Donkey Kong Bananza: DK Island & Emerald Rush
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Donkey Kong Bananza: DK Island & Emerald Rush Media
Critic Reviews for Donkey Kong Bananza: DK Island & Emerald Rush
If you’re hungry for more bananas and aren’t opposed to a remixed, roguelite formula, DK Island & Emerald Rush is probably worth the additional investment. Otherwise, Bananza’s DLC is an enjoyable but inessential expansion to DK and Pauline’s grand adventure.
Donkey Kong Bananza: DK Island & Emerald Rush feels like a split banana. The new roguelike mode is a lot of fun, gelling surprisingly well with the game's core mechanics and giving me a welcome excuse to swing back into my beloved Bananza, but the other half of the deal, DK Island, left me feeling a little short-changed with its lack of appeal outside of the new game mode.Bananza constantly reminded me of Odyssey as I played through the base game, and now it seems, much like its platforming predecessor, I'm going to be forever thinking about the DLC potential that never was.
While there’s a lot of potential meat on the bone, it’s all wrapped up in perfecting your runs. If you’re not in love with that arcade, roguelite style, there’s really nothing for you. Though it’s definitely not for everyone, you might end up having a lot of fun with Donkey Kong Bananza’s DK Island & Emerald Rush DLC.
DK Island and Emerald Rush is a dichotomous, albeit controversial, DLC addition to the already fantastic Donkey Kong Bananza. The former is a love letter to DK's past; it's a letter that is best appreciated by those who want that trip down memory lane. The latter, though, is a highly replayable and ever-so-engaging roguelite mode that takes things up several notches to truly test your mastery of Bananza's mechanics. You shouldn't consider this DLC unless you've completed Bananza or intend to do so.
DK Island & Emerald Rush doesn't reinvent the jungle, but it expands it with heart, energy and a clear love for Donkey Kong's history. DK Island is a warm, nostalgic playground, while Emerald Rush is a fast‑paced, endlessly replayable challenge that keeps you coming back for "just one more run." If you loved the base game, you will definitely enjoy the DLC!
Rougelite attempts are divisive by nature, but if you are the kind of player who enjoys this absolutely fine, then you will have a blast here. It also showcases the best parts of Donkey Kong Bananza in small pick-up-and-play chunks. The itching feeling that the location should have been included in the base game rarely goes away, however, especially with very little to do outside of Emerald Rush mode and the rich price tag. One for completionists only.
Donkey Kong Bananza: DK Island & Emerald Rush is such an exciting chunk of DLC that breathes new life into an already incredible experience. From chilling at DK Island to frantically punching everything in sight during Emerald Rush, you'll have a barrel of fun.
Donkey Kong Bananza’s DK Island and Emerald Rush DLC have the potential to be a lot of fun, but the bundle ends up being a little bit underwhelming. I wish DK Island were more robust and rewarding to explore, and the price point is a bit steep for a fairly straightforward and repetitive mode like Emerald Rush. If you’re desperately looking for more Donkey Kong Bananza to play, this is alright, but I wish it were either cheaper or more extensive in its new content.
