Nintendo fans, brace yourselves! A whole new Donkey Kong experience is coming and it’s built specifically for the Nintendo Switch 2. Donkey Kong Bonanza was initially planned for Switch 1, but developers ran into serious performance issues. So they made a big call: upgrade the entire project to next-gen hardware.
According to producer Kenta Motokura,
“We originally began developing Donkey Kong Bonanza on Nintendo Switch, but we ran into some challenges.”
Those challenges? Real-time destruction gameplay that needed a lot more memory and power than Switch 1 could offer.
Programming director Wataru Tanaka explained it clearly: “It was clear that the memory available on Switch [1] would struggle to handle that load.” They didn’t just want smooth performance, they wanted dynamic terrain destruction, physics-driven gameplay, and seamless 60fps visuals.Once moved to Switch 2, things took off. The developers were finally able to bring their bold ideas to life.
“With the move to Switch 2, we gained not only more memory but also greater processing capacity…”
That allowed for more on-screen elements, bigger environments, and far fewer frame drops, something impossible on the previous generation.
Experimental Origins
Nintendo didn’t start from scratch. They tested ideas using Super Mario Odyssey’s boss Knucklotec’s disembodied arms and attached them to a Goomba! That simple prototype led to a powerful realization.
“The programmer who created him tried attaching those arms to a Goomba as an experiment… Those actions felt surprisingly satisfying.”
That satisfaction evolved into Donkey Kong’s new core mechanic grabbing, smashing, and tearing down the environment to solve puzzles and create new paths.
What Makes Donkey Kong Bananza Different?
- Built for Switch 2: Higher memory, better graphics, and smoother gameplay.
- Destruction Gameplay: Break walls, throw chunks, and change the map in real time.
- Inspired by Mario: Uses tested mechanics and expands on them for Donkey Kong.
- Visual Upgrades: Massive difference in texture, object density, and effects between Switch 1 vs. Switch 2.
Our Perspective
Donkey Kong Bananza isn’t just another platformer. It’s a statement. Nintendo is stepping into modern gaming trends like voxel-based destruction, physics realism, and open-level interactivity. By building this game around Switch 2’s specs, they’re not just making a Donkey Kong title, they’re setting a template for the future of 3D Nintendo games. Expect more titles to follow this direction, bigger worlds, smarter mechanics, and more tech-powered fun.
