Skip to main content
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
Trending
  • Pokemon Winds and Waves
  • New Games for 2026
  • GamesRadar+ Replay
  • Mario Day deals
Don't miss these
Upcoming Switch 2 games banner image showing a figure holding out their hand from Fire Emblem Fortune's Weave, Yoshi from Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, Ditto in human form with Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, Scyther, Timburr in Pokopia, and Mario from Mario Tennis Fever
Nintendo Switch 2 Upcoming Switch 2 games: New Nintendo Switch 2 games for 2026 and beyond
Four pictures of games from our selection of the best Switch 2 games list, showing Donkey Kong, Cloud from Final Fantasy, Mario and Luigi, and three starter Pokemon.
Games The 20 best Switch 2 games to play in 2026
Yoshi and the Mysterious Boook screenshot of Yoshi smiling with eyes closed
Super Mario The next big Switch 2 exclusive, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, gets a May release date out of nowhere
Upcoming Switch games for 2026 banner showing Mega Man from the All Star Force Collection, Witches in Witchbrook, a large woman in Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream, and Fiona in Neverway
Action Games Upcoming Switch games for 2026 and beyond
Mario Kart World screenshot Switch 2
Super Mario Mario Kart World content update seemingly leaked by Nintendo itself, players think a fan-favorite mode is returning
The best Nintendo Switch Games with the Nintendo Switch console overlaid.
Nintendo The 25 best Nintendo Switch games to play right now
Nintendo Switch 2 console on a stand against a red background
Games Nintendo doesn't want Switch 2 eShop to "become a giant slop fest," New Blood CEO claims
Image of the PowerA Mario Kart World Switch 2 controller sitting on a pink GamesRadar+ background.
Gaming Controllers PowerA is rolling out a Mario Kart World Switch 2 controller in time for Mario Day, and I wheely like it
Super Pocket Rare Edition with Banjo-Kazooie gameplay in backdrop featuring Banjo crossing a bridge with bull at other end.
Retro I won't lie, a Super Pocket handheld that pays tribute to one of the best N64 platfomers of all time wasn't on my bingo card
Donkey Kong Bananza post-game DK looking cheerful
Platforming Games Donkey Kong Bananza post game quest walkthrough
Cheap Nintendo Switch game sales - get great deals this Black Friday
Nintendo Switch Cheap Nintendo Switch game sales - all the latest deals in 2026
Photo of a Mario nendoroid figure holding a microSD Express card with a Turtle Beach Switch 2 case in the background.
Accessories These Mario Day-inspired Switch 2 accessories will power up your console more than a super star
Donkey Kong Bananza DK angry at Pauline who won't sing, saying "I can't do it!"
Platforming Games 10 Donkey Kong Bananza tips we wish we knew before going to the Planet Core
Bel's Fanfare screenshot showing main character Bel up close
RPGs After blending Wind Waker with Kiki's Delivery Service last year, indie dev reveals N64-inspired Zelda-like RPG
Donkey Kong Bananza Hanging on Roof Road challenge course Hidden on Roof Road banana eaten
Platforming Games How to get all Donkey Kong Bananza Hanging on Roof Road bananas
  1. Games
  2. Platforming Games
  3. Donkey Kong

Donkey Kong Bananza launches on Switch 2 this July as just the second 3D platformer in the character's 44-year history

News
By Dustin Bailey published 2 April 2025

He's finally back to kick some tail

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Donkey Kong Bananza
(Image credit: Nintendo)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
0
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Get the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
Subscribe to our newsletter

The big, final reveal in today's Nintendo Switch 2 Direct news was the long-awaited announcement of a new Donkey Kong game in the form of Donkey Kong Bananza.

The game is a particularly colorful take on the Donkey Kong series with what I've gotta say is a much more wildly colorful visual style than I'd expect, complete with a new design for the titular gorilla that's in keeping with his controversial, newer look.

Whatever your feelings about the look, though, the platforming looks sublime. We see DK sprinting through giant, open-ended environments that seem to let you climb pretty much anything and dig through the world almost Minecraft-style. As Switch 2 producer Kouchi Kawamoto says in an official interview, the increased power of Switch 2 is what allows DK Bananza to let you "experience the exhilaration of being able to destroy anything you want in the game without restrictions."

You may like
  • Donkey Kong, Cranky Kong, and Pauline stand together in a Donkey Kong Bananza screenshot badged with GamesRadar+'s best of 2025 branding After 44 years as second banana, Donkey Kong Bananza makes Nintendo's first star a mascot to rival Mario and Link in the Switch 2 era
  • Donkey Kong punching through rocks in Donkey Kong Bananza Donkey Kong Bananza is a Switch 2 delight, but I wish I'd known these things when I got started
  • Donkey Kong and Dixie Kong in Returns HD Out of nowhere, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD gets updated with new content a year since launch
Donkey Kong Bananza – Nintendo Direct | Nintendo Switch 2 - YouTube Donkey Kong Bananza – Nintendo Direct | Nintendo Switch 2 - YouTube
Watch On

As the tone of this write-up might indicate, I think it looks great, and it's all the cooler to see with how long it's been since DK's one and only previous 3D platforming adventure in Donkey Kong 64, which launched way back in 1999. Recent years have been pretty dry for any flavor of game starring the character that effectively launched Nintendo's ascent in the video game world, and seeing him come back for something this prominent in the Switch 2's early life is very cool to see.

Donkey Kong Bananza launches July 17 on Switch 2. This is just one of many upcoming Switch 2 games detailed today, and it looks like the new console will have no shortage of software in its first year.

Nintendo Switch 2 Direct reveals Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, a Legend of Zelda spin-off set before Tears of the Kingdom.

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
CATEGORIES
Nintendo Switch 2 Platforms Nintendo
Dustin Bailey
Dustin Bailey
Social Links Navigation
Staff Writer

Dustin Bailey joined the GamesRadar team as a Staff Writer in May 2022, and is currently based in Missouri. He's been covering games (with occasional dalliances in the worlds of anime and pro wrestling) since 2015, first as a freelancer, then as a news writer at PCGamesN for nearly five years. His love for games was sparked somewhere between Metal Gear Solid 2 and Knights of the Old Republic, and these days you can usually find him splitting his entertainment time between retro gaming, the latest big action-adventure title, or a long haul in American Truck Simulator.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Read more
Donkey Kong, Cranky Kong, and Pauline stand together in a Donkey Kong Bananza screenshot badged with GamesRadar+'s best of 2025 branding
After 44 years as second banana, Donkey Kong Bananza makes Nintendo's first star a mascot to rival Mario and Link in the Switch 2 era
 
 
Donkey Kong punching through rocks in Donkey Kong Bananza
Donkey Kong Bananza is a Switch 2 delight, but I wish I'd known these things when I got started
 
 
Donkey Kong and Dixie Kong in Returns HD
Out of nowhere, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD gets updated with new content a year since launch
 
 
Donkey Kong Bananza screenshot showing Pauline on DK's shoulder as they both whistle a tune and Pauline wears a small crown
Donkey Kong Bananza is my game of the year, and I'm convinced it's one of the greatest platformers in Nintendo history
 
 
The Nintendo Switch 2 playing Donkey Kong: Bananza and surrounded by accessories on a wooden table
5 games that have defined the first year of Switch 2 (so far)
 
 
Donkey Kong Bananza DK looking angry ready to beat his chest to create a music beat
Can you play Donkey Kong Bananza on Switch 1?
 
 
Latest in Donkey Kong
Donkey Kong looks sad in the Donkey Kong Country cartoon
Donkey Kong Country designer says his version started life without fur, and shouts out the "hideous" TV show version
 
 
Donkey Kong and Dixie Kong in Returns HD
Out of nowhere, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD gets updated with new content a year since launch
 
 
Banjo-Kazooie
Banjo-Kazooie creator reveals that the mythical "Stop 'N' Swop" feature was originally bigger than we ever knew
 
 
Donkey Kong punching through rocks in Donkey Kong Bananza
Donkey Kong Bananza is a Switch 2 delight, but I wish I'd known these things when I got started
 
 
Donkey Kong, Cranky Kong, and Pauline stand together in a Donkey Kong Bananza screenshot badged with GamesRadar+'s best of 2025 branding
After 44 years as second banana, Donkey Kong Bananza makes Nintendo's first star a mascot to rival Mario and Link in the Switch 2 era
 
 
Screenshot of Donkey Kong and Pauline in Donkey Kong Bananza.
Nintendo Switch 2's massive momentum continues as it surpasses 10 million sales in 4 months, hitting the milestone 5 months faster than the OG Switch
 
 
Latest in News
Palworld Pal with shocked expression
"I wouldn't rule out a Palworld 2.0," says Pocketpair publishing head, but don't expect a "No Man's Sky situation"
 
 
Dafne Keen brandishing her claws as Laura/X-23 in Deadpool and Wolverine
Marvel fans are debating whether Dafne Keen should become Wolverine or stay as X-23, and I've already chosen a side
 
 
Peak mesa biome
Peak came about after a bet between Content Warning and Another Crab's Treasure leads to see whose game would sell more
 
 
Key art for Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred showing Mephisto, a spiky and angular demon, against a red, lightning backdrop, arm and claw raised menancingly, cropped to show more of him
Diablo 4's Lord of Hatred expansion will be "really f*cking hard" at its highest difficulty, dev threatens
 
 
Jin, Mugen, and Fuu standing in a row
Samurai Champloo is getting a live-action Netflix series from One Piece studio, and the original creator is on board
 
 
Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise in the It: Welcome to Derry finale
It: Welcome to Derry season 2 is officially in the works, as showrunner promises "something greater" than season 1
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Key art for Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred showing Mephisto, a spiky and angular demon, against a red, lightning backdrop, arm and claw raised menancingly, cropped to show more of him
    1
    "It's going to be really f***ing hard": Diablo 4 is getting 8 new difficulty tiers in Lord of Hatred because Blizzard wants OP builds to actually have to try
  2. 2
    Marvel fans are debating whether Dafne Keen should become Wolverine or stay as X-23, and I've already chosen a side
  3. 3
    "I wouldn't rule out a Palworld 2.0," says Pocketpair publishing head, but don't expect a "No Man's Sky situation" with a "decade of continuous, massive updates"
  4. 4
    "Whoever sells more copies pays for the other's therapy": Peak came about after a bet between Content Warning and Another Crab's Treasure leads, and ironically the friendslop collab that followed sold more than both games combined
  5. 5
    Samurai Champloo is returning as a live-action Netflix series from One Piece adaptation team, and the original creator is on board: "We've learned" after Cowboy Bebop

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...