- Nintendo has revealed that Donkey Kong Bananza is developed by the team behind Super Mario Odyssey
- This was confirmed by a representative at a hands-on preview event
- The representative would not confirm the game’s director, or any other details
To no one’s surprise, Nintendo has finally officially confirmed that the upcoming action platformer Donkey Kong Bananza is developed by the same team as Super Mario Odyssey.
The information comes from a recent hands-on preview event at Nintendo’s UK office, where a representative explained that this is the case.
Interestingly, the representative would not indicate whether Odyssey director Kenta Motokura was also taking on a similar role this time around, or provide any other information about the team.
Many online commentators have speculated on the Donkey Kong Bananza development team since the game was first revealed, with many predicting that it is the same team responsible for Odyssey, given the apparent similarities between the two.
Having now spent a few hours with the game, I can confirm that there is a lot of Odyssey DNA apparent in what I’ve tried of Donkey Kong Bananza so far. Structurally, the two games seem almost identical – with the same focus on free-form exploration and collectible hunting within open-ended levels.
Many features, like the ability to buy outfits in shops using currency that is specific to each region, return, albeit augmented via new additions such as a skill tree and unique buffs associated with each item of clothing.
Donkey Kong Bananza is set to launch on July 17, 2025, and will be exclusive to the Nintendo Switch 2. For an in-depth look at the game, be sure to read our new Donkey Kong Bananza preview.
Leave a comment