Donkey Kong Bananza: Walkthrough

Donkey Kong Bananza is absolutely packed with things to do and see. Fortunately, we here are Nintendo Life are on hand to help with our ultimate Donkey Kong Bananza Guide.

In this guide, we'll be running through everything you need to know about DKB and where to find every collectible, including All Banandium Gems and Discs, and every Outfit. We'll also cover where to spend your Skill Points, and much more.

Let's get into the swing of it...

Donkey Kong Bananza Guides

We've split up all of our Donkey Kong Bananza guides into different sections, each focusing on a different slice of the game. Let's check 'em out.

Banandium Gems

• All Banandium Gem Locations
  As you might expect from a DK game, Bananza is absolutely packed with collectibles. The pick of the bunch, however, is Banandium Gems, which provide your one-way ticket to upgrading DK's skills and abilities. Here, we've got guides on where to find all of them, broken down by Layer.

Other Collectibles

There are a boatload of collectibles besides Banandium Gems, and you'll find guides on all of them below.

• All Cranky Kong Locations
  Cranky Kong and Rambi are hiding on every layer in Donkey Kong Bananza with a Banandium Gem. Here's a list of all Cranky's hiding places.
• All Discs
  Want to change the music and listen to some classic Donkey Kong tunes? This guide features a complete list of every Disc in the game, and explains how you can listen to them.
• All Fossils
  If you want to get every outfit, you'll need to keep an eye out for Fossils. Here you'll find maps showing how to find every Normal, Rare and Extra-Rare Fossil on every layer.
• All Getaway Locations
  If you want to recover health and give DK some temporary bonus Hearts, you'll need to build Getaways. We've got the lowdown on every Getaway location in this guide.

Skill Tree Upgrades

Donkey Kong Bananza is a game released in 2025, so of course there's a Skill Tree! Below, you'll find a guide on which skills to upgrade first, and where you can find all those morphin' Bananza Transformations.

• All Bananza Transformations
  DK can transform into an ostrich, a zebra, and more in Donkey Kong Bananza. This guide explains every Bananza Transformation and walks through how to unlock them.
• Skill Tree Upgrades
  If you want to level up DK, you'll have to become acquainted with the Skill Tree. Here, we run through every unlockable skill with recommendations on which skills to prioritise.

All Outfits

If you want to get DK and Pauline sufficiently swimming in swag (and all the buffs and bonuses that come with it), you'll want to check out our outfit-relevant guides below:

• All amiibo Unlocks
  Scanning an amiibo in Donkey Kong Bananza has the power to gift you an outfit or provide helpful terrain chunks. In the above guide, we explain what every amiibo unlocks.
• All Outfits
  DK and Pauline can be fitted with a whole range of buff-boosting outfits, so we've got the lowdown on each and every costume and closet item.

Bosses

• All Bosses
  Donkey Kong Bananza has its fair share of boss battles, and we've got guides on how to take down every single one of 'em.
• Final Bananza Rehearsal
  This one might not be a boss, as such, but the final post-credits challenge can be a real toughie on your first attempt. Follow this guide for the best techniques to make it to the end.

DLC

• Emerald Rush Tips
  Bananza's roguelike DLC can get pretty tough if you get in over your head. Fortunately, we've got a bunch of tips to help you haul in heaps of Emerald Ore in no time.
• All Emerald Rush Rewards
  Want to know everything that's waiting for you after an Emerald Rush run? This guide has got the rundown.
• Full Perks List
  You'll want to know the Perks to look out for before starting the hunt for Emerald Rush upgrades, and we've assembled a list of every one we've encountered so far.
  
• Banandiumtone Puzzle Solutions
  DK Island is home to a banana-shaped Fractone with eight cryptic puzzles up its sleeve. In this guide, we give you the solutions to 'em all.

Frequently Asked Questions

We've also got guides that tackle some of the frequently asked questions you may have about DKB. Here are the ones that we've asked ourselves so far:

• How Long Does It Take To Beat?
  Mainlining the critical path or stopping off to pick up every last collectible? Here you can find out how much time it takes to roll credits more in Donkey Kong Bananza.
• What's The Difference Between Normal Mode vs. Assist Mode?
  There are two difficulty settings to be found here — Normal and Assist Mode — but which is right for you? We've got the breakdown of both.
• Which Path To Take At The Divide
  The Divide presents you with a choice: should you go towards the Forest Layer or the Freezer Layer?
• How To Reset Terrain
  Breaking everything might be a lot of fun, but you might want to keep some terrain alive so you can progress. If you ever break too much terrain, don't worry, we know how to fix it all.
• How To Use Photo Mode
  There's an in-depth Photo Mode in Donkey Kong Bananza, complete with filters and effects. Here, we explain how to snap the perfect pic.
• How To Use DK Artist
  DK Artist lets you sculpt, paint and animate a chunk of rock using the Switch 2's Mouse Mode. It can be a pretty hidden feature, mind you, so this guide explains where to find it.
• What To Do After Rolling Credits
  There is a lot (and we mean a lot) of post-game content in Donkey Kong Bananza. Here, we run through everything you can do after rolling credits and explain how to unlock the game's secret ending.
• Is Donkey Kong Bananza A Prequel To Mario Odyssey?
  Want to know where all of this fits in the 'Mario Timeline'? We've got a spoiler-filled guide for the end of the game.

Where to buy Donkey Kong Bananza for Switch 2

And if you made it this far without even owning a copy of the game... well done, we guess! You can find all the information you'll need on where to buy Donkey Kong Bananza (and the tie-in amiibo) in the links below.

It's well worth your time, too. In our 9/10 review, our reviewer (that's me!) described it as "an almighty re-introduction to the world of 3D platforming for DK, and arguably the Switch 2's first absolute must-play."