The original arcade Donkey Kong is now known as Cranky Kong. Donkey Kong Country established that the Donkey Kong name functions as a hereditary title, separating the elderly arcade character from the modern hero introduced in the 1994 game.
In the original 1981 arcade game, Donkey Kong battled Mario by throwing barrels and guarding Pauline. In later Donkey Kong lore, that character became Cranky Kong, a grumpy older gorilla who has retired from active adventures. The younger Donkey Kong is presented as his grandson and successor.
Cranky’s personality is deliberately self-aware. He frequently complains about modern games, boasts about his own past, and makes jokes that break the fourth wall. In Donkey Kong Country, he lives in a cabin and offers advice and hints to Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong.
Donkey Kong Jr. is a separate character: he was the original Donkey Kong’s son and starred in the 1982 arcade sequel. Diddy Kong and Funky Kong are also members of the Kong cast, but neither is the original arcade Donkey Kong.