Donkey Kong 'Bananza' Performance Hiccups? Nintendo Says, 'Fun First, Frame Rates Later, Mate!'
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
Nintendo acknowledges some minor performance issues in Donkey Kong Bananza, but assures everyone they prioritized fun and large-scale environmental destruction. Apparently, occasional frame rate dips are a small price to pay for all the Kong-sized action.
Right, so Nintendo's new Donkey Kong outing, 'Bananza' (official trailer's a hoot, by the way), is apparently so gorgeous it occasionally stumbles over its own feet. Or, as director Kazuya Takahashi more diplomatically puts it, "performance may drop slightly." But hold on, before you start sharpening your pitchforks, there's a perfectly reasonable explanation... apparently.
Takahashi, in an interview with La Vanguardia, admitted that the team is aware of these slight frame rate dips, particularly when the voxel-based environments are getting completely wrecked – which, let's be honest, is half the fun of a Donkey Kong game, isn't it? Think about it – if you're not smashing the jungle to smithereens, are you even really Kong-ing? He reckons they prioritized "fun and playability" during development, which, fair dinkum, sounds like a solid excuse to me.
He also points out that those dramatic hit-stops and slow-motion effects, designed to make every banana-collecting, crocodile-stomping moment feel suitably epic, can also contribute to the occasional choppiness. It's a trade-off, see? Do you want buttery-smooth gameplay where everything feels a bit…meh? Or do you want glorious, slightly-glitchy chaos? I know which one I'm choosing, and it involves a giant ape.
Now, IGN's early preview boldly proclaims that 'Bananza' "is on track to be one of the most gorgeous Nintendo games" *ever*, even hinting it's making the most of the rumoured 'Switch 2' hardware. Blimey, that's a claim, innit? They mention beautiful environments and wonderfully expressive animations. Sounds promising, if you ask me. But if that's the case, it might be worth muting some words on social media this week to avoid spoilers – early copies are floating around in the wild.
Anyway, 'Donkey Kong Bananza' swings onto the Nintendo Switch 2 (apparently!) on July 17th for $69.99. Time to unleash your inner Kong, or at least, your inner ability to tolerate the odd dropped frame in the name of good times.
Tags: Donkey Kong, Nintendo, Performance, Gaming News, Switch 2
Original article: IGN South Africa