Donkey Kong Bananza is boring & frustrating, and I detest that EPD used 7 years doing it

The worst thing about this game for me is the art design. Nintendo just can't present Donkey Kong with the same vibe Rare brought to the Country trilogy anymore. It feels like it's been watered down into something made to appeal to 5 to 7-year-olds. Seeing that "tribute" to the bramble stage from Donkey Kong Country 2 in this game was more sad than nostalgic, just because of how ugly it turned out.

9zf6S51CI4gSt3iK.jpg
 
And destruction is fake, no physics at all, real physics coule be awesome.

When.you notice you cant play with that because all the effects are the same...
 
Last edited:
Blueghost said:
I'm with OP, collectibles are my main problem, this is a stupid trend nintendo needs to drop ASAP, just take a look:

Zelda BOTW - 900 koroks, 120 shrines
Zelda TOTK - 1000 koroks, 152 shrines
Mario Odyssey - 999 moons
Mario kart World - 644 collectibles (p-switches, peach medallions and question marks) All of them gives you the same stupid useless stamps
DKC Bonanza - 1000 bananas to compete skill tree

DKC demo was enough for me, honestly this is just too much for me
Click to expand...
Ubisoft and any other dev would eat shit for this bloated mess, Nintendo as always get a pass 99% of the time.
 
that's a bit harsh, but i agree its novelty wears off sort of quick.
my main problem was lack of challenge. game feels almost like targeting kid demographic.
boss fights were the biggest offender
 
Last edited:
My feelings on DKBananza are very similar to how I feel about TotK. They are both fantastic games in a vacuum and I loved playing every minute of them; on the other hand, is this really what the studios spent THIS much time on?

If you told my DKBananza was in development alongside a mainline 3d Mario and that's only a year or two out, I would be extremely satisfied with everything about the game. But, if you told me DKBananza was "all hands on deck" for all that time and we are four years minimum away from EADs next game, I would tell you it definitely wasn't worth it.
 
I haven't played it, and only because reading about it was enough to trigger my OCD to red alert. 1000 bananas? No thanks.

Call me old fashioned, but 120 stars in Mario 64 was perfect. Most of them took skill and thought, and each level never outstayed its welcome. I don't think any 3D platformer has given me that same feeling of satisfaction.

Astrobot also did collectibles right. Not too many jigsaws or PS characters to find, but each one collected contributed to something cool.

Mario Odyssey had way too many moons to collect. I'd become tired of the worlds before even collecting half of them. And once I'd collected enough to visit each world, what was the point?

I agree that Nintendo really need to start taking the 'less is more' approach as far as I'm concerned.
 
I had a great time playing it. Felt like a good showcase for the new console. No way Switch 1 could run that game.
The gameplay was fun
The music was great
The levels had good variety
But the bosses were stupid easy, sometimes they died in a few seconds

Overall very happy with the game. Its not traditional DK, but the newest Zeldas are not traditional Zeldas either.
 
I wonder if there's a correlation between liking odyssey and liking bananza.

A lot of people here who are praising bananza are crapping on odyssey at the same time and vice-versa. Reminds me of Ocarina/Majora's fans lol.

I loved odyssey but haven't dug out my Switch 2 to play this yet.
 
Last edited:
I didn't like Mario Odyssey much, and this seems like the dopamine sandbox they were going for in that game. I rather them get it out with this game, and I hope they are capable of real games for the next Mario.
 
I enjoyed Bananza.

But I also acknowledge there are issues with the game.

The jank ass camera is my biggest complaint. It makes even the seemingly most simple of tasks difficult at times.

The excessive collect-a-thon shit needs to stop. I was growing tired of it 25 years ago with the Banjo games, but my god do those seem relatively simple looking back compared to what we're getting now. It's just a cheap way to artificially stretch out the game length. It adds nothing to the story or overall game in my opinion. I thought Odyssey was too much with the 999 Moons, and this feels more of the same. Bananza almost feels worse because of how random finding the Bananas are at times.

I'd give Bananza about an 8/10. Very good game, just has some hard-to-overlook flaws that Nintendo really need to re-evaluate for future titles.
 
bender said:
I got pretty bored of it once the novelty wore off and it drags on and on with no real difficulty curve. I know the post game content is supposed to provide some challenge, but once I was done with the slog of the main campaign, I'd had my fill.
Click to expand...
I got to area one in the post game and bailed almost immediately. Difficult Nintendo is scary.
 
was disappointed by the game but can't deny that ended up playing to completion, albeit through a long time, so i must have enjoyed.

I agree that nintendo's new philosophy of adding hundreds of mini gameplay moments instead of fewer better constructed one kind of reached the breaking point for me, especially when you consider that most of the bananas are completelt optional and that upgraded skills don't really change the game that much.

Also, I think took more creativity from the designers to find distinct names for the hundreds of bananas, than actually designing them...some are just literally on the level, just waiting to get picked.

in the end i'm a bit conflicted regarding the initial basis of the game, it felt different for sure being able to dig around, but it does not seem like the idea was played to its fullest potential
 
It's really mid. I know so many friends who claimed it was the best DK game and I got further than them.

I'll be said this every time too, the graphics are so ugly. One of the worst looking games Nintendo has ever put out imo.
 
I disagree, game is fun and beautiful. It isn't perfect and I would prefer a Mario but I enjoyed the game.
 
Donkey Kong is probably my favorite Nintendo character but I have ZERO desire to play this game. I dont like the level design, especially.
 
I absolutely loved it.

But do agree that it would be good to see more meaningful progression / collectibles.
 
Its an excellent game but I want them to leave Odysseys Design philosophy behind. Bowsers Fury however...
 
Last edited:
I fell off. For a completionist and someone who easily gets distracted, the ability to destroy almost everything started to be a bit too much.
 
I disagree with pretty much everything posted in the OP. The camera still being as good as it is with the amount of chaos present in the basic gameplay is nothing short of incredible, this is a game where you can dig through any sort of surface in any direction and still have a coherent view of the action. There is no significant "trial and error" component in the game I don't know what he's even talking about and the bosses are notoriously easy so I don't know how he could possibly have struggled so much on the last ones. The costumes are very useful to deal with environmental damage especially since from what I understand he didn't upgrade anything not even his health so it could have helped him greatly, including against the final boss and his rot spam.

Anyway to each his own, personally I think Bananza shits all over Odyssey (much deeper and more varied movement options, much more variety in gameplay scenarios and unique level mechanics, better feedback, more creative level themes etc) and the next 3D Mario has a lot of work to do to be as good as Bananza.
 
Last edited:
The only other Donkey Kong game I have is the puzzle game Mario Vs Donkey Kong. Which is more up my alley.

I've only played the first bit of Bonanza, I've not even met The shoulder girl yet. Though I hear she's the one who sings in the city level of Mario Odyssey.
Seems like a decent game so far. Lots of destroying the world gameplay.
 
xanaum said:
The worst thing about this game for me is the art design. Nintendo just can't present Donkey Kong with the same vibe Rare brought to the Country trilogy anymore. It feels like it's been watered down into something made to appeal to 5 to 7-year-olds. Seeing that "tribute" to the bramble stage from Donkey Kong Country 2 in this game was more sad than nostalgic, just because of how ugly it turned out.

9zf6S51CI4gSt3iK.jpg
Click to expand...
Exactly my problem. The art style in general + the absolutely stupid looking Donkey Kong. I just can't. They butchered ma boi! If you can look past that I think the game can be great fun.
 
I enjoyed it enough to finish it, but after doing so i felt zero interest to keep going to do the other stuff. I always go back and complete it all for the Mario games, especially the 3d ones because they're just so fun and well put together.

With DK, by the time i got to the end, i found the constant explosion of shit all around me when i did the most minute movements annoying. I got tired of it.....i can't even explain why, it just got on my nerves.

Overall im glad i played it, but hopefully the 7yrs to make this doesn't mean we have to wait another 2-3 yrs still for a new 3D Mario title.
 
For me, once I got the Elephant and could essentially vacuum the entire level, I dropped it. Felt like whats the point after that. Final Boss was dope.
 
I'm in the minority here as well. The art direction of DKB just doesn't do it for me. The gameplay really doesn't either. I certainly HOPE there were two teams working on this and the next 3D Mario game contemporaneously. If we have to wait several years for the next 3D Mario, shame on Nintendo!
 
Aldric said:
I disagree with pretty much everything posted in the OP. The camera still being as good as it is with the amount of chaos present in the basic gameplay is nothing short of incredible, this is a game where you can dig through any sort of surface in any direction and still have a coherent view of the action. There is no significant "trial and error" component in the game I don't know what he's even talking about and the bosses are notoriously easy so I don't know how he could possibly have struggled so much on the last ones. The costumes are very useful to deal with environmental damage especially since from what I understand he didn't upgrade anything not even his health so it could have helped him greatly, including against the final boss and his rot spam.

Anyway to each his own, personally I think Bananza shits all over Odyssey (much deeper and more varied movement options, much more variety in gameplay scenarios and unique level mechanics, better feedback, more creative level themes etc) and the next 3D Mario has a lot of work to do to be as good as Bananza.
Click to expand...
Agree with you. DKB is my favorite platformer since Mario Galaxy 2.
 
So glad someone has finally said it.

I got through like 8 layers at launch, was very bored during most then gave up.

Which is such a huge shame because Odyssey is my favourite Switch game.
 
It's worth your time to play it, but it's not worth full price + gating DK isle behind DLC. Asinine move.

Complete on cart edition for 50-60 bucks I'd be sold without feeling tricked. As it is, I feel had.
 
Danjin44 said:
Same, this was absolute blast to play....even after 65 hours 100% this game I never got tired of it.
Click to expand...
While I love this game on just a normal playthrough, going for 100% is where it starts to be not as fun. I usually love getting all the collectables in other Nintendo 3D titles, and did in odyssey as well, but it was a bit of a chore to get everything in this game. I did it once, and will never shoot for it again.

I think the problem is the amount of stuff hidden in the ground. Yes, the destructible environments are a large part of Bananza's gimmick, but essentially digging for ass loads of fossils and a good number of bananas per world really wore me down. It basically devolved into being an elephant 24/7 inhaling everything while equipped with the tie that increases treasure box chances to mark where everything is at. That isn't super fun after a while.

I still love this game though, and just playing it to beat it was still a great ride start to finish, I will just never go for another 100% run for it again due to the tedium, and that's a shame.
 
Blueghost said:
I'm with OP, collectibles are my main problem, this is a stupid trend nintendo needs to drop ASAP, just take a look:

Zelda BOTW - 900 koroks, 120 shrines
Zelda TOTK - 1000 koroks, 152 shrines
Mario Odyssey - 999 moons
Mario kart World - 644 collectibles (p-switches, peach medallions and question marks) All of them gives you the same stupid useless stamps
DKC Bonanza - 1000 bananas to compete skill tree

DKC demo was enough for me, honestly this is just too much for me
Click to expand...

I'd give a little slack to the Zelda's as the Korok seeds are useful in upgrading your inventory slots and they provide an abundance to maximize those slots without having to hunt every last seed down. That's important in a game with such aggressive weapon degradation. That's a long way of saying that I don't think the intent was to collect every last seed, far from it actually.

And speaking of slack, I'd give some to Mario Kart World's p-switches which are a wonderful idea, but executed poorly as only about 10% of them are actually interesting. The peach medallions and questions marks on the other hand...

I'm on board with your overall thought process though. I collected every pre-credit banana in Bonanza and it really exposed how padded the game felt. Odyssey and World have similar issues in a lot of what you are collecting has little challenge in finding them and little purpose to the collectable.
 
I was planning to get this soon, so it's good to have alternating takes on it. I'm not sure where I'll land without playing it. I adored Mario Odyssey, collected everything, did everything. Even completed Balloon World. Let me tell you, getting really good at Balloon World requires mastering some of the insane moves that I never even needed during the actual game. But then when I went back to play the game some of those moves came in handy!

My issue with some of Nintendo's recent efforts is it becomes an absolute slog for completionists like myself. I 100%-ed Breath of the Wild and Odyssey and am waiting to get a Switch 2 to bother with Tears of the Kingdom (since the tracker app makes that MUCH more reasonable). Hearing about DK Bananza does give me pause in that regard.
 
I hate DK expressions, he looks a complete idiot with that tongue around and the hearth eyes, nothing to compare to Retro art style but neither with the movie
Till now the game is boring nonesense to please Nintendo fans
 
Last edited:
UsualNoise said:
I was planning to get this soon, so it's good to have alternating takes on it. I'm not sure where I'll land without playing it. I adored Mario Odyssey, collected everything, did everything. Even completed Balloon World. Let me tell you, getting really good at Balloon World requires mastering some of the insane moves that I never even needed during the actual game. But then when I went back to play the game some of those moves came in handy!

My issue with some of Nintendo's recent efforts is it becomes an absolute slog for completionists like myself. I 100%-ed Breath of the Wild and Odyssey and am waiting to get a Switch 2 to bother with Tears of the Kingdom (since the tracker app makes that MUCH more reasonable). Hearing about DK Bananza does give me pause in that regard.
Click to expand...
Getting the 1000 bananas really wasn't tricky. Also you don't need to do that to fully complete the story, or get the more interesting rewards.
 
I feel personally attacked.

This is too close to TGA announcement for goty nominees for me to view it as completely organic. An event which I have an avatar bet on in relation to Bananaza.

I will comment no further!

The game is a masterpiece!
 
We're in absolute agreement OP.

Bananza is the devs going all in on a gimmick. At first it's technically interesting and fun for a few hours, but quickly you just wish for a proper game instead.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Donkey Kong Bananza has sold 3.49 Million copies.
46
193
_Ex_ replied
Donkey Kong Bananza Previews
2 3 4
165
3K
Nintendo's Witch replied
Donkey Kong Bananza Overview trailer
20
780
Danjin44 replied
  • Poll
Donkey Kong Bananza Metacritic Prediction Thread
2 3 4
155
4K
LakeOf9 replied
Donkey Kong Bananza OT Title Thread
2
82
2K
SamuraiEdge replied
Top Bottom