No, there wasn’t a new 3D Mario game announced for the Switch 2 in this week’s big Nintendo Direct showcase.
But, there was a brand-new first party Nintendo 3D platformer revealed, so, we basically got there. And most importantly, it’s a brand new 3D Donkey Kong game.
Dubbed Donkey Kong Bananza, which is frankly an incredible title, this all-new adventure for DK looks to be an ambitious adventure filled with huge, destructible environments, a mix of fresh gameplay ideas with a sprinkling of old-school 2D sections and… that redesign of DK himself.
Yep, unfortunately for anyone that took issue with the new-look Donkey Kong that appeared in the Super Mario Bros. Movie as well as the trailers for the Switch 2 exclusive Mario Kart World, this seems to be you guy going forward. He seems younger, goofier and in this particular game has some kind of purple rock guy as a constant companion. I’m personally all for a new direction, so I’m keen to see more of what Nintendo has cooking here.
Donkey Kong Bananza is not a launch title for the Nintendo Switch 2, but instead is coming out just a little over a month after the console hits shelves, on July 17, 2025.
According to the official website, the game will see DK once again protect a precious banana treasure from those who would come to wrest it from his hairy paws – this time around it’s a group known as VoidCo, which seemingly consists of a big strong guy, a little smart guy, and one that serves absolute Kongt.
Take a look at the reveal trailer below and find out more about the game here:
Do you like what you’re seeing of Donkey Kong Bananza? Are you for or against this new DK? Let us know in the comments below or over on social media!
Kieron's been gaming ever since he could first speak the words "Blast Processing" and hasn't lost his love for platformers and JRPGs since. A connoisseur of avant-garde indie experiences and underground cult classics, Kieron is a devout worshipper at the churches of Double Fine and Annapurna Interactive, to drop just a couple of names.
