Donkey Kong Bananzawas one of the most exciting announcements out of the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct in April. The first majorDonkey Konggame since 2014’sDonkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze,Donkey Kong Bananzasees the famed orangutan in a brand-new, open-ended 3D adventure with a heavy emphasis on destruction. Set to release in July, this title looks to be one of the most notable games for the Nintendo Switch 2 in the early part of its life.
Hype aroundDonkey Kong Bananzahas undoubtedly reached a fever pitch, especially asthe Nintendo Switch 2 reached historic pre-order numbersand looks primed to see similar success to the previous Nintendo Switch. As fans await the new system, speculation has mounted regarding what should be expected from the game. One prevailing theory concerns its connection toSuper Mario Odyssey, suggesting that this newDonkey Konggame may secretly be a prequel.
Donkey Kong Bonanza May Be Connected to Super Mario Odyssey In A Big Way
Leaked Donkey Kong Bananza Key Art May Hint At Pauline’s Appearance
One of the biggest pieces of speculation regardingDonkey Kong Bananzabeing aSuper Mario Odysseyprequelcomes from a leaked alternate key art for the game. First noticed on the Korean version of Nintendo’s website, this since-removed alternate key art shows what looks like a young woman riding on Donkey Kong’s back. The website has since removed this version of the key art, but not before fans speculated the young woman to actually be Pauline, the damsel-in-distress character from the originalDonkey Kongarcade game who would go on to play a major role inSuper Mario Odyssey.
Naturally,Nintendo is hiding some of its bigger secretsuntil the game is closer to release, a practice not too unfamiliar for the publisher. If the character in this key art truly is a younger iteration of Pauline, though,Donkey Kong Bananzacould essentially be something of a prequel toSuper Mario Odysseythat shows how Pauline went on to become the mayor of New Donk City. If Nintendo is really planning to tie the two games into each other, this new entry could even show how New Donk City came to be.
Donkey Kong Bananza Already Wears Its Super Mario Odyssey Influence On Its Sleeve
WhileSuper Mario Odysseydidn’t prominently feature Donkey Kong, the New Donk City setting in itself was loaded withDonkey Kongreferences. Several stores and streets within New Donk City were named afterDonkey Kongcharacters, specifically those hailing from theDonkey Kong Countryfranchise. The level also ends with Mario traveling through a 2D sequence designed after the originalDonkey Konggame, complete with Mario defeating an 8-bit Donkey Kong to receive a Power Moon from Pauline.
Whether the prequel storyline appears in the game,Donkey Kong Bananzacould at the very least be viewed asa spiritual successor toSuper Mario Odyssey. Beyond being Donkey Kong’s first proper 3D adventure since 1999’sDonkey Kong 64, Bananza’s open-ended nature seems to be taking a lot of inspiration from whatOdysseyhad previously done in 2017. Given how prominently this new game wears theOdysseyinspiration on its sleeve, it’s fair to at least consider it a pseudo-sequel even if it doesn’t take on the “prequel story” concept.
Whether the prequel storyline appears in the game,Donkey Kong Bananzacould at the very least be viewed as a spiritual successor toSuper Mario Odyssey.
Donkey Kong Bananza May Be Developed By The Super Mario Odyssey Team
Donkey Kong BananzaandSuper Mario Odysseymay also have a deeper connection beyond the games themselves. While Nintendo is known to be coy about what team is specifically developing each new game, reports ofDonkey Kong Bananza’s existence previously implicated thattheSuper Mario Odysseyteam, Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development, was the one at the helm. Gamers won’t get to know until it releases, but considering the current similarities between the two, it wouldn’t be surprising if Nintendo EPD was the one behind Donkey Kong’s newest adventure.
Of course, any discussion ofDonkey Kong Bananzabeing a prequel toSuper Mario Odysseyshould be taken with a grain of salt. Nintendo has been quick to hide the alternate key art after it first popped up, and the publisher may remain coy about who the woman in the picture is until the game’s release. Even so,Donkey Kong Bananzawill nonetheless be a must-play title on the Switch 2, and it appears primed to do for the new system whatSuper Mario Odysseydid before.
