@Ramouz I think in your case you could make a second Switch account that's based in Japan, which should circumvent the eShop funds issue. Then share the virtual game card with your main Switch account like @conditionals has done.
Yes, that's the same page I was talking about, just a different way of getting there. 😊
@conditionals Glad to hear it worked for you. Unless prices start dropping soon, this'll likely be my method of buying games going forward. It's a shame to be priced out of physical (so far), but the savings are too good to pass up.
Honestly, the game is way better than I expected it to be. I went in expecting another Odyssey, and I'm glad that isn't the case.
I'm having the most fun in the challenge rooms though, as I find the main game to be a bit too easy. Some boss fights are over within seconds, which is my biggest disappointment with Bananza.
The presentation is wonderful though, so it's currently a 9/10 for me.
I imagine Nintendo's idea behind pushing a Donkey Kong title was to create more exposure for him in the lead up to the DK movie that appears to be in the pipeline. And then that film will help sell more units of this game. It's a win-win for Nintendo.
@9_10DOH64 Well, the 2D challenges certainly sounded like DKC to me. As a side note, Wise doesn't have to be contracted in order for his music to be used.
@Medic_alert Interesting you should say that, as I've only experienced that with The Last Guardian too. I've restarted it three times and never finished it for that reason.
@Vegeta937 No problem. Something I forgot to mention is, you need to change the address in your 'Content Library' (under 'Your Account' ) on Amazon.co.jp to a Japanese address. Your billing address should still match the card you're paying with. You only have to set that up once though.
@Suketoudara No, you just switch your region to Japan in your profile in my.nintendo.com, go to the eShop on your Switch, and then scroll down to the bottom of the menu to redeem your Amazon code. You can switch back to your region immediately after.
You'll need an Amazon.co.jp account, but that website has an English language option.
The physical/digital argument falls flat now with Switch 2. I collected physical where possible on Switch, but on Switch 2 games are way more expensive and I only have finite amount of disposable income. DKB is £65 physically on Amazon UK, yet it was £36 digitally on Amazon Japan. I opted for the £29 saving, as I'm sure many others have done.
DKB has been a very pleasant surprise for me, as it's not the 'Odyssey but with DK' game I was expecting it to be. Yeah, there's a lot of collectables, but the skill tree makes a lot of the extra effort feel worthwhile. I think my only real disappoint, so far, is how quickly the boss fights are over. A few times now I've been left thinking "was that it?".
Anyways, this weekend is going to be DKB, Splatoon 3, F-Zero 99, and I really need to get back Xenoblade Chronicles X. Have a good one, team!
"So we built something borderline insane. The game would detect when you pressed jump, start the animation, then continuously measure how long you held the button."
Pretty sure that's how the jump worked in Super Mario Bros. on the NES too...
@Medic_alert It was the first thing I did after the opening. Fortunately, I'd seen a video on the Nintendo Today app about swapping the A and B buttons a few days earlier.
@Paulo That is the right answer. Saying that, Donkey Kong Bananza is the most fun I've had with a 3D platformer since Super Mario 3D World first released back on Wii U.
@Hank_Scorpio It looks like this is going to be future of buying Switch 2 games for me. I've always leaned towards physical, but I can't justify it now the price difference is £20-30 a game compared to Japan's digital prices.
If there's an upgrade path that must mean the Switch 2 version is a Switch 2 Edition release, based on what we've seen so far. Unless of course Nintendo is changing its policy (which it should!).
After the 9 that NL granted Mario Kart World, I'm gonna have to take this review with a pinch of salt. Especially as Jim tends to be one of the more forgiving reviewers on this site.
It looks like it's a good game but I didn't think Odyssey was 'all that', so I was hoping DKB was going to be an objectively better experience.
Back on topic: I've never used these grips before, but I do find the Switch 2 much more comfortable to hold than its predecessor. Saying that, it's still not as comfortable as the Switch Lite.
Personally, I could have done with having DKB as a launch title beside MKW, as I haven't touched the latter in the last couple of weeks. It was probably the most disappointing launch title I can recall, so a solid single-player platformer would have been just the ticket to play alongside it.
This sort of practice is making the PS5 look like a more tempting purchase for me now. I'm sure that wasn't Nintendo's intention when it introduced these Game-Key Cards, but I can't be the only one thinking along these lines currently.
I don't have high hopes for many new announcements from the next Direct (whenever it turns out to be), but I would like to see Switch 2 Editions/upgrades for the Xenoblade series.
@Medic_alert It's interesting to hear you've had a change of heart regarding GKCs, as you were one of the first people I saw on here going 'all in'.
You make an interesting point about buying games for the PlayStation too, as I'm feeling a bit pushed in that direction now, which seems a shame seeing as I've forked out for this shiny new Nintendo system. Oh well...
@MamaSymphonia It's likely people like me who hate the Switch 2 Editions' box art, so they opt for the Switch version and get the upgrade. I'll be doing the same with Metroid Prime 4.
In all seriousness, it doesn't send a great message to third-party developers does it? "Well, if Nintendo's own titles can't run at a solid 60fps on its latest hardware, you can hardly expect ours to."
Interesting. I don't recall any issues with 1000xRESIST other than the initial loading time. Can't wait until I can play that game again though, but my memory of the story will need to fade a bit first.
Splatoon 3 for the Summer Nights Splatfest! This'll be the first one since the Switch 2 upgrade, so I'm looking forward to going around both hubs in all their glory over the next couple of days.
I'd also like to say a bit of MKW, but I've not played that in two weeks now. Oh well, at least there's always the superior F-Zero 99.
This was going to be a day one purchase for me but I didn't have the space for it, so I figured I'd stick with MKW and Fast Fusion until NL's review came out. Those space restrictions can sometimes work in your favour! 😅
I'll pick this up once it's patched and hopefully discounted. I've got the first and second game on PS4, so I'm only really buying it for the third one anyway.
For those of you who've read Ask Iwata and would still like to learn more about him, I highly recommend The Impact of Iwata by Lucas M. Thomas. It's much more of a biography than Ask Iwata and features some really lovely illustrations.
I still get a bit emotional every time I think of Iwata-san. He had a unique approach to his work. Nintendo really hasn't been the same without him.
Taking that pay cut during the Wii U-era was such an honourable thing to do. It's something I often think about with all the doom and gloom coming out of the industry in recent years. I really wish he'd been around to see the success of the Switch.
Comments 2,048
Re: Nintendo Music Update Adds 26 "Old-School" NES And Famicom Game Albums
@Pillowpants If your PC is running Windows 11, you can install the Android app.
Re: 112 Games You Should Pick Up In Nintendo's Summer Switch eShop Sale (Europe)
I wish I could play 1000xRESIST again for the first time.
Re: UK Charts: Donkey Kong Bananza Is A Hit, But Sells Less Than Half Of Super Mario Odyssey
@Ramouz I think in your case you could make a second Switch account that's based in Japan, which should circumvent the eShop funds issue. Then share the virtual game card with your main Switch account like @conditionals has done.
Yes, that's the same page I was talking about, just a different way of getting there. 😊
Re: UK Charts: Donkey Kong Bananza Is A Hit, But Sells Less Than Half Of Super Mario Odyssey
@Dragnoran And to those outside of Japan, as shown in the comment above yours.
Re: UK Charts: Donkey Kong Bananza Is A Hit, But Sells Less Than Half Of Super Mario Odyssey
@conditionals Glad to hear it worked for you. Unless prices start dropping soon, this'll likely be my method of buying games going forward. It's a shame to be priced out of physical (so far), but the savings are too good to pass up.
Re: Poll: What Review Score Would You Give Donkey Kong Bananza?
Honestly, the game is way better than I expected it to be. I went in expecting another Odyssey, and I'm glad that isn't the case.
I'm having the most fun in the challenge rooms though, as I find the main game to be a bit too easy. Some boss fights are over within seconds, which is my biggest disappointment with Bananza.
The presentation is wonderful though, so it's currently a 9/10 for me.
Re: UK Charts: Donkey Kong Bananza Is A Hit, But Sells Less Than Half Of Super Mario Odyssey
I imagine Nintendo's idea behind pushing a Donkey Kong title was to create more exposure for him in the lead up to the DK movie that appears to be in the pipeline. And then that film will help sell more units of this game. It's a win-win for Nintendo.
Re: Random: Here's A Few Of Our Favourite Donkey Kong Bananza Easter Eggs
It didn't even cross my mind to trash DK's house. You menace.
Re: Poll: Has Donkey Kong Bananza Made You Feel Ill?
@9_10DOH64 Well, the 2D challenges certainly sounded like DKC to me. As a side note, Wise doesn't have to be contracted in order for his music to be used.
Re: Poll: Has Donkey Kong Bananza Made You Feel Ill?
@9_10DOH64 There's definitely some Donkey Kong Country music in the game.
Re: Poll: Has Donkey Kong Bananza Made You Feel Ill?
@Medic_alert Interesting you should say that, as I've only experienced that with The Last Guardian too. I've restarted it three times and never finished it for that reason.
Re: UK Charts: Donkey Kong Bananza Is A Hit, But Sells Less Than Half Of Super Mario Odyssey
@Vegeta937 No problem. Something I forgot to mention is, you need to change the address in your 'Content Library' (under 'Your Account' ) on Amazon.co.jp to a Japanese address. Your billing address should still match the card you're paying with. You only have to set that up once though.
Re: UK Charts: Donkey Kong Bananza Is A Hit, But Sells Less Than Half Of Super Mario Odyssey
@Suketoudara No, you just switch your region to Japan in your profile in my.nintendo.com, go to the eShop on your Switch, and then scroll down to the bottom of the menu to redeem your Amazon code. You can switch back to your region immediately after.
You'll need an Amazon.co.jp account, but that website has an English language option.
Re: UK Charts: Donkey Kong Bananza Is A Hit, But Sells Less Then Half Of Super Mario Odyssey
The physical/digital argument falls flat now with Switch 2. I collected physical where possible on Switch, but on Switch 2 games are way more expensive and I only have finite amount of disposable income. DKB is £65 physically on Amazon UK, yet it was £36 digitally on Amazon Japan. I opted for the £29 saving, as I'm sure many others have done.
Re: Video: Switch 2 Vs. Steam Deck System Face-Off, Digital Foundry Investigates
"...a fight between a console and essentially a PC"
That's really all that needed to be said, isn't it?
Re: Mini Review: Belkin Charging Case For Switch 2 - A Great Idea, With Middling Execution
The non-battery version of this case is a much better fit. It's only £17.99 on Amazon too.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (19th July)
"Super, smashing, great"
DKB has been a very pleasant surprise for me, as it's not the 'Odyssey but with DK' game I was expecting it to be. Yeah, there's a lot of collectables, but the skill tree makes a lot of the extra effort feel worthwhile. I think my only real disappoint, so far, is how quickly the boss fights are over. A few times now I've been left thinking "was that it?".
Anyways, this weekend is going to be DKB, Splatoon 3, F-Zero 99, and I really need to get back Xenoblade Chronicles X. Have a good one, team!
Re: Crash Bandicoot Co-Creator Believes The Remakes "Botched" The Jump Mechanics
"So we built something borderline insane. The game would detect when you pressed jump, start the animation, then continuously measure how long you held the button."
Pretty sure that's how the jump worked in Super Mario Bros. on the NES too...
Re: Random: Shigeru Miyamoto Did Exactly What We Did When Playtesting Donkey Kong Bananza
@Medic_alert It was the first thing I did after the opening. Fortunately, I'd seen a video on the Nintendo Today app about swapping the A and B buttons a few days earlier.
Re: Mini Review: WaterField Designs CitySlicker For Switch 2 - A Classic Design Lives On
Re: ICYMI: Here's A Look Inside Donkey Kong Bananza's Switch 2 Game Case
So far, I've not bought any Switch 2 games physically, which feels weird as I went out of my way to go physical where possible on the original Switch.
Mario Kart World was a digital bundle, Fast Fusion is digital only (at the moment), and Kunitsu Gami is digital only in Europe (GKC in Japan).
I was going to get DKB physically but £65 is unjustifiable when the (Japanese) eShop version is just £36.
I'll pick up Metroid Prime 4 physically, but that'll be the Switch version, as I can't stand the butchered box art on Switch 2 Editions.
Re: Donkey Kong Bananza Credits Confirm The Voice Actors Behind DK And Pauline
Jenny Kidd as young Pauline seems perfect to me. Probably the best casting we've had from Nintendo in recent years.
Re: Mario Kart World Devs Perfected Its Controls By Skating And Riding During Their Lunch Breaks
They perfected Super Mario Galaxy by visiting different planets during their lunch breaks.
Re: Review: Donkey Kong Bananza (Switch 2) - Absolutely Smashing, But Can It Beat Mario Odyssey?
@Paulo That is the right answer. Saying that, Donkey Kong Bananza is the most fun I've had with a 3D platformer since Super Mario 3D World first released back on Wii U.
Re: Where To Buy Donkey Kong Bananza On Nintendo Switch 2 + DK & Pauline amiibo
@Hank_Scorpio It looks like this is going to be future of buying Switch 2 games for me. I've always leaned towards physical, but I can't justify it now the price difference is £20-30 a game compared to Japan's digital prices.
Re: Random: Pikachu Statue Saved From The Trash Was From 'The First Movie' Premiere
Some people are just heartless. I'm not a Pokémon fan, but you can't bin Pikachu.
Re: Sonic Racing: Crossworlds On Switch 2 Will Feature The Full Base Game On Cartridge
If there's an upgrade path that must mean the Switch 2 version is a Switch 2 Edition release, based on what we've seen so far. Unless of course Nintendo is changing its policy (which it should!).
Re: Donkey Kong Bananza Version 1.1.0 Update Now Live, Here Are The Patch Notes
@OctolingKing13 "WHAT DO U DAY"? I'm sure they're writing up your contract right now. 😉
Re: Review: Donkey Kong Bananza (Switch 2) - Absolutely Smashing, But Can It Beat Mario Odyssey?
@Axecon I recommend reading Eurogamer's review for those answers.
Re: Review: Donkey Kong Bananza (Switch 2) - Absolutely Smashing, But Can It Beat Mario Odyssey?
After the 9 that NL granted Mario Kart World, I'm gonna have to take this review with a pinch of salt. Especially as Jim tends to be one of the more forgiving reviewers on this site.
It looks like it's a good game but I didn't think Odyssey was 'all that', so I was hoping DKB was going to be an objectively better experience.
Re: Nintendo Announces First Cast Members For The Legend Of Zelda Movie
I don't know them, which is obviously a good thing.
Now watch Jack Black get cast as Ganon...
Re: The First Review For Donkey Kong Bananza Is In
@DaGoldenBoo So Odyssey, basically.
Re: Review: Savage Raven By Skull & Co. NeoGrip For Nintendo Switch 2 - Does The Job Very Nicely
Ay up, PJ's back! 🙂
Back on topic: I've never used these grips before, but I do find the Switch 2 much more comfortable to hold than its predecessor. Saying that, it's still not as comfortable as the Switch Lite.
Re: Opinion: Honestly, I'm So Glad We Had To Wait For Donkey Kong Bananza
Personally, I could have done with having DKB as a launch title beside MKW, as I haven't touched the latter in the last couple of weeks. It was probably the most disappointing launch title I can recall, so a solid single-player platformer would have been just the ticket to play alongside it.
Re: Square Enix Rules Out Switch 2 "Upgrade Path" For Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake
This sort of practice is making the PS5 look like a more tempting purchase for me now. I'm sure that wasn't Nintendo's intention when it introduced these Game-Key Cards, but I can't be the only one thinking along these lines currently.
Re: Rumour: A Nintendo Direct Is Set To Take Place Later This Month, It's Claimed
I don't have high hopes for many new announcements from the next Direct (whenever it turns out to be), but I would like to see Switch 2 Editions/upgrades for the Xenoblade series.
Re: Best Nintendo Switch 2 Cases
@Elock If they can be made into affiliate links, they're 'the best'.
Re: Nintendo Is Seeking Player Feedback On Game-Key Cards In Japan
@Medic_alert It's interesting to hear you've had a change of heart regarding GKCs, as you were one of the first people I saw on here going 'all in'.
You make an interesting point about buying games for the PlayStation too, as I'm feeling a bit pushed in that direction now, which seems a shame seeing as I've forked out for this shiny new Nintendo system. Oh well...
Re: UK Charts: Tony Hawk Puts Up A Gnarly Debut, But There's No Catching Mario Kart World
@MamaSymphonia It's likely people like me who hate the Switch 2 Editions' box art, so they opt for the Switch version and get the upgrade. I'll be doing the same with Metroid Prime 4.
Re: UK Charts: Tony Hawk Puts Up A Gnarly Debut, But There's No Catching Mario Kart World
Seems like Code-in-a-Box isn't all that popular... Who knew?
Re: Best Nintendo Switch 2 Cases
I recently picked up this Belkin case, and it's perfect for my needs:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Belkin-Gaming-Nintendo-Switch-Storage/dp/B0F8WRHMGT/ref=sr_1_4?sr=8-4
Re: Tony Hawk Reiterates Decisions Behind Song Choices In Pro Skater 3 + 4
As a huge Danny Brown fan, they really did pick a poor song from him. I guess it's a bit more 'family-friendly' than most of his other stuff though. 😅
Re: Donkey Kong Bananza Director Acknowledges Performance Drops: "We Prioritized Fun And Playability"
Gonna hold out for the Switch 3 Edition.
In all seriousness, it doesn't send a great message to third-party developers does it? "Well, if Nintendo's own titles can't run at a solid 60fps on its latest hardware, you can hardly expect ours to."
Re: Feature: 33 Games With 'Secret' Performance Bumps You Should Revisit On Switch 2
Interesting. I don't recall any issues with 1000xRESIST other than the initial loading time. Can't wait until I can play that game again though, but my memory of the story will need to fade a bit first.
Re: 'The Hundred Line' Dev No Longer Sees "Bankruptcy As A Serious Future"
@Theghostofkeithmoon There already is, but only in the US and Japan.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (12th July)
Splatoon 3 for the Summer Nights Splatfest! This'll be the first one since the Switch 2 upgrade, so I'm looking forward to going around both hubs in all their glory over the next couple of days.
I'd also like to say a bit of MKW, but I've not played that in two weeks now. Oh well, at least there's always the superior F-Zero 99.
Happy gaming, folks. 🙂
Re: Review: Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 (Switch 2) - A Welcome Reminder Of The Series' Glory Days
@AllieKitsune My first thought too. What a banger of a tune that is!
Re: Hitman Developer Is Working On Switch 2 Performance Issues "Right Now"
This was going to be a day one purchase for me but I didn't have the space for it, so I figured I'd stick with MKW and Fast Fusion until NL's review came out. Those space restrictions can sometimes work in your favour! 😅
I'll pick this up once it's patched and hopefully discounted. I've got the first and second game on PS4, so I'm only really buying it for the third one anyway.
Re: Sakurai Gives An Update On 'Kirby Air Riders' And Pays Tribute To Iwata
For those of you who've read Ask Iwata and would still like to learn more about him, I highly recommend The Impact of Iwata by Lucas M. Thomas. It's much more of a biography than Ask Iwata and features some really lovely illustrations.
Re: Anniversary: 10 Years After His Passing, Satoru Iwata's Thoughts Are More Relevant Than Ever
I still get a bit emotional every time I think of Iwata-san. He had a unique approach to his work. Nintendo really hasn't been the same without him.
Taking that pay cut during the Wii U-era was such an honourable thing to do. It's something I often think about with all the doom and gloom coming out of the industry in recent years. I really wish he'd been around to see the success of the Switch.