Like the humble banana, Donkey Kong has been the good, old trusty treat in Nintendo’s overflowing lunch box of mascot-driven games.
Yes, the big ape has carried some noteworthy classics prior to the Switch 2’s Donkey Kong Bananza. The old sidescrolling games by Rare come to mind, for example.
Despite that, Donkey Kong has always felt more like a B-list celebrity compared to Nintendo heavyweights such as Mario and Link. Don’t get me wrong, Donkey Kong’s games were undoubtedly fun. But they never really exuded the feel of an epic adventure like the mainline Mario games did.
That is, until now.
With Donkey Kong Bananza, Nintendo’s powerful primate finally gets to carry a game that has the vibe of a summer tentpole movie. Thanks to a fresh look plus a new gameplay approach more reminiscent of 3D Mario games, Donkey Kong’s first star turn on the Switch 2 no longer feels like a placeholder in between releases of games like Mario, Zelda or Splatoon. Instead, Donkey Kong Bananza feels like a main event of its own.
All I can say is, it’s about time.
Donkey Kong Bananza ain’t your dad’s Donkey Kong
In the list of potential surprises for the Switch 2, being wowed by Donkey Kong Bananza was not in my bingo card.
Although Donkey Kong Bananza was in my radar for upcoming Switch 2 games to check out, I wasn’t really paying close attention to it. Instead, my sights were more focused on what I thought was the real bogey that demanded the most attention in the Switch 2’s brand new skies — Mario Kart World.
Heck, I even picked Mario Kart World as the best new launch game for the Nintendo Switch 2. After playing Donkey Kong Bananza, however, well, let’s just say I have a new top banana for the Switch 2.
I still consider Mario Kart World to be the best new Switch 2 launch game. But the best new Switch 2 game to date? For yours truly, that honor now belongs to Donkey Kong Bananza.
As someone who avoided watching videos and trailers of the game, I went into Donkey Kong Banaza with fresh eyes. During my first couple of hours, I kept thinking, “Is this game for real?” over and over as Donkey Kong Bananza pleasantly surprised me several times. Playing the game reminded me of the feeling I had after playing titles like Super Mario 64 and the first Splatoon game. It felt like the start of something new and different.
It’s a feeling that I’ve honestly been experiencing less and less as a gamer over the years. Maybe it’s because I’ve played so many games that I’ve basically seen it all. Maybe it’s because I’m just getting old.
Regardless, playing Donkey Kong Bananza for the first time felt refreshing.
Peeling Donkey Kong Bananza’s new layers
A big reason for the sense of newness exuded by Donkey Kong is its brand new look.
This starts with Donkey Kong’s character design. The design has gotten a lot of comparisons to the Super Mario Movie’s version of Donkey Kong, especially his larger and rounder eye shape.
Granted, change can be tricky. For those who grew up with Donkey Kong’s previous design — which debuted in 1999’s Donkey Kong 64 — switching designs can prove to be alienating. Interestingly, that’s how I felt when the previous design was introduced. That’s because my image of Donkey Kong was based on the earlier games such as Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong Jr., for the NES.
In that sense, the new design is actually more faithful to the character’s older classic look. This is especially true when it comes to Donkey Kong’s aforementioned eyes, which are fuller and more expressive.
The result is a better visual vehicle for storytelling, especially when compared to the previous design that we’ve seen for the past two decades. The advantages of the change are especially apparent in Donkey Kong Bananza’s narrative, where Donkey Kong’s expressions play a big role in telling the game’s tale. It’s interesting how a large ape that doesn’t talk can portray a wider range of emotions than some chatty characters in other games.
Character designs in the game are also quite charming, giving a nice, warm feeling in my tummy. Even the bad guys bring a smile to my face, which is something we all can use after a long day at work or after reading all the bad news going around the world right now.
Throw in a wonderful soundtrack that brings the game’s environs to life while also accentuating every powerful punch and smack delivered by Donkey Kong and you have a game with nice presentation and production values.
Speaking of Donkey Kong Bananza’s story, I also love its homages to Donkey Kong’s history. The addition of Pauline as a key character is one such example that many longtime fans will appreciate. Granted, Donkey Kong Bananza’s narrative has fueled some serious discussions and disagreements among fans online about storytelling continuity. Regardless of one’s thoughts on the subject, though, the fact that people are actually discussing the story in Donkey Kong Bananza is a good sign.
And while you can debate whether this young version of Pauline has ties to past Donkey Kong games or not, one thing that’s clear is the wonderful dynamic between both protagonists. Just seeing Donkey Kong running across Banaza’s world on all fours with Pauline cutely dangling on his shoulder just makes me go, “Awwwww.” The relationship between the spunky songstress Pauline and the rambunctious brute Donkey Kong is easily one of my favorite parts of the game, pushing me to keep moving forward to see what happens next.
Admittedly, Donkey Kong Bananza still subscribes to Nintendo’s less is more approach to storytelling, which won’t be for everyone. Gameplay, after all, has always been king over story when it came to Nintendo’s focus on game design.
Donkey Kong Bananza’s story, though, is pretty meaty for a Nintendo game. It’s definitely a step up from the narrative of previous Donkey Kong games.
Gameplay remains the king of Kong
In addition to its new look, one of the biggest changes to Donkey Kong Bananza involves its gameplay.
Since Donkey Kong 64, the main games in the franchise have adopted the challenging 2.5D formula that features sidescrolling action coated in a 3D look. It’s the same approach used by the latest games in the series such as Donkey Kong Country Returns HD and Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze.
For Donkey Kong Bananza, however, Nintendo decided to take a page from games such as Super Mario Odyssey and go full 3D. The result is a brand new experience that makes the game feel grander and, well, more epic.
That vibe extends to Donkey Kong himself. This version of Donkey Kong feels like the force of nature that he was supposed to be — big, powerful and capable of throwing hands with Japanese “kaiju” type monsters if needed.
This power is palpable right off the bat as you use Donkey Kong to dig and smash through layers of ground and rock like some Dig Dug player on steroids. The guy can literally burrow through the ground like some furry Boring Machine driller, adding an extra element of exploration to the game.
Admittedly, it can get confusing at times and it’s easy to lose track of where you are and where you’re going. It can get especially discombobulating when you’re in a tight space near some wall and the camera zooms in as it tends to do with 3D games. For the most part, though, the terrain destruction mechanics are a nice addition to Donkey Kong’s arsenal and makes the game feel more interactive.
The combat also focuses more on Donkey Kong’s pugilistic power vs. platforming. The side-scrolling Donkey Kong titles felt more like survival games that highlighted Donkey Kong’s vulnerability as you desperately kept him alive while pressing forward. In Donkey Kong Bananza, you almost feel like a powerul Greek god rampaging all over the place.
This feeling is further turned up to 11 once you unlock Donkey Kong’s Bananza transformations. You start out with the Kong Bananza form, which doubles down on his primate powers and buffs him up. Later on, Donkey Kong gets other animal forms such as Zebra Bananza, which lets DK move faster across various surfaces. Then there’s his Ostrich Bananza form, which lets him fly and drop egg bombs.
Donkey Kong can also unlock additional abilities and perks like more health, extra destructive power and additional mobility, which provide a satisfying sense of progression. All in all, the action feels tight and precise, resulting in a fun action game.
Hardcore games might find the early part of the game to be a bit too easy, especially when compared to the previous 2.5D games. Granted, the difficulty ramps up later in the game but some might find the challenge from the initial stages and boss fights underwhelming. In fact, all my deaths early on came from bottomless pits. All I can say is, there’s a special place in a certain hot environment for whichever evil person came up with sections like the part where you navigate a wall while a swarm of jelly-looking enemies rush you.
That was pretty annoying.
Final thoughts on Donkey Kong Bananza
Donkey Kong Bananza serves up a new take on Nintendo’s lovable ape, and, boy, was it worth the wait. This is Donkey Kong reimagined, complete with new designs, new visuals and a new 3D gameplay that shoots the franchise into Mario Odyssey territory. Difficulty isn’t as challenging as previous Donkey Kong games, especially in the beginning, and the camera can get wonky while digging in tight spots. Charming characters, tight action and a beautiful world, however, make Donkey Kong Bananza the standout game in the Switch 2’s early life so far.
- Rating: 9 out of 10
- Cost: $69.99, Nintendo Switch 2
- More details: Donkey Kong Bananza official site
