Donkey Kong Bananza, one of the first Nintendo Switch 2 games to release with the console, is a 3D platform and adventure game that allows players to get as destructive as they want. Playing as Donkey Kong with a young Pauline on your shoulder, you traverse the underground layers of the planet in search of the Banandium Root to grant your wish and return home! There are enemies, special powers, and a bunch of opportunities to explore and destroy. Are you ready for a smashin’ time?

In my review, I’m going to talk about all things Donkey Kong and the enjoyment of playing Donkey Kong Bananza on the Switch 2. This is NOT a spoiler-free review! 

Donkey Kong Bananza was an absolute blast to play because of how destructive you can be, the unique environments, the enemy challenges, and the collectibles. Every level is uniquely designed, including rainforests, torrential downpour, a fruity beach, underground snake caverns, and more. There is a core floor to each level, so if you destroy the ground, you won’t fall through, but about 90 to 95% of each level can be destroyed, which is a lot of fun for kids or adults who need to let off some steam. Some of the levels have challenges, such as restoring the light or draining the toxins, and as you complete each quest, you’ll find Banana Gems, Fossils, and timed challenges to unlock rewards. 

Donkey Kong has special abilities beyond smashing, jumping, and rolling. As you progress through each underground layer, you’ll unlock special transformations that give you extra speed, strength, and unique abilities to help you through levels. These special abilities are activated by Pauline’s singing, so once you start using them, you’ll be hearing the same tune a lot! I found the Elephant ability to be the most useful because you can suck up anything, and the Zebra was the least useful because you only needed to be extra fast in a few challenges. There are also certain challenges and areas that can only be unlocked by Pauline’s singing, and if you play with a friend, they can use sing attacks to really sweep enemy battles. 

Donkey Kong Bananza began development following the completion of Super Mario Odyssey, using the same technology that lets players manipulate the environment as much as they want. This technology is what allowed the game creators to dive into the powerful and destructive abilities of Donkey Kong. It’s also the first original Donkey Kong game to come out since 2014, and the first one specifically developed by Nintendo since 2004. 

I loved playing Donkey Kong Bananza mainly because of how much I could destroy. My only hesitation with the game is the price, since Nintendo has raised the price of games, many of which don’t even come with a physical game card. But I would still highly recommend this game, especially if you have kids who just want to be destructive! 

As of this post, there has been one DLC released that includes DK Istland and Emerald Rush levels, with new collectibles, challenges, and areas for players to destroy!

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