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Donkey Kong Bananza is a 2025 platform game developed by Nintendo EPD for the Nintendo Switch 2. The player controls the gorilla Donkey Kong, who travels underground accompanied by the teenager Pauline to obtain a wish-granting object at the planet's core. Similar to Super Mario Odyssey (2017), from the same studio, the player explores sandbox-style levels while completing objectives, facing enemies, and collecting items. Bananza stands out for its destructible environments; the player can destroy most of the terrain to create paths and find items. It is possible to improve Donkey Kong's abilities by collecting banana-shaped diamonds and obtaining transformations through power-ups.
EPD began working on Donkey Kong Bananza after the completion of Super Mario Odyssey, following a request from manager Yoshiaki Koizumi. It was the first Donkey Kong game developed internally by Nintendo since Donkey Kong Jungle Beat (2004), and Koizumi and Donkey Kong creator Shigeru Miyamoto provided guidance. EPD sought to honor the franchise's past while establishing a new direction. The team made greater use of voxel technology that allowed players to manipulate the terrain in some Odyssey levels, creating expansive and destructible worlds that emphasized Donkey Kong's strength. Development began on the original Nintendo Switch but was moved to the Switch 2 due to technical limitations. Nintendo released Donkey Kong Bananza on July 17, 2025, following a marketing campaign that included presentations on Nintendo Direct, demo screenings, and games-as-a-service events. It was the first original Donkey Kong game since Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (2014) and the first 3D platformer since Donkey Kong 64 (1999). Bananza received critical acclaim; reviewers hailed it as the killer app for the Switch 2 and praised its visuals, gameplay, and story, but criticized the camera and frame rate. It sold 3.49 million copies as of September 2025, making it the second best-selling Switch 2 game. It was one of the highest-rated games of 2025 and received numerous nominations, including Game of the Year.
EPD began working on Donkey Kong Bananza after the completion of Super Mario Odyssey, following a request from manager Yoshiaki Koizumi. It was the first Donkey Kong game developed internally by Nintendo since Donkey Kong Jungle Beat (2004), and Koizumi and Donkey Kong creator Shigeru Miyamoto provided guidance. EPD sought to honor the franchise's past while establishing a new direction. The team made greater use of voxel technology that allowed players to manipulate the terrain in some Odyssey levels, creating expansive and destructible worlds that emphasized Donkey Kong's strength. Development began on the original Nintendo Switch but was moved to the Switch 2 due to technical limitations. Nintendo released Donkey Kong Bananza on July 17, 2025, following a marketing campaign that included presentations on Nintendo Direct, demo screenings, and games-as-a-service events. It was the first original Donkey Kong game since Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (2014) and the first 3D platformer since Donkey Kong 64 (1999). Bananza received critical acclaim; reviewers hailed it as the killer app for the Switch 2 and praised its visuals, gameplay, and story, but criticized the camera and frame rate. It sold 3.49 million copies as of September 2025, making it the second best-selling Switch 2 game. It was one of the highest-rated games of 2025 and received numerous nominations, including Game of the Year.