Absolutely—here's the full, expanded interview with Kenta Motokura (Producer) and Kazuya Takahashi (Director) of Bananza, Nintendo’s most ambitious new 3D adventure to date. This deep dive uncovers the game’s creative soul, its roots in the Donkey Kong legacy, and the bold design choices shaping its future.
Q: How did Bananza come to be? Was it a sudden spark, or a long-held idea?
Kenta Motokura:
It started not with a concept, but with a feeling. After Super Mario Odyssey, I found myself missing the pure, unbridled joy of exploration—of running through a world that felt alive, where every corner hid a surprise, a challenge, or a joke. I was also thinking about Donkey Kong as a character. He’s not just a platformer icon—he’s a force of nature. He’s strong, proud, and deeply connected to the jungle. But in recent years, he’s been sidelined.
So, I asked: What if we made a Donkey Kong game that felt like a modern, open-world love letter to the original arcade? Not a reboot, not a sequel—just a new adventure where DK is the hero, not a side character.
The idea wasn’t born in a boardroom. It started in my sketchbook, with rough drawings of a jungle that pulses like a heartbeat. We called it Bananza early on—because it felt wild, chaotic, and full of energy. That name stuck.
Kazuya Takahashi:
I joined the team in 2020, fresh from working on open-world titles in Japan. I’d always admired Nintendo’s ability to build worlds that feel hand-crafted, emotional, and full of personality. When Motokura showed me the early concept, I was hooked—not just by the idea of a jungle-based 3D platformer, but by the tone. This wasn’t about perfection. It was about wildness. The jungle wasn’t just a setting; it was a character.
We started with one core question: What if Donkey Kong didn’t just run through the jungle—he was the jungle?
That led to the entire design philosophy.
Q: How does Bananza fit into the larger Donkey Kong canon? Is it a reboot? A sequel to the original arcade games?
Kenta Motokura:
Great question. Bananza isn’t a reboot. It’s not a direct sequel to any single game. It’s a reimagining. Think of it as the spiritual successor to the original Donkey Kong (1981) and Donkey Kong Country (1994), but with the soul of Super Mario Odyssey and the energy of a 2024 Nintendo.
There’s no Mario here. No DK Jr. No Cranky Kong. This is DK’s story—his origin, his journey, and his evolution. We’re not retelling the arcade game. We’re honoring it. The original DK had a simple premise: a gorilla fights his way through a construction site to save his love. That’s still in here—but twisted, expanded, and made wild.
In Bananza, DK is not just a villain or a sidekick. He’s the guardian of a primordial jungle—Kong Vale—where nature and machine are locked in a centuries-old war. He’s not fighting for a girlfriend. He’s fighting to protect a world that’s slipping into ruin.
And yes, there’s a woman named Klara, who’s not just a damsel. She’s a resistance leader, an engineer from a lost civilization, and she plays a huge role in shaping DK’s journey.
Q: Why is Bananza a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive?
Kazuya Takahashi:
This was a deliberate choice. Not because we wanted to force people to upgrade—but because Bananza pushes the hardware in ways we’ve never done before.
The Switch 2’s new neural processing unit allows for real-time environmental storytelling. The jungle doesn’t just look alive—it reacts. Trees grow and decay based on DK’s actions. Weather systems evolve based on his choices. The world remembers him.
We’ve built a system called “Kong Pulse”—a dynamic AI layer that tracks DK’s emotional state, physical strain, and past decisions. If he’s reckless, the jungle becomes more aggressive. If he’s thoughtful, it heals. If he’s kind, animals form bonds with him.
This kind of responsiveness isn’t possible on the original Switch. It’s not just a graphics upgrade. It’s a philosophical shift in how games interact with players.
Kenta Motokura:
And honestly? We didn’t want to dilute the experience. Bananza isn’t just a game. It’s a world. We wanted it to be a moment. A full sensory journey. So we made it a Switch 2 exclusive—because it deserves to be experienced at its full potential.
Q: What’s the role of the jungle in Bananza? Is it more than a backdrop?
Kenta Motokura:
The jungle is the engine of the game.
Every level is built on a core ecological principle. For example, the Fungal Canopy region is home to bioluminescent fungi that emit light only when DK jumps on them. But if he jumps too hard, he collapses the canopy—and the entire zone starts to decay.
We call this “living ecology.” The world isn’t just reactive. It’s evolving. And DK has to adapt to it—not just fight it.
There’s a region called “The Rusting Heart”—a massive, decaying industrial complex built by a forgotten civilization. The jungle is slowly reclaiming it. But the machinery still runs, and it’s dangerous. DK has to use both nature and machine to survive.
And yes—there are banana-powered mechanics. Not just as collectibles, but as tools. Throw a banana at a vine, and it grows faster. Eat one, and you gain a temporary banana fury boost—your punches become stronger, your jumps higher.
But be warned: too many bananas, and you start to lose control. The game plays with your body, your rhythm, your instincts.
Q: You mentioned open-world design. How does that work in a Donkey Kong game?
Kazuya Takahashi:
Classic Donkey Kong games were linear. Tight. Focused. But Bananza is about freedom. Not just in movement—but in meaning.
The world is structured like a jungle brain. Each zone connects not by roads, but by pathways of instinct. Jump across a river of glowing eels? You unlock a new path. Help a pack of jungle wolves survive a storm? They lead you to a hidden temple.
There’s no map. No compass. No waypoints. Only feeling. You follow your gut.
And when you reach a major landmark—like the Temple of the First Beat, where DK’s ancestors once danced with the thunder—your choices matter.
Do you break open the ancient drum and summon the storm? Or do you let it sleep, and risk the jungle falling to silence?
These are not just gameplay decisions. They’re moral ones. And they shape how the world evolves.
Q: How does DK’s combat work? Is it still about punching and throwing barrels?
Kenta Motokura:
Yes—and no.
You still punch. You still throw. But the rhythm has changed. The combat is physical. Not button-mashing. It’s about timing, momentum, and feeling.
For example, in a fight with a mechanical gorilla named “Gorak”, you don’t just punch. You listen. You feel the rhythm of his steps. You time your dodges to the beat of his drum. You use the environment—knock over a tree to block his attack, then launch a banana bomb during the pause.
It’s not just about power. It’s about presence. Like a dancer. Like a warrior.
And when you’re not fighting, you’re talking. With animals. With trees. With the wind.
There’s a moment in the game where DK stands at a cliffside, and a flock of jungle birds starts to sing. He doesn’t understand the language—but he feels it. The game uses haptics, sound, and visuals to create a kind of emotional dialogue.
It’s not dialogue. It’s connection.
Q: What’s the emotional core of Bananza?
Kazuya Takahashi:
I’d say it’s belonging.
DK isn’t just a hero. He’s a stranger in his own world. He doesn’t know his past. He doesn’t know why he’s so strong. He doesn’t know why the jungle calls to him.
But as he journeys, he learns that strength isn’t about muscles. It’s about care. About protecting what you love—even if you don’t fully understand it.
And that, to me, is what makes Bananza different. It’s not a game about winning. It’s about finding.
Q: Final word—what do you want players to feel when they finish Bananza?
Kenta Motokura:
I want them to look at a banana, and feel something.
Not just a collectible. Not just a joke.
But a memory. A promise. A heartbeat.
Because in Bananza, every banana tells a story.
And every story… is a banana.
Bananza launches exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2 this Summer 2025.
“The jungle remembers. And so will you.”
