Donkey Kong Bananza is like Wreck-It-Ralph meets Deep Rock Galactic

Donkey Kong has been one of Nintendo’s most recognizable characters since the 1980s, and while the lovable ape has seen plenty of side-scroller games released over the years, it’s been a while since players got to enjoy a 3D adventure with everyone’s favorite banana fiend. The long wait is over, as Donkey Kong Bananza was the final announcement during the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct. The game is dripping with references and new gameplay experiences that had this DK fan smiling from ear to ear.

The Donkey Kong Bananza Switch 2 Experience demo is about 20 minutes long. Players get to try out two different levels, the first one to show off new gameplay mechanics like Punching, Ground Pound, and Slamming stuff. This game rewards destructive and chaotic playstyles, making me feel right at home.

The first thing I noticed while playing was the stunning art style. This is the best Donkey Kong character model ever used in a video game with his fur being one of the most notable changes from past iterations. The world is also stunningly vibrant. Players will be tasked with collecting all sorts of things in the game, from different colors and sizes of bananas, to gold nuggets. There does appear to be some purpose to the gold players will collect, and it is important to note that when a player perishes, they lose some of the gold which remains in the spot where they failed. It’s kind of like how the Souls mechanic works in FromSoftware games, but we are talking about a 3D Donkey Kong platformer here.

The size of the first level was a bit constrained, but the second playable level is full of places to explore. Players can break down a wall, dig a hole, throw a rock into a platform, and basically just destroy the world to their heart's content. While that is fun, the game actually rewards players for such destructive behavior. I expect a lot of emergent gameplay moments to happen as the systems in place set players up for hilarious situations.

Fans of collect-a-thon games will have plenty of opportunities in Donkey Kong Bananza, and the scope of the destructible environments really amps up the possibilities for platform puzzles in a way not seen before in a Nintendo game. There were times that I felt a bit like I was back in Deep Rock Galactic as I bore a tunnel and found some gold, but this game is even more action-packed.

My 20-minute demo session blew by so quickly because I was absolutely immersed in the world of Donkey Kong Bananza. I did get to see a cool little Easter egg where Cranky Kong told me that I should be the one to ride Rambi which is probably foreshadowing a future level. All in all, the style, gameplay, music, and performance of Donkey Kong Bananza has me very excited to spend more time in that world. At the same time, I can’t help but think of what a new 3D Mario game will look like on Switch 2 when it launches.

Donkey Kong is back, and he’s going to wreck everything in his path when the game releases this July. 

Asif Khan

CEO/EIC/EIEIO

Asif Khan is the CEO, EIC, and majority shareholder of Shacknews. He began his career in video game journalism as a freelancer in 2001 for Tendobox.com. Asif is a CPA and was formerly an investment adviser representative. After much success in his own personal investments, he retired from his day job in financial services and is currently focused on new private investments. His favorite PC game of all time is Duke Nukem 3D, and he is an unapologetic fan of most things Nintendo. Asif first frequented the Shack when it was sCary's Shugashack to find all things Quake. When he is not immersed in investments or gaming he is a purveyor of fine electronic music. Asif also has an irrational love of Cleveland sports.