Explore a vast underground world—by smashing your way through it!
Bash through just about anything with the raw power of Donkey
Kong! Crash through walls, carve tunnels with your fists, punch
straight down into the ground, and even tear off chunks of
terrain to swing around and throw in groundbreaking
exploration—the more you smash, the more areas open up for you to
move through. Join DK and his companion, Pauline, as they delve
deep underground—and discover that this subterranean world is a
lot more than it seems on the surface. Uncover a variety of
environments such as arid canyons, lush forests, and frigid
tundra as you peel back the world’s layers! Pair up with Pauline
to use powerful Bananza Transformations Pauline is a talented
young singer looking to find her way back to the surface—and her
singing can empower Donkey Kong with Bananza Transformations!
Each transformation has its own signature strengths: you can
smash through the toughest obstacles with the raw strength of
Kong form, gallop with incredible speed as a Zebra, and more.
Team up with a friend in two-player co-op to dive into the
Underground world as Donkey Kong and Pauline. The second player
can blast foes and terrain alike with the power of Pauline’s
voice as you explore together. Smash your way to the Planet Core
before the greedy Void Company gets there first The Planet Core
is said to have the power to grant any desire—and Void Kong, the
ruthless head of the greedy Void Company, will stop at nothing to
reach it and claim all the world’s riches for himself. Donkey
Kong and Pauline have other ideas…but if they’re going to get
their wishes granted, they’ll have to beat Void Kong to the
punch. Join DK and Pauline in an absolutely bananas action-packed
journey as you smash your way to the Planet Core!
Review: Best Platformer Ever - I have been gaming for 30 years
and I have never played a platformer this fun and addicting.
Generally people say Mario Galaxy, Mario Odyssey, and Astro Bot
are the best, and I am happy to say this is better than all of
them. You explore various maps looking for crystal banana's,
similar to Mario games where you look for stars, shine sprites,
and moons. Instead of jumping around to solve puzzles, you can
smash essentially any object in this game and that opens up a
whole new world in terms of exploration and gameplay. DK is a
beast and you can smash through stone, dirt, sand, wood, and so
much more. The world is yours to explore and to destroy. While
tearing through the land, you will discover hidden paths and loot
that you will be addicted to finding. Its like they took the best
of everything Mario and threw in some Zelda and DK Country love
to make the perfect platforming game. You can climb almost any
surface and pick up chunks of the ground to smash things with it
or even turf surf with it. There is even some transformations
that allow you to smash more, run faster, and even fly. This is
freedom on another level from Nintendo. Visuals and sound are
great. Majority of time the game runs 60fps but it will hit
occasional drops, but not often. The worst is when you look at
the map for some reason. Its real time and shows all of your
destruction in a 3D model so I get that it can be taxing but it
tanks the FPS to 30 for sure. You will not be in the map much, so
I wouldn't sweat it. Visually the maps are all distinct and look
great. You get real 90's Rare vibes from it all and old and new
fans will appreciate it. Graphics are really great but Nintendo
using FSR 1, which is old tech at this point is kind of silly.
The Switch 2 can use a DLSS which would have been optimal for
this game. Lastly, the sound effects are great and the music is
good. Is it DK country good? No, but the music fits this game
well. I have played Expedition 33, Death Stranding 2, and various
other games this year and DK is better than all of them. This is
my Game of the Year and if Nintendo can top this on the Switch 2,
then we may be in for the best Nintendo console generation ever.
10 out of 10 for me.
Review: A "rare" return to form for the series. - Get ready to
swing through the jungle like a seasoned pro in "Donkey Kong
Bananza," where collecting bananas and clobbering Kremlings will
leave a permanent smile on your face. This game is a heartfelt
tribute to Rare's golden era, a time when platformers reigned
supreme and every new level promised an exhilarating adventure.
From the moment "Bananza" boots up, you're engulfed in a wave of
nostalgia more potent than a supercharged barrel blast. The
vibrant visuals, instantly catchy tunes, and brilliantly
conceived level design echo the beloved "Donkey Kong Country"
series, yet it all feels wonderfully fresh and consistently
exciting. It's as if Rare and Nintendo collaborated to create a
new masterpiece, and the result is an unstoppable, banana-loving
force of nature. The controls are as precise as Donkey Kong's
tie, making every jump, roll, and ground pound feel incredibly
satisfying. And the humor? "Bananza" is packed with more laughs
than a barrel full of monkeys, from subtle visual gags to
surprisingly witty dialogue. You'll find yourself grinning like a
chimpanzee who's just stumbled upon an entire new bunch of
bananas. The characterization of the side characters and the main
characters, especially Pauline is really well done. "Donkey Kong
Bananza" isn't just a game; it's a vibrant, hilarious, and
utterly captivating journey back to the glory days of
platforming. If you're seeking a game that hits every nostalgic
note, channels the best of the Nintendo-Rare days, and is more
fun than a barrel of monkeys, then "Bananza" is your perfect
pick. Just be warned: you might start dreaming in bananas.
