Donkey Kong Bananza: DK Island & Emerald Rush Reviews
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.
Bananza was a great game because it allowed you to play at your own pace, destroying layers, exploring every inch, and uncovering every collectible. Putting a time limit on it to simply smash and grab against the clock just didn’t feel as appealing to me, especially when there doesn’t seem to be much payoff for doing all this.
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!
Technically, it's beautiful, just like Bananza was ( with the same pros and cons ), and overall, even though the formula has been overused, it's still a lot of fun... at least until you figure out how to disrupt its balance by introducing excessive repetitiveness, given the lack of truly impactful builds you can create using abilities.
Review in Italian | Read full review
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.
I walked away impressed, but also wishing there was a little more meat on the bone. The Emerald Rush mode is a genuinely fun and creative twist that adds surprising depth and replayability. It’s addictive, fast paced, and fits the Donkey Kong vibe perfectly while also branching out into new gameplay territory. The roguelike elements don’t feel forced, they complement DK’s moveset and the series’ rhythm of discovery and reward.
Donkey Kong Bananza: DK Island + Emerald Rush is a DLC expansion that revisits familiar DK settings while introducing a more intense, roguelike-style “Emerald Rush” mode. The island exploration feels nostalgic but doesn’t always offer deep surprises, whereas the timed Emerald challenges bring tension, replay value, and strategic upgrade choices. The technical performance is solid, with smooth transitions and mostly stable visuals. Overall, the DLC adds fun options for fans—though it doesn’t radically expand the base game.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Donkey Kong Bananza: DK Island & Emerald Rush is another step forward for Nintendo in the world of DLCs, but it stumbles, perhaps, due to its "inexperience" in the field
Review in Greek | Read full review
Donkey Kong Bananza's DLC, DK Island & Emerald Rush, is a complicated package. On the one hand, it is an utter treat being able to revisit DK Island and observe all the hidden details. On the other hand, the new addition lacks any substance, plus the Emerald Rush mode isn't particularly enjoyable. Considering the price of $20, it's hard to recommend the DLC for anyone other than a die-hard fan of both DK Bananza and the roguelite genre.
Isola DK + Caccia agli Smeraldi is a very strange DLC for Bananza, both in terms of its release timing (less than two months after the release of the base game) and its content: a sort of bizarre but intriguing roguelike experiment for Donkey Kong, which allows you to return to explore this world in a slightly different way. Unfortunately, that's all there is to it, and the price tag of £20 doesn't help to raise the final score.
Review in Italian | Read full review
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.