Chest-poundingly fun.
When the Switch 2 was finally announced, there was plenty of debate over what games we might see in its first year. With how many times and ways the recent Donkey Kong Country Returns games have been released, I certainly wasn’t expecting Donkey Kong Bananza as one of the first titles to arrive on the console.
While I didn’t grow up with DK in the Super Nintendo era like so many others, I’ve dabbled with the more recent games like Tropical Freeze to mixed results. Bananza however sets out to act as a fresh start for new and old fans alike, taking a fresh twist on what a Donkey Kong game feels like.
While it’s initially unclear where (if at all) this game exists in the DK timeline, Donkey Kong Bananza sees the titular monkey joining the banana-gold rush on Ingot Isle, alongside many other monkeys from Donkey Kong Country. As the game begins, the nefarious Void Company arrives with a giant flying drill, burrowing down into the earth directly through Ingot Isle.
DK and everyone else are sent plummeting under the earth, where he soon meets a talking Odd Rock who keeps him company – eventually being released from this form to reveal a 13-year-old singer named Pauline. While the two are an odd pair, they soon find themselves working together to chase Void Kong and his cronies to the planet’s core… where it’s said a single wish (like to return to the surface) can be granted for those brave enough to reach it.
The big change for DK is his new ability to literally tear apart everything in the world. Working as a gold miner has clearly expanded this monkey’s skills, as he can tear out chunks out of the world to use as weapons or surfboards, or smash his way through almost any wall, structure or even NPCs that might be in his path. There’s a reason everybody in the world has referred to this game as “Red Faction: Gorilla” – just like Red Faction, it’s an absolute blast to destroy stuff, and absolutely everything can be destroyed.
It can take a minute to get used to this approach while playing Bananza; while there are certainly paths laid out for you to follow, you’re also equally encouraged to just punch your way through and see what happens.
Much like Odyssey before it, every area of the game is stuffed with hidden corners containing gold to collect, Banandium Gems hidden in the world or trial rooms, and fossils used to buy new gear for the duo. You’ll even randomly find treasure chests buried all over the place full of gold or maps to specific collectibles you haven’t found yet. The latter I deeply appreciated, as I’d often find there were tons of cool things hidden just out of sight as I explored that I might have missed entirely otherwise.
Developed by the same team behind Super Mario Odyssey, it’s easy to see that game’s DNA in Bananza – as well as the way it evolves the formula. While Odyssey had you travelling to various regions across a globe, Bananza instead has you digging your way to deeper and deeper layers of the planet’s core. Each layer can consist of one or multiple sub layers, challenging DK and Pauline to explore and find the sinkholes leading form one layer to the next, and each with their own unique setup.
There’s classics like the “hot and cold” layer made up of snow and lava, canyons full of crisscrossing minecart tracks, a forest full of towering trees and deadly thorns, and much more as you progress through the game’s surprising number of layers. Each offers unique materials and mechanics as well, from stone that can help you fly into the air or seeds that will grow a path back to you from where they’re thrown – every layer has something new to experiment with.
The same gold that you’ll be smashing for money to spend also acts as a bomb, making it easy to fill your bank account while also levelling the world around you. Some of the crystalline Fractone people will even reward you for destroying enough of a particular material, which you’ll often find yourself naturally hitting as you wander the Underground World.
On top of all this, we can’t forget about the titular Bananza forms. Travelling deeper and deeper underground, you’ll meet multiple Elders of various animal species, all of whom seem to have become DJs in retirement. With their help, DK and Pauline can combine their musical talents to transform DK into new forms – from the ultra-destructive Kong Bananza to the super-speedy Zebra and flying Ostrich forms, each Bananza unlocks new ways to traverse and interact with the world.
While the forms can only be used for a limited time before DK reverts to normal, they’re ALSO powered by gold so you’ll constantly be recharging the ability as you go. It really does feel like Donkey Kong Bananza’s number one ethos is “have fun no matter what”; I never felt like I was being forced to play in a certain way or specific order, because every time I headed off the critical path, I’d immediately find a hidden Banandium Gem or other secret to reward me for my curiosity
You’ll also earn a skill point for every five of these giant bananas you find, allowing you to customise DK’s abilities as well as improve each of his Bananzas. While you can certainly make your way through the game without needing to collect every banana and unlock every skill, it is fun to lean into the particular ways to play that most appeal to you.
On top of all this, the game doesn’t put up any artificial gates to make you stay and enjoy an area for “long enough”. I had concerns going in that Bananza might have some sort of “collect X number of bananas to proceed” choke points, but the game is perfectly happy for you to breeze on through at your own pace. Backtracking is made super-simple via a network of fast travel points, so you can return and dive deeper into an area whenever you feel like it.
It’s certainly easy to get caught up in the game’s story though, and it’s all thanks to Pauline. As the only character to speak English amongst a bunch of animals, she starts off as a timid kid freaked out by the situation she’s found herself in. As she and DK work together though, she starts to come out of her shell and really enjoy the journey. With some turns I wasn’t expecting, Bananza tells an exciting story with some truly sweet moments, that also sets things up for a whole new era of Donkey Kong.
All in all, Donkey Kong Bananza is an excellent return for the leader of the DK Crew. In the same way that Mario Kart World or Breath of the Wild felt like all-new takes on a classic formula, Bananza feels like it’s doing the same in two ways – for the Donkey Kong series itself, and as a guidepost of what we can expect from the Switch 2.
While there were a few rare areas where the framerate stuttered (specifically, wide-open areas with a lot of environment effects in action) the game overall runs buttery-smooth with snappy loading times and a gorgeous world. With plenty more of the Underground World to explore before I’ve seen every banana in DK’s bunch, I can’t wait to dive back into the depths with my new favourite duo.
Donkey Kong Bananza heads to Switch 2 on 17 July.
Donkey Kong Bananza was reviewed using a promotional code on Nintendo Switch 2, as provided by the publisher. Click here to learn more about Stevivor’s scoring scale.
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Donkey Kong Bananza17 July 2025Switch 2 |
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