Donkey Kong Bonanza gives Banjo Kazooie vibes in the best ways
But the standout element is how much inspiration the game seems to take from another famous duo (also from Rare). Paulina can access songs that make DK transform into different forms like the power Kong Bonanza, the speedy Zebra Bonanza, or the flying Ostrich Bonanza.
Recommended Videos
Familiar characters also make an appearance, including Cranky Kong and Rhambi. Rather than battling against antagonists like King K. Rool, DK is up against a trio of nefarious Kong family members: Poppy Kong, Grumpy Kong, and Void Kong. These three run the Void Company, set on reaching the center of the planet before anyone else to unlock its wish-granting powers.
And while there's no mention of Chunky Kong, chunks play a big role in the game. DK can rip chunks of terrain out of the ground to use as a double-jump platform, a surfboard, and much more. And of course, DK can also punch his way through terrain, dig down into the earth, and utilize a variety of other approaches to explore the world.
This will come in handy, especially since Donkey Kong Bonanza looks to be absolutely full of collectible items. Everything from outfits, music discs, fossils, and other items gives players a lot to do after conquering the main story. The Direct didn't give too many details on the story, but Paulina suggests that she and DK could 'make her dream come true,' perhaps hinting that this game is a prequel to Super Mario Odyssey, where Paulina is a famed singer in New Donk City.
Co-op play will be possible, with one player taking control of DK and the other controlling Paulina. Only one person will need a copy of the game, too, thanks to online GameShare functionality. You can play with your friends even if they haven't bought a copy of the game (or if they have and you haven't).
Wednesday's Direct revealed a lot more about the game for eager fans. With a release date of July 17, players won't have to wait long for the chance to explore a new 3D Donkey Kong title, and it looks like it's going to be a hit.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 minutes ago
- Yahoo
‘Fox & Friends Weekend' Celebrates Gutfeld's Fallon Interview as Start of a New Era: ‘Let's Just All Get Along'
'It seems like he's seeing what happened to Stephen Colbert ... people are exhausted of all the in-fighting,' Rachel Campos-Duffy says 'Fox & Friends Weekend' celebrated Greg Gutfeld's Thursday night appearance on 'The Tonight Show' as the potential start of a new era where everyone can get along. They did so on Saturday morning by lambasting other media outlets for accusing Jimmy Fallon of lobbing 'softball' questions at his fellow TV host. 'One person who's not falling for communism is Greg Gutfeld. He broke the late night barrier on Thursday night and went and took a visit to Jimmy Fallon,' Charlie Hurt said atop the Fox News segment. 'It worked and it was funny because it was two real people just sort of having a conversation and it wasn't any of this stupid ideological nonsense that a lot of the late night shows have gotten into.' More from TheWrap 'Fox & Friends Weekend' Celebrates Gutfeld's Fallon Interview as Start of a New Era: 'Let's Just All Get Along' | Video Kellyanne Conway Wants to Redistrict 'Performative' Jasmine Crockett Out of Her Congressional Seat | Video Bill Maher Compares ICE Agents, Unfavorably, to Child Molesters, Jokes 'America Is United Behind One Thing: Fleeing' | Video Every Renewed, Canceled or Ending TV Show in 2025 'That's why the media has melted down,' co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy then noted. The show went on to display four headlines about the bipartisan NBC sit-down interview — from The Independent, The Daily Beast, Deadline and The Cut. 'It appears that the Left and the media wanted there to be some sort of battle. Like, Jimmy Fallon's going to attack him or Greg's going to attack Jimmy.' 'They were so disappointed,' Griff Jenkins agreed. 'That's why Gutfeld is the king of late night, because he understands what comedy was — funny stories, engaging.' 'It seems like he's seeing what happened to Stephen Colbert,' Campos-Duffy said, referencing the 'Late Show' cancellation. 'This moment, people are exhausted of all the in-fighting. And they're also seeing so many successes from Donald Trump and I think people just want to let it all go.' 'Greg Gutfeld is sort of like that perfect person, along with Jimmy, to sort of showcase that this is maybe a new era, 'Let's all just get along,'' she continued. 'Before 2016, before that very moment, the late night landscape wasn't as political. It was when Trump came in that it changed and became hyper-liberal,' Jenkins noted, to which Campos-Duffy concluded: 'Yep. There was a memo that went out.' The post 'Fox & Friends Weekend' Celebrates Gutfeld's Fallon Interview as Start of a New Era: 'Let's Just All Get Along' | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
Yahoo
2 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Brandon Blackstock Illness Caused Kelly Clarkson to Take Time Off From Talk Show
Kelly Clarkson's absence from her self-titled talk show earlier this year has now been sadly explained. The singer and talk show host missed multiple tapings of The Kelly Clarkson Show in March, and several last-minute celebrity hosts filled in. Clarkson did not tell fans about the personal family matter that she was dealing with. At the time, TMZ reported that Clarkson took time off from her show due to a 'personal matter that [did] not directly involve her' and added that the Grammy-winning singer was 'completely fine.' Clarkson returned to her show after nearly two weeks and never explained her absence. In August 2025, sources told People magazine that Clarkson's absence from her show last spring was due to her ex-husband Brandon Blackstock's illness. Another source told Page Six that Clarkson was 'looking after Brandon' during his illness. On August 7, People reported that Blackstock died of cancer at age 48. He had been sick for three years and was surrounded by his family when he died. Clarkson was married to Blackstock, a talent manager, from 2013 to 2022, and shared children River, 10, and Remington, 8, with him. Kelly Clarkson Postponed Her Las Vegas Residency Due to Brandon Blackstock's Illness On August 6, Clarkson announced that she was forced to postpone the remaining August performances of her Las Vegas residency at The Colosseum at Caesar's Palace due to her ex-husband's illness. In an Instagram post, Clarkson, 43, wrote, 'Unfortunately, I need to postpone the remainder of the August Studio Session dates in Las Vegas. While I normally keep my personal life private, this past year, my children's father has been ill and at this moment, I need to be fully present for them.' Clarkson apologized to fans who purchased tickets to her shows and said he appreciated everyone's 'grace, kindness, and understanding.' While the couple had a difficult divorce, Clarkson once credited Blackstock for encouraging her to pursue a career in TV. After she won her first Emmy Award in 2020, Clarkson tweeted, "Thank you so much to @BBlackstock for believing in me & convincing me to do @KellyClarksonTV show.' She also thanked her assistant for her Blackstock Illness Caused Kelly Clarkson to Take Time Off From Talk Show first appeared on Men's Journal on Aug 7, 2025 Solve the daily Crossword
Gizmodo
3 minutes ago
- Gizmodo
Elon Musk Turns His AI Chatbot Into a Male Fantasy Engine
Elon Musk has always been the biggest hype man for his own companies. Whether it's Tesla, SpaceX, or X (formerly Twitter), the world's richest man personally takes to social media to promote new features, products, and ideas. His AI venture, xAI, is no exception. Over the past week, Musk has been flooding X with posts promoting Grok Imagine, the new image-and-video-generation feature in SuperGrok, the most advanced version of xAI's Grok chatbot. But the images Musk chooses to showcase say as much about the intended audience as they do about the technology. Instead of highlighting landscapes, futuristic tech concepts, or abstract art, Musk's posts overwhelmingly feature sexualized AI-generated women: scantily clad warriors, lingerie models, leather-clad dominatrices, and bikini-clad beachgoers. Many are posed in ways that lean on well-worn male fantasies: dominance and submission, BDSM aesthetics, and the 'vulnerable beauty' trope. Added prompt 'Turn around' to the source picture and created a video from the other direction — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 7, 2025Since August 2, Musk's X account has become a catalog of Grok-generated softcore. Made in 30 secs with @Grok Imagine — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 2, 2025Made with @Grok Imagine — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 5, 2025Made with Grok Imagine — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 6, 2025Imagine with @Grok — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 4, 2025In nearly every image, the women are either powerful in a hyper-stylized, male-gaze way (fantasy warriors, dominatrices) or presented as delicate and sensual, playing into vulnerability tropes. Video created by Grok Imagine! — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 7, 2025Musk's choices aren't random. He's a cult figure in parts of the manosphere, the online ecosystem of male influencers and communities that promote traditional or exaggerated masculine ideals. In that world, sexualized imagery, fantasy dominance, and 'idealized' femininity are cultural currency. By repeatedly showcasing these types of AI women, Musk appears to be speaking directly to that audience. This isn't the first time AI tools have been criticized for reflecting the biases of their creators or promoters. But in the high-stakes AI race, Musk and xAI seem comfortable making Grok Imagine a product that caters openly to a male-heavy user base. In the war for chatbot dominance, they're betting on an old internet truth: sex sells, especially to men. Even Grok's official account leaned into the marketing on August 2, commenting on one of Musk's posts: 'Thanks for showcasing Grok's video animation! Excited for the audio iteration update,' the chatbot account posted. 'It'll unlock even more creative possibilities. What scene should we animate next?' Thanks for showcasing Grok's video animation! Excited for the audio iteration update—it'll unlock even more creative possibilities. What scene should we animate next? — Grok (@grok) August 2, 2025The message was clear: Grok Imagine is about AI fantasy. And right now, that fantasy looks tailor-made for Musk's most loyal male fans.
