Donkey Kong Bananza Reviews
I feel like I should temper my praise of Donkey Kong Bananza, but at the same time, if I did, I’d be lying. This is one of the most enjoyable games I’ve played in a long time. If you’ve been holding out on buying a Switch 2, this is the game that should make you buy one: it really is that phenomenal.
Donkey Kong's journey in search of bananas is not just a display of destructive strength; it’s an adventure full of ideas and delightful moments—a quest that respects the player’s time, rewards exploration, and constantly reminds them not to miss Nintendo’s major titles.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Bananza is a smashing start to a new era of Kong. Combining themes from across the Donkey Kong series with polished 3D platforming established in Super Mario Odyssey, this fresh take is a charming revival of Nintendo’s most beloved characters. The dynamic duo of DK and Pauline bring forth satisfyingly creative and calamitous destruction-focused gameplay, contrasted with a charming and heartfelt bond between the pair. Though what would have been a near-perfect platformer is let down by subpar technical performance and difficulty that’s entirely trivialised by the game’s overpowered transformations. Much like a bruised banana, Bananza is a partially flawed experience, but still well and truly a Heart of Gold.
Donkey Kong Bananza is the game fans of the franchise have been waiting for since 1999, delivering one of the best and most creative 3D platformers in recent years.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
While I'm happy to take the Big N down a peg when they're complacent and being greedy little s***s as a corporation, I'm just as happy giving them praise when they do right for its audience. Donkey Kong Bananza is that rare case where credit is definitely due. Feel free to go bananas with this long-awaited return of DK being the star of his own adventure; I know I did.
Donkey Kong Bananza focuses on fast movement, fun destruction, and steady upgrades. It’s responsive, satisfying, and full of surprises. A few frame dips and camera slips don’t get in the way. Whether you’re playing by yourself or with a friend, it’s one of the best 3D platformers out there.
Donkey Kong Bananza is a real masterstroke, a 3D platform game that draws on the best Nintendo traditions (with clear influences from Super Mario Odyssey) and adds a touch of innovation thanks to the high level of environmental destruction and the amazing Bananza transformations. Despite some obvious technical imperfections (particularly in terms of frame rate, which is rather unstable on several occasions, camera stability, which is rather shaky in the narrowest sections, and pop-ins when advancing towards distant scenarios), it offers a unique, rich, engaging experience that is suitable - although the difficulty is a little too low - for a wide range of players. A must-play for anyone who owns a Nintendo Switch 2: an exclusive title that is destined to remain - without a shadow of a doubt - in the history of Nintendo's current flagship console.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Donkey Kong Bananza not only meets but surpasses its high standards in a stylish manner. It may lack Super Mario Odyssey’s sophisticated structure and in-game depth, but it gives a distinct kind of happiness: the unadulterated excitement of taking apart a world and uncovering what lies behind.
Donkey Kong Bananza is a true love letter to fans of the most charismatic ape in gaming. With stunning visuals, an engaging soundtrack, and accessible gameplay, the game delivers a fun, heartwarming, and emotional experience, the kind that makes you smile from beginning to end. Its story, while simple, is effective, and the chemistry between characters makes the journey even more captivating. More than just the return of a gaming icon, we are witnessing the birth of a title destined to define a generation. A game that will be remembered, recommended, and celebrated for years to come as an essential experience for any video game fan
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Everything about this game echoes DK’s first big smash onto the screen in those opening moments, even though Bananza is a whole lot more than just mindless smashing. It’s loud, relentless, and in your face, and the amount of heart and creativity took me by surprise at nearly every turn. Donkey Kong Bananza is one of the best platformers I’ve ever played, a stunning showcase for Donkey Kong’s new visual redesign, and the perfect statement that Nintendo is still taking risks that are going to pay off in the Switch 2 era.
Donkey Kong Bananza never lets its foot off the accelerator, delivering some of the most inventive, addictive gameplay in the franchise to date - and undoubtedly one of the best platformers Nintendo has ever made.
By turning its core game design toward destruction rather than creation, Donkey Kong Bananza shines as a work of bold innovation. If The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild redefined open-world exploration, then Bananza carves out a space of its own in the realm of 3D platformers. It's a must-play if you own a Switch 2—and if you don't, it's the first title that should go on your wishlist.
Review in Korean | Read full review
Donkey Kong: Bananza on Nintendo Switch 2 is a meticulously crafted video game designed to captivate all exploration enthusiasts. Capable of delivering a wealth of emotions and reminding us why we love video games.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
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.
Never in my life did I think that we would be getting another 3D Donkey Kong game, let alone one developed by Nintendo, but it's here, and it's some of the most fun I've had with a Nintendo-developed game in a while. I'd go so far as to say that Donkey Kong Bananza is the real killer app for the Switch 2, not Mario Kart World. World is fun, but Bananza is a blast.
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