The Donkey Kong series is known for its multiplayer elements, and a recent rumor indicates that Donkey Kong Bananza won’t be deviating from this rule. Players are often able to get the assistance of a local companion, and it seems as though they will also be able to explore the world of Donkey Kong Bananza together and uncover the mystery of the Underground World.
From the gameplay seen in the recent Nintendo Direct and Nintendo Treehouse: Live events, many fans have noticed similarities between Donkey Kong Bananza and Super Mario Odyssey, especially with the type of gameplay and overall visual style. However, with the hints that local multiplayer may be an option, Donkey Kong Bananza may borrow some co-op elements from Mario’s adventure as well.
Odyssey’s Multiplayer Could Inspire Donkey Kong Bananza
How Odd Rock Could Be DK’s Cappy
In regular Super Mario Odyssey gameplay, the player controls both Mario and Cappy at the same time, allowing them to capture enemies and use precisely timed hat throws and jumps to reach new areas. In the co-op mode, control of Cappy is given to the second player, who can freely move around and choose what Mario captures. Even when Mario assumes different forms, the second player is still able to use Cappy as before to collect coins and interact with the environment.
While this feature did enable local co-op, many players believed it to be lacking. Player 2 was able to control Cappy, but the player controlling Mario still had some influence over this, being able to override the second player and throw Cappy themselves. Beyond this, though, some found that Cappy simply didn’t have as much agency as Mario, and the main gimmick of capturing creatures is lost on this player. Some fans were expecting an equal multiplayer experience, and while there is a Super Mario Odyssey multiplayer mod which fulfills this, many players would have preferred co-op which is officially supported.
Donkey Kong Banaza could take inspiration from Super Mario Odyssey’s approach and expand on it, fully fleshing out the co-op partner mechanic. A new character named Odd Rock appears to be accompanying Donkey Kong throughout the game, making music to guide DK forward. There is a chance that a second player could control Odd Rock like Cappy, being able to move freely and possibly rip up chunks of terrain for Donkey Kong to use. However, a recent leak hinted that Pauline may be in Donkey Kong Banaza. If she tags along throughout the story, players may instead be able to play as her and explore completely independently of Player 1, something which was missing from Cappy’s gameplay.
Underground Hide-and-Seek
Luigi’s Balloon World is Super Mario Odyssey’s second multiplayer mode, added as a free update after the game’s initial launch. The mode is centered around player-placed balloons, and Luigi gives them the option to either Hide It or Find It. This turns the open landscapes of Super Mario Odyssey’s Kingdoms into a game of hide-and-seek, encouraging them to track these balloons down within the given time limit.
This exact game mode could translate well to Donkey Kong Bananza. Donkey Kong’s new movement capabilities would enable players to place their balloons much further out, pushing players to use tricker paths to reach them. But, where this mode may truly shine is with Donkey Kong Bananza’s destructible environments. Rather than players hiding balloons out in the open, they could go deep underground, forcing others to dig deep when searching.
How Donkey Kong Bananza Could Do Multiplayer Differently
With the rumors that Donkey Kong Bananza may support multiplayer, fans are likely to question if this will in the footsteps of Super Mario Odyssey’s co-op partner and asynchronous hide-and-seek mode, or if it will progress beyond these by adding a true multiplayer mode. If so, there are many ways this could be done, some of which are already established parts of the Donkey Kong series.
One option could be to simply include a second playable character. Fans of the Donkey Kong Country series are used to another Kong by DK’s side, so it might be something players are hoping is available in this game too. Typically, this would be Diddy Kong, but with the theory that Donkey Kong Banaza is a prequel and considering Diddy’s smaller frame, it may be unlikely for him to cause chaos alongside Donkey Kong. There is the opportunity for this role to be filled by Chunky Kong insteadm though. As well as Super Mario Odyssey, it seems Donkey Kong Bananza has taken some inspiration from Donkey Kong 64, so seeing one of the strongest Kongs return from that game as a playable character could be a welcome surprise for long-time fans of the series.
The other way for multiplayer to be introduced is with the animal buddies. These are another staple of the Donkey Kong Country series which may have already been teased in the trailer for the game. Specifically, Donkey Kong can be seen interacting with an ostrich, who may be Expresso. With the rumor that Rambi may return in Donkey Kong Bananza, it’s possible that he – as well as other animal buddies from throughout the series – will be available to use by Player 2 in a co-op mode.
If the game is ing the lead of Super Mario Odyssey, then it is quite likely that Donkey Kong Bananza’s rumored multiplayer mode will be true. There is a high chance that it will borrow elements from Super Mario Odyssey’s multiplayer modes and expand on them, aligning them more with what fans would expect from a Donkey Kong game and possibly pushing the ideas even further. Nintendo does have the opportunity to break expectations, however, letting Player 2 assume control of a character not strictly tied to Donkey Kong’s position and actions. Giving both players an equal couch co-op experience could be what most fans are hoping for, but they will have to wait until Donkey Kong Bananza releases on the Nintendo Switch 2 to see what this potential multiplayer mode is really like.
