Donkey Kong Bananza Looks a Lot Like Donkey Kong: Tears of…

Donkey Kong Bananza might have a surprising amount in common with The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom upon closer inspection. Aside from meeting in the Super Smash Bros. Games, Donkey Kong and Link feel like they're from completely separate worlds. One primarily appears in platforming games, while the other is a fantasy swordfighter. Despite that, the two do have their similarities. This can be best shown with the features that have been shown off ahead of Donkey Kong Bananza's release. From the looks of things, Donkey Kong may have gotten some influence from Link's most recent adventure.

Among the Switch 2's upcoming games, Donkey Kong Bananza is looking especially promising after its Nintendo Direct. This game marks the big ape's first 3D adventure since Donkey Kong 64 back in 1999, and only his second overall. For such an occasion, Donkey Kong Bananza is already looking to be an impressive adventure in terms of scale. Early gameplay shows DK's ability to not only explore plenty of different environments, but smash his way through nearly everything in sight in the process. For Donkey Kong's grand return to a format he has barely touched, Donkey Kong Bananza embodies both his powerful and whimsical qualities.

Astro Bot and Donkey Kong Bananza's New Ability May Be a Match Made in Heaven

The main mechanic of Donkey Kong Bananza is already a great fit for Nintendo’s gorilla, but it could be even better in the hands of Sony’s Astro Bot.

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By Liam Ferguson

Donkey Kong Bananza's Features Bear Similarity to Elements From Tears of the Kingdom

Donkey Kong Bananza's Cosmetic Effects Call Back to TotK's Armor Sets

Seeing the customizable outfits in Donkey Kong Bananza may bring to mind Super Mario Odyssey, but they are more akin to Tears of the Kingdom's armor sets in a key way. From what is seen, the customization options in Donkey Kong Bananza are not purely cosmetic, bringing their own additional effects to aid players. Tears of the Kingdom also offered several benefits to Link through the armor that he could equip. It remains to be seen just how much of an effect these bonuses will have on DK. However, with their added effects, it's hard not to see them as DK's own armor.

Much like Breath of the Wild, Donkey Kong Bananza also debuts a new default look for its protagonist.

Donkey Kong's Brute Strength is Like His Own Ultrahand

A particularly interesting feature among DK's skills in Donkey Kong Bananza is his terraforming ability. While mostly shown through his ability to tear through terrain, he can also build by using certain types of terrain. This was shown off in the DIrect by having him build a fairly sizable bridge. This seems like a variation of what Link could do with the Ultrahand in Tears of the Kingdom. However, while the Ultrahand would put items together, DK is editing the landscape itself. Creative players should be able to do impressive things with this similar to the creations fans made with the Ultrahand.

Donkey Kong Bananza and TotK Both Let Players Take Photos

The ability to take photos is a surprising area where Donkey Kong Bananza takes cues from the past. In Tears of the Kingdom, Link could unlock the ability to take pictures with the Purah Pad by completing a certain quest. In Donkey Kong Bananza, the ability to take pictures during DK's quest appears too. Considering that Mario Kart World also boasted a photography feature, it shouldn't be much of a surprise that Nintendo is continuing the streak of letting players make digital scrapbooks of their adventures. Just like Link's adventures in photography, players will be able to record DK's exploits in Donkey Kong Bananza.

Donkey Kong Bananza could be a fantastic next step for the iconic gorilla. While Tears of the Kingdom can inspire Zelda's future, it may have already left an impact on Donkey Kong Bananza. Of course, with Donkey Kong only embarking on his second 3D adventure, it would make sense to take a few hints from one of Nintendo's most successful titles of the recent era. Donkey Kong Bananza could very well prove to be DK's own version of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

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