Donkey Kong Bananza Review: Time to Go Bananas?

Console: Switch 2

Time Played: 33 hours

So, I had basically decided that I’d purchase a Nintendo Switch 2 by the time the new Pokémon Legends game releases later this year. However, after seeing the stellar reviews for Donkey Kong Bananza, I decided to splurge and buy both the new system and the current top game for it.

Donkey Kong Bananza is a (not too hard) platformer that’s incredibly similar to 2017’s Super Mario Odyssey, which was also developed by Nintendo EPD, the same team behind this game. I really enjoyed Super Mario Odyssey – I’m not a diehard Mario fan the way some people are, but I can appreciate a great Mario game as much as the next person. Part of my issue with Donkey Kong Bananza, after having beaten the main storyline and played for over 30 hours, is that it feels inferior to Super Mario Odyssey in most ways.

In Odyssey, players used Mario’s newest ally, a talking red hat named Cappy, to transform into over 50 different things – Mario could transform from a Goomba to a T-Rex to a tree. The possibilities felt endless. In Bananza, DK can similarly transform, but this time it’s more like only power ups into powerful animal versions of himself. For example, DK can turn into a snake and jump really high or a zebra and run extra fast.

I didn’t much enjoy the abilities granted by three of the five DK transformations (Snake, Zebra, Ostrich). Late in the game, you’re supposed to be quickly switching back and forth between these different powered up versions of the character. For me though, I much preferred when DK was his normal self smashing through terrain. The switches into the different animals didn’t grant powers I was excited to use; it was more I’d need to use them to get through a certain part of a level and be using them begrudgingly.

My favorite parts of Bananza were exploring different levels, smashing through every type of terrain imaginable with DK’s powerful punches, and collecting fossils so that I could attain different clothing or hair colors for my characters. I also felt like the sheer amount of bananas that you’re able to collect is great. As someone who prefers collecting games to platforming heavy ones, Bananza is aimed more at players like me. 

Some bananas are difficult to find and others you’ll stumble on just exploring a level, but it always feels rewarding. This leads to a gaming experience where players can choose how hard or easy they want the game to be. You can breeze through the story only collecting what’s absolutely necessary or really search for each banana. Personally, my playstyle was somewhere in the middle. 

Instead of Cappy, DK gets Pauline to help him on his journey to the center of the world. Pauline is alright. She’s not as cool as Cappy, but, hey, who is? As with lots of games similar to this, the story is simply totally fine. You’re not playing Bananza for the story. The main villain for most of the game, Void Kong, is nowhere near the level of adversary as Bowzer. Another DK nemesis emerges extremely late in the game, and I felt like he should’ve been the villain from the start here.

Despite being the newer game by roughly eight years, Bananza doesn’t feel like an upgrade compared to Odyssey. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad game, or not fun, but I’m a little disappointed that there wasn’t anything new introduced that made me really say, “Wow.” 

Overall, I had a fun time playing this one, though the majority of that fun was had early on. I think that as I played and needed to use more of the transformation mechanics I had progressively less fun.

The graphics are totally fine, but nothing about this game made me amazed at what the Switch 2 is capable of visually compared to the earlier console. As the first game I’ve played on my new Switch 2, Donkey Kong Bananza met but didn’t exceed my expectations. There’s enjoyment (and bananas) to be had here, but it probably won’t be a title I’ll be returning to for months to come.

Grade: 7.5/10