One moment in Donkey Kong Bananza felt like a revelation – like seeing the image of the Mona Lisa for the first time. I’d simply punched my way straight down a mountain and landed on a Banandium Gem. Sprawled behind me was a lengthy platforming puzzle. My wanton destruction had let me punch my way out of doing an entire puzzle, and now the possibilities seemed endless.
Donkey Kong Bananza gives Mario’s rival ape the biggest adventure he’s had since the Nintendo 64, and it’s hard to think of a better killer app for the Nintendo Switch 2 right now. But even more than that, Bananza feels like one of the most innovative games that Nintendo has put out in decades – adding it to the already lengthy list. It’s a fantastically freeing platformer that gives you the tools to shape and mold the environment how you see fit, and complements it with wild powers, smart puzzles, and fantastic boss battles. A Nintendo platformer hasn’t felt this revolutionary since Super Mario Sunshine – and even though I’ve done everything in the game, I can’t stop playing.
