After twenty-six years, Donkey Kong is finally back with a mainline 3D platformer that has fans and speedrunners worldwide counting down the seconds. Nintendo’s newest first-party title, Donkey Kong Bananza, drops tonight at midnight local time in most regions. From its terrain-deforming mechanics to its Mario Odyssey-inspired gameplay, this is more than just a return it is a complete reimagining of what Donkey Kong can do in 2025. And yes, it is playable worldwide within hours.
The official launch kicks off on July 17 at 12 am local time for most players, but in some regions, you can start swinging early. Players in the Pacific Time Zone can begin as early as 9 pm on July 16. That means the jungle madness begins tonight for millions of fans, especially those who have already preloaded the digital version. For others opting for the physical copy, retailers have confirmed the boxed edition contains the full software on cartridge, ready to boot up the moment the clock hits twelve.
Here’s when Donkey Kong Bananza goes live:
Pacific Time: July 16 at 9 pm
Eastern Time: July 17 at 12 am
British Standard Time: July 17 at 12 am
Central European Time: July 17 at 12 am
Japan Standard Time: July 17 at 12 am
Australian Eastern Time: July 17 at 12 am
New Zealand Time: July 17 at 12 am
But the clock is only half the story. What truly makes Bananza unmissable is how it reinvents Donkey Kong’s legacy. Acting as the first true 3D Donkey Kong adventure since the Nintendo 64 era, this new title trades retro-style levels for open-ended sandbox maps. Every zone is alive with hazards, secrets, and interactable terrain. DK can now scale mountains, swim through flooded caverns, and dig through destructible surfaces using new power-ups and Pauline’s musical transformations.
Yes, Pauline is back too not as a mayor or side character, but as a young partner in this underground odyssey. Her song-based abilities bring an almost magical flair to the exploration as the duo collects Banandium Gems, the game’s central collectible. Think Mario’s moons, but primed for DK’s brutal, wild energy. The main story pits them against the sinister Void Company, a storm-summoning villainous crew that has dragged them into the heart of the planet.
The collectathon formula is here in full glory, but with twists that feel modern, fresh, and deeply satisfying. Boss fights promise to be massive and punishing. New transformations will turn DK into a force of nature. Terrain deformation means no two routes feel the same, and completionists are going to lose hours digging up every secret in every cavern.
If you have not already downloaded the game, you might want to start now. It is a massive release, both in size and scope, and it is clearly Nintendo’s biggest bet for the Switch 2’s 2025 lineup. Whether you are here for nostalgia or ready to dive into the newest evolution of platformers, Donkey Kong Bananza is the ride to take.
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