Donkey Kong Bananza is a Special Kind of Homecoming

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Nintendo boasts an impressive collection of beloved mascots. Year after year, Mario and his friends from the Mushroom Kingdom dominate the spotlight, while Zelda, Link, and Hyrule follow closely behind. However, characters like Donkey Kong, though adored universally, have been less prominent in recent times. Yet, the release of Donkey Kong Bananza could potentially change this trend for the monkey character.

Following a ten-year hiatus, Nintendo’s original mascot, Donkey Kong, is back in the limelight with the critically acclaimed game titled “Donkey Kong Bananza“. It’s been a while since fans have seen him take center stage, but this comeback has been eagerly anticipated. What makes “Donkey Kong Bananza” stand out among other games in Donkey Kong’s return is a unique aspect of its creation process, making it a particularly heartwarming homecoming for both the character and his fans.

Donkey Kong Bananza Marks a Momentous Milestone for The Nintendo Mascot

Donkey Kong Bananza Is The First DK-Focused Game in Over a Decade

For the past decade or so, Donkey Kong hasn’t starred in any new mainline games, but he’s still relevant due to appearances in crossover titles like Super Smash Bros. and Mario Kart World. Moreover, instead of having solo games, Donkey Kong has been featured in remasters, ports, and updated versions of older games such as Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze and Donkey Kong Country Returns, with the latter being released on Nintendo Switch earlier this year.

The most recent addition to the Donkey Kong series, which was originally launched for the Wii U in 2014, is Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze. Consequently, Donkey Kong Bananza, released recently, marks the first new game featuring our titular gorilla in over a decade. This explains why fans of Donkey Kong have welcomed its initial positive reception with such enthusiasm.

Donkey Kong Bananza Is a Homecoming for Nintendo

Although Donkey Kong is widely recognized as one of Nintendo’s longest-lasting mascots, it’s interesting to note that most Donkey Kong games have not come directly from Nintendo’s internal studios. The original Donkey Kong arcade game in 1981 was indeed developed by Nintendo, followed by a few sequels designed for the arcades. However, after releasing Donkey Kong Jr. Math in 1983, Nintendo took a break from personally developing Donkey Kong games for quite some time.

1994 marked a revival for the franchise as Rare introduced the cherished “Donkey Kong Country”. For the remainder of the ’90s, Rare primarily developed games featuring the iconic character. Later on, in the early 2000s, Namco experimented with the franchise through the “Donkey Konga” series. Paon stepped into the scene in 2007, creating “Donkey Kong Barrel Blast” for the Wii. Finally, Retro Studios revitalized the series with its classic style in 2010 by releasing “Donkey Kong Country Returns”. They continued this trend in 2014 with “Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze”.

Apart from the spin-offs like “Mario vs. Donkey Kong” and “Donkey Kong Jungle Beat”, released in 2004, Nintendo hasn’t developed a new “Donkey Kong” game since the 1980s. However, that’s about to change as the latest addition, titled “Donkey Kong Bananza”, is actually produced by Nintendo EPD – the very same team responsible for 2017’s smash hit “Super Mario Odyssey”.

Donkey Kong Blitz is more than just the latest main series game since 2014; it signifies Nintendo having exclusive rights to develop a Donkey Kong game after nearly 4 decades, making it a return that’s truly cause for celebration.

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2025-07-22 16:33