Look, I'm not saying playing Donkey Kong Bananza with a set of Donkey Konga bongos is the optimal way to play. But, as soon as the new Switch 2 adventure came flying through my door, I just had to know whether it'd work with the weird old GameCube controller. Spoilers, but it does, and it's all thanks to a cheap adapter.
If, like me, you're hellbent on playing Donkey Kong Bananza in the most inconvenient but funny way possible, and happen to have some Donkey Konga bongos to hand (who doesn't?), you'll want to grab a Mayflash Gamecube controller adapter. It'll only set you back $18.99 at Amazon, or 30 bananas for anyone who trades in fruit.
Once you've got hold of the adapter, you'll want to give it a quick firmware update so it works with the Switch 2. Doing so will actually save you from buying the new GameCube controller since it'll let you use old wired pads. I even managed to get a DualSense working using the accessory, but today, it's all about the Donkey Kongas.
Upon firing up Donkey Kong Bananza for the first time with early 2000s bongos in hand, I was expecting to run into compatibility issues. Yet, against all odds, I was able to punch through the adventure's intro rock wall using nothing but a funky beat, and the controller's button pads were already assigned to inputs.
Smashing rocks with the power of music is only half the battle, as the eagle-eyed among you will have noticed the bongos lack thumbsticks or even a d-pad. I figured that the lack of directional controls would mean I'd have to thrust myself forward by throwing punches, but it turns out that you can still move around using a secondary gamepad.
At this point, it almost feels like Nintendo wants me to play Donkey Kong using the bongos, and I gladly accept its challenge. While I'm sure there will be sections of the game that require putting monkey business to one side and using a proper controller, I find it incredibly easy to roam around with the standard pad, then start bashing the bongos whenever it's time to smash.
In fact, this setup could be weirdly great for co-op, as one player could be in charge of moving DK around while the other smacks out a sick beat. Naturally, I'll be enforcing the same rules that apply to younger siblings in that it'll be me on bongos and my partner using the normie gamepad, but it'll still make for a phenomenal date night.
Keep in mind that Donkey Kong Bananza is fresh off the press today, so I've had minimal time to truly mess around with my stupid bongos setup. I'm pretty sure that if I remap some of the buttons using the Switch 2's integrated settings, and work out if I can use the mic as an extra input, I can perfect this ridiculous setup and actually help DK get his banana diamonds back.
Looking for more Ninty gadgets? Check out the best Nintendo Switch accessories and best Nintendo Switch 2 microSD Express cards for more add-ons. You'll want to peek at our ultimate Nintendo Switch 2 starter pack too if you're just starting out.
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