Now, time for the good stuff. Donkey Kong Bananza. A 3D platformer where you punch through level environments to progress and collect Banandium Gems.

This game is simply a delight. The game has incredibly satisfying level design to it. Banandium Gems, can be found by paying careful attention to the environment... or you can just find them using your hand-clap, which works like a short distance sonar, and then punch your way down to it. And then after you've collected the Gem, you've now found a new little area to look around in. You win no matter which way you choose to pursue the Gems. Another nice aspect with the game is that if you're struggling to find Gems, you don't need to look up a guide or completely destroy the entire level. Just punch around in the dirt for a bit and sometimes, you'll find randomly generated treasure chests that will give you a treasure map to find Gems with. What a great solution.



There's a perfect balance of linearity and player interaction here. You can destroy probably 95% of everything you see on screen, but there are certain indestructible obstacles to stop you from completely cheesing the game. Often, if you get real clever and manage to explore areas that feel like they should be out of reach, the developers are always one step ahead of you and are happy to reward you with extra Gems or gold. There's also bonus areas that are similar to the bonus levels found in Super Mario Sunshine, where the focus is more on beating the linear level in a particular way. It's nice to know that Nintendo doesn't think linearity is completely expendable in its big budget games these days, as I've found the type of player freedom found in recent The Legend of Zelda games to be rather unsatisfying comparatively.



The narrative progression to the game is really good and feels like a genuine adventure. Every time I clear a layer, I'm super excited to see which layer comes next, and it's never one that I'm expecting, with each layer feeling like it strives for something different by introducing new mechanics. There are layers that have multiple sublayers to explore and are a bit more linear like a Super Mario Galaxy  level, some layers that are just a completely open space, some layers that are entirely focused around digging,  a layer that is entirely focused around racing and speed and some layers that simply have no exploration whatsoever with more focus on the narrative. In terms of new mechanics, there are rocks that make you fly, rocks that illuminate the area around you, goop that dissolves when you throw salt at it... It's so varied and everchanging, and the developers really make you use every mechanic in the game if you want to collect every the game has to offer. Hell, the game is so complex in its mechanics that puzzles with seemingly specific solutions can usually be solved in a large number of different ways. It entirely depends on your imagination.

Aside from gushing about the gameplay and level design, there's a bunch of neat little details in this game. Throwing a punch at an friendly NPC allows you to high-five them instead. Destroying the terrain around an NPC changes their dialogue. There's a bunch of monkeys commenting on how calm another monkey is. You then punch the wall behind him and he starts freaking out. There's another one you meet on a boat. Destroy the boat and he goes "well, I was due for a swim anyway". It's great stuff. The Fractones are a great set of new NPCs and, with their large goofy eyes, feel like they were ripped right out of a classic Rare game. Homages to Rare's Donkey Kong Country series are frequently made via the fossil collectibles and a slew of remixed classic songs. All this, along with a bunch of more spoiler-ridden references, really makes it feel like the Super Mario Odyssey  team had a great deal of love for the older Donkey Kong games. I really hope the original Rare devs get a chance to play this game and feel proud of the legacy they've cemented in this series.