Many people probably know that in Donkey Kong Country 2, in Cranky’s Video Game Heroes room, you see Mario, Yoshi and Link’s only physical appearances in a DK series game (apart from the unavailable Diddy Kong Pilot alpha). Many of these people probably know that also in that room is a rubbish bin, with Sonic the Hedgehog’s shoes and Earthworm Jim’s raygun next to it (with the label No Hopers).

What perhaps not many of these people know is that this snipe at the competition may have in one case been a retaliation for a previous snipe. Specifically, in Earthworm Jim: Special Edition for the Sega CD, an enhanced rerelease of the original Earthworm Jim game, there are cheat codes to put amusing masks on Jim or change his head. One of these transforms his head into DK’s, complete with a comical arrow running through’t. A pretty ugly sprite if you ask me, which just adds to the insult I suppose. So maybe Rare knew about this and maybe put in their own game their own little friendly jab at a rival platforming series, maybe as a direct response.

Maybe.

NOTE: I made this picture myself, from a screenshot I took. Glowsquid then uploaded it to Super Mario Wiki at my request, as I didn’t have those privileges. Thanks to that guy.