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Donkey Kong Bananza is everything I've ever wanted. As Nintendo’s number two guy, Donkey Kong has had a weird life. Since the original arcade game, the series has gone through peaks and valleys. We had Donkey Kong, followed by an 11-year hiatus after whatever the hell Donkey Kong 3 was, and then the incredible duo of DK94 and Donkey Kong Country revived the series for the late '90s. Then the big ape was sent to the spinoff mines before Retro once again revived the series for Donkey Kong Returns and the almighty Tropical Freeze, and after releasing one of the best 2D platformers ever, the series once again disappeared for 11 years before resurfacing for Donkey Kong Bananza.
What I’m trying to illustrate is that being a Donkey Kong fan is suffering. And even with the redesign, a prominent role in the Mario movie (with an apparent movie of his own coming), a theme park expansion, and rumors that the Mario Odyssey team was working on a DK game, I still didn’t believe. But when that Nintendo Direct ended and we saw the opening of what was obviously going to be the game I was most excited for – a new 3D Mario. It wasn't until I saw the monkeys mining – yes, there were bananas and minecarts all over the trailer; my dumb ass just didn't catch on – that I thought that this might be the time. It was – and it was better than I'd ever dreamed it could be.
Eddie, let me go back to my home
Donkey Kong Bananza looks like the sequel to Super Mario Odyssey – nothing major, it’s just the best 3D platformer ever made – but the way it adapts Donkey Kong is exactly what I’ve wanted for the character for years.
Even though I’m an avid 3D platformer fan and adore Donkey Kong, DK64 is – to put it politely – all kinds of ass, at times. The over abundance of collectables and the character swapping are terrible, we all know that, but to me, DK doesn’t feel right. In his only previous 3D outing he feels too much like a big sack of potatoes, like his contemporary, Banjo. He doesn't have the powers of an amped-up gorilla, which was something he did get in the bongo-bashing spinoff Jungle Beat (which was made by the team who would later go on to lead 3D Super Mario games; we’re through the looking glass people).
Don’t get me wrong: a DK platformer from the Mario Odyssey team was already GOTY material for me. But as someone who adores a good action game, I’ve been dying for the big, powerful bastard we saw in Jungle Beat to make his way to a 3D game – and that’s exactly what the trailer for Bananza showed me. The terrain deformation and ability to create new pathways through levels is a promising gimmick that surprised me, but what really spoke to me was the big ape himself.
I'm Nobody's Hero
In Bananza we see Donkey Kong running about gorgeous Mario-esque environments, but it's the momentum he has that really shines. Watching him roll about and then blast himself onto a wall before scrambling up left me in absolute awe and gives me so much hope for the movement mechanics and speedrun potential of this game.
Seconds later we see Donkey Kong bash the ground and pull out a chunk of rock before using it as a weapon, which is just sick no matter how you look at it. Then there were glimpses of him diving underground and smashing his way through the tunnel with rapid punches. I haven’t had the chance to play Bananza yet (I didn’t even watch the Nintendo Treehouse deep-dive), and I can already tell it will feel super satisfying to play.
Rather than masterful duels with Bananza's many enemies, Donkey Kong just smacks the soul out of them. This big ape just manhandles baddies in ways we haven’t seen in a Nintendo game since Wario World had the man in the yellow hat throwing out wrestling moves (including an absolutely disgusting spinning piledriver). The mystery team is making the game knows that this is the move, as enemies just explode into piles of gold and particle effects. This isn’t a slow Donkey Kong limply slapping a beaver who becomes a bit of watermelon – we have truly returned to monkey.
The Mirror Never Lies
I’ve been dying for the big, powerful bastard we saw in Jungle Beat to make his way to a 3D game...
The teeny-tiny glimpse of Donkey Kong during the Switch 2 Mario Kart reveal sent the fanbase into a bit of a frenzy. I was always fine with it; during the Mario Kart World reveal he looked good enough, and it was a nice middle ground between the '80s design and the modern one. But seeing him in motion in Bananza cemented for me that this is peak Donkey Kong, from just how expressive he was throughout the trailer. He’s got the goofy look, but still has the ability to look super intense, and his thicker build suits what he’s doing in the game so well. Plus they gave him some snazzy dungarees; my guy looks suave.
Even in a year where we have a new Kojima game, a remake of the best game ever made, and the returns of Doom and Ninja Gaiden, Donkey Kong Bananza took just one trailer to become my most anticipated game of the year. That’s down to Nintendo somehow nailing exactly what I wanted from the series. I just know that when I get my Switch 2 through the door – as great as Mario Kart looks – I’ll be waiting for a big gorilla to bash through my front room and destroy everything… and also for Donkey Kong Bananza to arrive.
Check out all the other upcoming Switch 2 games set to join Donkey Kong Bananza on Nintendo's new console
