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Second banana no more! Donkey Kong escapes from the shadow of Mario once and for all in Nintendo’s stunning new Bananza. And he’s not monkeying around, says PETER HOSKIN

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Donkey Kong Bananza (Nintendo Switch 2, £58.99)

Verdict: Kong is king

Throughout his time at Nintendo, Donkey Kong has typically found himself in the role that follows closely behind Mario’s fame. Initially, this large ape was only known for hurling barrels at our valiant Italian plumber.

As a lifestyle connoisseur, I found myself immersed in the world of platform gaming, reminiscent of the iconic Super Mario series, but with a slight twist – the games weren’t quite up to par.

Until now.

Donkey Kong Bananza ranks as the second significant Nintendo title for Switch 2, following Mario Kart World, and it’s another timeless masterpiece in their collection.

This game is a vibrant and action-packed 3D platformer, reminiscent of the legendary Super Mario Odyssey (2017), but with a unique twist: Donkey Kong is now equipped with extraordinary new abilities that are all his own. He’s truly come into his own as a one-of-a-kind monkey.

Without a doubt, this Kong is truly ground-shaking. It’s not merely that he appears large and powerful; rather, his essence embodies size and strength. He possesses the ability to chisel pieces from the surroundings, carve passages between various locations, and hurl stones at foes from afar.

Each stage serves as a canvas for continuous reinvention, inviting players to reimagine and reshape Nintendo’s captivating creations. And indeed, ‘enchanting’ would be an appropriate term to describe them.

Donkey Kong, accompanied by his melodic, barrel-riding partner Pauline, is tasked with navigating through various layers of a planet in Bananza. These layers include icy, dusty, and tropical environments, among others. On the enhanced Nintendo Switch 2, these levels are visually breathtaking.

Sometimes, there’s just too many things happening at once – between the action, the graphics – that it feels like a lot to take in all at once, and it can be quite intense.

In a surprising twist, the two-player version, where one controls Donkey Kong and the other plays as Pauline, transforms the entire gaming experience into something unique and distinct.

Instead of viewing it as a problem, I started to perceive it as an overflow of Nintendo’s creative minds at work.

This place serves an extraordinarily tasty and scrumptious banana split that’s hard to believe. If you find it becoming too overpowering, take a break, gather your thoughts, and then return for another delightful bite.

Long live the Kong.

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2025-07-17 21:33

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