Donkey Kong Bananza's director, Kazuya Takahashi, has acknowledged the possibility of performance drops but assured fans they won't affect the overall experience. As one of the most ambitious titles in the franchise, Donkey Kong Bananza features several new mechanics that may cause minor performance issues at launch.
Nintendo recently revealed the development team behind Donkey Kong Bananza, a move that excited long-time fans of the franchise. The game is produced by Kenta Motokura, best known for directing the well-received Super Mario Odyssey, and it is directed by Kazuya Takahashi, a rather new face at Nintendo who specializes in building open-world video games.
Related Donkey Kong Bananza Handheld Performance Confirmed
Donkey Kong Bananza confirms its Nintendo Switch 2 handheld performance capabilities, which may be surprising to some players.
PostsAs reported by Nintendo Everything, the two executives behind Donkey Kong Bananza recently sat down with the Spanish outlet La Vanguardia to discuss the game. During the interview, director Kazuya Takahashi was asked about concerns over performance drops in certain missions. Takahashi admitted that the performance might drop a little when there's too much happening on screen, but he assured fans that these moments won't take away from the fun. "Overall, the game is smooth, and at points where large-scale changes occur, we prioritized fun and playability," he added.
Donkey Kong Banaza's Destructibility Comes at a Cost
CloseIt has already been confirmed that Donkey Kong Bananza will feature extensive destruction physics that can change how players interact with the map. In the game director's words, DK Bananza is a game where anything can be destroyed. Developers recently revealed that players will also have the option to restore destroyed terrain in Donkey Kong Bananza, whether to repeat the chaos or avoid it altogether. However, this high level of destructibility might come at a cost: simultaneous explosions and detailed destruction animations can lead to frame rate drops.
Overall, the game is smooth, and at points where large-scale changes occur, we prioritized fun and playability.
One reason Donkey Kong Bananza may experience frame drops is the world-building technology it uses. As Takahashi explained, the game relies on voxel technology, which allows for major environmental changes, explosions, and detailed destruction physics. It also incorporates hit-stop and slow-motion effects, which can contribute to frame drops when large-scale changes occur at the same time.
Based on Donkey Kong Bananza's file size, it doesn't appear as demanding as most other AAA titles on other platforms. Still, its fresh approach to level design seems to be pushing the Nintendo Switch 2 to its limits. Whether the performance drops in some missions will affect the player's experience remains to be seen. However, based on hands-on previews, it's likely that any frame rate issues won't get in the way of the fun. Fans eager to try Donkey Kong Bananza, one of the most anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 exclusives, should mark July 17 on their calendars.
