Donkey Kong Bananza’s Developer Finally Isn’t a Secret

Over the last few years, Nintendo has been very secretive when it comes to announcing the developers of its games. That’s not always the case, but it has happened often enough that fans are frequently speculating about which developers are working on which games. This has been the case for Donkey Kong Bananza since the game was first announced during April’s Nintendo Switch 2 Direct. While fans have had a pretty good idea which team was working on the game for a while now, Nintendo has finally confirmed just who developed Donkey Kong Bananza for Switch 2.

Donkey Kong Bananza is being developed by Nintendo EPD, specifically the Super Mario Odyssey team. This detail was officially revealed by Nintendo reps during a recent hands-on preview of the game that I attended. While the confirmation is a welcome one, this wasn’t a hugely surprising revelation; fans have spent the last 8 years wondering what the Super Mario Odyssey team has been up to. On top of that, there seems to be a lot of tissue connecting the 2017 game to Donkey Kong Bananza. Both games feature similar 3D gameplay and a massive scope, and there’s also the fact that Pauline plays a significant role in both games.

Now that we know Nintendo EPD is the team behind Donkey Kong Bananza, it will be interesting to see what this means for Mario’s next 3D adventure. Bananza should satisfy those looking for a 3D adventure game on Nintendo Switch 2, but it still seems to be very much a Donkey Kong game at its core. Those hoping for the true successor to Super Mario Odyssey are likely hoping to see what’s next for the mustachioed mascot himself. Some have speculated that it could be a long wait, depending on when Nintendo EPD began and finished work on Bananza.

Rumors have suggested that a new 3D Mario game is still in the works for Nintendo Switch 2. Right now, it’s impossible to say how soon that might happen, but it’s hard to imagine a new 3D Mario game not being in development given the fact that a new Mario movie is coming in 2026. However, it’s just as possible we could end up with a sequel or follow-up to Super Mario Bros. Wonder next year instead.

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Donkey Kong Bananza Has Everyone Trying to Figure Out the Series Timeline

For now, Mario fans are going to have to wait patiently to see what the Nintendo Switch 2 era holds for the character. 2025 happens to be the 40th anniversary of the original Super Mario Bros., and Nintendo offered a significant number of announcements related to the 35th anniversary five years ago. It’s possible the company is keeping some secrets at the moment, possibly for the next big Nintendo Direct, whenever that might be.

Are you excited to see what the Super Mario Odyssey team does with Donkey Kong Bananza? Do you think it’ll be a long time before the next 3D Mario game? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!