Donkey Konga 2 features a set of unlockable badges based on not only Donkey Kong Country characters (specifically DK, Diddy Kong, Dixie Kong, and Cranky Kong), but also other Nintendo IPs such as Mario, The Legend of Zelda and Pikmin. The Japanese version of the game also features badges of generic humans.

The international release of Donkey Konga 2 would remove the aforementioned human badges (as well as the Boo badge) and replace them with six extra Donkey Kong Country badges (Funky Kong, Kiddy Kong, Swanky Kong, Wrinkly Kong, Banana Bird, and King K. Rool). Five badges from Star Fox: Assault, another Namco developed game, were also included, featuring the Star Fox team as depicted in that game (Fox, Falco, Krystal, and Slippy) and also strangely enough, Andrew Oikonny; it's possible that this is meant to be a reference to both the Donkey Kong and Star Fox series heavily featuring ape/monkey characters.

In one of Dixie's Notes, she mentions how her little cousin "Dinky" tried playing the bongos for the first time. Dixie is actually referring to Kiddy Kong, her infant sidekick from Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, who is known in Japan as ディンキーコング (Dinkī Kongu), or Dinky Kong. This appears to be a localization oversight.