Nintendo has confirmed that its highly anticipated game, Donkey Kong Bananza, is being developed by the same team behind the acclaimed Super Mario Odyssey. The development is led by Nintendo’s Entertainment Planning & Development (EPD) group, known for crafting some of the Switch’s most beloved titles. The involvement of the Super Mario Odyssey team bodes well for Donkey Kong Bananza, as Super Mario Odyssey is celebrated for its daring and influential game design.
A recent hands-on experience with the Switch 2 title highlighted that time “flew by” during gameplay, even with repetitive actions, indicating a promising formula. Fans won’t have to wait long, as the game is set to release on Switch 2 on July 17th. The new adventure introduces a nefarious group of antagonists, including Grumpy Kong, Poppy Kong, and their leader, Void Kong.
During a preview event, it was evident that Donkey Kong Bananza follows the Odyssey formula closely. The game features giant open fields with hidden bananas to collect, NPCs offering clues, simple puzzles rewarding exploration, and a deep moveset with various mobility options. However, swapping out Mario for Donkey Kong brings a transformative experience.
Donkey Kong Bananza’s exciting gameplay
DK’s personality, strength, speed, and the destructibility of the environment create a unique and satisfying gameplay. The control scheme is intuitive, with face buttons assigned to different punch directions, allowing players to carve paths and create tunnels through the environment.
The levels in Donkey Kong Bananza are layered on top of each other, with each sublayer feeling roughly the size of a Super Mario Sunshine level. Players can drop down to the next sublayer upon completing the main quest of the current one. The game also features a skill tree, with players earning skill points for collecting bananas, allowing them to enhance DK’s abilities.
Bananza transformations add another layer of excitement, with the Kong Bananza transformation making DK bigger, faster, and stronger, while the Ostrich Bananza allows him to flutter through the air and cross gaps. The two-player mode has the second player controlling Pauline, similar to Mario Galaxy’s Co-Star mode. Pauline can fire projectiles at enemies in the form of words, with the power and properties changeable by absorbing materials using the Switch 2 joycon’s mouse pointer feature.
Overall, Donkey Kong Bananza looks like it could be the next great adventure for the beloved gorilla, offering a much-needed variety to the Switch 2 lineup. The game’s destructible environments, exploration, puzzle-solving, and co-op mode make it a promising addition to the console’s library.
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