Yes: Donkey Kong Bananza was a 2025 Game of the Year nominee, though it did not win the award. Its case as a standout is rooted in how thoroughly it builds play around smashing and reshaping the world—not in a GOTY victory or a claim of universal consensus.
Did Donkey Kong Bananza win Game of the Year?
No. Donkey Kong Bananza was nominated for The Game Awards’ 2025 Game of the Year, but Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 won. Bananza did win The Game Awards’ Best Family Game category. Those are separate results: Bananza was a GOTY contender and a category winner, not the overall GOTY winner. The Game Awards’ official nominees page lists the GOTY field and winner; Nintendo’s December 12, 2025 recap reports its Best Family Game win.
What makes Bananza feel groundbreaking?
The terrain is part of the moveset
In this Switch 2 3D platforming adventure, destruction is more than a way to clear obstacles. Donkey Kong can smash walls, carve tunnels and tear off terrain, opening routes through an underground world. That makes the environment itself a tool for movement and exploration: instead of only following a path built by the level, players can break through parts of it and discover what lies beyond.
Nintendo describes the premise as: “Explore a vast underground world with Donkey Kong and Pauline—by smashing your way through it!” The game’s distinctive idea is not simply that many things can break; it is that breaking the terrain shapes how players navigate layered spaces and approach objectives. Nintendo’s game listing and Nintendo’s announcement describe the underground setting and destruction mechanics.
#1 Best Overall
- Explore a vast underground world—by smashing your way through it!
- A brand-new 3D platforming action adventure starring Donkey Kong and Pauline
- Bash through just about anything in groundbreaking exploration! Crash through walls and carve tunnels—the more you smash, the more areas open up to you
- Pair up with Pauline to use Bananza Transformations: smash through obstacles with the raw strength of Kong form, gallop with incredible speed as a Zebra, and more
- Team up with a friend in two-player co-op as Donkey Kong and Pauline! Blast foes and terrain alike with Pauline’s voice as you explore together
Exploration has room for detours
The underground journey includes settings such as canyons, forests and tundra. The freedom to break through terrain gives those places a different rhythm from a platforming level built around a single obvious route: players can investigate, open their own way forward and encounter objectives from different angles. That scale and freedom are among the strengths highlighted in Tom’s Guide’s review, which also compares some of the game’s approach to exploration with Super Mario Odyssey. That is one reviewer’s comparison, not a comprehensive head-to-head assessment.
Donkey Kong and Pauline share the adventure
Bananza pairs Donkey Kong with Pauline, whose abilities work alongside his. The game supports solo play and two-player co-op, so the partnership is part of the play experience rather than just the story setup. Nintendo lists both play modes on the official product page.
Rank #2
- Embark on a brand-new Donkey Kong adventure exclusive to Nintendo Switch 2.
- Explore the Underground World with dynamic environments and hidden secrets.
- Battle VoidCo and its minions using DK’s signature strength and powerful punches.
- Team up with a mysterious new companion with unique gameplay abilities.
- Recover the Golden Bananas across thrilling, action-packed levels.
What are the caveats?
Terrain destruction and exploratory freedom do not make every part of the experience equally strong. Tom’s Guide praised the game’s scale, varied layers, visuals and destructive gameplay, but also reported camera problems, particularly underground, and judged gameplay to be its strongest element. That is a review-level observation from one publication, not evidence that every player will encounter the same issue.
For players deciding whether the game’s approach sounds appealing, the key trade-off is straightforward: its central pleasure is experimentation in a destructible world, while the camera can sometimes make underground navigation less comfortable. Tom’s Guide called it “the first must-have game for the new console”; that is the reviewer’s opinion, not an official Nintendo statement. Read Tom’s Guide’s review.
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Rank #3
![Donkey Kong Bananza Standard - Nintendo Switch 2 [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51Xv8olm5RL._SL160_.jpg)
- Uncover a wide variety of environments, like forest, canyon, and lagoon, as you delve underground
- Reshape the world as you tear through it, with the help of…an Odd Rock?
Is Donkey Kong Bananza worth considering for Switch 2?
Donkey Kong Bananza is a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, released July 17, 2025, with Nintendo listed as developer and publisher. It is a physical Switch 2 game, not a Switch edition. Its clearest appeal is for players who want a 3D platforming adventure where breaking the surroundings is central to exploration, and who like the option of two-player co-op. Nintendo’s listing identifies the platform and release date.
The Donkey Kong and Pauline amiibo is optional. Tapping it in the game unlocks Pauline’s Diva Dress outfit and gold KONG tiles that can explode on impact; it is not required to play. Separately, the paid DK Island & Emerald Rush DLC adds DK Island and repeatable timed challenges. Nintendo says the add-on is available through Nintendo eShop and Nintendo Store; it should not be assumed to be included with the base game. See Nintendo’s amiibo listing and DLC support page.
Rank #4
![Donkey Kong Bananza: DK Island & Emerald Rush Standard - Nintendo Switch 2 [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51qtRWiIToL._SL160_.jpg)
- Full version of game required to use DLC. Sold separately.
Why the GOTY-contender label fits
The label is accurate in the literal awards sense: Bananza earned a 2025 GOTY nomination. Its Best Family Game win adds a category award, while Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 took the overall Game of the Year prize. The “groundbreaking” part is an interpretation of the game’s design: terrain destruction, layered exploration and the DK–Pauline partnership give it a clear identity. The award record establishes contender status; it does not prove universal critical agreement.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- The next evolution of Nintendo Switch
- One system, three play modes: TV, Tabletop, and Handheld
- Larger, vivid, 7.9” LCD touch screen with support for HDR and up to 120 fps
- Explore a vast underground world—by smashing your way through it!
- A brand-new 3D platforming action adventure starring Donkey Kong and Pauline
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