Nintendo has just dropped a surprise bomb as Donkey Kong Bananza launches on 17th July 2025, and will only run on the shiny new Switch 2. Fans are already buzzing on social media. The brand-new trailer shows DK smashing just about everything in sight.
A New Adventure for Donkey Kong
This is Donkey Kong’s biggest jump into 3D since the Nintendo 64, and folks have been waiting a long time. You might recall Tropical Freeze hit more than a decade ago, so the monkey is overdue. Bananza drops players into a massive underground world packed with sweeping beaches, icy peaks, and crumbling ruins begging for a punch.
Donkey Kong Meets Young Pauline
An unexpected twist: DK teams up with a younger, spunky version of Pauline who starts the adventure literally trapped in a rock. Together they hop between colorful zones, crack puzzles, and smack enemies in stages that practically dare you to destroy them first.
Smashing and Shaping
Breaking stuff stands at the center of the fun, and the mechanics look wild. Walls, floors, even the occasional stalactite crumble under DK’s fury. The big ape can even grab a chunk of rubble and surf on it like a skateboard. That little trick alone turns simple exploration into a game of guess-what-I-can-smash-next.
Donkey Kong Bananza packs a wild twist as the big ape can change shape with something called bananergy. Pauline belts out a quick tune and bingo, he’s switching outfits. In addition, Bananza gives a Super Strong fist, Zebra Bananza zooms over water like lightning, and Ostrich Bananza rain-bombs from the skies. Jumping between them is key to untangling level puzzles and reaching hidden spots.
Players can also sprinkle upgrades on their character and have fresh costumes so every Kong has its own swagger. Multiplayer cranks up the fun. One friend steers Donkey Kong while another waves the Switch 2 mouse as Pauline, blasting beats to clear paths. Friends who aren’t shoulder-to-shoulder still get to team up because GameShare lets two Switch 2 consoles play side-by-side with just one cartridge.
Need a quiet moment? DK Artist mode dials the action back so you can paint and carve rocks with the mouse, turning chaos into calm. Put simply, this game isn’t a cookie-cutter platformer. Bouncing, smashing, and levelling up stay easy to learn, yet the surprises keep coming.
Nintendo has a habit of dropping a major title almost as soon as a brand-new console hits store shelves. Donkey Kong: Bananza will land only a month after Mario Kart World, giving Switch 2 owners another eye-popping reason to show off their shiny machine.
Final Thoughts
Bananza swings onto consoles on 17 July 2025, bringing back the classic jungle silliness that made the Donkey Kong games a blast. Diddy, Dixie, and of course the big ape himself are all along for the ride, so fans won’t be left hanging. What sets this update different is the way it cranks up co-op play. The focus on teamwork keeps the fun loose and inviting.
