Donkey Kong Bananza will put a smile on your face | hands-on gameplay

There’s something joyful about the smash and jump movement of Donkey Kong, and that’s why Donkey Kong Bananza is likely to be a big hit on the Switch 2.

The game is a 3D platforming action adventure that will be available exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2. Nintendo announced yesterday that the Switch 2 will debut on June 5 for $450, with games that can cost as much as $80.

I had a chance to play Donkey Kong Bananza hands-on with the Switch 2 at Nintendo’s reveal event in New York yesterday. Donkey Kong Bananza was the final game in the line-up of Switch 2 machines. And it was a good way to end because the 15-minute demo had me learning how to smash in different directions — up, down, sideways and while jumping into ground-pound actions.

In the game, you play Donkey Kong as he ...