Verdict № 08 · Platformer
Donkey Kong Bananza review
Almost everything can be punched through in Nintendo's destructible platformer. It is a joy to play, with a costly expansion attached.
Donkey Kong punching through shattering rock with Pauline on his back. Official image: Nintendo.
Donkey Kong Bananza is built on one satisfying idea: nearly every surface can be smashed, dug through or torn up and thrown. DK tunnels down through layered underground worlds chasing Banandium gems, joined by a young Pauline whose singing powers his animal transformations. It arrived on Switch 2 in July 2025, scored 91 on Metacritic with 98% of critics recommending it on OpenCritic, and was named Best Family Game at The Game Awards 2025, where it was also nominated for Game of the Year.
It is priced like Nintendo's other big releases: £58.99 digital and £66.99 for Nintendo's boxed copy. The one paid extra, DK Island and Emerald Rush at £16.99, adds a new area and a score-attack mode, and critics were noticeably cooler on it than on the game.
Pure, destructive joy for the whole family, with an expansion you can safely skip.The verdict in one line
The review, milestone by milestone
- mark 9.0
Hours 1 to 4
Learning to break things
From the first minutes the game invites you to ignore the path and dig. Punching through rock reveals gold, fossils and gems, and the controls make destruction feel physical and precise.
Pauline's arrival gives the adventure a heart and a reason to keep heading downwards.
- mark 9.0
The middle stretch
A new layer, a new form
Each layer brings a new theme and a new Bananza transformation, such as a zebra for speed, an ostrich for gliding or an elephant for heavy lifting, and each changes how you read the level. Gems buy upgrades on a skill tree and fossils buy outfits at fixed prices.
Destruction remains the main puzzle tool throughout, which keeps the variety high right to the end.
- mark 8.0
The long tail
Collectibles and challenge courses
Reaching the planet's core ends the story at around 19 hours, or 30 with extras. After that come collectible hunting, challenge courses and, if you pay for it, the DK Island area and the Emerald Rush mode, a score-attack run played in 99-second rounds.
Completionists report about 49 hours in the main game.
- mark 8.3
Craft and access
Great to play, not always to watch
Reviewers praised the feel of the destruction but noted camera trouble in tight tunnels and frame-rate dips when a lot breaks at once.
A second player can join as Pauline in an assist role, including pointer-style aiming with a Joy-Con 2, which makes it a good game for a parent and child to share. It runs only on Switch 2.
The bill: what it really costs in the UK
One purchase gets you the whole adventure; the only paid add-on is the expansion.
The bill · Donkey Kong Bananza
The eShop bundle of game and expansion costs exactly the same as buying both separately. Gold and fossils are earned in play and spent at fixed-price shops; nothing inside the game is sold for money.
Where to buy it and how you can pay
Like Mario Kart World, Bananza is exclusive to Switch 2: the eShop sells the digital version (Visa, Mastercard, PayPal for adults, eShop cards) and UK retailers sell the box.
Nintendo eShop
- Visa or Mastercard
- PayPal (18+)
- eShop cards
Nintendo eShop
- Visa or Mastercard
- PayPal (18+)
- eShop cards
My Nintendo Store
- Card
- PayPal
- Apple Pay
- Google Pay
Before you pay: a free demo went up on the eShop with the expansion in September 2025, and it is the only way to try before you buy, because Nintendo does not refund digital games for a change of mind.
How the scores add up
| How it plays | Weight | Mark |
|---|---|---|
| First hours | 15% | 9.0 |
| The middle stretch | 30% | 9.0 |
| The long tail | 20% | 8.0 |
| Craft | 20% | 8.0 |
| Access | 15% | 8.5 |
| What it costs | Weight | Mark |
|---|---|---|
| Price against play | 35% | 7.5 |
| Honest pricing | 25% | 7.0 |
| Ways to pay | 20% | 5.5 |
| Protection | 20% | 5.0 |
What we rate
- Destruction that feels physical and inventive
- Bananza transformations keep each layer fresh
- Assist co-op for a second player
- A free demo to try first
What costs it
- The camera struggles in tight spaces
- The £16.99 expansion is short for its price
- Switch 2 only
- No change-of-mind refunds on the eShop
Buy it if
you want a bright, inventive platformer to play alone or alongside a child; it is the most joyful game in our set.
Think twice if
you count cost per hour: at roughly £1.95 per hour of story and extras it is one of the pricier games here for its length.
Final verdict
Bananza is a delight and, after Mario Kart World, the strongest reason to own a Switch 2. The Value score reflects a full Nintendo price for a 20-to-30-hour game, an expansion critics judged thin for £16.99, and the eShop's strict terms.
Buy the base game, try the demo first if you are unsure, and leave the expansion until it is discounted.
Weigh it against
Sources
This review is an editorial analysis of published evidence; see how we judge. Prices checked 25 September 2026.