Review: Donkey Kong Bananza

Developer – Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development 

Publisher – Nintendo

Platforms – Nintendo Switch 2

Donkey Kong Bananza is the ambitious 3D platformer that Nintendo is pushing to sell the Nintendo Switch 2 this time around. Alike the release of Super Mario Odyssey, which was released the same year as the Switch.

In Bananza, Donkey Kong travels to Ingot Isle to search for Banandium Gems, then quickly realizes that the mining company VoidCo steals the gems to power their meteor ship. You’ll then rescue the Odd Rock, which ends up being Pauline. From this point on your journey begins through layers. 

There is a lot of exploration between different sublayers in Donkey Kong Bananza, and your goal is to find the root, also known as Planet Core. Before you get there, you’ll have to learn new transformations, fight many bosses, and solve puzzles. There will also be a lot of smashing.

Fun, Mindless Gameplay

The gameplay is as simple as it gets: smash, dash, ground pound through the terrain to find gold, fossils, collectibles, and advance to the next layers. There are multiple different abilities that you unlock in your journey, such as Zebra Bananza and Ostrich Bananza. They provide interesting possibilities to solve puzzles, and the best part is that you can switch to another transformation while you are in the middle of doing something.

In Donkey Kong Bananza, it’s incredibly engaging to explore and smash through various terrains. Discovering collectibles has never been more enjoyable in a video game, and the ability to customize each character to effectively adapt to different environments is fantastic. The game features several currencies, each serving a distinct purpose.

It’s hard to knock any performances Bananza has, even at some large parts of the game; it pushes the Switch 2 to its limits, but it still provides an exceptional experience.

Boss battles are another essential aspect of 3D platformers, and the VoidCo. group is likely to become a fan favorite among villains in the DK universe. It might seem odd to say that villains can be favorites, but it’s definitely true. In the DK world, there’s a well-known villain that everyone adores, and I believe characters like Grumpy Kong, among others, will continue to be beloved in the franchise.

Stunning Views and Great Tunes

While Mario Kart World looks great and is miles ahead of many Switch games, Donkey Kong Bananza might be the best-looking Switch 2 title available. Right after the introduction of the game, when you leave Ingot Isle, you’ll start your journey on Lagoon Layer, which showcases stunning water, lighting, and more.

Donkey Kong games have always been known for their iconic tunes. And Bananza continues that tradition with new tracks, especially when you get to the finale. When you have Pauline, you’d have to expect great music when she’s involved.

The art style in Donkey Kong Bananza features a striking new look for Donkey Kong himself. Initially, I was unsure about how I would feel about the redesign, but it turned out to be a fantastic choice. The new design allows for a greater expression of emotion from the character than we’ve ever seen before. This fresh look really helps to usher in a new era for the DK franchise.

Something else that needs to be mentioned is the dialogue throughout the story. From talking to all different NPCs wherever you go and the dialogue in main cutscenes, there’s a lot of humor, throwbacks, entertainment, and more featured. Running into old friends is also a fun time.

Verdict

The only downside I found in Donkey Kong Bananza is that, at certain points, the gameplay can feel a bit stale. However, the main story is relatively short, taking about 15-20 hours to complete. Overall, I truly believe that Donkey Kong Bananza is another masterpiece from Nintendo. In the years to come, I can see this game being regarded as a classic, and that’s a rare distinction for many games.