Nintendo has announced a Direct presentation dedicated to the upcoming Switch 2 exclusive, Donkey Kong Bananza. The event is scheduled for this Wednesday, June 18, at 6 AM PT / 9 AM ET / 2 PM UK time.
The news first broke in the Nintendo Today! app, which also revealed that the Direct will run for approximately 15 minutes.
With the Switch 2 launch now behind them, Nintendo is shifting focus to its upcoming exclusive titles, and Donkey Kong Bananza is next on the list, launching on July 17. According to Nintendo's announcement, this Direct will be entirely focused on the 3D platforming adventure, meaning viewers should not expect to see any other Switch 2 games—whether previously announced or not—during the livestream.
Donkey Kong sports a fresh new look in Bananza, following his redesign in the blockbuster film The Super Mario Bros. Movie. In a recent interview with IGN, Nintendo veteran Shigeru Miyamoto explained the reasoning behind updating the iconic ape's appearance.
"When it comes to character creation and working with characters, I still take an active role in that process," Miyamoto shared. "Looking back at the original Donkey Kong Country, we collaborated with Rare to bring that game to life.
"As we explored new iterations and ways to evolve Donkey Kong, we developed Jungle Beat. We worked alongside the team responsible for 3D Mario games. With the technology available at the time, we were able to make Donkey Kong more expressive. We revisited the design established by Rare and asked ourselves what could be improved to enhance expressiveness. Then, when it came time for the movie, we decided to move forward with this new-generation Donkey Kong design."
For more details, check out IGN's hands-on preview of Donkey Kong Bananza.
The release of Bananza will help expand the Switch 2's currently limited lineup of exclusive titles, which includes launch games such as Mario Kart World and Welcome Tour. Other exclusives for the platform include Survival Kids, the upcoming Kirby Air Riders, and the recently announced Splatoon Raiders.
