Donkey Kong Bananza Reviews
"If you dig deep enough, you may find gold."
Review in Finnish | Read full review
Donkey Kong Bananza is chaotic, brutal, ancient, and hypnotic. It's the "excavating culmination" of all Nintendo's expertise, creating what it does best: platform games featuring its mascots.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
"Nostalgia Meets Bold Innovation" Donkey Kong Bananza is a bold reimagining of 3D platforming, blending classic nostalgia with technical innovation in a masterful way. Despite some minor hiccups in pacing and performance, the overall experience is immersive and full of wow-worthy moments, making it one of Nintendo's most notable achievements in recent years.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Donkey Kong Bananza is an unmissable explosion of creativity, chaos, and charm – a game that knows exactly what it wants to be and punches straight through the ground, walls, and ceiling to get there. From its wonderfully outlandish premise to its constant stream of inventive ideas, it’s a platformer that rarely slows down and always manages to delight with its constant sense of wonderful chaos… I loved it. Sure, there are a few technical hiccups along the way, but they’re small scuffs on what is otherwise a golden banana. Donkey Kong is back, baby, and he’s brought with him one of Nintendo’s most joyous adventures in years.
Donkey Kong Bananza is a near-perfect 3D platformer, delivering groundbreaking mechanics, rewarding puzzles, and incredible creativity—only minor technical issues hold it back from absolute perfection.
Donkey Kong Bananza is the reason to own a Switch 2. It is not only the most fun I’ve had with a Nintendo game in decades, it’s quite possibly one of Nintendo’s best games ever. Layer upon layer, everything has been built with care and detail. It is fun, silly, joyous, jaw-dropping, and heartfelt. You simply must play this game.
Having a Donkey Kong platformer for the Switch 2 launch year is a bold move from Nintendo. Everyone was expecting a sequel to Mario Odyssey but instead they gave us a Donkey Kong developed by the Mario Odyssey team, but it’s nothing like a Mario Odyssey game. It’s a game of its own caliber. Donkey Kong throws punches like we’ve never seen before.
Donkey Kong's and Pauline's journey to the center of the Planet Core is one worth taking. Donkey Kong Bananza is one of the most creative and entertaining 3D platformers of recent years, with a huge world full of challenges with plenty of fun to find hidden throughout it if you take the time to explore.
Coming from the team behind Super Mario Odyssey, Donkey Kong Bananza is pure destructive goodness. (Review in Portuguese)
Donkey Kong Bananza is a gleeful wrecking romp through an imaginative underground world that rewards curiosity, experimentation, and sheer enthusiasm. Its physics-driven playground and rich destructibility set it apart, even when minor frustrations flare. For fans of DK’s legacy and players who value playful exploration over strict structure, this action-adventure brings the banana-fueled magic in spades.
Donkey Kong Bananza is a one-of-a-kind experience. I truly believe that Donkey Kong Bananza is another masterpiece from Nintendo. In the years to come, I can see this game being regarded as a classic, and that's a rare distinction for many games.
With innovative gameplay and a spectacular world, Donkey Kong Bananza is a modern masterpiece and a true must-own title for the Switch 2.
Donkey Kong Bananza is, simply put, one of Nintendo’s finest games and a must-buy for the Nintendo Switch 2. Nintendo consistently innovate with its flagship titles, and Bananza is the latest to achieve this with its relentlessly exceptional level design. The gameplay is addictive, and the soundtrack pays tribute to the older games while recreating new DK sound beats for this new generation.
Donkey Kong Bananza is one of those surprises that only Nintendo can pull off. It's irreverent, original, and brutally fun. Despite some technical issues and a couple of questionable minor decisions, this is a game that feels fresh, necessary, and with its own identity. It's an adventure that not only reinvents Donkey Kong, but also makes him the perfect protagonist for a new generation. A game that, without recurring to nostalgia, smashes its way onto the list of must-haves for Switch 2.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
With Bananza, Nintendo once again proves they know how to make platforming truly enjoyable. Donkey Kong Bananza is one of those games that starts and ends with a big smile. It's not perfect. The co-op is disappointing, the upgrade system is somewhat limited, and navigating for collectibles could have been more intuitive. But what you get in return is a game bursting with energy, charm, variety, and fun. Along with Mario Kart Switch 2, this is the ultimate reason to get Nintendo's new console. If this is the level of quality we can expect from Nintendo this generation, we'll be fine. In fact, it'll be a party full of delicious bananas.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
Donkey Kong Bananza should be called Donkey Kong Odyssey because the amount of similarities with Super Mario Odyssey is astounding! In addition to how great the formula already was there were some smart additions. Harnessing Donkey Kong's movement and destruction opens up a whole new experience that breeds curiosity and creativity. It might not reach the same heights as Super Mario Odyssey and it unfortunately retains some of the shortcomings, but Donkey Kong Bananza is an experience unlike anything else.When the credits finally rolled, I wasn’t upset because the game was over, I was elated because the real game had just begun. For the entire life cycle of the Switch, Super Mario Odyssey was “the” game that you needed to get with the Nintendo Switch. While I don’t think that Donkey Kong Bananza reaches the same heights as Super Mario Odyssey, I feel confident that over the next seven years, when someone asks what is “the” game to buy for the Nintendo Switch 2, Donkey Kong Bananza will be the answer.
Should we ever get more of what Donkey Kong Bananza established, I will be in the front row hooting and howling like a banana-crazed gorilla.
Donkey Kong Bananza is a successful comeback for the most popular gorilla in gaming history. Excellent platforming combined with a lot of destruction in a nice visual setting is a good start to this comeback, and I hope Nintendo will continue to use DK instead of leaving him for another 10 years. Of course, the game isn't perfect, and monotonous boss fights, poor optimization, and material fatigue after a while can take their toll.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Despite minor balance issues and a lack of boss variety, Donkey Kong Bananza stands as a near-flawless 3D exploration adventure.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Donkey Kong Bananza is a true showcase for the Nintendo Switch 2, offering an almost unmatched platforming experience that makes collectibles feel important. An absolute joy to play.