Ah DK, we knew you’d be back eventually. Indeed, for the last year or so, there have been murmurings about a possible 3D Donkey Kong game made by Nintendo themselves, with the big ape having to explore various open-world areas in a title somewhere between Donkey Kong 64 and Super Mario Odyssey.
And now those rumours have proven to be accurate. Why? Because at the Switch 2 Direct earlier today, Donkey Kong Bananza was announced for the Switch 2. Here’s the reveal trailer showing the game in action:
As you can see, it’s a very… different type of Donkey Kong game. Instead of being a somewhat realistic 2D platformer like the Rare games or a fast-paced cartoony one like Retro’s instalments or Jungle Beat, it’s a wacky open-world title where the titular Kong has to explore a vast underground world in chase of VoidCo, an evil organisation who have stolen his prized Golden Bananas.
So it definitely stands apart from everything else in the series, that’s for sure.
Especially given the focus on destructible environments and free roaming exploration here. Indeed, like a cross between Breath of the Wild and Minecraft, DK can now climb walls, burrow underground and smash open whole sections of the level for gold and gems. It’s kinda crazy to see in a title like this, and makes us wonder how it’s all even possible on a technical level for a game this detailed and open ended.
Nintendo’s definitely going for their own take on the Kongs and their world, that’s for sure!
But they do still pay homage in various ways nonetheless. Like how Gnawties (and likely other familiar enemies) appear on collectables and environmental objects, how Expresso like ostriches play a major part in the game, or how familiar mechanics like Barrel Cannons and Mine Carts are utilised in interesting ways here. Add this to the DKC inspired stage that looks like a HD recreation of part of the SNES game, and the evil Kong like designs of the antagonists, and we get the feeling this is going to be more of a mix of the old and new than anyone would otherwise anticipate.
Regardless, that’s DK’s latest game, and his big comeback for the Switch 2. It launches on July 17th 2025, and seems to be the kind of return fans have been awaiting ever since the original Tropical Freeze on Wii U in 2014.
Here’s hoping it lives up to all the hype and kicks off this generation in style!
Source:
Donkey Kong Bananza – Nintendo Direct | Nintendo Switch 2 (YouTube)