- Publisher: Nintendo
- Release Date: Jul 17, 2025
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Jul 16, 2025The bravest Nintendo has shrugged off the easy sell of another Super Mario to embrace an adventure that smacks of plumberdom but has a completely different flavor. Donkey Kong and Pauline become a fun and endearing duo that demonstrates the potential of Switch 2 and shows us that taking other paths can also be successful. [Recommended]
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Jul 16, 2025The adorable relationship between young Pauline and the silent Donkey Kong is the icing on a very satisfying cake here. Even though Mario is nowhere to be seen, Donkey Kong Bananza seems destined to be thought of in the same breath as the Mario games that have come to define earlier Nintendo hardware launches.
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Jul 16, 2025This is a game as vibrant and kinetic as Sony's fantastic Astro Bot and similarly full of things to search for and do. In comparison, Super Mario Odyssey now seems surprisingly quiet and chill. And yes, this game is worth getting a Switch 2 for -- that was the idea all along. It's nice to see that Nintendo really pulled it off, though. Combined with Mario Kart World, this is a heck of a one-two punch. I'd still love a proper 3D Mario sequel someday, but Bananza is practically that right now.
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Jul 16, 2025Bananza is a dad game the same way The Last of Us is a dad game. Same world-trekking adventure with a big strong dude protecting a powerful little girl. But where TLOU makes you have big sad feelings about all the people the game forces you to kill, Bananza presents you with a slight alternative — what if you could use your powers to fuck shit up and not be a dick about it? DK smiles often. People are happy to see him. That friendly rock I mentioned earlier? When you punch him or any NPC, it turns into a high five. All that destruction is welcome because it’s helping restore the world.
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