The Donkey Kong franchise could be heading towards an exciting new era, with Nintendo potentially exploring both 2D and 3D game formats. Following the upcoming release of Donkey Kong Bananza, fans might see more titles inspired by the success of the Super Mario Bros. series. While Donkey Kong has made frequent appearances in spin-offs like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Mario Kart World, the last standalone Donkey Kong game was Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze back in 2014 for the Wii U.

This drought is set to end with Donkey Kong Bananza, launching on the Nintendo Switch 2 on July 17. Developed by the same team behind Super Mario Odyssey, the game introduces a fully destructible 3D world where DK embarks on a quest to recover the Banandium Gems from the villainous VoidCo. Players will utilize Donkey Kong’s signature rock-smashing abilities and Pauline’s magical singing powers to journey deep into Ingot Isle, where legends speak of a place where wishes come true.

According to producer Kenta Motokura in a recent Nintendo interview, Donkey Kong Bananza might just be the beginning. Drawing from their experience with 3D Mario games, Nintendo could split the Donkey Kong series into two branches: classic 2D platformers and innovative 3D adventures. This mirrors the approach taken with Super Mario Bros., which alternates between 2D entries like Super Mario Bros. Wonder and 3D experiments like Super Mario Odyssey.

Historically, the Donkey Kong series has primarily focused on 2D sidescrollers, with Donkey Kong 64 (1999) being the last major 3D entry before Bananza. While Motokura remained vague about future projects, speculation suggests that Retro Studios—known for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond—could return to develop another 2D Donkey Kong Country title.

For now, fans can look forward to Donkey Kong Bananza, set to launch soon. Early physical copies have already surfaced, so players should be cautious of spoilers. Whether Nintendo decides to expand the franchise further with both 2D and 3D games remains to be seen, but the future looks bright for Donkey Kong and his adventures.