Nintendo Teases Donkey Kong Bananza Provides ‘Hints’ of Next Project

With many Nintendo fans champing at the bit for any potential hints about the next mainline 3D Super Mario Bros. game, producer Kenta Motokura has teased that Donkey Kong Bananza may include some ideas that will carry over to the company’s next major project. Donkey Kong Bananza is one of only two first party titles to launch as Nintendo Switch 2 exclusives, and with the console gearing up to celebrate its one-year anniversary in June, players are keeping their fingers crossed for a big game reveal to be coming soon. If Motokura’s statements are accurate, fans may already have some indicators as to what to expect from the next entry in the Switch 2’s first party game catalog.

Donkey Kong has long been beloved for its 2D-sidescrolling platforming adventure games, but older fans and players who enjoy retro classics are no doubt familiar with Donkey Kong 64, the franchise’s first-ever journey into the realm of 3D. In fact, Donkey Kong 64 was the only 3D game in the series until Donkey Kong Bananza came crashing onto the scene as a Switch 2 exclusive in July 2025. Donkey Kong Bananza received critical and commercial praise for its vibrant design, catchy music, and addictive gameplay, which featured destructive environments that allowed players to explore the world of Donkey Kong in unprecedented ways. Now, as audiences await news of another 3D game starring Mario, it seems Donkey Kong’s latest journey could be a taste of what lies in store with Nintendo’s next mainline release.

Is Donkey Kong Bananza Connected to the Next 3D Nintendo Game?

While speaking with GamesRadar+, Donkey Kong Bananza producer Kenta Motokura teased that “some ideas from Donkey Kong Bananza provide future hints for [Nintendo’s] next project.” Motokura further explained that Nintendo’s next big release will follow the same developmental leap that occurred between Super Mario Odyssey and Donkey Kong Bananza, which could mean a potential upcoming 3D Mario game might once again build upon the intuitive gameplay features of its predecessors while also expanding the in-game world for greater exploration. Certain gameplay features in Donkey Kong Bananza can be easily connected to Super Mario Odyssey, such as DK Bananza’s transformations having similarities to the Cappy abilities in Odyssey, both of which follow in the footsteps of franchise staple abilities like Fire Flower powers and Tanooki suits.

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Whether Nintendo continues to build on these character transformations in its next first-party game remains to be seen, but it would certainly serve to reason for the team that worked on Bananza and Odyssey to keep a consistent gameplay tone. Of course, there are other possibilities for how Donkey Kong Bananza might hold teasers for the next 3D Mario game. The inclusion of a young Pauline in Bananza could open the floodgates for any number of games that feature the mayor of New Donk City, ranging from a sequel to Super Mario Odyssey to a prequel that follows a connecting story between Bananza and Odyssey. Going further outside the box, the destructive environments in DK Bananza could be utilized in a third installment in the Super Mario Galaxy series, where the various planets Mario visits each have their own destructible qualities.

A new Galaxy game could build on the anticipated success of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie and would pair nicely with the recently released Galaxy collection for Nintendo Switch. Players have been asking for years for another Super Mario Galaxy game, and many elements of Donkey Kong Bananza could carry over nicely to a third installment for Galaxy fans. Alternatively, the popularity of Super Mario Odyssey and its more recent release date may make it a more enticing sequel option for Nintendo. This is all pure speculation at this time, but Motokura’s comments on Donkey Kong Bananza containing development connections to the next mainline Nintendo game certainly give fans plenty of prediction material.