We are now just two weeks away from Donkey Kong Bananza arriving on the Nintendo Switch 2, and people are pretty darn hyped for its arrival. After all, this will not only be the first original DK game since the Wii U era, but it’ll be the first time in an even longer time that DK has been pushed in a new direction that could help redefine his franchise. To help celebrate the occasion, Nintendo released an official overview trailer for the title. Admittedly, the trailer is pretty much highlights from the Nintendo Direct we had a few weeks ago, but it still breaks down the game pretty well.
The game focuses on Donkey Kong as he goes to a place called Ingot Isle to try and collect as many golden bananas as he can. As we all know, DK loves his bananas. Anyway, an event happens that puts him in an underground world, and through his attempts to get back to where he came from, he meets a being known as the “Odd Rock,” which eventually reveals itself to be Pauline!
She was captured by the evil Void Company, which had dark plans for her and the golden bananas. Now, DK and Pauline must team up to reach the planet’s core, where a rumored “wish” will be waiting for them, and they can use it to get back to the surface!
Gameplay is what will help Donkey Kong Bananza stand out from the more recent titles that Retro Studios made during the Wii/Wii U era. Instead of a side-scrolling adventure, DK will have free rein over the many layers of the underground world. Not only will he be able to travel in every direction, but he can destroy the terrain as he pleases! Don’t worry; you can also restore the landscape if you think you’ve “done too much,” as some puzzles do require some “precision demolition.” Through his various skills, Donkey Kong can bash through walls, make tunnels underground, pick up chunks of the ground to throw at enemies or straight-up bash them with it, and even detect where hidden items are.
This doesn’t even touch on his “Bananza forms,” where, with the help of Pauline, Donkey Kong can transform to get even more power and abilities! If you want to play with friends, you can co-op with another player, and they’ll get to help you as Pauline!
The game arrives on Nintendo Switch 2 on July 17th. Check out the full trailer below:
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