Nintendo Has Found Its Live-Action Link and Zelda
In a statement first revealed through its Nintendo Today app (which previously gave us the film's original release date), the publisher confirmed that newcomers Bo Bragason and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth will play Princess Zelda and Link, respectively.
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Geek Tyrant
4 minutes ago
- Geek Tyrant
Wilson Bethel Teases 'A New Dex' for Bullseye in DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN Season 2 — GeekTyrant
Daredevil: Born Again is set to return to Disney+ next year with Season 2, and Wilson Bethel is set to return as Benjamin 'Dex' Poindexter, better known as Bullseye. After his debut in Daredevil Season 3, Bethel is back, and according to the actor, fans should brace themselves for a very different version of the lethal marksman. Bethel's comeback wasn't always in the cards. Originally, Born Again didn't include Bullseye, but the creative overhaul brought the villain back into the fold and judging by Bethel's excitement, that was the right call. Speaking with Collider, the actor reflected on what it meant to reprise this iconic role: 'As it happened, getting that call and getting the opportunity to return to that show and return to that character, who I just absolutely adore playing, and I think it's so much fun to play, it's just been one of the great surprising gifts of my entire career. We just finished shooting the second season. I get to do so much fun, insane stuff in this new season.' Bethel went on to tease even bigger plans for the future: 'I'm so excited for fans to see it. I hope that we have several, if not many more, years of wonderful story in store for Bullseye and for the whole Daredevil crew. It's such a great, lovely group of people on that show, in front of and behind the camera. I just feel honored to be part of it.' As for what fans can expect when the new season drops? Bethel hints that we're about to see a whole new layer of Dex. 'The Dex of Season 2 is a new Dex that we haven't really seen yet,' he teased. 'I'm very excited for people to see it, and I'm curious to see how they weigh in on it. There are some elements of him in this season, some sides of his personality, that we haven't seen yet, and I'm thrilled for people to get to see it.' While details remain under wraps, leaked set photos suggest Daredevil may end up forming an uneasy alliance with the man who murdered Foggy Nelson. Considering Bullseye is still on the run after his failed attempt to kill Wilson Fisk, this could make for one of the most intense story arcs yet. In other Daredevil: Born Again news, Vincent D'Onofrio recently confirmed he has wrapped filming as Kingpin, and with D23 around the corner, there's a good chance the first footage will debut there. Season 2 of Daredevil: Born Again will consist of eight episodes and is slated to premiere on Disney+ in March 2026.
Newsweek
5 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Review: Donkey Kong Bananza Is a Smashing Good Time
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Donkey Kong is finally back to kick some tail. Nintendo's king of swing has a new game after 11 long years, the ape's first since 2014's Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze. In the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive Donkey Kong Bananza, a redesigned DK is joined by a younger version of Pauline (whom DK famously kidnapped in the original 1981 arcade game) to stop the VoidCo. Development of Donkey Kong Bananza was handled by the same team that crafted 2017's widely acclaimed Super Mario Odyssey, and it's evident in the game's DNA. Bananza marks the first Nintendo-developed Donkey Kong game since 2004's Donkey Kong Jungle Beat on the Nintendo GameCube. It's also DK's return to 3D platforming for the first time since Donkey Kong 64 in 1999. Donkey Kong smashing into the ground next to a purple rock with eyes in Donkey Kong Bananza. Donkey Kong smashing into the ground next to a purple rock with eyes in Donkey Kong Bananza. Nintendo Getting Into the Gameplay The core of Bananza's gameplay revolves around open-world exploration and destruction. Bananza uses DK's massive strength to his advantage, allowing him to punch, slam and throw pieces of the terrain to find new Banandium Gems (banana-shaped diamonds used to upgrade DK's stats) or create new paths through the levels. Donkey Kong puts the smash in Smash Bros. with buttons tied specifically to punching upward and downward. It's a blast to go ape and tear a layer to pieces in search of those precious gems, with each heavy thud of the gorilla's fists landing with a satisfying rumble in handheld mode and on the Switch 2 Pro Controller. It wouldn't be a Donkey Kong game without collectibles, and there is no shortage of things to grab in Bananza like discs of music, fossils you can trade for clothing, balloons to rescue DK from bottomless pits, and you'll have a fun time just tearing through the game's opening section before even approaching the first Banandium Gem glowing just feet ahead. It feels like you're rewarded for every blow with bits of gold and Banandium Chips spouting up as you rampage through the layers. Donkey Kong's ability to tear through stages also allows a level of freedom of approach similar to Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, while also expanding the Super Mario Odyssey foundation. DK has a sprawling list of traversal options. He automatically clings to walls to begin climbing and can smash through floors with ease, leap and roll midair, and surf on pieces of terrain. Donkey's multitude of skills can even be expanded upon through a skill tree that enhances the dapper ape's various abilities and attributes, like the range of DK's secret-sensing clap or the number of hearts held by the protagonist. And all of that comes into play when you consider the pillars of the game: Combat and exploration. The former really shines in Bananza with a plethora of ways to take down enemies. The game takes care to ensure you're not simply plowing through these foes with overpowering force. Some enemies require you to destroy a hard outer layer of armor with explosives before attacking a weak inside; for others, a quick downward punch will do the trick. Bosses, however, can understandably be a different story. They do require a level of puzzle solving to beat but some can be quickly overpowered by the game's Bananza modes. But there's more to your time than just beating down baddies. Much like Odyssey, exploring or creating nooks and crannies across levels can lead to secret Banandium Gems or hidden challenges. Exploration isn't completely uniform, though. Not only can DK tear up pieces of the environment, but each piece of terrain has a hardness level that can impact gameplay. Softer materials may be less durable and break quickly when swung, for example. Bananza's stages are separated into areas called layers. The layers are composed of various biomes and offer different materials to use in each level. The layers are all connected by end-stage boss battles and then layers can be easily accessed through elevators that can tunnel between them. Beyond that, the world around DK isn't the only game-changing feature, as his new companion, Pauline, adds a few twists of her own. Initially introduced as a sentient purple gem called Odd Rock with a tuneful whistle that can guide Donkey Kong to the next goal, Pauline's singing ability unlocks several things in the game, including blocked pathways and Donkey Kong's new transformations, the titular Bananza forms. The various Bananza forms offer enhanced skills like strength, speed and flight. They're tied to a gauge that depletes over time but can be upgraded with Banandium Gems. Those abilities add an extra layer of exploration and variation to the game's massive levels, even if they may feel overpowered at points, particularly during boss encounters. Donkey Kong in his Kong Bananza form in Donkey Kong Bananza. Donkey Kong in his Kong Bananza form in Donkey Kong Bananza. Nintendo Addressing the Elephant Ape In the Room There have been mixed opinions about Donkey Kong's redesign, but the resulting refresh makes for a much more expressive character as the game's silent protagonist. DK's emotiveness makes one of gaming's oldest mascots more endearing than ever. How can you not love that banana-eating grin? Not only is DK full of character, but he's also one of the sharpest-dressed simians in video games. No longer limited to just a tie, you can exchange the items you've collected for new clothing for Donkey Kong that not only adds aura points but additional stat boosts and abilities as well. With all that said, Donkey Kong Bananza is the perfect successor to Super Mario Odyssey. Bananza takes the structure of the mustachioed plumber's adventure and expands it with a vast open sandbox to explore, dynamic combat and a wildly impressive level of destruction. Bananza takes elements from Mario's and Link's Switch adventures and forges a gem that Donkey Kong himself would drool over.
Digital Trends
34 minutes ago
- Digital Trends
How long is Donkey Kong Bananza?
We only had to wait one month after the Nintendo Switch 2 launch to get our first shiny new 3D platformer. However, it isn't a new Mario game like you might've assumed, but DK taking center stage. Donkey Kong Bananza is all about smashing and digging your way with Pauline to the planet's core while facing off against a cast of villains. Being able to terraform the levels completely changes the pace of a normal platformer, but does it mean you can bypass everything and finish the game in a few hours? What if you are the type of person who wants to get every collectible there is? In either case, you might be surprised at how Donkey Kong Bananza actually is. After playing the game from start to finish, here's how long you can expect to spend playing Donkey Kong Bananza. How long to beat Donkey Kong Bananza? There are several ways you might choose to approach Donkey Kong Bananza that will determine how long it takes you to finish. If you wanted to basically speedrun the game and go straight from one main objective to the next, which I wouldn't recommend, you still have a long road ahead of you. I'd say playing the game, just doing the critical path, would still take around 15 hours. Recommended Videos If you played in a more natural way, doing a good amount of side challenges, letting yourself get distracted, and going off the main road to collect extra collectibles as you see them without becoming obsessed with getting everything, Donkey Kong Bananza will take you 20-30 hours. That range is to account for exactly how much you end up doing in each level. There are a lot more levels than you might expect, and hundreds of things to collect, so it really is up to you how long you want the game to last. Finally, completionists out there are in for a very, very long game. Donkey Kong Bananza has almost too many things to collect across its many levels. There can be over 30 bananas in a single level, plus double that in fossils. Part of that will require you to not only find all the hidden challenge stages, but also the secret bananas within each one. Some bananas also cost banana chips, which are found by digging. Speaking of digging, some are locked behind destroying a certain amount of different terrain types on each level, so you may have to grind a bit for those. Fossils will unlock and upgrade your outfits for DK and Pauline, and bananas can be spent upgrading your stats and abilities, so nothing you collect is worthless. I can only estimate here, but I wouldn't be surprised if it took over 50 hours to 100% Donkey Kong Bananza.
