I wasn’t going to buy a Nintendo Switch 2, but Donkey Kong Banaza is making me reconsider

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Donkey Kong Bananza could be what makes me buy a Nintendo Switch 2. Yes, other intriguing games are coming to Nintendo’s next handheld/console hybrid, such as Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Mario Kart World. However, Bananza seems to be the unofficial Super Mario Odyssey sequel I’ve been waiting for.

I’m not the biggest Nintendo fan. However, I did buy the original Nintendo Switch and my absolute favorite game was Super Mario Odyssey. Nintendo hasn’t announced a direct sequel to it, which is disappointing. But based on what I’ve seen so far, it seems Donkey Kong Bananza could fill that void.

Here are 3 reasons Donkey Kong Bananza is making me consider buying a Nintendo Switch 2.

Giant environments

The first thing that stood out to me when Donkey Kong Bananza popped up during this week's Nintendo Switch 2 Direct event was the sprawling environment. This immediately brought back memories of Super Mario Odyssey, which featured some of the largest levels in the series’ history. Being able to explore vast environments with Donkey Kong is extremely exciting.

And the levels aren’t just wide, but also deep — literally. Donkey Kong can punch through the ground and end up in caverns or other underground areas. This broadens exploration since you’re not limited to a single plane. I can already imagine spending endless hours exploring the worlds and creating my own paths.

We saw tantalizing glimpses of some of the game’s levels, including a sprawling desert, frigid tundra, vast flowery meadow, deep caverns, and towering mountains.

There also appears to be some 2D levels reminiscent of Donkey Kong Country from the Super NES. I’m sure this is just a taste of what the game will offer.

Destructible environments

I can’t talk about Donkey Kong Bananza without bringing up its destructible environments.

As seen in the trailer and demos, Donkey Kong can punch through almost all rocky walls. This isn’t just for fun either, as you can literally carve your own path through the environment to find treasures or other secrets. If there’s something seemingly indestructible in your way — such as metal barriers — you can dig a path under the gate to reach the other side.

Donkey Kong can also tear pieces off the floor and use them to destroy the environment and enemies. Some pieces, like mud, can’t affect harder surfaces, so you’ll need to be mindful of what pieces you’re using. This is especially true during boss battles, where some foes might be covered in steel or other hard materials.

Note that if you feel you’ve destroyed a locale too much or if you’ve made a passage inaccessible, you can revert the damage with the press of a button. This gives you peace of mind when you’re destroying walls and floors in search of secrets.

Fun art style

Nintendo Switch 2 — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

There’s been a lot of chatter online about Donkey Kong’s “new” look, which makes me feel 100 years old, considering it’s his original design from his eponymous arcade game. This is the Donkey Kong I remember from my childhood, which makes him instantly endearing to me. I don’t care what anyone says. Donkey Kong looks great in Bananza!

And he’s not the only thing that looks amazing, as the whole game exudes a ton of charisma. The aforementioned environments and the critters that inhabit them are full of life and imagination. Everything looks lush and colorful, which is exactly what I want from a Donkey Kong or Super Mario game.

I’m curious how this game will look on my LG CX OLED TV since Switch 2’s dock can output at up to 4K resolution and supports HDR10. I’m not expecting Cyberpunk 2077-like graphical fidelity, but I still want this game to look incredible on my 55-inch TV. The fun art style will no doubt help in that regard.

Outlook

I don’t typically buy a console just to play a single game. That said, Donkey Kong Bananza is making me reconsider that stance. It’s not Super Mario Odyssey 2, but it’s close enough. The fact that it stars Donkey Kong, who I like as much as Mario, is making this game harder to resist.

I won’t fully commit to pre-ordering a Switch 2 yet. But if my willpower is weak and it’s not difficult to buy, don’t be surprised if I get the system purely to play Donkey Kong Bananza.

More from Tom's Guide

Tony is a computing writer at Tom’s Guide covering laptops, tablets, Windows, and iOS. During his off-hours, Tony enjoys reading comic books, playing video games, reading speculative fiction novels, and spending too much time on X/Twitter. His non-nerdy pursuits involve attending Hard Rock/Heavy Metal concerts and going to NYC bars with friends and colleagues. His work has appeared in publications such as Laptop Mag, PC Mag, and various independent gaming sites.