00:00So it's been a while since Donkey Kong's been the star of his own show, but we're here today
00:03checking out Donkey Kong Bonanza for the Nintendo Switch 2. Let's have a look!
00:07In Donkey Kong Bonanza, you take on the role of the great ape himself, with a young sidekick,
00:12Pauline. The pair are diving deep into the center of the Earth, one layer at a time,
00:16in order to reach the planet's core. Why? It's a video game. It doesn't really have to make sense.
00:21The important part is that Donkey Kong Bonanza feels great to play. The game's made by the same
00:26team that delivered 2017's Super Mario Odyssey, and it very much feels like a sequel to that game.
00:32Donkey Kong's a bit floatier than Mario ever was, but he has a completely different range of movement,
00:37being able to essentially climb any surface and destroy anything that gets in his path.
00:41This is punch down, and it's punch up. I was confused why this is jump,
00:45but now it makes sense. Down and up, I use the punching.
00:48It feels a bit like Nintendo took the basic gameplay loop of Super Mario Odyssey, combined it with the
00:53freeform exploration of Zelda Breath of the Wild, and added in some Donkey Kong Country-style challenge
00:59rooms, which are great. Donkey Kong runs around with Pauline on his back at all times, but she's
01:04not just there for set dressing. A second player can jump on the game and control her, essentially
01:08turning it into something more like a third-person shooter. Donkey Kong has some new tricks of his own.
01:13He's able to transform this time around into a bigger, more cheeky version of himself, where he can
01:19punch through previously unbreakable walls, as well as dominate any enemy that he comes across.
01:24He can also turn into a swole ostrich, which gives access to some flight, as well as a zebra,
01:30which lets you move a bit faster. Honestly, after a few hours with the new Donkey Kong,
01:34I've come away pretty impressed. It does seem like a big single-player game Switch 2 needs right now,
01:39and I'm definitely keen to try out more when the game launches on July 17th.
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