Latest news with #DonkeyKong64
Metro
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Donkey Kong Bananza fan breaks game by painting the cartridge yellow
An overly enthusastic Donkey Kong fan has almost ruined their Nintendo Switch 2 by spray painting one of their game cartridges banana yellow. Donkey Kong Bananza is a great game and it's been a very long time since there was another big budget Donkey Kong title, so some fans, with a lot of nostalgia for the franchise, have got a bit carried away with themselves. One major point of conversation has been the game's placement in the wider Donkey Kong timeline or rather how it seems to contradict it entirely. We're not going to get into that again here, but some fans are oddly annoyed by the lack of consistency… even though the series has never had in-depth storylines. Another even stranger trend has been trying to paint the cartridge the game comes on yellow, like the Donkey Kong 64 one. That's not a very good idea though, as one fan in particular has discovered. The fan in question is one gardnerhartung, or merely Gardner, on TikTok who recently shared a video expressing disappointment that the physical game cartridge for Donkey Kong Bananza is the usual red colour, like other Switch 2 cartridges. His reasoning is that, back in the day, a couple of Donkey Kong games received unique yellow cartridges when they came out, specifically 1995's Donkey Kong Land for the Game Boy and 1996's Donkey Kong 64 for the Nintendo 64. It was a fun novelty, but it really was only those two games. Yet Gardner, in his own words, was 'displeased' with Bananza not following suit and filmed himself disassembling the cartridge so he can paint it yellow without damaging the game and its connection pins. Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. The final result is admittedly authentic looking, but it ultimately proved fruitless since the cartridge would no longer fit into the console, either due to the extra layers of paint making it slightly bigger or it wasn't put back together properly. In a follow-up video, Gardner showed he was able to force the cartridge in eventually and, from the sound of things, actually play the game. But the cartridge is now stuck, and he can't remove it, with one attempt with a pair of metal pliers only breaking part of it off. While some of the comments do try to offer advice on how to remove the cartridge, there are unsurprisingly a lot of people mocking Gardner for even attempting any of this to begin with. The videos have gone viral enough to generate at least three separate Reddit threads, where plenty of people either insult Gardner or accuse him of just trying to draw attention. Whatever the case, Gardner appears to be taking has fame well. In a third video, where it seems he's about to address the mean comments and media coverage, he reveals he was sent a threatening email from Nintendo. Signed by 'John Nintendo himself', it says unless Gardner gets the cartridge removed by the end of the day, the company will take his house and brick his Switch 2 (admittedly, that second one is something Nintendo can actually do). He then shows that a second attempt at using the pliers was successful and has presumably left his Switch 2 undamaged, but the cartridge itself is in pieces. If there's any lesson to be learned from this, it's don't spray paint your games, especially with how expensive they are nowadays, although you'd think most people would know not to do that. More Trending In other Donkey Kong news, although Nintendo hasn't shared official sales figures yet, data by NielsenIQ and shared by The Game Business says Donkey Kong Bananza enjoyed the biggest opening week in the UK in the franchise's history… maybe. As it stands, 2010's Donkey Kong Country Returns (the original Wii game, not the Switch remaster) officially holds that record, but NielsenIQ admits it currently lacks data for how many copies of Bananza were sold directly from Nintendo's online store and the eShop. Even if Bananza has outperformed every other Donkey Kong game in the UK, that doesn't really mean much as the series has never done tremendously well over here. Although Donkey Kong Country helped the SNES to beat the Mega Drive (aka Genesis) in the US, during the 90s, it didn't have quite the same effect here, where it wasn't until the DS and Wii era when Nintendo really became popular in the UK. Email gamecentral@ leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. MORE: Nintendo Switch 2 beats PS4 and PS5 as fastest-selling console ever MORE: Two new racers coming to Mario Kart World hints Donkey Kong credits MORE: Weirdly Mario Kart World is only the third best selling Switch 2 digital game
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Switch 2 devs are already bleating about performance issues — Donkey Kong Bananza director reveals challenges
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Nintendo Switch 2 game developers are already bumping up against the constraints imposed by the new console's hardware. In an interview with Spain's La Vanguardia newspaper (machine translation, h/t WinFuture), Donkey Kong Bananza director, Kazuya Takahashi, admitted 'performance may drop,' due to the extravagant use of 3D voxel technology in the game's destructible environment. This is quite an admission from a Nintendo exec behind a flagship first-party title. Takahashi explained that this performance-second decision was given the green light as the team 'prioritized fun and gameplay.' Donkey Kong Bananza journeyed down quite an interesting path to the Switch 2, which could partly explain the performance wrinkles. This smashing new 3D platformer and Switch 2 exclusive was originally destined for the Switch. However, this first 3D Donkey Kong outing since Donkey Kong 64 goes all-in on destructible environments to deliver its gameplay thrills. Destructible environments in this game are extensive, in a kind of sandbox exploration way, where DK can smash his hulking fists through walls, can dig tunnels, and tear off environmental bits and bats for weapon or platforming tool use. It sounds like explosive fun, indeed, but the 3D voxel engine behind the environment is demanding. That's why the game was pulled back to be prepared for the new Switch 2. A La Vanguardia reporter asked Takahashi about their experience of 'frame drops at certain times and levels,' in what is expected to be the shipping version of Donkey Kong Bananza. 'There are several factors to consider. First of all, we intentionally used effects such as hit stop or slow motion to emphasize the impacts. On the other hand, when using voxel technology, there are times when there are big changes and destruction in the scenery,' said the game's director. 'We are aware that in these moments the performance may drop a bit. However, as you say, overall the game can be enjoyed smoothly, and at points where large-scale changes occur, we have prioritized fun and gameplay.' (DeepL, machine translation) Clearly, there may be a few stutters experienced when the game engine begins to reach its boundaries on the Switch 2 hardware. With Nintendo being aware of this potential issue for gamers, and the always-connected nature of today's consoles, we hope optimizations will eventually arrive to iron out any startling wrinkles. Or they could just turn up the DLSS knob. For clues regarding the faltering performance of the Switch 2 in its maiden year, check out our in-depth Switch 2 review and hardware analysis from June. We note that 3D environment voxel engine games were seen on PC as early as 1992, with Comanche: Maximum Overkill. That game's proprietary Voxel Space engine was apparently written entirely in assembly language for the best performance. Nintendo's unruly new 3D platformer is due to launch this Thursday (July 17). Follow Tom's Hardware on Google News to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
The Verge
13-05-2025
- Business
- The Verge
Donkey Kong Bananza for the Switch 2 is $7 cheaper at Costco
Cameron Faulkner The Nintendo Switch 2 isn't even out yet (it's coming June 5th), and one of its launch window games already has a preorder discount at Costco. With a membership, you can get Donkey Kong Bananza — the first 3D platformer for this character since Donkey Kong 64 — for $62.99. A $7 discount may not seem like much to write home about, but it's notable given that Nintendo games rarely go on sale, and any discount in this economy is a win. Bananza launches on July 17th. Donkey Kong Bananza $7010% off $63 Other noteworthy deals If you're looking for a solid Bluetooth speaker that sounds and looks good, is waterproof, and won't break the bank, Bose has you covered. Specifically, Bose's eBay outlet is selling refurbished SoundLink Flex SE speakers in black for $69 (originally $129). The SoundLink Flex was crowned the best Bluetooth speaker under $200 in our buying guide. This discounted version differs only in that it lacks a microphone, which could be used for speakerphone functionality. Not a terrible feature to lose if it means saving around $80 off the cost of buying new. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge is now available to preorder at Samsung ahead of its May 30th release date. The super-thin Android phone starts at $1,099.99 for the 256GB version, going up to $1,219.99 for the upgrade to 512GB of storage. As a bonus for preordering now, you'll get a $50 Samsung credit, a free storage upgrade (as in, the 512GB version will cost the same as the phone with 256GB), and boosted trade-in credit. Portable Apple Watch chargers are increasingly easy to find at somewhat affordable prices. A brand called Joyroom is selling one in black or white that's discounted to $15.99, down from its usual $19.99 once you select the 20 percent off coupon on the Amazon product page. It comes with 2,500mAh capacity and a built-in USB-C cable for recharging, and it can charge every Apple Watch in the lineup (from the Series 2 to the Series 10, plus the Apple Watch Ultra).
Arab News
19-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
REVIEW: ‘Donkey Kong Country Returns' offers classic retro platform fun
LONDON: Way back in 1999, 'Donkey Kong 64' was a genre-defining release for the Nintendo 64. It was the first 3D Donkey Kong game, a generation apart from the first time the gorilla appeared in computer games in 1981. For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @ The return of 'Donkey Kong' in this newly released high-definition title for the Switch, offers nothing as groundbreaking as some of his previous titles but is rather core fun for a new generation of younger players. Indeed, it offers a rehashed, polished and enjoyable platformer for a console that is about to welcome its first major upgrade in the coming months. At its essence, 'Donkey Kong' is platformer ballet, requiring a combination of timing of directional jumps and a small variety of attacks to proceed. Set against the lush backdrop of a tropical island that takes you across nine worlds: from jungles to ruins, underground mines to factories. With jaunty music and a storyline no more complicated than trying to rescue stolen bananas, Donkey Kong is very much a pick and play rather than a brain teaser. The game's simple premise has a degree of depth within it when it comes to the search for perfection. Completing one setting straight through is one thing, doing it whilst collecting all jigsaw puzzle pieces, Donkey Kong letters and bananas is another entirely. Charming music and enemies and allies alike make up part of your journey. Diddy Kong is your key ally, in single-player mode he rides on DK's back providing that extra jump boost, in two-player mode he can take down enemies with his banana throws. Puzzles are straightforward enough for the younger gamer (the game is advertised as age 3 and over) and the biggest frustration is how far you have to go back if you are felled by a bad guy or in a bottomless pit. Racing minecarts or buccaneering rhinos offer more variety away from the core jumping and the end-of-level bosses are imaginative. A nice new touch is the use of perspective, accessed through blasting barrels, to conquer more distant parts of each world. Something that is slightly harder on the handheld versus the console as your character vanishes into a miniature.
