Donkey Kong Bananza burst on the Nintendo Switch 2 yesterday, and I've already been punching my way through to the Planet's Core and collecting all the gold I can get my big monkey paws on. Now that Nintendo has just dropped off my new Donkey Kong and Pauline amiibo, I can't wait to play more.
I was fully expecting the latest figure to be snatched up by resellers and out of stock, no matter where I looked. But this adorable Switch accessory it's still available for $29.99 at Best Buy and £16.99 at Nintendo UK, so I managed to get mine without having to give in to any exorbitant second-hand pricing.
This hasn't always been the case when it comes to Ninty's toys-to-life collectibles. There's still plenty amiibos missing from my collection that I can only get by giving in to some cheeky eBay sellers, but I'm a least glad that wasn't the case for Donkey Kong Bananza as this has got to be one of my favorite amiibos from the bunch.
The sculpt of this figure is exactly like the model seen on the original Donkey Kong Bananza Nintendo Direct. There's not a bit of paint out of place, and every detail from Pauline's tiny freckles to the texture of DK's tie is utterly immaculate. You'd assume that'd be the case with every single amiibo figure, but trust me, in that some (I'm looking at your Ike) look so bizarre you'd think they'd be bootleg toys.
The feature that stood out to me the most when this amiibo was available for pre-order was the base. It goes the Twilight Princess amiibo route of providing a themed stand, rather than a boring gold base like the majority of the line. Part of me wishes it was a bit on the bigger size, especially as at $29.99 / £16.99, this is pricier than the original figures. But the jagged bits of rock lend themselves to DK's fabulous in-action pose, and make it stand out from hundreds of other amiibos.
If you already have this stunning little statuette but haven't a clue how to actually use it to claim Pauline's Diva Dress in-game, it's not as simple as tapping it on your right Joy-Con 2 controller. You have to find a character called Collectone who will ask to see your new bit of DK merch, and will gift you Pauline's iconic red dress as a reward.
Remember, if you happen to own any of the other Donkey Kong amiibo figures (or even the Super Mario Bros Universal Donkey Kong Power-Up Bands), you can unlock those shiny golden KONG titles and give DK a new, exploding projectile too.
Where to find the rest of the Donkey Kong amiibos
- Donkey Kong No.4 amiib | $15.99 at Nintendo
- Diddy Kong No.14 amiibo | $24.99 at GameStop
- King K. Rool No.67 amiibo | $24.99 at GameStop
- Donkey Kong amiibo (Super Mario Collection) | $14.99 at GameStop
- Diddy Kong amiibo (Super Mario Collection) | Check stock at Walmart
Pairing your Switch 2 with one of the best Nintendo Switch headsets, one of the best Nintendo Switch 2 microSD Express Cards, and one of the best Nintendo Switch controllers will also come in handy for your new Donkey Kong Bananza adventure.
