FOREST LAYER | Donkey Kong Bananza Gameplay Walkthrough Part 3 | No Commentary NS2
8Donkey Kong Bananza[b] is a 2025 platform game developed by Nintendo EPD for the Nintendo Switch 2. The player controls the gorilla Donkey Kong, who ventures underground with a young Pauline to recover stolen banana-shaped diamonds from a group of villainous apes. It plays similarly to EPD's Super Mario Odyssey (2017), with players exploring sandbox-like levels while completing objectives, battling enemies, and collecting objects. Bananza is distinguished by its destructible environments; the player can destroy most terrain to create paths and find items.
EPD began working on Donkey Kong Bananza following Super Mario Odyssey's completion. It was the first Donkey Kong game that Nintendo developed internally since Donkey Kong Jungle Beat (2004); development began on the original Nintendo Switch, but shifted to the Switch 2 after EPD determined that it would better realize their concepts. They used the voxel technology that allowed players to manipulate terrain in some Odyssey levels to a significantly greater degree, designing large, destructible worlds emphasizing Donkey Kong's strength.
Nintendo released Donkey Kong Bananza on July 17, 2025, as the first original Donkey Kong game since Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (2014) and the first 3D platformer since Donkey Kong 64 (1999). It received acclaim from critics, who considered it the Switch 2's killer app. They praised its visuals, gameplay, and story, but criticized its camera and frame rate.
Donkey Kong Bananza is a 3D platformer and adventure game that emphasizes destruction and open-world exploration.[1][2] Journalists have compared it to Super Mario Odyssey (2017),[3][4][5] with some describing it as a successor.[c] As the gorilla Donkey Kong, the player seeks to collect the Banandium Gems,[10] golden banana-shaped diamonds,[11][3] while exploring sandbox-like levels in an underground world.[6][12] Each underground layer has a unique theme, including ice, lava, and tropical biomes.[13]
Donkey Kong can roll,[14] punch, slap the terrain, pick up and throw objects, and climb most surfaces.[2][4] The player learns five animal-themed power-up transformations from non-player character (NPC) elders: a gorilla transformation that increases Donkey Kong's strength; a zebra transformation that increases his speed; an ostrich transformation that allows him to glide and drop egg bombs; an elephant transformation that allows him to inhale and spit terrain; and a snake transformation that increases his jump height.[15] The player can use and swap between transformations at any time, though their duration is limited by an energy meter.[10]
The player completes missions, solves puzzles, and fights enemies to collect Banandium Gems,[6][4] which can also be found by exploring or progressing through the story.[6] Banandium Gems are used to upgrade Donkey Kong's abilities from a skill tree.[10] There are 999 Banandium Gems, 777 of which are unique.[16] Collecting them is optional, and it is possible to complete the game without obtaining any.[17] While exploring, the player discovers secluded areas where they must complete challenges including platforming, solving puzzles, defeating enemies within a time limit, and mining for gold.[6][18] They are rewarded Banandium Gems or gold upon completion.[6] Some areas contain side-scrolling sections,[19] referencing the Donkey Kong Country games,[8][20] and minecarts.[12]
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