Donkey Kong Banaza devs prioritized fun and gameplay despite occasional frame drops. Read on to learn more about the developers’ insights on these performance issues and how Bananza is compared to Super Mario Odyssey.
Donkey Kong Bananza Swings Closer to Launch
Frame Drops Exist, But Nintendo Prioritized Fun and Gameplay
Donkey Kong Bananza is inching closer to its launch, and despite some frame drops in the game, Director Kazuya Takahashi said that they prioritized fun and gameplay. In an interview on July 10, Takahashi admitted that the game may experience drops in performance during large-scale destruction situations.
He explained to La Vanguardia, in Japanese, "There are several factors to consider. Firstly, we have intentionally used effects such as hit stop or slow motion to emphasise the impacts. On the other hand, when using voxel technology there are times when there are great changes and destruction in the scenario."
Takahashi acknowledged the frame drops but promised that the overall playthrough can be enjoyed smoothly as the team "prioritized fun and gameplay." According to Producer Kenta Motokura, the project initially began development for the original Nintendo Switch, but has shifted to the next-gen Switch 2 as the developers tried to incorporate new ideas.
The team wanted to highlight chain destruction and place a large number of destructible objects in the game, which was only possible using Switch 2’s technology. Takahashi elaborated, "This was only possible on Switch 2, which allowed so many elements to be placed on the screen, as well as different materials and large-scale destruction. In addition, to increase the feeling of satisfaction when destroying, we have put a lot of care into the effects and sounds, and also in the appearance of the objects that are destroyed."
Both leads emphasized the game’s focus on destruction and how it differentiates itself from other titles. Takahashi stated, "After all, this is a game where you can destroy anything.[...] This cyclic mechanic has been a great achievement in design."
Differentiating From Super Mario Odyssey
Despite a great emphasis on environmental destruction and upgrades in technology, fans noticed that Bananza had a few similarities to Nintendo’s previous 3D platformer, Super Mario Odyssey. This connection was later proven to be true, as it was earlier reported that members from the Odyssey team were part of Banaza’s development.
Although comparisons are inevitable, Motokura, who was the director for Super Mario Odyssey, said that Bananza differs in many ways, but was influenced by Odyssey’s design in interactions. He stated, "The essence is the same, but the big difference is that Donkey Kong Bananza uses voxel technology, which the game uses in tune with the theme of destruction."
Furthermore, Takahashi noted that just like in Odyssey, they wanted each level of Bananza to be fun on its own. "But, above all, we focus on the element of destruction and the continuity that it generates. [...] In this sense, the game offers you multiple ways to advance and we think this approach to destruction gives it a unique twist," he said.
Motokura added that they intended for Banaza’s gameplay to differ from Odyssey, stating "The team thoroughly discussed Donkey Kong's unique features and how we could make them stand out in the game."
Approaching DK Creator Shigeru Miyamoto and Bananza’s Origins
To further highlight Donkey Kong as a character, the developers approached DK creator Shigeru Miyamoto and asked for his initial idea for the big buffed ape. Motokura said that in the first original arcade game, Donkey Kong, Miyamoto saw DK and humans coexist. "That's why, in addition to the wildest image of the jungle, we have also incorporated that vision and urban aesthetic with which Miyamoto created the character," he stated.
Additionally, Motokura shared with IGN on July 11 how Bananza came to be. He said that Nintendo Executive Yoshiaki Koizumi directly spoke to the Odyssey team to think about creating a 3D Donkey Kong title. Although the reason for the development was not disclosed, Motokura mentioned that Nintendo is always considering different characters in their brand, and when it would be appropriate to create a game on them.
Beyond speaking with Miyamoto, they also talked to Koizumi, who was the director of Donkey Kong Jungle Beat in 2004. Motokura detailed, "And for him, one thing that was a really important distinguishing characteristic from a character like, say, Mario, is that Donkey Kong has these longer, stronger arms. So we took all of these distinctive features of Donkey Kong as a character and tried to think about how we could bring them to play in a new game."
With Bananza’s launch just a few days away, fans are excited to experience DK and Pauline’s adventure and discover the chest-pounding ape’s lore more deeply. Donkey Kong Bananza is set to release on July 17, 2025 exclusively on the Nintendo Switch 2. To stay up to date with the latest information about the game, check out our article below!
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"With 'Donkey Kong Bananza' we have focused on how much fun it is to destroy things"
Donkey Kong Bananza Exists Because Yoshiaki Koizumi Asked the Mario Odyssey Team for a 3D Donkey Kong Game
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