Uploaded July 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago

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As a longtime fan of the Rare-era Donkey Kong Country games, I went into Donkey Kong Bananza with low expectations. The strange redesign, Pauline’s Disney Princess role, and the radical shift in gameplay style all felt like major red flags. It didn’t look, or feel, like the Donkey Kong I grew up with.

However…the late game changed some things. Could that be enough to change hardcore DKC fan's minds?

In this honest, no-hype review, free of outside influence, I break down exactly what works, what doesn’t, and where this controversial game took me by surprise.

Should this be the future of Donkey Kong games, or just a detour? Find out in NintendoUp’s full, unsponsored video review!

Chapters (use this to avoid spoilers):
0:00 Intro
0:20 Review Begins
1:10 The Positives
5:50 SPOILERS BEGIN
7:48 SPOILERS END
8:18 The Negatives
16:00 The Kongclusion

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Make sure to watch our Donkey Kong Country Returns HD review too!
youtube.com/watch?v=rcitiAPFgeA

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