Often referred to as the game the Switch 2 should have launched with – Donkey Kong Bananza is finally here. I have played it for the past week, and if I had to give a review only after completely finishing this game, then I would probably never get to review it. That said, having fully immersed myself in the smashing fun of this game, I feel the need to take a break from finding my next banana to tell you why this truly is the quintessential launch title of the Switch 2.
Donkeys journey to the center of the world
I don’t know what to expect from a platformer’s story. Mario got away with finding the princess for the last 40 years, right? So what does DK have to do for us to enjoy his game? Well, to be honest, not all too much. The good news is that while DK’s adventure is not a thrilling tale, it’s certainly a charmingly told one!
Basically, DK works as a simple banana/gold miner on Ingot Isle. One day, an evil corporation (aptly called “Void”) appears and steals all the bananas from the island, announcing that it will continue its journey to the center of the world. Doing so, legend has it, grants you one wish.
While all of that is happening, DK meets Pauline, a young girl who is originally stuck in a rock (being referred to only as “oddrock” for the first hours), but is quickly freed. She agrees to join DK in his race to the center of the world, to stop Void, help DK get many bananas, and to fulfill her wish…to return to the surface of the world.
All told, the strength in the story does not lie in its premise, which is fairly basic, but in its wonderful realization. Going through the different layers to the center is a wonderful experience, not just because you get to experience the different civilizations that live there, but because you get to experience the growth and transformation of Pauline. From the shy little girl to a confident singer. It’s quite wonderful.
Controversial performance for a new console
Lets get this out of the way: Donkey Kong Bananza is not exactly a technical marvel. For the most part the game runs very smoothly while never truly reaching anything beyond 1200p. I am not going to lie, having a launch game for a new console that lays a big focus on performance, struggling with one of its flagship releases is a bummer. I understand that the development for Bananza may have started on Switch 1 and that this may explain the sub-par optimization but its still a little annoying nonetheless.
So how bad is it truly? Well, without doing a full-on analysis á la Digital Foundry (you should totally check out their video btw), the game struggles to maintain a constant 60 FPS framerate. Dips below 30 FPS are possible when the action on screen severely heats up. Thankfully, this is not the norm, but there will be instances where even a framerate novice will notice.
Aside from the technical hiccups, Bananza treats players to beautifully rendered worlds that take DK and Pauline from the mines of Ingott Isle to frozen tundras and beachside resorts. Similarly to Mario Odyssey, the developers understand what it takes to create diverse, vibrant worlds. And the result of their craftsmanship can be felt throughout every wrinkle of this game.
Gameplay is king
Donkey Kong Bananza feels in many ways like an evolution of Nintendo’s previous flagship platformer, Mario Odyssey. It feels almost blasphemous to say this, but given his ability to jump, grab, throw, spin, roll, and punch his way through levels, in many ways, DK feels even better to control than Mario does. If I had to nail down what makes this game such a hit, though, I would say it’s the level design and how DK’s movement allows you to challenge each objective however you want to.
But one thing at a time. As stated before, the game’s levels are separated into distinct worlds called layers. Each layer is essentially an open-world sandbox. Within this sandbox, you’re given a fundamental idea and path you can follow blindly. However, the game invites you to start exploring. Aside from being able to dig your way through just about any and every surface, DK can clap his hands. Doing so emits a soundwave that highlights nearby secrets. This is where DKs fantastic moveset comes into play as you dig your way to every little fossil, treasure chest, and banana you can find. And there is so much to find that I am not sure I’ll even be able to ever get it all.
Thankfully, none of this feels like busywork. Every collectible serves a purpose. The only “cosmetic” collectibles are the CDs you find, unlocking more music to play. Fossils, for instance, let you unlock outfits for DK and Pauline, which grant the player certain benefits, such as having an easier time finding treasures. Bananas are, as you can imagine, even more important. Collecting 5 bananas grants the player skill points. These skill points can then be used to upgrade DK’s abilities. For instance, from the get-go, DK can tear out a chunk from the ground and use it to surf through the level. Upgrading this skill will give him the ability to surf on water as well. It’s not a groundbreaking thing to have in a game, but to my knowledge, it’s a first for a Nintendo game.
Aside from the big assortment of things you can do as DK, the game throws some abilities at you in the form of the Bananza transformations. See, as you progress through each layer, you will eventually come across certain elders. These elders will bestow DK with a brand new ability. An example of this is the Kong Bananza transformation that transforms DK to a stronger, larger Gorilla. While in this form, he can bust through tougher materials and pummel certain enemies with ease. That said, and without spoiling anything, these transformations not only expand DK’s arsenal of attacks or skill tree; they also open up his platforming abilities in interesting ways.
Conclusion
Donkey Kong Bananza is one of those once-in-a-generation platforming experiences. It was already a given that this game would share many similarities with Mario Odyssey, seeing as the same team worked on both games. What is a surprise though, is that they managed to surpass their previous masterpiece with a new one. Yes, the performance could be better, but that doesn’t change the fact that this game shatters my expectations for future platforming experiences and was well worth the wait. If you have a Switch 2, just like Mario Kart World, you owe it to yourself to have this game in the library. We know some may say it’s a little soon in our blog’s life to give this kind of score, but if this game does not deserve it, we are not sure which would. For that reason, Donkey Kong Bananza is a 10/10 in our book.
Thank you for reading! What do you think? Have you been able to peel yourself away from the banana-collect-a-thon? Let us know in the comments!
