As one of the Switch 2’s first real killer apps, Donkey Kong Bananza has opened up new avenues for a character that’s mostly been known for his 2D side-scrolling adventures. It’s to be expected from the team behind Super Mario Odyssey, and while Bananza carries that same 3D platforming DNA, the extensive destruction and sandbox-like nature of environments set it apart.
While a sequel could very well follow in the same vein, that doesn’t mean it won’t attempt some unique things. “Probably, we’ll see the same sort of phenomenon as we did when going from Super Mario Odyssey to Donkey Kong Bananza, where there were some ideas and development that acted as hints for the future development of Donkey Kong Bananza,” said producer Kenta Motokura to GamesRadar at GDC 2026. “I do expect that will be the case where some ideas from Donkey Kong Bananza provide future hints for our next project, as well.”
That said, the focus is still on providing a fresh experience to players. No one really expected that Donkey Kong would be able to transform into different animal hybrids with the power of Pauline’s singing while tearing through levels, but here we are.
“As far as ‘what is the standard,’ I think the standard is really what will feel fresh to a player in a new title. So, for example, when we were developing Super Mario Odyssey, we were thinking about Mario transformations that no one had seen up to that point. That’s always a goal in mind when working on a project.”
It may be a while before we see those ideas manifest in an actual title, though. Remember: Super Mario Odyssey launched in 2017, the same year as the Nintendo Switch, and Bananza arrived a whopping seven years later, right on time for the Switch 2’s launch year. While a trifecta would make sense for a theoretical Switch 3, it wouldn’t be surprising if Nintendo is looking at other ways to leverage the beloved Kong’s popularity.
In the meantime, however, Bananza players will have to satisfy themselves with DK Island and Emerald Rush, a paid DLC with a new rogue-like mode and limited-time events that reward special statues.
