Donkey Kong Bananza: Inside the Origins of Nintendo’s Innovative 3D Platformer

Donkey Kong Bananza: Inside the Origins of Nintendo’s Innovative 3D Platformer Donkey Kong Bananza, Nintendo’s anticipated 3D platformer, is making waves as details about the game’s inception come to light through a new IGN interview with its development team.

As the latest addition to the storied Donkey Kong franchise, Bananza represents a significant evolution for the beloved character, blending classic motifs with cutting-edge technology tailored for the Nintendo Switch. In the IGN interview, producer Kenta Motokura—who previously directed Super Mario Odyssey—shared how the journey began.

Reflecting on the early stages, Motokura explained that it was Yoshiaki Koizumi, also renowned for his role as Super Mario Odyssey director, who first approached the team about developing a 3D Donkey Kong title.

Recognizing their need for deeper insight into Donkey Kong’s character, the development group turned to Shigeru Miyamoto, the legendary Nintendo designer and the character’s original creator. Miyamoto, known for shaping not only the original Donkey Kong games but also for collaborating with Rare on their iterations, provided crucial perspective.

He emphasized the unique physical abilities that set Donkey Kong apart—such as his signature hand slap attack and powerful breath.

These characteristic moves, Miyamoto noted, were vital to capturing the spirit of the iconic ape in a fresh gameplay context. Koizumi, whose prior experience includes directing the rhythm-based Jungle Beat, highlighted Donkey Kong’s distinctive physical traits.

He pointed out the significance of Donkey Kong’s long, strong arms, which contrast with Mario’s attributes and allowed for new interactions within the game’s world. Motokura further revealed that a breakthrough occurred when the team began experimenting with Voxel Technology.

This technology, previously used in parts of Super Mario Odyssey—like the destructible cheese in the Luncheon Kingdom and snow in the Snow Kingdom—opened new possibilities for environment interaction.

The development team explored ways for players to manipulate and destroy environments with Donkey Kong’s strength, using voxels to realize a tactile and dynamic gameplay experience. He explained that marrying Donkey Kong’s signature power and physicality with Voxel Technology was a turning point.

"When we saw how Donkey Kong’s characteristics meshed seamlessly with the possibilities that voxel-based environments provided, the idea of making destruction a core gameplay mechanic naturally followed," Motokura summarized for IGN. Donkey Kong Bananza is poised to leverage this fusion of character-driven action and technological innovation on the Nintendo Switch, promising fans new layers of interactive fun.

The title’s development underscores Nintendo’s commitment to pushing creative boundaries, drawing from its historic talent pool and legacy franchises to deliver fresh experiences for contemporary audiences. With no official release date announced yet, anticipation continues to build as Donkey Kong Bananza’s development story highlights the collaborative artistry behind Nintendo’s flagship titles.

Fans can look forward to more updates, potentially through upcoming Nintendo Direct presentations or official eShop listings.

Donkey Kong IGN Nintendo Donkey Kong Bananza Inside Bananza Kenta Motokura Yoshiaki Koizumi Shigeru Miyamoto Super Mario Odyssey Jungle Beat