Tag: Donkey Kong - Page 3
Round Up The Reviews Are In For Donkey Kong Bananza
A smash hit?
Well folks, the reviews are now in for Donkey Kong Bananza; Nintendo's first proper 3D platformer for the Switch 2. So, what's the verdict? At the time of writing, the game is sitting at 90 on Metacritic, though it's worth considering that new reviews will likely make themselves known in the coming days, so this might change in either...
Review Donkey Kong Bananza (Switch 2) - Absolutely Smashing, But Can It Beat Mario Odyssey?
Big DK energy
Even though it confirmed my suspicions, the reveal that Donkey Kong Bananza was coming to us from the team behind Super Mario Odyssey couldn't help but strike a little bit of fear into my heart. We know that the group within Nintendo EPD is a talented bunch, but how was I ever going to be able to fully throw myself into another 3D...
News Donkey Kong Bananza's Destruction Idea Came From A Goomba With Hands
Knucklotec hands, to be precise
A new Ask the Developer interview all about Donkey Kong Bananza is now available for your perusal, and it's packed with anecdotes and info about the upcoming 3D platformer. One particularly interesting nugget was that the concept of destruction was actually being worked on before development on Bananza officially...
News Here's What Donkey Kong Bananza Looked Like On Switch 1
Devs started thinking about moving to Switch 2 in 2021
In a recent interview, developers Kenta Motokura and director Kazuya Takahashi from Nintendo confirmed that Donkey Kong Bananza was originally intended for the Switch 1. In a new
News Uh-Oh! It Looks Like Donkey Kong Bananza Is Already Out In The Wild
Update: Story details reportedly begin to leak
[Sun 13th Jul, 2025 19:00 BST]: Donkey Kong Bananza isn't officially available for Switch 2 until next week, but it seems copies may already be out in the wild. As highlighted by GoNintendo, a user on the Nintendo Switch subreddit known as 'Mark7z' has supposedly acquired a copy of DK's anticipated...
Rumour A Nintendo Direct Is Set To Take Place Later This Month, It's Claimed
In addition to Pokémon Presents
YouTuber Nate the Hate has claimed that a Nintendo Direct is due to take place later this month. Speaking on his latest podcast episode, Nate states that a Direct will take place after Donkey Kong Bananza releases on 17th July 2025. He goes on to stress that he does not know any further details, including specific...
News Donkey Kong Bananza Gets Short Clip Celebrating Three Days Until Launch
Not long now!
Are you excited? Because we are excited! Yes, it's getting mighty close to the return of everyone's favourite video game ape, and to celebrate Nintendo has posted a little movie on its social media (and to its Nintendo Today app, naturally) to remind us all that there are precisely three days to go until the launch of Donkey Kong...
News Donkey Kong Might Be Getting His Own Movie
According to a new copyright listing
Following the monumental success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, it seems Nintendo and Universal are keen to expand on its new venture beyond the upcoming sequel in 2026. As reported by Nintendo Everything, a new copyright filing has been spotted that is simply listed as 'Untitled Donkey Kong Project ;Motion...
"We're aware that performance may drop slightly"
Donkey Kong Bananza is shaping up to be an excellent outing for DK, but the recent previews did highlight some performance concerns. The game's director Kazuya Takahashi has now reportedly acknowledged these issues in a chat with the Spanish outlet Lavanguardia – seemingly confirming these frame...
News More Donkey Kong Bananza In-Store Demos Are Releasing Next Week
Available at select retailers in Canada
We're now less than a week out from the arrival of Donkey Kong Bananza and Nintendo has announced it's releasing more playable demos into the wild. If you happen to be located in Canada, Nintendo of Canada has revealed there will be playable demos of the new game at select EB Games and Costco stores. You'll...
News DK Bananza Devs "Needed To Know More About Donkey Kong," So They Went To Miyamoto
It's DK to ask
Donkey Kong Bananza producer Kenta Motokura has revealed that upon receiving his assignment to come up with a new 3D DK game, the first thing the team did was call on the OG Donkey Kong creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, for his take. Speaking in an interview with IGN alongside Bananza director Kazuya Takahashi, Motokura says that following...
News Donkey Kong Bananza, Like Mario Kart World, Was Initially Planned For Switch 1
Times change, consoles change
Nintendo has revealed in a new interview with IGN that Donkey Kong Bananza was originally planned for the Switch 1. Producer Kenta Motokura and director Kazuya Takahashi explained that the game was being built on Switch 1 with the same voxel technology used to create the destructible environments. However, upon...
News Donkey Kong Bananza's Director And Producer Have Been Confirmed
Familiar faces?
Donkey Kong Bananza's key development staff – specifically its director and producer – have been confirmed thanks to a new interview with IGN. We knew that the team behind Super Mario Odyssey has been busy working on Donkey Kong Bananza, but it's now been confirmed that Kazuya Takahashi is serving as the game's director, while...
News Donkey Kong Bananza Gets An Eight-Minute Overview Trailer
DK...Donkey Kong!
We're now just weeks out from the smashing arrival of Donkey Kong Bananza on the Switch 2 and Nintendo has now released an overview trailer. It uploaded plenty of these in the leadup to key releases during the Switch generation and this trend continues with eight minutes of footage for the new Switch 2 exclusive. It highlights DK...
Round Up The Final Previews Are In For Donkey Kong Bananza
DK's Switch 2 outing is almost here
We're now just weeks out from the arrival of Donkey Kong Bananza for the Switch 2 and the final previews are now rolling in. Our very own Jim Norman has already shared his thoughts after three hours with this new 3D entry and he's already thinking it could be something special, despite some minor technical...
News Donkey Kong Bananza Gets Smashing New Commercial
"Unleash your inner Kong"
If a day of previews and impressions aren't enough Donkey Kong Bananza for you, how about a commercial? It's time to unleash your inner Kong. Nintendo has dropped a brand new ad for the upcoming 3D platformer, incorporating the games central premises of music and smashing things up. You won't be able to stop yourself from...
News Donkey Kong Bananza Developer Has Been Revealed
No Cap(py)
We assumed we were going to have to wait until launch day to find out the development team behind Donkey Kong Bananza, but no! Nintendo has surprised us all by announcing it early. As revealed to us at a recent Bananza hands-on event, we now know for sure that Nintendo EPD is behind this one, or, more specifically, "the Super Mario...
Preview Donkey Kong Bananza - DK's Getting His Own Odyssey, And It's A Helluva Trip
Gotta respect the Rambition
Nintendo has a real knack for testing my attention span. I felt it in the subtask-filled Hyrule of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, but, far more importantly for this preview, it's Super Mario Odyssey that most effectively bombarded me with distractions. Even a simple 'Walk to that giant building in New Donk...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Duel - Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles
Itchy...
Hello folks, and welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Last time, we looked at Donkey Konga 2 for the GameCube; a rather lovely sequel that never quite became the hit it deserved to be. In a classic three-way brawl, Japan came out on top with 47% of the vote, but goodness, it was close. North America just missed out with 46% of the...
News Donkey Kong & Pauline Amiibo Is Now Up For Pre-Order From Nintendo (UK)
Be quick!
If you're keen to pick up the upcoming Donkey Kong and Pauline amiibo to cooincide with the release of Donkey Kong Bananza next month, you're in luck: it's now available via the My Nintendo Store in the UK. Priced at £16.99, the amiibo will launch on 17th July 2025 and will unlock an in-game 'Diva Dress' costume for Pauline when used...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Donkey Konga 2
Bongo Brawl
Mmm, bananas. Ahem, sorry about that. We meant to say, welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Before we swing over to this week's bongo brawlers, let's quickly recap what happened last time when three covers from the Dreamcast's Jet Set Radio went head to head (to head). There was a decent spread of votes, but the funky Japanese...
"They are not fast, they are not prolific, they are not pumping out games"
It's fair to say that the reaction to the recent Donkey Kong Bananza Direct has been overwhelmingly positive, and the perception of the already-anticipated Switch 2 title has improved dramatically. In fact, DK's next 3D adventure looks so good that some people speculate it...
News Nintendo Appears To Have Updated Donkey Kong Bananza's Switch 2 File Size
Make some space for DK (and Pauline)
Nintendo shared all sorts of new information about Donkey Kong Bananza during the title's Direct earlier this week. According to updated listings, Nintendo has been able to work its magic and reduce the game's file size from 10GB down to 8.5GB. It's not all that much, but given the size of various other titles...
News The DK Rap Is Back In Donkey Kong Bananza, But Nobody Told Its Composer
No real Kirkhope of a credit either
Yes, as we reported on Wednesday, the DK Rap is back in Donkey Kong Bananza, which as we all know is a very good thing indeed! However, one (perhaps expected, on past evidence) little wrinkle is that Grant Kirkhope, the illustrious composer of the DK Rap, alongside music for the likes of Goldeneye, Banjo-Kazooie,...
News Donkey Kong Bananza Switch 2 Demo Spotted In The Wild
Play it today at a kiosk near you
Following a recent story about Switch 2 kiosks popping up in US stores, we've now got a small but exciting update. If the Donkey Kong Bananza Direct left you wanting to play the game right now, apparently a demo of the game has been added to these same kiosks at locations like Walmart and Target in the US. You can...
News Pauline's Age In Donkey Kong Bananza Has Been Revealed
She ain't no Odd Rock
The recent Donkey Kong Bananza Direct from Nintendo revealed that DK's new companion, Odd Rock, isn't actually Odd Rock at all, but rather a young Pauline. Gasp! We all kind of knew this was coming, of course, thanks to a previous leak, but it's still pretty cool to see just how vital she'll prove to be with the overarching...
Poll So, Will You Be Getting Donkey Kong Bananza For Switch 2?
Go bananas next month
Nintendo has now aired its Donkey Kong Bananza Direct and sure enough, it had quite a few surprises to share. This included the official reveal of Pauline, the return of many of Donkey Kong's old friends and additional features such as amiibo support and Game Share. Along with this, it looks like the gameplay will offer plenty...
Gallery We're Going Bananas For This Fresh Batch Of Donkey Kong Bananza Screenshots
DK, Wrapped
Oof, well this has been quite the day for Donkey Kong Bananza content, eh? The spotlight Direct was absolutely jam-packed with DK goodness, revealing some familiar faces, highlighting a bunch of gameplay mechanics and announcing enough collectibles to make even the most tentative completionist break out in a sweat. On top of all that,...
Reaction Donkey Kong Bananza Has Instantly Become My Most Anticipated Game Of 2025
Sorry, Samus
I have to admit, before the recent Donkey Kong Bananza Direct, I wasn't massively enthusiastic about Nintendo's upcoming Switch 2 platformer. I played about 20 minutes of it at one of the Switch 2 Experience events back in April, and although I was charmed by the aesthetics and the ability to smash up pieces of the environment, I...
Guide Donkey Kong Bananza Direct: Every Announcement - How Would You Rate It?
Peeling back the layers
With its next Switch 2 first-party release on the horizon, Nintendo treated us all to a 15-minute deep dive into Donkey Kong Bananza — and it's fair to say that it was a more jam-packed showing than many of us were expecting. This Bananza blowout featured character reveals, new Kongs, gameplay galore and more musical...
News Sounds Like The 'DK Rap' Is In Donkey Kong Bananza
So it's finally here...
We shouldn't be surprised that Donkey Kong Bananza is stuffed full of musical references. After all, if you're playing Mario Kart World right now, you know Nintendo is going all-in on its musical history right now (it has always, but right now, we're eating). We heard many a classic DK track during the Direct, but one in...
News Check Out Donkey Kong Bananza's All-New Kong Cast Members & Animal Transformations
How are YOUR bananergy levels today?
Well, well, well. We're just fresh from taking in everything that Nintendo's Donkey Kong Bananza Direct has shown us about the incoming Switch 2 game, and there's quite a lot of very exciting things to discuss! Amongst these are the game's all-new Kong cast members alongside Donkey Kong's brand new 'Bananza...
News Donkey Kong Bananza Hasn't Forgotten About Diddy & Dixie Kong After All
Double trouble
Nintendo has lifted the lid on a wealth of Donkey Kong Bananza news, with new and classic characters making a comeback and tons of incredible skills and collectibles to discover. But the biggest news for certain Nintendo and DK fans is only noticeable in a few blink-and-you'll-miss-it moments. Both Diddy Kong and Dixie Kong are...
News Donkey Kong Bananza Switch 2 Box Art Shows Pauline In All Her Glory
Excellent bait and switch
We all knew this was coming following a cheeky little leak some weeks back, but Nintendo has nw showcased the final box art for Donkey Kong Bananza, and it looks incredible. Showcasing Pauline in all her glory, we'd go so far as to say that this box art might go down as an all-timer. It's simply beautiful: the striking...
News Donkey Kong Gets A New amiibo, Nintendo Details How They Work In DK Bananza
Pauline unlocks
Nintendo has revealed amiibo functionality in the upcoming Donkey Kong Bananza, including an all-new Donkey Kong & Pauline figure that's coming out alongside the game on 17th July. The DK Bananza Direct detailed various costumes you can put on DK and the freshly-revealed (but rumoured) Pauline which give each char
News Donkey Kong Bananza Channels Super Mario 64 Energy With Its 'DK Artist' Mode
Sculpt and paint using mouse mode
Nintendo's recent Donkey Kong Bananza Direct shed a load of light on the upcoming platformer, and one of the coolest new additions is undoubtedly DK Artist. Channeling some serious Super Mario 64 energy (in which you could mess around with a 3D model of Mario in the title screen), this mode lets you paint and...
News Donkey Kong Bananza Features Two-Player Co-Op, And You Can Even GameShare To Switch 1
Banana split
Nintendo hit us with a bunch of Donkey Kong Bananza info in that Direct, and one of the features that we're the most excited to see get the ol' confirmation is two-player co-op! Oddrock is out and Pauline is in (who could have seen that coming?), and you can bring a friend along to play as her. Much like Super Mario Odyssey's co-op...
News Say Hello To Pauline In Donkey Kong Bananza
The singing sensation has arrived
The Donkey Kong Bananza Nintendo Direct has confirmed the worst-kept secret about the upcoming platformer — Odd Rock, the purple rock that DK carries around with him, isn't a rock, it's Pauline! In Donkey Kong Bananza, Pauline is a talented singer who wants to reach the Planet's Core to make her dreams come true...
Watch Donkey Kong Bananza Nintendo Direct - Live!
Ap-peel-ing
Put your Switch 2 down for a second, folks, because we are mere minutes away from another Nintendo Direct! It's Donkey Kong Bananza that's taking the spotlight for this one, with a 15-minute deep dive into the upcoming adventure swinging into action at 2pm BST / 6am PDT / 9am EDT / 3pm CEST. We still don't know exactly what the...
Talking Point What Are You Hoping To See In The Donkey Kong Bananza Direct?
Great ExpectAPEtions
What's that? You thought the arrival of Switch 2 a mere two weeks ago would be enough to halt the hype train for a while? Oh no, no, dear readers, Nintendo is full steam ahead, reminding us what's next for the freshest console on the block. The next station stop: Donkey Kong Bananza. A Direct presentation focused on DK's...
News Donkey Kong Bananza Direct Revealed For Wednesday, 18th June 2025
Mmm, bananas
Nintendo has announced that a special Direct focused on Donkey Kong Bananza will be heading our way this week on Wednesday 18th June 2025. The announcement was made via the Nintendo Today! app, where we learnt that the showcase will begin at 2pm BST and will last for roughly 15 minutes. You can find the precise time that the event will...
News Nintendo Reminds Us DK Is On The Way To Switch 2 Next Month
"Yes, that is a Kong surfing on a rock"
The Switch 2 only arrived last week, but Nintendo is already building up the hype for its next game Donkey Kong Bananza. In case you missed it, or want something else from the new hardware, this new 3D Donkey Kong will be launching next month on 17th July. Nintendo has issued a reminder about this via social...
Video Diddy Kong, Tunes & Vines - Here's Everything We Want From Donkey Kong Bananza
All aboard the hype train
We are a little under two months away from Donkey Kong Bananza arriving on Switch 2 now, and it's fair to say we are excited. The first 3D DK platformer in decades is enough to get the hype train running, but let's not pretend that it doesn't come with a hefty dose of trepidation, too. There's a lot riding on this one, and...
Feature Donkey Kong Country 'Mine Cart Madness' Helped Me Face My Fear Of Roller Coasters
I guess you could say I "yearn for the mines" now
I’m absolutely terrified of roller coasters. The lack of control you have, the speed, high heights, twists and turns - all this makes for something I’ve never been able to convince myself is worth the thrill. It was easy to get over my fear of flying in aeroplanes as there’s always something...
News Shigeru Miyamoto Explains Why Donkey Kong Has Been Redesigned
You want expressive? You got it
Donkey Kong's recent redesign has been a huge point of discussion in recent weeks, and it seems that most fans are becoming quite fond of the character's new look. Nintendo has been pretty quiet on why Donkey Kong went through a complete redesign, but in a new interview with IGN, the legendary Shigeru Miyamoto shed a...
News Nintendo Shares More Artwork Of Diddy Kong's Brand New Design
Just in time for Switch 2
The Switch 2 generation is making updates and changes all over the shop, but one of the major talking points has been the redesign of Donkey Kong. He's sporting a new look in Mario Kart World and the new release Donkey Kong Bananza and as we found out last week, Diddy Kong is also getting a slight refresh. In a new update,...
News Nintendo Unveils Diddy Kong's Brand New Design
Cap's off
Diddy Kong has been strangely missing in action from much of Nintendo's marketing, particularly around the Switch 2. At least he was there when Donkey Kong Country Returns HD came out in January...? Anyway, the big question on everyone's lips when Donkey Kong was shown off in Mario Kart World back in January, sporting a brand new design...
Rumour Donkey Kong Bananza May Include A Local Multiplayer Component
What could it be..?
Despite Donkey Kong Bananza being a little over two months away from its 17th July release, much mystery surrounds the upcoming platformer. Case in point, a new discovery from user 'Triistan' on Famiboards seems to point towards the game containing some sort of local multiplayer component. Make sure to slot this into the filing...
News Donkey Kong Country Returns HD Has Sold Over 1 Million Copies On Switch
Make way for Bananza
Nintendo has confirmed that Donkey Kong Country Returns HD has surpassed 1 million in sales, reaching a total of 1.27 million. Released on 16th January 2025, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD's performance is about what we were expecting, but it's nevertheless an impressive achievement within just a month and a half. That said, it...
Random YouTuber Cracks Donkey Kong Bananza's Secret Language Before L(a)unch
We speak banana now
While the rest of us mere mortal Nintendo fans have been busy poring over trailers for upcoming Switch 2 games, enjoying the nice graphics and fancy new characters, some folk have been taking things a little more seriously. Yes, as it turns out, if any of us were actually paying attention, we'd have noticed that the Donkey Kong...

















































