The director of Donkey Kong Bananza, Kazuya Takahashi, has disclosed that he replayed each game in the series upon receiving the assignment to lead development on the new title. Set to launch on July 17, Donkey Kong Bananza will be Nintendo’s first full 3D venture since Donkey Kong 64. This latest installment offers players a destructible environment, encouraging exploration of underground biomes as Donkey Kong collects stolen Banandium Gems from VoidCo.

Alongside its 3D landscape, the game introduces mechanics that allow actions such as smashing and climbing, enhancing gameplay with innovative features like voice-controlled co-op. Despite the franchise’s lengthy hiatus, Donkey Kong’s popularity remains, showing up in ports and cameo appearances, keeping him a prominent figure in gaming.

While reminiscing about the series’ history, Takahashi expressed enthusiasm for drawing inspiration from earlier titles such as Donkey Kong Jr. and Donkey Kong Country, keen on merging nostalgia with fresh concepts, all while ensuring this new direction offers players something completely different, transitioning from 2D and traditional platforming to a voxel-based 3D world. He also hinted at potential performance issues but reassured fans that these would not detract from overall gameplay enjoyment.