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Donkey Kong Bananza
Best Skills to Upgrade First
☽ DK Island and Emerald Rush DLC out now!
☽ Learn how to solve Banandiumtone's Puzzles.
☽ All Collectibles: Banandium Gems and Fossils
☽ Learn How to Skip Layers Entirely!
☽ How to Beat the Final Boss
☽ Post-Game: Rehearsal Halls | Secret Ending
The best skills to get first in Donkey Kong Bananza are Health upgrades, which boosts DK’s max health early in the game. Learn which skills to upgrade first and some tips when upgrading skills!
| Skill Guides | |
|---|---|
| List of Skills | Best Skills to Upgrade First |
List of Contents
Best Skills to Upgrade First
Skills to Prioritize Leveling Up
| # | Skill | Why You Should Upgrade It |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Health Upgrades |
Gives you more hearts to tank damage, which is huge when you're still learning enemy patterns. The extra survivability also gives you more freedom to brute force boss fights when needed. |
| 2 |  Better Collecting Upgrades |
The wider grab radius means you'll automatically pull in more Gold and Banandium Chips without having to veer off your path. |
| 3 |  Punch Power Upgrades |
Reduces the number of punches needed to break through high-durability terrain. This speeds up navigation, saves stamina, and is essential in stages with lots of breakable blocks. |
| 4 |  Better Sonar Upgrades |
Expands the range of your collectible-detecting Hand Slap. Super valuable for completionists and makes backtracking way less painful when hunting for hidden goodies. |
These are strong early and mid-game picks that significantly improve exploration and overall flow.
Tips for Skill Upgrading
| Upgrading Tips |
|---|
|
|
Suggested Skills are Starred
If you are unsure about which skill to upgrade next, the game helps by marking a suggested skill with a star. Hovering over it also shows a Get this! marker on its video demo.
Respec and Reassign Skills Per Layer
Each Layer tends to favor a specific Bananza Power, so it’s smart to reallocate your Skill Points before entering.
Focus on boosting skills that match that Layer’s challenges, then respec again once you reach a new one. This keeps DK efficient and tailored for every zone.
Max Out Elephant Kong's Skills
Once you unlock Elephant Kong's Bananza Transformation later in the game, upgrading his skills is a massive help for collectibles and exploration.
His abilities make item gathering much easier, and fully maxed out, he turns into one of the most useful forms for 100% runs.
How to Use Elephant Bananza Form
What are Skill Points?
Earned as You Collect Banandium Gems
As you gather Banandium Gems, DK gains Skill Points. These can be spent to increase his max health, enhance his punches, and unlock or upgrade abilities like his Bananza Powers.
Collect as many Banandium Gems as you can to help DK grow stronger on his adventure.
Banandium Gems List and Locations
Spend to Power Up Donkey Kong's Skills
After collecting enough Banandium Gems and earning enough Skill Points, you can unlock or upgrade DK's skills.
Press and hold A over new skills to spend Skill Points and unlock them.
Donkey Kong Bananza Related Guides
Guides by Category
| List of Categories | |
|---|---|
 Walkthrough |
 Layers |
 Banandium Gems |
 How-To Guides |
 Challenge Ruins |
 Bananza Forms |
 Outfits |
 Bosses |
 Fossils |
 Post-Game |
 Music Discs |
 Items |
 Terrain Types |
 Skills |
 Message Boards |
 Latest News |
Recommended Guides
Comment
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Best Skills to Upgrade First
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