Donkey Kong Bananza, the upcoming project from the developers behind Super Mario Odyssey, marks the franchise`s return to 3D platforming since Donkey Kong 64 in 1999 and its first internally developed 3D game since Jungle Beat in 2004. An interview with the developers sheds light on the decision to focus on Donkey Kong and revisit the 3D format now.
According to an interview with IGN, Kenta Motokura, the producer of Donkey Kong Bananza, revealed that Nintendo executive Yoshiaki Koizumi proposed the idea of creating a 3D Donkey Kong game to the team. This concept was further discussed with Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of both the Donkey Kong and Mario series, who pointed out Kong`s distinct abilities, such as the hand slap seen in Super Smash Bros. Koizumi, who previously directed Jungle Beat, also noted Donkey Kong`s powerful long arms, a contrast to Mario`s physique.
Concurrently, one of the Mario Odyssey developers was experimenting with voxel technology, similar to what is used in games like Minecraft and elements within Super Mario Odyssey (like snow and cheese). The combination of exploring Donkey Kong`s unique characteristics and experimenting with voxel technology ultimately inspired the development of Bananza as it is today.
Summing up, Kenta Motokura stated, “Upon recognizing how well Donkey Kong`s signature traits—his strength and large, long arms—aligned with the potential of voxel technology, we saw a strong synergy that led us to the concept of destruction being a central gameplay element in this title.”
In unrelated news regarding Nintendo Switch 2, Amazon is reportedly selling the console, albeit currently only by invitation. Also, the demo for Wild Hearts S is now available, allowing players to transfer their progress to the full game.