Shigeru Miyamoto playedDonkey Kong Bananzaduring a few pre-release playtests, but his approach to the new Nintendo Switch 2 game was rather unusual. The recently released title for the new hybrid console is a 3D action-adventure platforming game that puts you in control of one of Nintendo’s most iconic characters, first introduced as an antagonist in 1981.Over the years, however, his image was remolded as that of a protagonist in theMariouniverse.Donkey Konghas gone through a makeoverfor the new game, as a means of making him more expressive.
The title is being compared to this generation’s Super Mario Odyssey. In many ways, that comparison makes sense. The game is meant to be a showcase of the new console’s hardware potential and puts the spotlight on an iconic Nintendo character.Donkey Kong Bananzais considered a GOTY contenderby many, thanks to its high scores and positive reception.This may not have been possible if the game hadn’t been playtested by Nintendo fellow Shigeru Miyamoto, even if his participation in development was limited to the role of a consultant.
Miyamoto Tested Donkey Kong Bananza
The Game Designer Took An Unusual Approach To His Play Session
According to game director Kenta Motokura in an interview withThe Guardian,Miyamoto, the creator ofDonkey Kong, put his hands on the game during the development period as a playtester. Motokura reveals that the team originally had concerns aboutDonkey Kong Bananza’s destructible environmentsand wanted to ensure that it would be fun even without the feature. “We had Miyamoto-san check the game occasionally, but instead of progressing through the game, he just stuck to one point, smashing and digging around a lot,” explains the director.
According to Motokura, his impressions of Miyamoto’s playtests were positive. “It was good to see him playing [Donkey Kong Bananza] that way… it proved that there are a lot of things that players could potentially be curious about in the game.” Motokura refers to the fact that players aren’t and shouldn’t necessarily be bound to a specific path at a specific time if they are having fun, as this is the main aspect of any game – a philosophy that is ingrained in most of Nintendo’s titles.
Miyamoto’s Donkey Kong Bananza Tests Show How Differently Players Can Think
The Legendary Game Designer Put The New Title To The Test
The reported approach taken by Miyamoto while testingDonkey Kong Bananzashows how differently players can think during their playthroughs, and it highlights his expertise in taking the path less traveled.It feels like Miyamoto was somewhat stress-testing the game, seeing if the fun provided by gameplay would also be available if players didn’t naturally follow progressionand stuck around in a specific area to play more than usual. Other playtesters would have taken the natural progression path, so Miyamoto’s approach is quite innovative and shows he is thinking ahead, about another group of players.
Miyamoto’s contributions as a consultant aren’t news.Miyamoto once criticizedSplatoonwhile the game was in its early development stages, which led the team to rethink their approach and, ultimately, release what would become a Nintendo hit that would be so successful it would go on to get a sequel. Miyamoto’s contributions toDonkey Kong Bananzamay have been less impactful than toSplatoon, for example, but it certainly proved that Motokura and his team were on the right path, as unusual as Miyamoto’s playtest may have been.
