Donkey Kong Bananza is a hilarious smash. Literally.

This review requires a rather long preamble, but you will soon understand why. 'Donkey Kong' has always been, in Nintendo tradition, something experimental and daring compared to more classic series such as those starring Super Mario, which are usually a marvel of perfection. Donkey Kong: Bananza arrives as the first true single player game for Nintendo Switch 2. It was developed by the same team that created Super Mario Odyssey, perhaps one of the best Super Mario games ever. This is to say that it feels the weight and responsibility of being the first flagship title for this console. That is why it is not only the most anticipated game of this summer, but also represents Nintendo's gauntlet to the entire video game industry.

This is the context from which to better understand Donkey Kong: Bananza, released on 17 July and which has already received an enthusiastic reception from critics, scoring a Metascore of 91 out of 100. The ape born to throw barrels at Super Mario is back in a big way. It has baptised a new genre, the 'smasher', even daring to innovate in the genre of 3D platformers, where Nintendo is the undisputed monopolist. The PlayStation gem Astobot, best video game of 2024, represents an exploit that has something of the miraculous about it. Because it has always been the Big N's titles like Super Mario 64 or Super Mario Odyssey that dictate and define quality standards. Here, Donkey Kong: Bananza has the merit of breaking it all down and up, reaching heights in level design and thus in game depth never reached before. From the very first minutes of the game, DK - that's short for Donkey Kong - shows his stylistic flair, because in this game he can smash, smash and demolish with slaps and punches just about anything. There are no less than three buttons for wreaking havoc. And it's all rather fun. The story, as in all Nintendo games, is not crucial. Think of it as a journey to the interior of the Earth. Donkey Kong wants bananas and is never satiated. The villain, Void, head of a multinational mining company, only wants profit. Accompanying the gorilla is his friend Pauline, who is his ally in the game. As an exponent of the Alpha generation pointed out to me, this Donkey Kong is also more varied than Super Mario in terms of story, because you don't have the usual Bowser as a villain and you don't have to save the usual princess. The comparison with Super Mario is not peregrine, because inside this chapter dedicated to the ape you will find many mechanics and gimmicks from the games dedicated to the plumber, but also something from Zelda, such as Link's climbing. It seems that with Nintendo Switch 2 there is more integration and sharing in game design. And this could also be great news from the Big N.

There are so many ideas and innovations in this 'Bananza' that make it fast-paced and fun. The game is full of secrets, collectables and side activities that keep the interest high. Technically, we can call it a level editor because of the depth of the level design. Each material has different textures and uses, DK surfs on stones, throws chunks of earth, throws slaps and beats his chest. The bosses then are a surprise, among the best in the history of 3D platformers, even if they are tricky to beat.

So many objects to collect, perhaps too many. Paradoxically, you run and destroy too much and always have the impression that you have missed something behind. Some problems are caused by the camera management. But the only real problem is technical: there are frame rate drops and a few too many glitches. Nothing that spoils the overall experience of a title that has learnt its lesson from Super Mario. And perhaps, with Bananza, it has surpassed the plumber.