Article

Donkey Kong Bananza makes smashing stuff feel awesome

13 July 2026

A kid friendly AxelGamer look at Donkey Kong Bananza on Nintendo Switch 2, with underground exploring, Pauline, big smashing moves, gold hunting, and silly platforming chaos.

Donkey Kong Bananza is the kind of game that sounds simple at first. Donkey Kong goes underground, sees loads of rocks, dirt, gold, and weird places, then decides the best plan is to smash everything. That is already a very Donkey Kong plan, and honestly it is also why the game looks so fun.

I like games where you can just run around and try silly ideas without feeling like you are doing it wrong. Donkey Kong Bananza is built around that feeling. It is a 3D adventure for Nintendo Switch 2 where DK digs and punches through a massive underground world. Nintendo says Donkey Kong teams up with Pauline, which is cool because it makes the adventure feel more like a proper journey instead of just one big monkey tantrum.

The thing that grabs me most is the smashing. In lots of platform games, walls are just walls. You jump near them, bonk your head, and move on. In this one, heaps of the world looks like it can break, crumble, or open up if you bash it properly. That makes exploring way more exciting because every cliff, tunnel, and chunk of dirt feels like it might hide something. I would probably spend ages hitting random rocks just in case there is gold inside.

It also reminds me why Donkey Kong is different from Mario. Mario is usually neat and bouncy. DK feels heavier, louder, and more chaotic. When he jumps or punches, it looks like the whole place should notice. That is perfect for an underground game because caves should feel chunky and messy. If a giant gorilla is going on an adventure, I do not want him carefully tiptoeing around. I want him throwing punches, ripping chunks out of the ground, and making the level look like someone dropped a banana powered wrecking ball through it.

Pauline being part of the game makes it more interesting too. She is not just a random character from the old days. In newer games she has become a proper singer and city star, so seeing her travel with DK through strange underground places sounds funny in a good way. It is like putting a fancy performer next to a giant ape who solves problems with fists. That could make the story feel brighter, especially if the music and character moments are silly and cheerful.

The underground setting is a smart idea because it can keep changing. One area might be rocky and dusty, then another might have crystals, lava, machines, ruins, or heaps of golden stuff. I do not know every surprise in the game, and I do not want to spoil it anyway, but the idea of digging deeper and finding stranger layers sounds really good for a platform adventure. It gives the game that feeling of saying, just one more area, then suddenly it is bedtime and you are still trying to find one more shiny thing.

I also think it could be a good family game to watch. Some games are fun to play but boring for everyone else in the room. Donkey Kong Bananza looks like the sort of game where someone watching can still laugh when DK smashes the wrong thing, falls into a silly spot, or launches through a cave like he forgot brakes exist. If the controls feel nice, it could be one of those games where you pass the controller around after each funny fail.

The best platform games are not only about reaching the end. They are about all the little distractions on the way. A hidden path. A weird enemy. A shiny collectable you can see but cannot reach yet. A spot that looks normal until you try one ridiculous move and find a whole new room. Donkey Kong Bananza seems made for that kind of exploring. Smashing is not just a joke. It is how you test the world.

I would play it by being very nosy. First I would follow the main path for about five seconds, then I would see a suspicious wall and forget the mission completely. That is not bad game playing. That is science. If the game gives you a gorilla punch, you are meant to punch things. If it gives you caves full of gold, you are meant to become the most annoying treasure hunter ever.

Another thing I like is that it gives Nintendo Switch 2 a big colourful adventure that is not only racing or fighting. Mario Kart World is awesome for fast chaos, but Donkey Kong Bananza sounds like a different flavour. It is slower when you want to explore, wild when you start smashing, and probably full of hidden finds for people who love checking every corner. That variety matters because sometimes you want a race, and sometimes you want to dig through a mountain as a gorilla.

For younger players, I reckon the fun will be in the clear idea. You do not need to understand a giant complicated story to enjoy DK breaking rocks and finding treasure. For older players, the cool part might be learning how the levels are built and finding clever paths through all the destruction. That is a good mix. It can be silly on the surface and still smart underneath.

So yes, Donkey Kong Bananza looks like proper underground chaos. It has DK, Pauline, colourful caves, gold hunting, and the very important life lesson that some problems can be solved by jumping, exploring, and punching a wall until it becomes a doorway. I am keen to see how deep the adventure goes, and how much of the world I can smash before Dad tells me I have missed the obvious path again.