Nintendo aired a 17-minute Direct dedicated to Donkey Kong: Bananza today. The biggest surprise was that Pauline will be Donkey Kong’s new companion. For those that don’t know, Pauline was the mayor of New Donk City in Super Mario Odyssey, and was the character that sang Jump Superstar, which basically became the theme song of the whole game. Pauline was also Mario’s girlfriend in the original Donkey Kong back in 1981. How this fits in with Donkey Kong’s lore, timeline, and the Donkey Kong Country games, no one knows, or maybe it doesn’t.

What we do know is that Donkey Kong Bananza is a 3D platformer in name, but really might be more of a 3D brawler. From every piece of footage Nintendo has shown so far, Donkey Kong is punching, kicking, stomping, swinging, throwing, tearing, and destroying just about anything he wants to. The gameplay really seems to be emphasizing the big ape’s strength and physicality, although it looks like there will be bonus 2D platforming segments more akin to the Donkey Kong Country games as well.

DK can transform into in a zebra, an ostrich, and into a larger ‘Bananza’ version of himself for extra strength and different abilities. He can surf around on rocks he tears out of the ground and he has a sonor ability to find bananas by pounding the ground. Like in Super Mario Odyssey you’ll have access to different clothing outfits for both Donkey Kong and Pauline to customize their looks with – which further adds evidence to the rumor that EAD Tokyo is the development team at Nintendo making Bananza – the same team that made Super Mario Odyssey. It makes sense given the similarities between them. Also, DK can attain skill points to level-up his abilities.

Donkey Kong: Bananza releases for Nintendo Switch 2 on July 17, 2025. Check out the full Direct presentation below: