force" in Super Mario Bros 3's iconic Frog Suit because it was fun even though it sucked
 
 
Photo of the Super Mario Nendoroid figure sitting infront of some figure boxes.
Toys & Collectibles These Super Mario Nendoroid figures deserve a comeback, but I'll settle for the SH Figuarts re-release
 
 
Latest in News
A close up of a blue woman Runner during the Marathon game PS5 reveal.
FPS Games Marathon lead shuts down claims that nobody who worked on Halo was involved in Bungie's latest FPS
 
 
One Piece season 2
Live Action Shows One Piece's creator was "worried" about how Netflix was handling the live-action Chopper
 
 
Halloween Kills
Horror Movies Halloween star Jamie Lee Curtis says she wouldn't have returned for the Blumhouse sequel if she'd known it was a trilogy
 
 
Rhea Seehorn as Carol Sturka in Pluribus
Sci-Fi Shows Vince Gilligan initially planned for the Pluribus cast to be naked, but "we're not working for HBO"
 
 
Overwatch 1
Games Former Overwatch director has sage advice for those who complain about games they don't play: "Shut the f**k up"
 
 
GTA 5 cheat codes and phone numbers
Grand Theft Auto Ahead of GTA 6, Rockstar-owned GTA 5 RP mega mod FiveM breaks its own Steam record with 200,000 concurrent players
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. One Piece season 2
    1
    One Piece's creator was "worried" about how Netflix was handling the live-action Chopper
  2. 2
    Vince Gilligan initially planned for the Pluribus cast to be naked, but "we're not working for HBO"
  3. 3
    Halloween star Jamie Lee Curtis says she wouldn't have returned for the Blumhouse sequel if she'd known it was a trilogy
  4. 4
    Sailor Piece codes (March 2026) for money, Gems, rerolls, and more
  5. 5
    Former Overwatch director has sage advice for those who complain about games they don't play: "Shut the f**k up"

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...