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Motion journey title Donkey Kong Bananza harnesses the highly effective Nintendo Switch 2 {hardware} to supply a huge, open-ended world with dazzling destruction that permits you to bash, smash, and crash via virtually something.
Its seemingly countless stream of hidden collectibles and secrets and techniques makes exploration particularly rewarding and ensures that every of its many huge layers presents tens of hours of leisure, even after the credit roll.
Assessment information
Platform reviewed: Nintendo Swap 2
Obtainable on: Nintendo Swap 2
Launch date: July 17, 2025
It seems like a real follow-up to 2017’s ground-breaking Super Mario Odyssey, with the whole lot that made that recreation so pleasant dialed as much as the max. That features an try at extra elaborate storytelling, although sadly that is the one space the place the general bundle falters. Its primary plot is enhanced by compelling voice appearing, although it feels a tad rushed – particularly when the motion kicks into overdrive in the direction of the top.
This isn’t a dealbreaker by any means as the attractive visuals and splendidly expressive animations be sure that each cutscene continues to be completely pleasant, and in the end does little to detract from what’s undoubtedly one of many very best Nintendo Switch 2 games proper now.
Go bananas
Set in a labyrinthine subterranean world beneath the distant Ingot Isle, you’d be forgiven for pondering that the environments in Donkey Kong Bananza could be nothing greater than a collection of darkish caves. Though it’s true that the story begins in a reasonably cramped, standard mineshaft, this shortly provides solution to a string of vibrant and colourful places that wouldn’t look misplaced in a Tremendous Mario recreation.
The themes of every one aren’t something that you simply haven’t skilled earlier than, an ice world or a poison jungle is hardly uncharted territory, however are nonetheless elevated by some imaginative aptitude. The ice world, for instance, is styled like an enormous freezer drawer, its rolling snowing hills lined with colourful scoops of ice cream and lumps of densely packed chocolate sprinkles, whereas the poison jungle is dwelling to a flowery egg-shaped lodge. It’s admirable that, in spite of everything these years, Nintendo can nonetheless discover methods to make such well-worn ideas really feel thrilling and recent.
The distinct animal residents of every world contribute to this too, and there are many non-playable characters (NPCs) to talk to in your travels that dispense the whole lot from helpful tricks to attention-grabbing worldbuilding and infrequently little jokes or references. The tip consequence are phases that you simply desperately need to spend as a lot time as potential in, which is simple to do given the sheer quantity of collectibles right here
Finest bit
There’s loads of selection, with some ranges that includes their very own memorable segments. A favourite is a full-on racing minigame which sees DK and Pauline going through off in opposition to Diddy and Dixie Kong on the again of a charging rhinoceros.
Donkey Kong Bananza is densely full of hidden goodies, essentially the most vital of that are the Banandium gems. These crystalline bananas are Donkey Kong’s favourite snack, and could be discovered completely anyplace, buried beneath mounds of earth, hanging from the highest of undersides of hard-to-reach ledges, and a lot extra.
You’re virtually at all times inside a number of meters of a brand new gem, highlighted on display each time you utilize a sonar-like clap, and it’s unattainable to withstand the temptation of going after every one.
More often than not, this includes exploiting the absolutely destructible terrain, tearing via layers of fabric with immensely cathartic punches. Constructing tunnels is so simple as mashing the B button for a downward hit or pushing Y for a ahead assault whereas strolling within the route that you simply’re going through. X targets the floor above you, ideally suited for breaking apart via to the floor when you’ve reached your vacation spot.
The destruction is completely superb, and your efforts are rewarded with fixed bursts of gold which you could hoover up and later spend on developing hideouts (little relaxation factors that will let you restore well being simply), putting issues like barrel launchers that allow you to traverse extra simply, or in at a vendor that sells helpful gadgets like well being boosts.
Monkeying round
Early on, you’re launched to the younger Pauline, who accompanies DK all through a lot of his journey. The pair have an incredible chemistry, with loads of amusing facial expressions to chuckle at, although the general plot, which follows DK and Pauline’s quest to achieve the magical core buried deep beneath the floor, is sloppy at occasions.
The primary antagonists, three workers of the sinister mining group VoidCo, don’t get an enormous quantity of display time, and a dramatic reveal within the remaining hour is sudden and surprising, however because of this appears nearly shoehorned in.
Nonetheless, I used to be by no means bored by the occasions unfolding on display as they’re conveyed with some fantastically animated cutscenes. Actually, each side of Donkey Kong Bananza is completely beautiful and brimming with remarkably advanced results.
Supplies are all closely stylized, however simply lifelike sufficient to look plausible. Each hit on a floor spawns practical particles, and you may incessantly set off advanced chain reactions as extra harmful supplies, comparable to explosive gold chunks, work together.
Along with offering loads of charming interactions because the pair explores, Pauline additionally has her personal harmful particular talents primarily based on her singing. She will clear magical purple obstacles positioned by VoidCo and, in case you’ve managed to build up sufficient gold, set off a robust Bananza transformation.
This morphs DK into one other big animal, be {that a} flying ostrich that lets you float for a brief period of time or a racing zebra that may dash over collapsing surfaces.
Every one is exclusive with some artistic abilities and could be enhanced, alongside your base talents, by investing factors into the strong ability tree. To shortly rack up ability factors, granted for each 5 Banandium gems consumed, I’d advocate pursuing the problem ranges.
These are accessed by way of little doorways strewn all through every world, and are all memorable and distinctive. Highlights for me embrace a full-on 2D part within the fashion of Donkey Kong Country Returns, full with a number of cool easter eggs to find, and the various fight challenges that have you ever utilizing your whole strikes to try to defeat a set variety of foes inside a strict time restrict.
The clothes system can be surprisingly essential. Like Tremendous Mario Odyssey, you may outfit your protagonists with a variety of eye-catching choices utilizing a foreign money acquired in every stage (fossils embedded in rocks), although this time round, every merchandise of clothes can present highly effective bonuses too. Experimentation is inspired, and you may improve sure clothes to dramatically improve its results in case you’re counting on it incessantly.
Investing in your gear could make an enormous distinction when it is time to face off in opposition to one of many highly effective bosses, often discovered on the finish of every layer. Encounters are well-designed, taking full benefit of the destruction system and every Bananza transformation. It’s a disgrace that some are repeated a few occasions in a while, which definitely diminishes the novelty, however the repeats are a minimum of effectively spaced out in order to not turn into annoying.
This all comes collectively in a recreation that may be a delight to select and play, and nearly unattainable to place down. Donkey Kong Bananza is an excellent showcase of the ability of the Nintendo Swap 2, because of its crisp visuals and showstopping destruction, and the lots of of collectibles will present tens of hours of leisure even after the credit roll for these prepared to place the time in.
It’s a worthy Tremendous Mario Odyssey successor in nearly each regard, and if Nintendo can maintain this stage of high quality up with future Nintendo Swap 2 releases, it’s clear that the console may have an extended and profitable run identical to its predecessor.
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Accessibility
Donkey Kong Bananza has some accessibility options. This consists of an help mode, which makes the sport simpler general. Digicam controls can be adjusted with inverted choices.
Your predominant actions can be tweaked with a wide range of button presets. Subtitles are enabled by default and featured all through although the scale, font, and coloration can’t be adjusted.
How I reviewed Donkey Kong Bananza
I performed nearly 20 hours of Donkey Kong Bananza on Nintendo Switch 2. Throughout that point, I reached the credit of the primary recreation and made a good dent in hoovering up most of the out there collectibles.
I relied on the Nintendo Swap 2 in handheld mode for almost all of my playtime, although I additionally examined it in docked mode with a 4K TV and the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller. For audio, I used the console’s built-in audio system and a pair of Final VR500 gaming earbuds.
First reviewed July 2025