Summary
If someone owns a Switch 2 and they don’t haveDonkey Kong Bananza, something is not right. Donkey Kong has been delegated to the 2D realm for far too long, so much so that anything besides a 3DMariois looked at with raised eyebrows. How can aDonkey Konggamebe a AAA experience?
While a 3DMariogame is coming at some point, it’s not needed anytime soon on the Switch 2, thanks to DK’s big return.Donkey Kong Bananzais the 3D Mario experience Nintendo fans want. It will remain as classic asSuper Mario 64. Is there any way to refute that claim? Let’s go into detail about exactly why this game has legs.
The Undeniable Urge To Smash
Infinite Possibilities
It doesn’t take long before players get control of DK and can go absolutely bananas with smashing. It’s undeniable how great it feels to punch through a cliffside and end up on the other end, even beyondother destruction games. Even though the camera angle can betray players at times, it never really gets in the way, as there are plenty of ways to highlight DK and Pauline.
Besides some terrain, it’s all there and ready to smash with DK’s fists, but that’s not all. DK can climb just about anything, pick up terrain to hit enemies, or even use objects to surf. Mechanically, DK has never felt so diverse in his move sets, and none of it feels complicated. That’s the lasting legacy right there: complex moves, easy inputs.
A Platformer With A Leveling System
Putting A Point To Collecting
Super Mario Odysseyis still great, but at the end of the day, the gameplay is easy to explain. Players need to collect Power Moons, which gate progress similar to collectible MacGuffins in other platformers. The collectibles inDonkey Kong Bananzaare called Banandium Gems, and there are hundreds to find.
The twist is that they don’t really gate progress in the story. Instead, finding five Banandium Gems will give DK a skill point to spend on a wildly diverseskill tree inDonkey Kong Bananza. There aren’t many platformers with RPG elements like this besides theRatchet & Clankgames orKingdom Hearts, which is whyDonkey Kong Bananzastands out. Putting a different context to collectibles makes them more desirable, but still optional.
A Distinct Art Style
From DK’s Expressions To Colors
Side by side,Donkey Kong Bananzamay not be as graphically powerful as another recent 3D platformer, Astro Bot, on the PS5. That said, it’s the best-looking Switch 2 game so far, and it doesn’t feel held back by the technology. That’s because the art style will draw players in thanks to the vibrant colors and diverseSublayers ofDonkey Kong Bananza.
Nintendo thankfully didn’t make each Sublayer just a mound of brown dirt. As great as another destruction game is,Red Faction: Guerrilla, the setting of Mars’ surface is pretty drab. Beyond the world of Donkey Kong Bananza, the character designs are fun and outlandish. It’s hard not to laugh at DK’s antics, which borderline on anime bits.
Getting Weird
Going Full Bananza
More developers need to embrace being weird because video games are supposed to be fun. There’s so much oddity withinDonkey Kong Bananza, even in the little details like collecting Banandium Gems. A little voice will cry out, “Banana!” as DK gobbles up the collectible. The game didn’t need to go that hard, but it did, and fans appreciate it now and will in the future.
There are also theBananza Powers inDonkey Kong Bananza, which allow DK to transform into a bigger ape, ostrich, zebra, elephant, or snake. Elephant Bananza is a game-changer as players no longer need to smash to cause destruction, as they can start sucking with DK’s trunk instead. The costumes for DK and Pauline are also strange, but endearing, as they give players a lot to customize.
The Last Hour
Hard To Top
Surprise! King K. Rool is in the game. Jaws are going to drop at his reveal as he will literally punch Void Kong into oblivion and usurp the throne as thebig bad ofDonkey Kong Bananza. This happens right before the last Sublayer, and once players reach his boss room, they are going to be treated to an hour, maybe even more, of pure King K. Rool mayhem.
His love of gold, remaking New Donk City in his own image, using Bananza Power for himself to become a rotten banana, and so on. It reaches Hideo Kojima levels of absurdity in the best possible ways. It kind of overshadows the rest of the game, and unfortunately, it cannot be discussed openly yet. Suffice it to say,Donkey Kong Bananzaends with a bang.
No Need To Rely On Mario
It’s Its Own Legacy
The best reasonDonkey Kong Bananzaworks is that it draws on theDonkey Kongfranchise’s past, but pushes forward, too. DK is not the same ape as in other games, nor is Pauline. There are cameos from other Kongs andEaster Eggs aplenty, but that’s not the focus ofDonkey Kong Bananza.
Mario could have easily been thrown in at the end once players reach New Donk City, but Nintendo thankfully kept this a coreDonkey Kongadventure. It can seemingly be so tempting to over-reference the past in a new project to help drum up old fans.Donkey Kong Bananza’sconfidence in its own ability to excel is what truly makes the game special.
