Your Friend Who Likes Games

Last week, I had a really terrible Friday. I found out about some really unforgivable behavior from two colleagues I work with, alongside gossip from another that was pointed in my direction. I felt disgusted by the former, and betrayed by that latter. I teach K-5 Art, and it is unfortunate to say that the majority of problems I find in my career stem from adult behavior. HOWEVER… the cherry on top on this particular Friday were two classes that were just enough of that level of extra to push me over the edge.

So then, a plan was put into place. Said before I pick up my son, I’m grabbing a quad-shot oat milk latte from the local spot kindof-close to daycare, and I’m purchasing a playing Donkey Kong Bananza when I get home. Thankful to my wife and our communication. I told her about my rough day and asked for some uninterrupted game time. She was happy to provide, and I made my $70+ purchase.

Now, I had mentioned before in the podcast, that I had tried the Donkey Kong Bananza Demo about 4 times before deciding to purchase. Part of that may have been that it simply wasn’t the right time for it, and the other was that the demo instructed me to punch with the Y button… and only that for the first few minutes. I knew the premise of the game, how you could destroy nearly every part of the environment, and each of those times that I booted up the demo I kept thinking, “this can’t just be it.”

Well… it mostly is just that. But it really clicked this time. And at a point when I realllllllly needed it. 🙂

* I need to note here too, that the putting-down of the demo so many times was surprising to me. When the Switch 2 was announced, Donkey Kong Bananza was by far the title I was most excited about. But I couldn’t seem to find the gaming context it would fit into… *

.. again .. until now 🙂

What really clicked this time, was not only the perfect rage I had inside me needing to be released, but I finally figured out what the physicality of the button language was trying to say. And when I figured it out, it felt like a fighting game. An endless combo. And off I went.

Yes, punch with Y, sure. But that’s just to DK’s side… The X button punches upward, A is jump, and B is downward.

Visually, here:

X (up)

Y (sides) A (jump)

B (down)

Once that locked into my brain, it all changed. It felt like I was completing an endless, successful combo in Tekken, and I wonder if fighting games were at all considered in Bananza‘s particular button layout. My enemy? The environment.

I mean, not really. The environment is not a threat in this game. But ohhhhhh is it there for you to completely destroy to your heart’s content. Knowing ahead of time, I wasn’t completely surprised at how much you could destroy, but more so I was impressed with the continual fidelity as you very quickly button mash any wall and crystal into shards.

And here’s a flex from Nintendo. If you hit the down button on the d-pad, you enter an instant photo mode. They want to show off how cool this game looks no matter how fast you are moving or how much you’re destroying. Check this out:

Probably my most beautiful capture, I was enthralled by the physicality of the snow when I reached that particular environment. You could feel, see, and manipulate the top layer – watch it fluff, fly and disintegrate. Not only that, but look at that lavendar pallete! And this is just one moment captured. This one moment captured motivates me to create more of these. To create destruction and pause the action at the right moment in order to capture beautiful moments like this.

I think what’s really impressive too is that this destruction could have looked cheap. You could have punched through walls, and they all could have share the same animation of rocks breaking/fading away. But Bananza is SO much a game about physicality – not only of DK, but of the environment too. Shards of rock break into varied sizes based on where you hit and how. You, as DK, have a physical relationship to the environment that says if anything gets in my way or looks enticing to break, I’m going to punch it. And using only the verb of ‘punch’ even seems to under-sell it. As much as the game is about violence, I feel it’s equally about movement and momentum. One big punch can do a lot of damage but takes an extra second, while a lot of little punches can chip-away. Its a continual dance in relation to the environment in which you receive physical feedback from the walls and ground that tell you how much more you need to do to get through it all. And it’s continually impressive that this communication happens at such a high speed.

There are terrain levels of density that are communicated to you with a star rating every time you enter a new area, but it’s only very fast to read how quickly you can or cannot punch through various states of ground and wall. Feels the equivalent of touching the stovetop when it’s warm, hot, or room temp – you know quickly and proceed.

I’ve pretty much already described this, but the presentation is amazing. Colors are stunning. Lighting is stunning. DK’s fur texture is stunning. And AGAIN, they really figured something out with the water on Switch 2-exclusive games. Amazing. Music is ambient and appropriately distant when necessary, but energetic where needed. The chorus of your “Bananza” ultra-Hulk-smash ability is actually quite good – Pauline sings in an abstract language, and when you unlock the ability for them to last a bit longer, the chorus’s harmonies are real nice. Environments feel similar in scale to Super Mario Odyssey – open enough to invite exploration but stuff to break is always in reach to keep the ‘combo’ going.

videogamedunkey joked in his Bananza playthroughs that he may never finish the game. The environment welcomes your destruction, and hidden bananas and fossils invite a collect-a-thon. What’s nice about both Donkey Kong Bananza and Super Mario Odyssey is that they both invite open-area play. Sounds cliche, but that’s just it. Objectives remain simple. In Odyssey, solve environmental puzzles and collect moons. In Bananza, smash as many parts of the environment as you want, search for treasure, fossils, and bananas, and oh, when you’re ready, there’s one simple beacon to go to if and when you’re ready to move on to the next area and do it some more. You don’t have to care too strongly about the story here – the game knows what you’re here to do – SMASH. But it’s that open play in-between what ‘progresses’ the game that is the games bread and butter, and has certainly kept me just…. in it 🙂

They’ve even kept the ability to customize. We all had fun collecting various themed outfits to match stages in Super Mario Odyssey, and there’s more of that here. I think my favorite being the ability to change DK’s fur color to some flamboyant blues, pinks, and reds to pop in contrast to some equally loud “britches.” It’s fun to make a DK that feels a bit gay or drag, and a bit more yours than just the default we already know.

Some more specific notes include how I didn’t really expect enemies or boss fights for some reason? But they simply provide another thing to break and don’t pose much threat. In addition to punching, you may pull up ground to aid your breaking-through tougher surfaces. You may also aim and throw the ground, which is both fun to add to your rage arsenal and also essential for certain puzzle solving – a reticle appears if you hold down R2. Yeah, it’s rad. Oh, and also while holding that slab you violently ripped up from the ground.. you may jump, and if you jump again you throw that slab at the ground to obtain a double jump. Through violence. Yes.

I’m still not sure as to why Pauline is involved other than her lore, history and connection to Donkey Kong. But narratively in this game, there’s no real explanation. At least not one that I have found yet. Frankly, after accepting her companionship in game, I continued to hope she was okay during my playthroughs. With DK’s many barrel rolls, smashing through rocks, violent arms flailing… I’d just hope her bones would stay intact. ;p

In conclusion, it’s simple to say, but this game feels really good. It’s a great lizard game brain to just be in and zone out. It’s been great for taking time to process hard days. It doesn’t ask too much of your brain, but instead asks, ‘Want to feel good smashing things? Want to get some energy out? Want to enjoy some beautiful lighting, colors, and environments while doing so? Great 🙂 And also, feel free to take your time. With strength like yours, DK, we won’t get in your way.’

Thanks for reading,

Dillon 🙂