Donkey KongBananza isn't just one of the best games of 2025 and a delightful reimagining of Nintendo's leading gorilla ... An unlikely way to play Donkey Kong Bananza? Maybe, but Nintendo's own devs recommend giving it a try.
That changed with 2025 GOTY contender Donkey KongBananza, and thank goodness it did, as it sounds like it could be the reason we get more games like it ... "Some ideas from Donkey Kong Bananza" may inform Nintendo's next big project, producer says.
One of the biggest challenges facing Nintendo with the development of last year’s Donkey KongBananza was how the developers could meaningfully differentiate it from the same team’s previous game, Super MarioOdyssey.
Donkey KongBananza is the premiere Nintendo platformer for the time being, having been built by the A-team that delivered Super MarioOdyssey back in 2017 ... We asked Nintendo point-blank about Donkey Kong Bananza's biggest mystery.
As one of the Switch 2’s first real killer apps, Donkey KongBananza has opened up new avenues for a character that’s mostly been known for his 2D side-scrolling adventures.
The same team at Nintendo that brought us Super MarioOdyssey also developed Donkey KongBananza, and while there are some obvious similarities between the two games, they both offer very distinct flavors of 3D platforming.
Donkey KongBananza, a game that mixes 3D platforming with freeform destruction, began as a prototype that built on ideas featured in Super MarioOdyssey, and the prototype featured a Goomba with giant fists.
If Donkey KongBananza is a game all about destruction, then the feature that allows for the most destruction could arguably be the best part of the game.
Donkey KongBananza is a masterclass in cathartic game design, and by far the most satisfying moments in the game come following transformations that let you rip through environments and pound enemies to dust even quicker than usual.
Ever sinceDonkey KongBananza was first revealed, Nintendo nerds like me have had a big question ... After 44 years as second banana, Donkey Kong Bananza makes Nintendo's first star a mascot to rival Mario and Link in the Switch 2 era.
Donkey KongBananza is hardly the only game that allows you to destroy the levels you play in – after all, Minecraft and its many imitators all let you tear their worlds apart and rebuild them piece by piece.