Nintendo released a fifteen-minute direct that focused on Donkey Kong Bananza, detailing many details about the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 game. This includes the reveal that Pauline is in this game, but as a kid!

Pauline, in the game, starts inside a rock, for some reason, but pops out as a human. She’s trying to reach the Planet’s Core, as it can make your heart’s desires come true. So she and Donkey Kong are teaming up for the journey to the centre of the Earth. Pauline can also enhance Donkey Kong by singing, and if you play the game in co-op (more on that in a second), the second player can blast singing words at enemies from DK’s shoulders. You’ll unlock ‘Bananza Transformations,’ which are enhanced versions of DK, where he can also transform into other animals, ‘Kong Bananza,’ a super-strong Kong, ‘Zebdra Bananza,’ which is a fast-moving Zebra, and ‘Ostrich Bananza,’ which allows you to fly. You can activate and switch into these forms with the help of Pauline by collecting ‘Bananergy.’

The 3D adventure of Donkey Kong Bananza features the ability to smash and play in the way you want. Dive into the ground, break down mountains and more as you search for secrets in each of the game’s worlds. And even if you think the underground may be very brown and boring as you head further down, as seen in this latest direct, there are snowy areas, lush ones and even water ones.

Players will be bumping into a new group of enemies in this game, as well as familiar faces. There’s the villainous group, the ‘Void Company,’ which is trying to reach the centre so they can fulfil their hearts’ desires and stop DK and Pauline. However, players will also encounter Cranky Kong, Rami, Diddy Kong, and others.

There will be plenty of ways for players to explore their creative elements in the game as well, with a photo mode with heaps of options and also ‘DK Artist,’ where you’ll be able to use Joy-Cons to sculpt into stone and paint.

A new Donkey Kong and Pauline amiibo have been announced. Still, the game also features the ability to use all previous amiibo as well to unlock different terrain materials to use in-game or gold KONG titles from Donkey Kong amiibo.

Check out the full Donkey Kong Bananza Direct in the video below.

You can hear a bunch of fantastic new and returning Donkey Kong music in the direct, which I’m looking forward to chilling to when the full game releases. There are Pauline’s songs, as well as the DK rap, amongst other things, to get excited about.

Donkey Kong Bananza will be released on July 17 for Nintendo Switch 2. Are you looking forward to playing Donkey Kong Bananza? Let me know in the comments section below.