Donkey Kong Bananza Is A Completionist’s Dream

By Nintendo - https://store.nintendo.co.uk/en/donkey-kong-bananza-70010000096810, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=80245726

I recently purchased a Nintendo Switch 2, and since I was not going to bother with playing Mario Kart World, the first game that I purchased for the system was Donkey Kong Bananza. Donkey Kong Bananza is the brand-new Donkey Kong video game and is the first 3D Donkey Kong platformer since Donkey Kong 64 on the Nintendo 64. Safe to say, we waited a long time for a new 3D Donkey Kong, especially since the developers who created Donkey Kong Bananza were the same ones who created Super Mario Odyssey.

While playing this game, the thing that strikes me about Donkey Kong Bananza is how fun and satisfying the gameplay is. Donkey Kong can travel through all these different and expansive levels and there is so much to explore. The selling point of this game is the destructible environments and I spent hours smashing through terrain with Donkey Kong’s punches. Because of this, Donkey Kong Bananza is a game that encourages exploration and collecting the Banandium Gems (which are like the Moons in Super Mario Odyssey). Collecting these gems and other collectibles feel meaningful and do not feel like a chore like in Donkey Kong 64.

Donkey Kong Bananza has much of Super Mario Odyssey’s DNA with its level design and structure, but there are other influences in this game as well. Donkey Kong can undertake different transformations to overcome obstacles like a Kirby game. There are many dedicated challenge and battle stages (some with odes to classic Donkey Kong games) like the temples in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. Lastly, you have the destructible environments where Donkey Kong can be The Incredible Hulk and destroy everything to your heart’s content.

I also want to make a special mention that there is actual voice acting in Donkey Kong Bananza. Game Freak needs to take some notes if they ever want to improve any of the Pokémon games. I think the soundtrack was good as well, with some nostalgic callbacks to songs from previous Donkey Kong games.

Donkey Kong Bananza has some issues. I have had somewhat significant issues controlling the camera when smashing things, tunneling through terrain, or in enclosed areas. It seems like the camera does not know how to function and would jump whenever I need to smash through terrain. I think the developers did try to remedy this by giving you a see-through view when you are tunnelling through terrain so you can see where you are going, but controlling the camera when underground can be frustrating at times.

Donkey Kong Bananza looks polished on the new Switch 2 hardware and the visuals look marginally better than Super Mario Odyssey on the old Switch. I have mostly had good performance while playing the game but there are performance and frame drops when too many things are happening on the screen. I am smashing through many things in this game, so I did encounter my fair share of frame drops. However, it did not take away from my enjoyment of this game.

For my final thoughts, Donkey Kong Bananza is a fantastic load of fun with so many things to explore and collect. I could not get bored playing this game because it is so fun smashing everything as Donkey Kong. Despite the occasional camera and performance issues, Donkey Kong Bananza is a system seller for a new system that is sorely lacking original titles. The game is certainly as good as Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild were when they came out on the Nintendo Switch.

I was thinking about which game I prefer between Super Mario Odyssey and Donkey Kong Bananza, and although I enjoyed my time with Donkey Kong Bananza, I still slightly preferred my experience with Super Mario Odyssey, as it felt like a slightly tighter and more varied gameplay experience. Even with that said, Donkey Kong Bananza is a must-buy for the Nintendo Switch 2.