Guide: Donkey Kong Bananza: Walkthrough

Donkey Kong Bananza overflows with activities to tackle and sights to see. Lucky for you, the Nintendo Life crew has assembled the definitive Donkey Kong Bananza Guide.

Below, we’re covering every angle of DKB — grab-lists for collectibles like Every Banandium Gem, all of the Discs, and the complete wardrobe. We’ll also spell out where to sink your Skill Points and more.

Let’s jump right in…

Donkey Kong Bananza Guides

All our Bananza walkthroughs have been sorted into bite-sized sections, each zeroing in on a specific facet of the adventure. Dive in below.

Banandium Gems

• All Banandium Gem Locations
  True to Donkey Kong form, Bananza is teeming with pickups — the cream of the crop are the Banandium Gems that gate DK’s upgrades. Our coverage shows you every location, neatly grouped by Layer.

Other Collectibles

Beyond the shimmering Banandium Gems are mountains of other trinkets, and we detail each set below.

• All Cranky Kong Locations
  Cranky and his trusty Rambi hide on every Layer that harbours a Banandium Gem; locate every sneaky duo with this checklist.
• Every Disc
  Swap the soundtrack to nostalgic DK bops; the above guide catalogues every collectible Disc and the jukeboxes in which to spin them.
• Total Fossil List
  Outfits hinge on Fossil pickups — normal, rare or ultra-stylish. Our interactive maps drill down to every specimen on every floor.
• Every Getaway Hub
  Refill DK’s life bar and nab temporary bonus hearts by building Getaways — here’s the master directory of all patch-ups and safe spots.

Skill Tree Upgrades

2025 releases demand talent trees, and Bananza delivers. Skip straight to the optimal upgrades and track down every wild shape-shifting power-up.

• Every Bananza Transformation
  DK can morph into an ostrich, a stylish zebra and more — this primer spells out how to acquire each form.
• Skill Tree Picks
  Armor-up DK by learning the ropes of the Skill Tree; our breakdown ranks the unlock order so you hit the best boosts first.

All Outfits

If DK and Pauline ought to drip with flair — and squeeze extra buffs in the process — consult the threads below.

• All amiibo Unlocks
  Tapping a figure can unlock an outfit or drop handy terrain chunks. The guide above lists every amiibo bonus.
• The Full Wardrobe
  From stylish suits to stat-boosting gear for both DK and Pauline — our run-down leaves no garment unmentioned.

Bosses

• Every Big Baddie
  Big brawls are par for the course. Walk in prepared with step-by-step tactics for each clash in the gallery of bosses.Ultimate Encore Challenge
  Strictly speaking, this gauntlet isn’t a true boss fight, yet the after-credits trial can wall you on your first go. Read on for the optimal tricks to reach the closing bars.

Common Queries

Beyond walkthroughs, we’ve gathered quick hits on questions you’ll inevitably ask about DKB. These are the ones we kept asking ourselves:

• Average Completion Time?
  Are you sprinting the golden route or chasing every trinket? This breakdown illustrates how many hours it takes to see the credits roll.
• How Do Normal Mode and Assist Mode Compare?
  Nintendo offers two difficulty levels—tough as nails versus a helpful nudge—but which fits your playstyle? We spell out the pros and cons.
• Where To Go At The Divide
  At The Divide you’re forced to pick: leafy Forest Layer or frosty Freezer Layer? Consult this choose-your-journey guide.
• Resetting Terrain
  Smashing everything may feel great, yet sometimes the scenery you shattered is required to advance. If you went too demolition-happy, this article walks you through a perfect rebuild.
• Mastering Photo Mode
  Inside Donkey Kong Bananza hides a robust camera suite, filters and all. Here’s our neat how-to for the perfect snapshot.
• Getting Creative With DK Artist
  DK Artist lets you shape, paint and bring stone puppets to life via the Switch 2’s Mouse Mode. It’s tucked away, so follow our directions to locate the toolkit.
• Endgame Activities
  Once the credits fade, there’s an ocean of extras begging to be explored. We catalog the full post-game checklist and detail how to unlock the secret finale.
• Does Donkey Kong Bananza Precede Mario Odyssey?
  Curious if this adventure slots into the grand Mario continuum? We unpack the ending (spoilers included) and place it on the timeline.

Where to purchase Donkey Kong Bananza for Switch 2

If you’ve read this far and still don’t own the game… hats off to you! Check the links below for the smartest spots to snag Donkey Kong Bananza (and its matching amiibo).

Believe us, it’s worth grabbing. In our 9/10 verdict, the reviewer (yours truly) labeled it “a thunderous return to 3D platforming for DK—possibly the Switch 2’s first true essential.”