BANAN-WHAT!
Freaking incredible. I’m not even biased. I thought Tropical Freeze was mediocre, so you know I’m not a Donkey Nut.
It took about 15 minutes for me to understand why Donkey Kong Bananaza will be one of the best games on Switch 2, period. Everything after only solidified that feeling. It’s not just about the bespoke experience of destroying the world, however you want. Neither is it the beautiful models, environments, level design, or Jenny Kidd’s soft and sweet voice acting for Pauline. It’s the feelings it evokes when moving through its worlds.
Meant To Be Enjoyed
Developers deliberately wanted players to appreciate every aspect of the game, starting from the seemingly smallest of details. You can’t skip the ka-ching of gold collecting in your supply after completing a gold challenge. Typically, voiced dialogue gets skipped, but Pauline’s dreamy voice before taking an ape nap begs to be listened to in its entirety. Levels will have secret areas that shoot you to the highest point on the map just to have a look around. In addition to looking incredible on the Switch 2 hardware, outfits and skins provide stat boosts that have advantages in various worlds. The game is a smorgasbord for the senses.
Donkey Kong Bananza pays homage to all the games that came before it. It showcases music from throughout the series while adding its own incredible soundtrack. Some Bonus Stages bring players back to DK Country with 2D side scrolling. Even Cranky Kong makes appearances in each world to give DK a hard time.
I’m Not Just a Big Dumb Animal!
The core gameplay of breaking through environments lets players tackle problems from a variety of angles. And once players make it to the 2nd and 3rd worlds, it’s clear that the destruction is a means to an end and not the sole focus of the game. Instead of destroying everything in each level, Bananza becomes much more about deliberately choosing what to break. Unless you’re just looking for some good ol’ fashioned rock ’em and sock ’em, of course.
My first few hours with the game have been an absolute joy, and I can’t wait to dive back underground to continue the adventure. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have about 700 more Bananadium Gems to find.