Les développeurs de Big Bananas réagissent au bannissement de Donkey Kong Bananza

Absolutely—here’s a deeper dive into the full, uncut interview with Kenta Motokura (Producer, Donkey Kong Bananza) and Kazuya Takahashi (Director, Donkey Kong Bananza), pulling back the curtain on what makes this new 3D Donkey Kong adventure truly bananas—both in spirit and in design.

On the Game’s Origins: Why a New 3D Donkey Kong Now?

Q: We’ve heard rumors about Bananza for a while, but what was the spark that led to making a full-fledged 3D Donkey Kong game after so long?

Kenta Motokura:
It wasn’t a sudden decision. We’ve been quietly brainstorming this for years—especially since Super Mario Odyssey wrapped up. The team at Studio 1, where I’ve worked for most of my career, has always had a soft spot for Donkey Kong as a character. He’s not just a platformer icon—he’s a symbol of raw, joyful energy. When we started thinking about what kind of world Donkey Kong would inhabit if he had full creative freedom, the idea of a sprawling, wild, banana-powered open world just… clicked.

We wanted to honor the roots—the jungle, the barrels, the grunts, the heart of the original games—but also push into new territory. That’s when we said, “What if DK wasn’t just running through levels… but actually rebuilding a world from the ground up?”

Kazuya Takahashi:
That was the game-changer for me: agency. In most Donkey Kong games, you’re reacting to chaos—barrels rolling, vines swinging, enemies advancing. But in Bananza, DK is the architect. He’s not just surviving the jungle—he’s rewriting it. That shift in role gave us so much creative freedom. We started asking: What if he could grow trees from banana peels? Or summon storms by stomping in rhythm? The mechanics became stories.

The Open-World Design Philosophy: A Jungle That Grows With DK

Q: The open world in Bananza feels organic—plants sprout, terrain shifts, and the environment evolves based on DK’s actions. How did you design that kind of dynamic world?

Kazuya Takahashi:
We took a lot of inspiration from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, but with a twist—this isn’t a world that’s been abandoned. It’s alive, and DK is its heartbeat.

We built a system called “Bio-Rhythm Engine”—a procedural system that tracks DK’s emotional state (via movement patterns, sound, and interaction) and translates it into environmental feedback. When he’s playful, vines grow faster. When he’s angry (or just really into a rhythm), the ground shakes and new pathways open.

It’s not just visual—it affects gameplay. For example, if you swing from a vine while laughing, it might trigger a “joy bloom” that unlocks a hidden tunnel. If you’re frustrated and stomp, the earth cracks open and creates a shortcut… but also wakes up a sleeping leviathan.

Q: Is there a narrative reason for this kind of symbiotic world?

Kazuya:
Absolutely. The story is that DK isn’t just returning to his jungle—he’s reclaiming it. The jungle was once his sanctuary, but over time, it fell into decay. Villains, machines, and even corrupted nature have taken over. DK’s journey is less about defeating bosses and more about remembering what it means to be wild.

We call it a “reawakening” arc. Every time he completes a zone, it’s not just a victory—it’s a rebirth.

Why the Name Bananza?

Q: The name Bananza is a playful mash-up of “banana” and “bazaar” or “carnival.” Was it meant to evoke chaos and celebration?

Kenta Motokura:
Yes—and it’s not just punny. The name reflects the tone: it’s a celebration, a festival, a riot of color, sound, and motion. We wanted the game to feel like a party you can’t escape. The player is constantly greeted with new sights, sounds, and surprises.

There’s a moment early on where DK swings into a canyon and triggers a spontaneous dance party—monkeys break into rhythm, flowers bloom in time with music, and the sky turns gold. We wanted every zone to have that same “wait, really?” energy.

The Role of Music and Sound: A Jungle Symphony

Q: Music plays a huge role in Bananza. It’s not just background—it’s gameplay.

Kazuya Takahashi:
That’s intentional. The jungle listens. Every action DK takes generates a sound wave. We built a system where you can compose your own rhythm-based abilities.

For example:

• Stomping in sync with a drum animal unlocks a “Rumble Dash.”
• Whistling a tune might make vines form into bridges.
• Even DK’s grunts are mapped to musical notes—they affect how NPCs react.

We worked with real-world musicians from diverse cultures—Afro-Latin percussionists, Japanese shakuhachi players, even electronic sound designers—to build a world that feels globally connected, yet deeply primal.

Why It’s a Switch 2 Title — And Why It Had to Be

Q: Bananza was officially announced as a Nintendo Switch 2 launch title. Was that a creative choice, or a technical one?

Kenta Motokura:
It was both. The Switch 2’s hardware allows us to do things we couldn’t on the original. The new Joy-Con haptics, the improved motion sensing, and the console’s new neural processing unit made it possible to run the Bio-Rhythm Engine in real time—something we’d only dreamed of.

But more than that: DK is the soul of the Switch 2’s launch. He’s not just a mascot—he’s a statement. This game says: “This is what Nintendo’s next era feels like.” It’s loud, it’s wild, it’s emotional. It’s not just a platformer. It’s a feeling.

And yes—there’s a new DK-themed Joy-Con in the works. It’s got banana-peel grip texture and haptic feedback that mimics barrel bounces. We’re not joking.

A New Kind of Hero: DK as a Cultural Icon, Not Just a Fighter

Q: DK has always been a powerful, strong character—but in Bananza, he’s also playful, emotional, and even… vulnerable at times.

Kazuya Takahashi:
We wanted to break the mold of the “silent brute.” We asked: What if DK is the most expressive character in Nintendo’s history?

He doesn’t speak, but he feels. He expresses himself through movement, rhythm, and environment. When he’s sad, the jungle dims. When he’s happy, sunlight breaks through in bursts.

There’s a scene near the end—after a long battle against a mechanical usurper—that’s almost silent. DK stands at the edge of a cliff, looking at the reborn jungle. No music. Just wind. And then… he lets out a long, low grunt. It’s not victory. It’s relief. That’s the moment we knew we’d captured him.

Final Thoughts: What Is Bananza Really About?

Q: If you had to sum up Donkey Kong Bananza in one sentence, what would it be?

Kenta Motokura:
It’s a love letter to the wild, a celebration of joy, and the most emotional platformer you’ll ever play with your feet.

Kazuya Takahashi:
It’s not about jumping on enemies. It’s about jumping into life.

🍌 Donkey Kong Bananza is set to launch exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2 in 2025.
Pre-orders begin this fall.
And yes—there is a secret level where you play as a banana.
(We’re not kidding.)

Let the bananas fly.