The Nintendo Switch 2 has a lot to prove. With a higher price point than the original Switch, more expensive games in the case of Mario Kart World, and skepticism amongst some online that the console doesn’t change enough from its predecessor, the pressure has been on Nintendo to show out. The best way to justify the existence of a system is to give it killer games that couldn’t work on another platform in quite the same way.
Nintendo knew this of course, and following Mario Kart World’s certified smash release, they’re deciding to take a risk. Instead of leaning on another more established franchise like Pokemon or Animal Crossing, Nintendo has opted to launch their new platform with a brand new 3D platforming experience entirely built around the often overlooked but hugely iconic Donkey Kong. I’ve now played, completed and sat with Donkey Kong Bananza, and it’s a risk that has certainly paid off. Donkey Kong Bananza is absolutely incredible.
Let’s start with the most obvious point of comparison, and where Donkey Kong Bananza’s journey began. If you’ve ever played Super Mario Odyssey, you have a basic fundamental understanding already of how Donkey Kong Bananza works, as they’re made by the same team. Donkey Kong alongside Pauline must explore different underground worlds on the hunt for Banandium Gems to power us up as we explore deeper and deeper into the planet. Each area is entirely open to explore, without any limitations on how you move or what you can do, meaning you can progress the game in your own way. Be a completionist and hunt every Banandium Gem and Fossil, or just follow the story objectives and take in the narrative and boss fights, it’s made to play however you like.
It’s a delight to be able to make your own way through these worlds, and it’s always a rush when your unconventional plan the game certainly didn’t intend for you to do actually manages to be a success. It’s best to use an example here, and I’ve got a great one. There’s a late game area where progress is gated to exchanging Gold for the ability to traverse over pits you’ll die if you fall in. I ran out of Gold near the end, and really didn’t want to go back digging all over for more because I was too engrossed in the story. As such, I decided to get as high as I could, and use a secret transformation I won’t spoil that allows Donkey Kong to jump extra high. I did this twice in a row thanks to a skill I unlocked, and then rapidly switched to Donkey Kong’s Ostrich transformation, and managed to glide all the way across the pits without spending a single extra piece of gold. These moments, which there were many of, really felt like I was in control of the game. I might be playing as the loveable Donkey Kong, but this was my adventure with Pauline, and we were going to traverse the world my way.
As I mentioned briefly earlier, there are plenty of things to collect in Donkey Kong Bananza, with Fossils and Banandium Gems being the main collectibles. Whilst on the surface it’s a fair comparison to say that these serve the same purpose as the Purple Coins and Power Moons in Super Mario Odyssey respectively, Donkey Kong takes the formula and pushes it further, and that’s really what makes the game shine more than its Mario predecessor for me.
The Banandium Gems are different from the collectible Power Moons of Super Mario Odyssey because those trusty bananas pack an additional punch. For every five Banandium Gems that Donkey King eats, he earns a skill point. In what feels like a first for a mainline Nintendo game, we actually get a skill tree with unlockable abilities and the option to power up all our movement and combat abilities The main issue with Super Mario Odyssey that many of us had is that Power Moons were plentiful but purposeless; once you had the amount you needed for progression, you could collect the rest or ignore them to no consequence either way. This isn’t the case with Banandium Gems, as each one you find will contribute to you becoming stronger, more agile and more capable, which then makes it easier to find more Banandium Gems. It’s an addicting cycle, and a great evolution for Nintendo’s 3D platformers.
The influences from Super Mario Odyssey may at first seem a little derivative, but the way it uses these established mechanics and changes or evolves them makes Donkey Kong Bananza special. Interestingly though, I think what really makes the game great is how that’s not the only Nintendo franchise that the development team clearly took inspiration from. Along with the Banandium Gems hidden in the walls, ground and rewarded after boss fights, Donkey Kong Bananza has challenge areas to earn Banandium Gems that function almost exactly the same as The Legend of Zelda’s Shrines as seen in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. Some are combat trials, some are puzzles that will test your ability to play with the game’s movement mechanics, and they all feel rewarding in making you stronger, just like Link does after each successful Shrine visit.
The influence of The Legend of Zelda also feels present in Donkey Kong Bananza’s difficulty, as it doesn’t pull its punches the same way that a Mario game might. Sure, there are some very basic and squishy enemies at the start of the game, but as you progress through the underground world you soon realize that just throwing yourself into combat without a strategy can get Donkey Kong pretty hurt. Again it’s reminiscent of the combat featured in the latest The Legend of Zelda games, where individual battles are easy to finish, but thoughtlessly charging into mobs of enemies can still get you overrun.
Donkey Kong Bananza takes what works from other Nintendo games, and it elevates them by combining them into one fully realized adventure. One feature I’m yet to discuss is the Bananza powers, the titular mechanic that separates this Donkey Kong from all others. Using Pauline’s musical abilities, Donkey Kong is able to transform himself into a bunch of other animals and use their unique powers to progress further and find new ways around the world. From the speedy Zebra Bananza to the flying and gliding Ostrich Bananza, these alternate forms will significantly broaden your options to approaching any challenge.
It’s easy to switch between these Bananza forms, and their mix of usefulness, charm and gimmick reminded me a lot of Kirby’s copy abilities. Much like how Kirby’s entire moveset changes when he inhales and takes on the abilities of his foes, the same can be said about how Donkey Kong uses his Bananza forms. Besides the basic punch and jump, Donkey Kong’s entire moveset changes when he adopts one of his Bananza forms to suit the animal he’s currently performing as, and it’s as easy as holding a button to transform between them. Whilst initially I thought it would just be a fun gimmick I used every now and then, I ended up frequently using my Bananza abilities in boss fights, area exploration and challenge zones.
Skill points and Bananza abilities aren’t the only way that Donkey Kong can power himself up. Remember those Fossil collectibles I mentioned earlier? They can be used and exchanged for fashions at clothing stores, which give both Donkey Kong and Pauline new or enhanced abilities. From increasing the likelihood of finding rare items to extending the duration of your abilities, there are a lot of clothing combinations that can serve useful on your adventure. Or if you’re like me, you can ignore the abilities that come with these clothing choices and instead just wear what’s cute!
Both the fashion system and Pauline’s ability to sing during your Bananza transformation reminded me of yet another Nintendo franchise, which is Splatoon. The Splatoon series is known for being bombastic, stylish and expressive, and I think I can see traces of that approach to game design in Donkey Kong Bananza too. There are way more fashion options than I expected, including relatively trivial ones like the option to change Donkey Kong’s fur color even though it doesn’t affect your stats or abilities. It’s all about expression and the fun that comes with it, and no Nintendo franchise does that stronger than Splatoon. Even some of Pauline’s vocal tracks are reminiscent of the Splatoon soundtrack, which uses a lot of performed vocal songs in a variety of genres, just like Pauline performs for the Bananza transformations.
I’ve used a lot of Nintendo comparisons here, but Donkey Kong Bananza is much more than the sum of its parts. Sure, it takes a lot of inspiration from other Nintendo franchises, but it elevates them with its combination – and a secret ingredient of its own. That is, the intense amount of heart that Donkey Kong Bananza comes with, as Pauline serves as the beating heart that’s missing from so many other Nintendo platformers. I have fun with Mario or Kirby, but they don’t give me an emotional connection to any of the characters. Pauline however has a serious emotional impact on both Donkey Kong and the player throughout the story.
The narrative that Donkey Kong Bananza builds between the unlikely duo is incredibly heartwarming, and gives an even bigger sense of purpose to everything we do. It’s already fun to collect Banandium Gems, especially with how much they help us power up and improve our strength, but it’s even more enjoyable when we’re doing it with Pauline. She’s charming, she’s funny, she’s borderline Disney Channel camp at points when she’s talking about her love for singing, and it’s constantly endearing. We’re on this quest not only to have fun collecting bananas, but to help this genuinely sweet young girl follow her dreams and to return her from the home she was stolen from. No spoilers about the conclusion of the story, but the payoff also really adds to this.
I absolutely loved Donkey Kong Bananza, and I can’t recommend it enough. Not only does it serve its purpose to justify the existence of the Switch 2 on a technical level, but it also earns its place amongst Nintendo’s best with how it pushes the platformer formula forwards. It revitalizes both the character and the series of Donkey Kong, and at the same time puts a deserved spotlight on the previously overlooked but timelessly iconic Pauline. It’s fun, it’s explorative, and it’s surprisingly emotional. I’m satisfied with the journey I’ve been on, but once the credits rolled and the story came to an end, I already wanted more from Donkey Kong and Pauline, and I can’t wait to see what Nintendo does for the duo next.
Bobby reviewed Donkey Kong Bananza on Nintendo Switch 2 with his own bought copy.
