Nintendo has revealed more information on Donkey Kong Bananza, a month ahead of its release.
The company broadcast a 17-minuteNintendo Directpresentation focused solely on Bananza, showing more of the game’s plot and gameplay.
Most notably, the game shows that Donkey Kong will be accompanied by a child version of long-time series character Pauline, who dreams of becoming a singer.
Pauline is the alter ego of Odd Rock, the strange purple rock that was accompanying Donkey Kong in the early gameplay footage shown in recent months.
It’s not yet clear when Odd Rock becomes Pauline in the game, but the gameplay footage shown during the Direct suggests that Pauline will be present for most of the game.
The presence of Pauline is somewhat less of a surprise than expected, because back in April the official South KoreanNintendowebsite accidentally uploaded the wrong artwork, showing Pauline accompanying Donkey Kong instead of Odd Rock.
The Direct also showed Donkey Kong’s ability to perform Bananza transformations, turning him into a variety of creatures such as a zebra or an ostrich for a limited time. Each creature has different powers.
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The game will also feature Challenge Course Ruins, which give the player a variety of skill-based missions to complete. Some of these appear to be inspired by previous Donkey Kong games, such as the original Donkey Kong or the minecart sections in the Donkey Kong Country series.
Donkey Kong can also collect Skill Points which allow him to gain new abilities. New outfits can also be unlocked for Donkey Kong and Pauline, and most outfits have different buffs or other benefits.
The game also features a two-player mode where a second player can use theSwitch2’s mouse controls to shout at enemies and objects as Pauline, destroying them. It will also support GameShare, allowing two systems to play the game together with a single copy.
A sculpting mode called DK Artist is also included, allowing players to make their own rock sculptures and paint them.
A special Donkey Kong and Pauline amiibo will also be released for the game, and scanning it will unlock a Diva Dress for Pauline. Nintendo has since tweeted that it will unlock the dress “early”, suggesting the amiibo isn’t required to unlock it in the game.
Donkey Kong Bananzawill be released onNintendo Switch 2on July 17. Find the key features, via Nintendo, below:
