Donkey Kong Bananza release date, trailer, and latest news

What is the Donkey Kong Bananza release date? While we love everyone’s favorite Italian plumber, the true platform king is making a Nintendo Switch 2 debut. Yes, all of us at Pocket Tactics are fans of Donkey Kong, and we’re more than ready for his next adventure. But when can you play it? This guide has everything you need to know if you want to have a good time retrieving bananas.

Could Donkey Kong Bananza be one of the best Switch games? It has a chance of joining the ranks of the console’s greatest titles. However, it has tough competition in the form of Mario Kart World, so it depends on where your alliances sit.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Donkey Kong Bananza release date:

When is the Donkey Kong Bananza release date?

Donkey Kong Bananza is due to release on July 17, 2025, so you don’t have long to wait. Sadly, it doesn’t share the Nintendo Switch 2 release date, so you won’t be able to boot it up as soon as you unwrap the glorious new handheld. That’s okay, though, because there are loads of new Switch games to be excited about. A spot of Cyberpunk 2077, anyone?

What is the Donkey Kong Bananza gameplay like?

The Nintendo Switch 2 platformer shows Donkey Kong as bright and vibrant as ever, with the iconic gorilla running through various environments, all with a big smile on his face. Well, mostly. He looks more than a little concerned in the trailer as an island sinks into the ground with him holding on for dear life. This time, though, Donkey Kong’s endeavors are given an open-world game spin.

With villainous, rival apes on Kong’s case, VoidCO. is stealing all the Golden Bananas. And if anyone is going to protect some diamond-shaped bananas, it’s our man Donkey Kong. Whether he’s rolling, punching, or slapping his way through the game’s sandbox-style levels, you can benefit from leads on Golden Bananas from NPCs like Cranky Kong.

It isn’t on the level of something like The Finals, but Donkey Kong Bananza also features destructible environments. Donkey Kong can smash the terrain around him while using it as a weapon against enemies. Fancy digging an underground tunnel? Yeah, you can do that too. When you’re not smashing stuff up, puzzles can lead to collectibles like Banandium, a currency you can exchange for useful items.

Does Donkey Kong Bananza work on Switch 1?

So there you have it, everything you need to know about the Donkey Kong Bananza release date. To make time go faster while you wait for Donkey Kong Bananza, make sure you check out our list of the best Switch games.