Donkey Kong Bananza

Donkey Kong Bananza is a truly groundbreaking 3D platformer, with satisfying movement, powerful abilities, impressive destructible environments, and clever challenges that all come together in complete harmony to create Nintendo’s first Switch 2 masterpiece.

Donkey Kong Bananza is a raucous, wildly inventive, and propulsive platformer that reboots one of Nintendo's most iconic mascots.

A brilliant core mechanic and clever design twists make Bananza a delightfully sticky 3D platform adventure topped off with a sweet central character relationship.

Who needs all that platforming when you can just dig there?

Donkey Kong and Pauline’s adventure is a showpiece for Nintendo’s new console, and it meets the incredibly high standard the developer has been setting for itself since the ‘80s.

Given that its hero can smash through any barrier – which is delightful fun in itself – Nintendo's new 3D platformer has a surreal freeform audacity

“Donkey Kong Bananza” is a perfect crystallization of Nintendo’s game design philosophy. As the debut big adventure for the new console and its increased computational power, Nintendo wants this belief to punch through: Technology for the sake of play, not just for visual pleasure, is king.

Falling short of Odyssey’s genius, Donkey Kong Bananza is still a top-tier Switch 2 platformer from the masters of the genre. A heartfelt story and pleasing nods to DK's past make this the ape's most memorable adventure in many years.

A hallmark of excellence. There may be flaws, but they are negligible and won't cause massive damage.

Donkey Kong Bananza is an almighty re-introduction to the world of 3D platforming for DK, and arguably the Switch 2's first absolute must-play. The punching and crashing is a passing novelty that, once you get your fill, quickly becomes just another way of exploring the wonderfully varied and beautifully presented layers.Whether it's smashing through the scenery with a Bananza Transformation or carefully planning a route to a hidden Banandium Gem, you'll have trouble finding more originality and, crucially, more enjoyment from a platformer in recent years. As the DK Rap so wisely said, "Donkey Kong is here." Now let's just hope he stays.