Donkey Kong Bananza - Nintendo Switch 2 [Digital]

At first, I bought it because it was the only first-party Nintendo game from their main IP that was actually out, and I didn’t have any games on my Switch 2 yet. Since I really loved Super Mario Odyssey—and it’s from the same dev team—I figured I’d give it a try. The gameplay is chaotic, funny, and sometimes surprisingly challenging. I’ve always liked games with quirky boss fights and creative ways to move through the world, and this definitely scratches that itch. Visually, it’s stunning. The art style is super charming, the music fits perfectly, and the overall vibe of the game just feels good to play. The unique mechanic really makes it stand out too. That said, I wish there was a bit more substance. The main collectible—bananas—doesn’t really feel that meaningful. It would’ve been cool if you needed a certain amount to progress or unlock areas, just to give it a bit more drive. Still, I’d recommend it. It’s great for both kids and adults. I can easily see a parent and child taking turns on the couch for hours. Pros: Fun and creative gameplay Great visuals and music Easy to pick up and enjoy Cons: – Collectibles feel a bit shallow – Could use more content or progression goals Verdict: A charming and chaotic platformer that’s fun while it lasts, but could use a little more depth to keep players hooked.

The long anticipated follow up from Nintendo's Mario Odyssey team comes a brand new Donkey Kong adventure! The first 3D Donkey Kong game since the franchise's N64 foray over twenty years ago, Donkey Kong Banaza delivers a fluid experience that blends exploration with a more action-forward focus compared to the team's previous outing with Mario. Utilizing voxel technology the team experimented with in Odyssey, the team has created a collection of underground worlds ("Sublayers") that DK can climb, dig and punch through, reshaping terrain as you go and discovering hidden puzzles and collectibles throughout. Gameplay and Controls: Trapped far beneath the planet's crust, they only way back to the surface is to seek out the planet's core, where it's said lays a treasure that can grant any wish. DK and Pauline (a younger incarnation from her appearance in the original Donkey Kong arcade game) travel across gorgeously crafted biomes that feel vast and open despite their subterranean locations. By seeking out fossils, DK and Pauline can buy clothing upgrades that will boost DK's various stats allowing him to build faster special meters, withstand damage from environmental hazard or travel through them faster than he could initially. And by collecting Banandium Gems, giant jewel-bananas, DK can boost his stats getting more health, stronger punches and new abilities for his Banaza Forms. These forms, each themed after the other animals that dwell deep beneath the earth, allow DK to embrace new powers beyond his gorilla brawling prowess, like the speed of the Ice Cream crafting Zebras of the Freezer layer or the speed of the jungle dwelling ostriches of the Forest Layer and more! DKB is designed so that Donkey Kong can punch Up, Forward and Down at any given moment in order to more fluidly dig through and break down any barrier in his path, so each punch has been assigned to the appropriate face button on the controller (that is, the top face button will punch up, the left will punch forward, bottom will, of course, punch down). Some players may find this taking some getting used to given the near standardization of jump being placed on bottom in most platformers, but the game becomes very easy to adapt to (and for those who need, controls can be remapped as designed to bring it in line with other games' control schemes). More Brawny than Dexterous, DK by default has two alternate means of quickly getting around places that leans into the Bulky Brawler's vibes: A short roll and the newly introduced "Turf Surf", where DK can take any chunk of material he's grabbed and turn it into a surfing platform to traverse rapidly over any terrain. Likewise, Nintendo EPD cleverly envisions DK's ability to double jump not as simply kicking off the air, but by using any terrain he carries as a platform he can jump off of to reach greater heights. Story: Like other Nintendo EPD titles, Bananza is Gameplay over story, with just enough to give the game direction and charm both, with memorable characters who create lasting impressions even with short dialog scenes together. Pauline stands out, reimagined as a young girl learning to overcome her stage fright through the confidence she sees in DK and embrace her gift of singing... a talent that comes in handy to free the underground from the Void areas inflicted on it by Void Kong and his Void Company, the trio of villains also seeking out the power of the Planet Core. Summary: Donkey Kong Bananza offers a fantastic, action-platformer adventure that will provide hours of enjoyment to fans new and old alike, with a fantastic terrain destruction system that feels good to dig through (literally) and with a tactile bite that never gets old, with fun and creative boss battle, environmental puzzles and dedicated challenge levels that keep the experience feeling fresh and always keeping the player well paced in every play session. In a year stuffed with major contenders, Donkey Kong Bananza is poised to among the top of the best games of the year.

it's been over 20 years since a mainline Donkey Kong title. Donkey Kong Bananza brings a gameplay like never before. Smash your way through the planet's core before Void Kong and crew reach the Banandium Root!

Awesome game, very detailed and lots of items to collect. This is definitely a must play on the Nintendo Switch 2

Fantastic game. Nintendo has a special “something” with these games. Love it!