Donkey Kong Bananza’s first DLC is a bit of a whiff, despite its strong potential. Emerald Rush is a pleasant enough mode to play a few times, but the emptiness of DK Island is fairly disappointing given the price tag.
Credit: Nintendo
I loved playing Donkey Kong Bananza upon its release, as it felt like a near-perfect evolution of the 3D Donkey Kong formula that was popularized in Donkey Kong 64. I didn’t anticipate DLC this early, so when DK Island and Emerald Rush were shown in last week’s Nintendo Direct conference, I was optimistic. While I enjoyed the new content, it feels fairly lacklustre given its cost.
The main feature of this Donkey Kong Bananza DLC is Emerald Rush – a roguelike timed rush mode run by Void Kong. When you take part in Emerald Rush, all the gold in an area becomes green, leading you to attempt to collect as much as possible to meet certain quotas within set periods of time. It’s actually quite fun to do this across different stages, as you can use directional barrels to launch anywhere, buy and upgrade skills specifically for Emerald Rush, and unlock new goodies like interactive statues depending on how much emerald ore you collect.
Credit: Nintendo
It’s not unlike Super Mario Odyssey’s Balloon World mode – the main difference here being the price. While Balloon World was free, DK Island and Emerald Rush are $30. It’s certainly a bit steep given this isn’t a major expansion or anything like that, especially since Donkey Kong Bananza was already a more expensive game upon release.
DK Island could be more interesting in Donkey Kong Bananza‘s DLC
DK Island doesn’t add a ton to the value, either, which is disappointing. The area itself is gorgeous and incredibly nostalgic, especially thanks to the beautiful remix that accompanies it. The issue is that there are no Banandium Gems or Fossils to find throughout the decently-sized area, making it less of an interactive stage and more of a nice-looking but empty hub area.
Credit: Nintendo
I really wish they had included more activities beyond just looking around, because the place itself is wonderful to explore and filled with fun Easter eggs from throughout the Donkey Kong series. Walking around (or demolishing) King K. Rool’s pirate ship is a major throwback, and the return of characters like Squawks and Kongs who only briefly cameoed in the main game, like Diddy Kong and Dixie Kong, does at least add to the museum-like feeling of DK Island.
The Final Word
Donkey Kong Bananza’s DK Island and Emerald Rush DLC have the potential to be a lot of fun, but the bundle ends up being a little bit underwhelming. I wish DK Island were more robust and rewarding to explore, and the price point is a bit steep for a fairly straightforward and repetitive mode like Emerald Rush. If you’re desperately looking for more Donkey Kong Bananza to play, this is alright, but I wish it were either cheaper or more extensive in its new content.
MonsterVine Rating: 2.5 out of 5 – Mediocre
