Donkey Kong Bananza breaks onto the scene as DK’s best rated adventure to date

Donkey Kong has probably been an under utilized Nintendo ‘main character’ in recent times, with Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze being his only standalone game outing in over ten years that hasn’t been a remaster/remake.

While this is was a solid entry into the DK lineup, fans have been chomping at the bit not only for more banana collecting action but also something that freshens up the usual 2D-ish formula.

Enter Donkey Kong Bananza, a return to 3D adventuring akin to the likes of Donkey Kong 64, allowing you traverse its regions instead of being limited to side scrolling action.

You’re able to unleash DK’s full power, literally destroying areas as you please thanks to the world being made in voxels, while also engaging in classic platformer fun.

As of the time of writing, Donkey Kong Bananza has not only shot up to being a 2025 GOTY contender but also sneaking past the fan-favorite DK 64 in being the highest rated standalone Donkey Kong game of all time.

With a Metacritic score of 91, critics who have been able to sink serious hours into it ahead of the official launch have nothing but glowing things to say about DK and Pauline’s adventure, making it a literal smash hit right out of the gate.

With the team behind the similarly stellar Super Mario Odyssey taking on development of DK’s latest foray, we knew it was likely to be a solid product but with some reviews calling it “intoxicating and addictive” as well as “bursting with creativity” there’s a reason why it has shot to the top of the pile.

For where the DK franchise goes post Bananza, we’re almost certain Nintendo isn’t going to leave it another eleven years before another 3D adventure for the barrel breaking brute.

Mario is bound to get a look in before then but don’t get it mistaken, bananas are definitely back on the menu.