Donkey Kong Bananza is not just a return of an iconic character, but a game that puts the gorilla's personality in the spotlight. The new project for Nintendo Switch 2 inherits the experience of Super Mario Odyssey, rethinking the formula
The developers showed all facets of Donkey Kong — from awkwardness and friendliness to wildness and his past role as an antagonist. The result is a vibrant character capable of expressing emotions and changing depending on the game situations.
Producer Kenta Motokura, director Wataru Tanaka, and art director Daisuke Watanabe reported that they consulted with Miyamoto, Koizumi, and historical illustrators of the series, gathering advice on proportions, features, and style. The variety of previous incarnations has become a strength of the character, which allowed expanding the range of expressions and making him versatile. In cutscenes, the comedic side dominates, in combat scenes — strength. Bananza's transformations emphasize dark traits, turning Donkey Kong into a "dark hero."
The gameplay is built around destruction and exploration. Voxel technology allows breaking walls, digging tunnels, and changing the internal space of buildings, creating new paths. The developers created tools, including an underground camera system, and also abandoned traditional physics to keep the levels passable.
The world of Bananza is complemented by original NPCs — Warellya, who rejoice in destruction, turning it into pleasure. Historical characters, like Diddy, Dixie, and Cranky Kong, received an updated design that preserved the spirit of the original. DLC promises even more content.
