Donkey Kong Bananza Guide: Plot, DLC, Co-op, and Tips to Get Started

Donkey Kong hasn’t had a proper shot at 3D since Donkey Kong 64 in 1999. In the years since, Mario reinvented platforming with Odyssey and Zelda redefined exploration with Breath of the Wild. In the meantime, DK stayed locked in side-scrollers that were fun but limited in scope. 

Donkey Kong Bananza, released on July 17, 2025, makes environmental destruction the heart of the game and takes full advantage of Switch 2’s upgraded specs. Now, if you’re about to purchase the game from the eShop, understanding the plot, novel features, as well as the new DLC expansion of the game, along with some tips to get started will definitely help. Here's everything you need to know to get ample background on the game.

Donkey Kong Bananza Plot

The story of Donkey Kong Bananza kicks off with a classic DK premise and then takes some unexpected turns underground. Our hero, Donkey Kong, travels to the new Ingot Isle during a Banandium Gem gold rush, only to have those precious banana-shaped gems stolen by a shady mining corporation called VoidCo. 

Its president, Void Kong, plans to collect the gems to power his drilling machine and reach the fabled Banandium Root at the planet’s core. In the opening sequence, his drills trigger a catastrophe that sends DK tumbling into a vast subterranean world. DK survives the fall and finds an unusual ally in a little purple anthropomorphic rock named Odd Rock, who guides him deeper underground toward the stolen gems.

As the adventure unfolds, Odd Rock is revealed to be Pauline in disguise – a 13-year-old Pauline, at that! Once freed from her rocky form, she becomes DK’s travel companion. Together, they journey through a Hollow Earth-style series of underground layers, each guarded by an elder deity who grants DK new transformation abilities. With Pauline’s powerful singing voice, DK unlocks powers to overcome challenges in each biome.

DK Island & Emerald Rush Expansion Details

Nintendo didn’t stop at the base game. A few months after launch, they released a significant DLC expansion to keep the Bananza going. In September 2025, players got access to the “DK Island & Emerald Rush” DLC, a paid add-on (just under $20) that introduces a brand-new world and gameplay mode. 

The headliner is DK Island itself: an expansive new level set in Donkey Kong’s famous home island, reimagined under the Bananza destructible sandbox lens. This stage is dripping with nostalgia and you’ll recognize locales inspired by classic DK Country levels, yet all fully 3D and breakable.

The other component, Emerald Rush mode, is a roguelike challenge built within the game’s framework. You dive into randomly generated cave levels aiming to collect Emerald Bananas before time runs out or you get defeated.

Reception has been mixed-positive. Fans loved returning to DK Island, but Emerald Rush sparked debate, with some finding it repetitive or less charming than the campaign. Nonetheless, the DLC adds hours of extra content and reason to revisit the game.

How Destructible Worlds Work in Donkey Kong Bananza

Instead of linear side-scrolling stages, Bananza drops Donkey Kong into sandbox-like levels that beg to be explored in every direction. 

Each world is an underground “layer” with a distinct biome. Almost every surface and structure in Bananza can be smashed, broken, or reshaped by the player’s actions. DK can punch through walls, tear up chunks of terrain and throw them, or even dig tunnels and carve new paths by literally breaking the ground. The more you smash, the more areas open up to explore, rewarding curious players like yourself.

Alongside DK’s usual moves, Bananza introduces five animal-themed power-up transformations that Donkey Kong can use to navigate and battle. These temporary forms are granted by ancient NPC “elders” you meet in each area, and they significantly mix up the gameplay. You can become a mighty gorilla, a speedy zebra, an ostrich, an elephant, or a springy snake, with each transformation accessing new areas or solving environmental puzzles. You can swap between unlocked transformations at will, though each uses energy and only lasts so long. These powers make the already varied levels even more dynamic, and the game cleverly hides secrets that require creative use of all forms.

With such an emphasis on free exploration and physical action, you’ll likely spend long sessions immersed in Bananza’s world. And if you’re into handheld mode, you’ll know the hand strain that creeps in after half an hour. With a modular grip case like the Attack Vector, built for comfort and control, you can stretch those sessions threefold and stay in control without the usual strain.

How to Set Up Co-op in Donkey Kong Bananza

You can jump into two-player co-op at any point during the main adventure. At any point, a second player can join in and take control of Pauline, DK’s partner in crime, which turns the single-player journey into a dynamic DK-and-Pauline team-up.

Player One focuses on platforming as DK, while Player Two becomes a pseudo-turret that uses motion or stick aiming to shoot targets on the fly. As Player Two controlling Pauline, you can copy the material of nearby terrain to enhance her vocal blasts and grab pieces of the environment that DK is breaking to launch at distant foes or hard-to-reach walls. When DK and Pauline coordinate, the bad guys don’t stand a chance!

You can do local co-op on a single Switch 2, or even split the adventure across two systems with the new GameShare feature, which lets a friend play as Pauline on their own Switch 2 without needing a second copy of the game, either locally or online. Keep in mind that GameShare requires a stable internet connection and only works during your active session - so your friend can join the fun, but they won't be able to continue playing once you log off.

And as Bananza doesn't have traditional multiplayer battles or mini-games, the co-op is the multiplayer. That means you'll want extra Joy-Con controllers handy for spontaneous 2-player action. To keep your controllers charged and ready to go, the Dual Wield is an all-in-one charging base that keeps up to four Joy-Con 2 controllers organized and powered up. This way you’re never forced to pause the action just to swap dead controllers.

Donkey Kong Bananza Performance on Switch 2

The moment Bananza starts filling the screen with collapsing walls and shifting terrain, you can tell this game was built for Switch 2. The sheer volume of destruction would have pushed the old hardware past its limits. Reviewers have praised the game’s distinct visual flair, noting that the voxel tech gives Bananza a playful, almost Minecraft-like look at times, yet with far more detail and Nintendo’s trademark polish. 

Lighting and particle effects are also impressive; for example, when you break open a wall, you’ll see dust and debris catch the light, and lava glows realistically in the volcanic layers. Despite the massive scope of levels, the Switch 2 handles the graphics really well. 

That said, Bananza isn’t without a few technical rough edges. The game targets 60fps and generally hits it, but in particularly chaotic scenes the frame rate can dip a bit. It’s an understandable trade-off for so much on-screen action. These moments are infrequent and were minor enough that they didn’t significantly bother most players or reviewers. In fact, critics largely agreed that any frame rate hiccups or camera quirks were worth enduring for the sake of the game’s ambitious design.

Notably, the game renders at a high resolution but does not utilize DLSS upscaling, unlike some other Switch 2 titles. Yet, the absence of DLSS hasn’t been a big issue either; players still get a sharp, vibrant image, especially in handheld mode on the Switch 2’s improved display.

And for anyone looking to share Bananza on a bigger screen or stream it online, the ShadowCast 2 Pro is the go-to companion for Bananza. It’s a compact external capture card that lets you play, record, and stream in full 4K at 60 FPS, complete with an HDMI passthrough for zero-lag gameplay on your TV or monitor. With ultra-low latency, your inputs remain responsive, and the device works with popular apps like OBS out-of-the-box.

Donkey Kong Bananza Reviews

Upon release, Donkey Kong Bananza was met with overwhelmingly positive reviews and quickly earned a reputation as one of 2025’s best games. 

Critics hailed it as the Switch 2’s must-have title that truly demonstrates the console’s potential. IGN awarded it a rare 10/10 “Masterpiece” score, with praise for how it modernizes Donkey Kong’s gameplay while retaining the series’ charm. 

Still, not all feedback was perfect. Some critics noted awkward camera angles and the daunting number of collectibles, though others appreciated the replay value. Overall, both critics and players embraced Bananza. This cements it as a commercial success and a modern classic for the Switch 2.

How to Play Donkey Kong Bananza (Tips & Tricks)

These tricks should help you conquer Donkey Kong Bananza with confidence. The game looks simple on the surface, but the destructible environments and transformation mechanics hide a surprising amount of depth. Small habits, like slapping the ground for sonar or saving red balloons for tough platforming stretches, can make a huge difference once the underground layers get harder. 

1. Learn the Basics (and Buttons) First

First things first, get comfortable with DK’s moves. Run around and practice punching in all directions (Y for forward punch, X for uppercut, B for slam) and jumping (A button). Try the grab (ZR) and Hand Slap (R) early to understand how they work. The game’s opening area is a playground – use it to master pulling out terrain and comboing moves.

2. Break Everything in Sight and Collect What You Can

Donkey Kong’s defining feature is raw strength. Almost every surface is destructible, so don’t be shy about punching walls, floors, and obstacles. You’ll often reveal hidden Banandium Gems, gold, or secret paths by demolishing the environment.

3. Use Chunks as Weapons and Tools

Whenever you rip out a piece of the environment, use it to smash harder surfaces or even enemies. Throwing a sturdy chunk causes massive damage and can break through tough walls more easily than DK’s fists.

4. Upgrade DK Early

Early on, you’ll unlock animal transformations from wise NPC elders. These forms give DK special abilities – e.g. zebra form for speedy sprinting, ostrich form for gliding and dropping egg bombs, elephant form to suck up and spit out terrain, etc. Use the right form for the job: glide over gaps with the ostrich or smash heavy obstacles with the gorilla’s strength. You can swap forms anytime (until the energy meter depletes), so experiment to access hard-to-reach areas and outsmart tough baddies.

5. Smack the Ground for Sonar

Don’t just punch and dig blindly. Use DK’s Hand Slap (R button) frequently. This ground-slap acts like a sonar, briefly showing nearby collectibles and secrets. 

6. Follow the Whistles

Have DK and Pauline whistle a tune by holding L. Musical notes will float off in the direction of your next main objective or toward any treasure marked on a map you’ve found. It’s a handy guidance system when the underground world gets confusing. And speaking of maps – if you pick up a treasure map from a chest, the whistle will guide you right to that hidden loot.

7. Upgrade Skills with Banandium Gems

As you explore, collect those shiny Banandium Gems. They’re basically this game’s power stars. For every 5 gems you grab, you earn a skill point to upgrade DK’s abilities. 

8. Grab The Red Balloons

Keep an eye out for red balloons floating in chests or the environment. They will save DK from a fall into a bottomless pit by whisking him back to safety.

9. Use Fast Travel and Checkpoints

The underground layers are huge, but thankfully DK doesn’t have to backtrack on foot all the time. Giant eels called Eelavators can fast-travel you between layers or to previous areas once unlocked.

10. Build Getaways (Safe Houses)

As you progress, you’ll meet NPCs who can build Getaways in each layer – basically little base camps. It costs some gold, but building a Getaway is worth it: you get a bed to fully restore your hearts, plus a wardrobe to change outfits and a phonograph to play music.

11. Talk to NPCs

Don’t rush past the friendly faces in each layer. NPC characters often give useful hints or even sidequests that reward you with Banandium Gems or other goodies.

12. Meet the Elders to Unlock Powers

Don’t forget to meet the elders to unlock new powers. They’re usually hard to miss and often tied to story progression. Each elder you meet grants Donkey Kong a new animal transformation ability.

To Sum Up

For Switch 2 owners, Bananza is a must-have title. It delivers one of the best platforming experiences in years and illustrates the potential of the new hardware. With DLC and updates, Donkey Kong is back, stronger than ever, with an underground world of Bananas waiting for you.