Donkey Kong Bananza's Destructive Exploration Is Deeply Cathartic

After waiting decades for a new 3D Donkey Kong adventure, Bananza hasn't merely exceeded my expectations so far; it's also incredibly cathartic in its own right.

Last week was exhausting for reasons I won't detail here, though not without some moments of reprieve. I made time to see friends, jumped on PEAK, and celebrated some big moments with the family. Between all of that? I played as much Donkey Kong Bananza as time allowed. I didn't expect Nintendo's latest major launch to be such a massive stress reliever, going far beyond simply being a fun distraction.

Across its long history of platformers, Nintendo generally excels with environmental design. Most if not all 3D Super Mario games are filled with secrets that encourage you to explore beyond the beaten path, and Bananza's reveal suggested a similar philosophy to its older hits. However, this also confirmed one key difference that quickly sets it apart: destructible environments.

Destructible environments aren't something I've typically seen outside shooters like Battlefield and Red Faction, or sandbox games like Minecraft and Teardown, so seeing a platformer take this approach is pretty surprising. Quality level design (along with movement) is usually a key differentiator between OK platformers and great ones, so it's bold of Nintendo to make a game where so much of it can be well smashed. Previous games like Odyssey feature smaller breakable elements across their worlds, sure, though it's nothing that even comes close to Donkey Kong Bananza's voxel terrain approach.

In theory, such an idea arguably feels counter to the genre itself. Platformers typically require your character reaching set areas by, well, platforming, and destroying the environment that facilitates this wouldn't normally be ideal, even when accounting for the game's reset ability. And yet, it's quickly become the most exciting thing I've found about Bananza.

Donkey Kong's strength is used to dig and punch his way through terrain, often just tearing out large chunks of wall or earth to get through. This allows me to get pleasingly creative, and while it's not only about smashing through these Layers (see: worlds). Bananza almost feels like a digital rage room in how much freedom you have to tear up the place. I can feel my stress melting away as I hollow out these meticulously designed worlds, and I didn't expect this to be so freeing with solving puzzles or finding secrets.

Digging underground until you hit an unbreakable surface, randomly chancing upon treasure chests or the coveted Banandium gems, offers a refreshing sense of adventure that I never realised I wanted. Well, not specifically like this, I mean. That's only reinforced by how each Layer cleverly keeps these surroundings varied, such as DK slipping upon grabbing mud or poison lakes that make you refocus on traditional platforming again for a bit, carefully avoiding repetition. Each Layer automatically resets upon leaving it, or if you choose to reset it manually.

Surfing across this world using broken chunks of rock is much more enjoyable than fast travelling, and I'm always using the sonar ability when doing so. Whether I jump into side content really depends on the game/series in question. In Bananza, taking my time exploring instead of rushing through to reach the conclusion feels much more rewarding. There's no “correct” way of playing through this campaign, just whatever feels right.

So many games use environmental destruction for gaining an advantage in multiplayer, usually to remove your opponent's available cover. A more exploratory function beyond “place a bomb here against a suspiciously out of place wall” is infinitely more intriguing. I feel encouraged to do things I wouldn't normally consider in games, creating new paths to find hidden secrets.

I doubt I'm close to the end after completing the sixth major Layer, and I'm not rushing to reach the conclusion. It's the most fun I've had with a new 3D platformer since Super Mario Odyssey; games like Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart and Astro Bot never personally reached those heights. Tearing through environments and uncovering secrets never stops feeling satisfying in Donkey Kong Bananza, and I can't wait to keep going.