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Nintendo has shared details about an early build of Donkey Kong Bananza designed for the original Nintendo Switch, giving fans a rare insight into the game’s initial development before the release of the Switch 2. Keep reading to discover how this prototype helped shape the game’s final mechanics.

The Beginnings of Donkey Kong Bananza on Nintendo Switch

How a Goomba with Arms Inspired Bananza’s Gameplay

Nintendo has officially released information about an early test version of Donkey Kong Bananza built for the original Nintendo Switch. Although the finished product is now a major title for the Switch 2, this early prototype gives a fascinating look at the game’s early stages.

Development started in 2019 at Nintendo EPD Tokyo, where the team aimed to create a system that lets players reshape the world permanently. To explore this idea, they began with a simple experiment: giving a Goomba large arms.

"Actually, we did try that," laughed Game Director Wataru Tanaka. "In Super Mario Odyssey, there's a boss named Knucklotec who uses big hands to attack Mario. One of our developers added those same arms to a Goomba for testing. The Goomba was then able to smash up terrain, rip off pieces, and throw them as weapons."

This early test ran on Switch 1 development kits. Textures were compressed and reused more often, plant life was less dense, and view distances were shorter. Despite these limitations, the team started designing levels, programming destruction features, and testing animations—all without the advantages of newer hardware.

Upgrading to Switch 2 Enhanced the Game’s Destructive Features

A major shift occurred in early 2021 when Nintendo approved moving development to the Switch 2 platform. This upgrade allowed the team to:

?? Fully implement real-time voxel-based destruction
?? Enable smooth transitions between game worlds
?? Use dynamic lighting and sound effects
?? Improve AI for multiplayer companions

It also meant no compromises on DK’s complex animations or interactive environments. Changing the terrain became a central part of gameplay rather than just a visual effect.

"We looked closely at how we could improve what we had originally made for the Switch to better suit the Switch 2," said Art Director Daisuke Watanabe. "One clear improvement was being able to place many more objects within the environment. Adding more items to the world significantly boosted the visual depth of the game."

Regarding the story, Donkey Kong Bananza builds around the destructive theme through its antagonists—VoidCo, led by Void Kong, Grumpy Kong, and Poppy Kong—who control the island’s Banandium Gems and seek the mythical wish-granting power hidden deep beneath the earth.

As players journey through the game’s underground biomes, they face multi-stage bosses tied to VoidCo’s forces and natural elements. The terrain is designed so that breaking it apart changes its appearance and physical behavior. This layered design introduces new strategic options, such as revealing secret paths and activating environmental dangers unique to each area.

Game Director Kazuya Takahashi added, "We also focused heavily on continuity. Take the Hand Slap move, for instance, where Donkey Kong slams his hand on the ground. That move doubles as a sonar, highlighting nearby buried objects."

He continued, "You might notice something glowing behind a wall, break through, dig up a fossil, and then find a hidden space beyond it, leading to even more surprises. At its heart, Donkey Kong Bananza encourages curiosity and keeps exploration flowing."

Donkey Kong Bananza will be released on July 17, 2025, only for the Nintendo Switch 2. For more updates, stay tuned to our ongoing coverage below!

Donkey Kong Bananza Sources:
Ask the Developer Vol. 19: Donkey Kong Bananza — Part 2
Donkey Kong Bananza Direct: Everything We Learned

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