Donkey Kong Bananza Wears Its Super Mario Odyssey…

The recent announcement and trailer for Donkey Kong Bananza have revealed that the titular gorilla's new look wasn't the only change for the series, with the upcoming game appearing to wear its Super Mario Odyssey influences on its sleeve. Beyond several remakes, crossovers, and cameos in various Nintendo games, Donkey Kong Bananza marks the first new game since 2014's Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze and an overdue return to 3D platforming after Donkey Kong 64 in 1999. With this in mind, expectations will likely be high for DK Bananza, especially with a planned release date just a few weeks after the Switch 2's launch.

However, despite early controversy over Donkey Kong's redesign, the level of anticipation for the upcoming game could be part of Nintendo's strategy to capitalize on a flagship franchise's return to form to ensure the Switch 2's success. This could explain why DK Bananza seems to share various similarities with Super Mario Odyssey, such as its visual style, free-roaming open-world gameplay, and even its potential role in the early life of a new Nintendo console. As a result, Donkey Kong's revamp with its SM Odyssey influences could point to Nintendo's long-term goals for both the series and the Switch 2.

Donkey Kong Bananza Confirms Return of 2 Fan Favorite Characters

The upcoming Donkey Kong Bananza will feature at least two fan favorite characters from the franchise's past besides Donkey Kong himself.

Posts 1

By Dalton Cooper

Donkey Kong Bananza Has No Shortage of Super Mario Odyssey Parallels

Though the upcoming game has multiple features that set it apart from SM Odyssey, between DK Bananza's trailer and gameplay showcase there are just as many other details that only emphasize the parallels between the two games. For instance, beyond the shared surface-level art style, DK Bananza appears to borrow several new features, including a Cappy-like companion called Odd Rock, in-game collectibles that can be traded for outfits, and Golden Bananas that seem uncannily similar to SM Odyssey's Power Moons. Even the characterization and role of DK Bananza's VoidCo. Villains seem virtually indistinguishable from SM Odyssey's Broodals.

Ultimately, it seems like the only key difference that sets these two games apart is that while SM Odyssey made full use of its capture ability, DK Bananza seems focused on its destructible environments, a mechanic that ties into its traversal, combat, and puzzle-solving gameplay. However, despite these different gimmicks, DK Bananza still parallels the various open-world Kingdoms from SM Odyssey through Sublayers and the same player-led exploration, discovery, and progression. So while DK Bananza isn't an outright copy of SM Odyssey, the scale of these similarities could be hard to ignore when players get their hands on the Switch 2.

Donkey Kong Bananza Might Aim To Recapture Super Mario Odyssey's Magic

Even though the Donkey Kong and Super Mario series have always enjoyed a collaborative, almost symbiotic relationship, DK Bananza's numerous parallels to SM Odyssey seem to go much further than previous games. In fact, a case could potentially be made that this was an intentional decision by Nintendo, with SM Odyssey serving as a template and springboard for Donkey Kong's first major game and 3D platformer after so many years. But besides the possible need for SM Odyssey to give DK Bananza a helping hand, Nintendo might have made this decision with a bigger picture in mind.

While SM Odyssey was not a launch title for the original Switch, its holiday release and subsequent success as one of the Switch's most acclaimed and best-selling games likely played an integral role in the console's legacy. With the Switch 2 as its direct successor, Nintendo could be trying to recapture the magic of SM Odyssey again with a significantly similar game like DK Bananza. Since its other flagship franchises were unavailable, such as The Legend of Zelda's existing Switch games and Mario Kart World already confirmed as an upcoming launch title, DK Bananza may have been Nintendo's best choice for the Switch 2's long-term success.