Donkey Kong Bananza Reviews
A fresh and ambitious 3D platformer that builds on Odyssey's strengths, Donkey Kong Bananza trades tradition for freedom'and mostly succeeds.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
A well-executed and fun proposal that leaves you with a smile on your face and hooks you from start to finish. It has everything it needs to be a fantastic new beginning for a gaming icon that should never be caged again
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Donkey Kong finds a new identity that embraces and rewrites the long legacy of the character, integrating his musical flair and his love for bashing stuff. It's a long, fun game, full of crazy ideas. It may be a bit too easy for veteran players, especially in the first half, but by now we know that's mostly to be expected from Nintendo.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Created by the team that developed Super Mario Odyssey, Donkey Kong Bananza is a celebration of the character, a 3D platformer that finally puts him in the place he deserves. Its colorful and fully modifiable world, its variety of mechanics and its collecting spirit make it a worthy heir to its predecessor.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Donkey Kong Bananza is one of the most unique and immensely enjoyable games that I've ever played. Plus, behind its chaotic open-ended gameplay and incredibly imaginative worlds, you'll find a lot of heart. 🍌
Donkey Kong Bananza isn’t just a triumphant return; it’s a joyful, expertly crafted love letter to the series, blending fresh ideas with retro spirit. Whether you’re a veteran from the Donkey Kong Country days or just looking for excellent platforming, Bananza delivers. My advice to those playing… Be sure to stick around after BOTH credit sequences. There is always just a little more than you think there will be…. If this is the new standard for DK, the franchise is in excellent hands. DK is SO back.
For longtime Donkey Kong fans, this is the evolution you have been waiting for.
Donkey Kong Bananza is an absolute blast. The destruction and creativity that the level design brings are constantly engaging, and the hunt for Banandium gems is always fun.
Donkey Kong Bananza is a very special game, and it unexpectedly took me right back to my childhood. That feeling I had the first time I picked up a Nintendo 64 controller to play Super Mario 64? Bananza brought it all back. There is something magical about this world and the amount of freedom Donkey Kong now has to explore it. Destroying everything in sight, coming up with creative ways to solve puzzles, and boss fights that initially seem simple but eventually evolve into unforgettable encounters... The art design, the soundtrack, and Pauline in general—there is just so much to love here. All of these individual pieces come together to create something I never want to end. I went into this game expecting at least to have a fun time, but what I never counted on was it becoming one of my new all-time favorites. If you have a Nintendo Switch 2, you owe it to yourself to play this game.
We can say that DK's new title has finally managed to dispel the dark days the franchise seemed to be experiencing. I believe that not even the most optimistic fans of the series were expecting something so fun, beautiful, and addictive. In short, a video game in its raw form. Donkey Kong Bananza—as the subtitle puns—is an "unexpected riches," an abundance of good things for players, and it points, once again, to the possibility of a calm and prosperous future for DK and his friends.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Donkey Kong Bananza marks a strong 3D comeback for the iconic ape, offering a must-buy adventure on the Nintendo Switch 2 that keeps surprising with fresh content and post-game activities, despite minor flaws like framedrops and unbalanced power-ups.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
Donkey Kong Bananza is a master class in game development and design, and is the perfect showcase for the Switch 2. Nintendo always finds a way to outdo themselves. When it feels like they peaked, you get games like Donkey Kong Bananza–a title well worth its weight in crystallized golden bananas.
Ooooh Banana!
If you want to ask me if this is the first true reason to own a Switch 2, then my answer is a resounding yes. This is the first game that made me cherish the brand new system as more than just a phone-esque upgrade. It’s the kind of game that showcases a system’s capabilities, and a company’s creative prowess still going strong after all these years. Not everything sticks the landing, but the pros overwhelmingly outweigh the cons, and that’s what really matters.
Donkey Kong Bananza is, without question, one of my favorite Nintendo games of the past decade.
Donkey Kong Bananza is nothing short of a love letter to the big ape’s past, a regrounding of his present and the start of a wondrous new chapter for the hijinks that await in his future.
The difficulty ramps up nicely for all levels of gamer and there’s tons of secret areas to come back for once completed.
Donkey Kong Bananza is a truly magnificent game. There are some lovely nods to the classic Donkey Kong games, and obvious vibes from other Nintendo franchises. For someone who no longer enjoys relentless platforming, Donkey Kong Bananza brings together so many of my new gaming passions: the ability to bash and smash through the terrain, collecting everything which is revealed; large areas of land to roam and explore, spotting NPCs with a quest; and puzzling arenas to test my observation skills in finding that final hidden banandium gem. I can even harvest some vegetables! For some Donkey Kong purists, the Bananza transformations might be a change too far, but for me, Donkey Kong Bananza is a ground-breaking winner.
With Donkey Kong Bananza, Nintendo marks a bold and successful return for its legendary primate. Buoyed by its dazzling art direction, refreshing gameplay and endearing main duo, the game brilliantly combines nostalgia and innovation. Destructive mechanics, secret-filled levels and a wealth of customization options make for an experience as rich as it is surprising. Much more than a simple nod to the past, Bananza affirms Nintendo's ambition to renew its flagship licenses on Switch 2. And the least we can say is that the challenge has been met.
Review in French | Read full review
If Super Mario Odyssey were a music album, it would be a top-tier Art Pop record. Donkey Kong Bananza, on the other hand, leans more towards baroque Progressive Rock. The game starts off slowly, but it's a continuous crescendo leading to a masterful finale, with unique, deep, and often brilliant mechanics. It's one of the best 3D platformers ever made - deeply respectful of the character's past, yet entirely forward-looking.
Review in Italian | Read full review