The next big Switch 2 exclusive Donkey Kong Bananza is playable on Switch 1 after all, you just need a friend kind enough to share it to your dusty old relic of a console

Like it's 1996 all over again, Nintendo is really about to make me ask my big brother if I can play the next big Switch 2 exclusive, Donkey Kong Bananza, because I'll need his fancy new console's GameShare feature to play it on my stupid old Switch 1.

Because there's a seven-year age gap between me and my older brother, making everything he ever did cool as hell by default, I now have a career in video games that he's indirectly responsible (at fault?) for. Everything he played, I also had to play.

But, unfortunately for my kid self, that meant having to timidly knock on his door and ask if I could play his N64 every time a new game came out – and almost 30 years later, I'm about to be forced into the same situation.

As revealed in today's Direct, Donkey Kong Bananza supports local and online co-op and, via the Switch 2's GameShare feature, lets Switch 1 players to join the fun as Donkey Kong's companion Pauline with a Switch 2 player as their domineering host. The only caveat is that it only works locally with Switch 1, while two Switch 2 players can link up online.

I'll get a Switch 2 eventually, probably whenever Metroid Prime 4 comes out, but come Donkey Kong Bananza's July 17 release date, it looks like I'll be knocking on big bro Jon's door yet again.

Hopefully I'll have my own console by the time these upcoming Switch 2 games launch.