Donkey Kong Bananzaisn’t aMariogame. I know, it takes place in the same universe and is happily using the same iconography as part of this new presentation, but there are a number of things that make it feel distinctly DK. Its character designs, level layout, atmosphere, and mechanics fly in the face of what we expected from traditionalNintendoplatformers during a time when we’ve all been wishing for one more than ever.
This isn’tSuper Mario Odyssey 2, and despite being developed by the same team, it isn’t intended to be. The framework is there, but otherwise I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how I’m playing it in distinctly different ways even with a similar open-world approach to each layer, I’ll be encouraged to return to again and again. But Donkey Kong’s video game tenure is simply not on the same level as Mario, meaning many players will be experiencing his specific sort of escapades for the first time with Bananza.
Donkey Kong Bananza Is New Type Of Nintendo Platformer
Unless you’re an incredibly talented speedrunner, many of the challenges presented to us in Super Mario Odyssey are pretty linear. There is a moon located in a certain location, and we need to use all the skills at our disposal to retrieve it. This might involve navigating a slew of obstacles populated by enemies or platforming challenges, making use of specific items and power-ups, or simply stumbling upon them by accident. Nintendo designed this world with strict beginnings, middles, and ends that you can’t really circumvent without the right knowledge.
This design approach doesn’t take away from its brilliance. Far from it, with Odyssey having some of the most inventive platforming I’ve ever seen in the genre. But when you compare it to Bananza, it’s hard to view its world design in the same way anymore. In Bananza, you are not introduced to the world with a grand reveal as explorable environments stretch far across the horizon. You are thrown into a cave and encouraged to punch your way out.
Donkey Kong is asked to smash until he can smash no more. While solid platforming and a constant sense of exploration drive the game forward, none of it would be possible if you weren’t constantly trying to destroy everything in your path. But instead of wiping away the world and leaving behind nothing of interest, this loss is how so many surprises are revealed. Right away, it’s clear that Bananza isn’t just another Nintendo platformer, it’s a subversive ode to a character who for years has failed to reach his full potential. Now, with a character redesign and a new partner in the younger Pauline, he’s able to explore a world that’s all his own.
Making the main NPCs you interact with a series of living, breathing rocks who can be broken into pieces at will was such a fun idea. Even in conversation, an urge to punch sticks around.
I think I’d grown used to what a Nintendo platformer was supposed to look and feel like, and it took the brilliance of Super Mario Odyssey to remind me that there is so much potential to try some incredible things in this universe and its characters. Donkey Kong is a lovable little dude with a penchant for destruction, even if that means punching through the homes of a local ostrich or clearing an entire ecosystem of substance just to find everything there is to uncover. There is a sense of freedom to Bananza I’ve never felt in this genre before from Nintendo, and I pray it’s the start of a new beginning.
What Could The Future Of Nintendo Platformers Look Like After Bananza?
While I have plenty of good things to say about Donkey Kong Bananza, I will admit that after playing it for several hours it can start feeling formulaic. You unlock new power-ups and make use of them in scenarios that are specifically designed for them, instead of having the simple yet satisfying freedom to work out solutions on your own terms. It goes against the liberating feeling of its destruction, which I have no doubt we’ll see expanded upon more in years to come.
Besides, I have to imagine Nintendo had a conversation about Super Mario Odyssey 2 long before Donkey Kong Bananza went into full production. The original was one of the most critically and commercially successful platformers it has ever made, so beloved that when a platformer of similar quality - Astro Bot - came out last year, the highest praise we could offer it was that it wasalmostas good as Mario’s last outing. It takes a lot of creative risk to leave that obvious goldmine behind and seek to reinvent another character instead. It paid off, and shows you that Nintendo is willing to break new ground even when it could retreat to safer pastures.
Donkey Kong Bananza reminds me of the underrated Wario platformers we saw back on the Game Boy and GameCube, and how many more adventures featuring our favourite characters are begging to be created. Mario might be the star, but in recent years it’s been proven Luigi and Peach can helm their own adventures, while Donkey Kong is carving a path forward that Daisy, Rosalina, Waluigi, and countless others can follow. Each one has an opportunity to be the star of games with their own distinct looks, mechanics, and takes on personalities we’ve known for years. With the lovable ape already being reinvented, why not everyone else?
