Donkey Kong Bananza Dominates UK Charts: Outpaces Tropical Freeze but Falls Short of Mario Odyssey

Donkey Kong Bananza Climbs the UK Game Sales Charts: Key Performance Insights on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 Donkey Kong Bananza has stormed to the number one position in the latest UK boxed games charts, overtaking established titles like Mario Kart World, Hogwarts Legacy, and EA Sports FC 25.

Developed and published by Nintendo, Donkey Kong Bananza serves as the franchise’s latest mainline entry and marks a significant milestone for the beloved ape’s legacy on the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 platforms. According to verified chart data compiled by GfK, Donkey Kong Bananza debuted at the summit of the UK rankings during its launch week.

Notably, the title’s opening performance has eclipsed the sales of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze on Nintendo Switch by a factor of three, as reported by Chris Dring, Head of Games B2B at The Game Business.

However, while Bananza’s launch was robust, it achieved less than half the initial sales of Super Mario Odyssey, which set a high benchmark when it debuted on the Nintendo Switch in October 2017. When asked about the split between physical and digital sales on Nintendo platforms, Chris Dring explained in a recent statement that, despite a gradual shift toward digital sales across the industry, the Nintendo Switch user base continues to demonstrate a strong preference for physical copies.

"On Switch, there’s still quite a significant demand for boxed games, even if digital is growing a little," Dring clarified.

This highlights Nintendo fans’ enduring appreciation for tangible game collections, distinguishing the platform from broader market trends. Contextual sales differences between Donkey Kong Bananza and past Nintendo hits are illuminated by hardware install base figures.

Super Mario Odyssey launched when the Nintendo Switch had amassed between 14 and 15 million consoles sold globally by October 2017.

In contrast, Donkey Kong Bananza’s arrival just under two months after the release of Switch 2 means there are currently fewer potential players in the ecosystem, which naturally affects initial sales volumes. Turning to this week’s UK chart statistics, Donkey Kong Bananza led the list, followed by Mario Kart World and Hogwarts Legacy.

Other Nintendo favorites maintained strong positions: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Super Mario Bros.

Wonder, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons all remained within the top 20.

Platform breakdowns reveal that Switch and Switch 2 versions continue to anchor major releases’ success, reinforcing Nintendo's commitment to supporting both generations through overlaps in software availability. In summary, Donkey Kong Bananza’s impressive debut signals both the franchise’s continued relevance and the strength of Nintendo’s core hardware ecosystem.

As the market evolves, the interplay between physical and digital sales on Nintendo platforms merits ongoing attention for industry stakeholders.

With Bananza topping the charts and maintaining healthy competition with genre-defining benchmarks like Super Mario Odyssey, the game sets a promising course for future Switch and Switch 2 releases.

Donkey Kong Nintendo Donkey Kong Bananza Mario Switch Tropical Freeze UK Charts UK UK charts Bananza