The “Game of the Year” Award goes to Donkey Kong Bananza!
Donkey Kong Bananza is the complete package. It’s a platformer so unique in its structure that it
could easily be considered a new genre. It’s one of the best, most cinematic, and genuinely heartfelt
stories ever told in a Nintendo game. It’s a beautiful tribute to the entire history of Donkey Kong
that never once feels like it’s using nostalgia as a crutch. And thanks to the new DLC, it has perhaps
the most perfect postgame I’ve ever seen in 3D platformer, essentially building in its own randomizer
for potentially endless replayability. It’s got it all. No corners cut. No expenses spared.
At this point, Nintendo is simply operating on another level from the rest of the industry. Back when I
gave Tears of the Kingdom my GOTY in 2023 I talked about how “everything is gameplay” in that game.
Bananza takes that ethos to its logical conclusion with a world where every micron of geometry has
potentially far-reaching implications for problem-solving, combat and traversal. A world where every
piece is expertly placed to provide the perfect experience when you smash it all apart. It’s sublime.
I loved every moment with Donkey Kong Bananza, and it only got better as the game progressed,
culminating in what I can very safely say is the most propulsive and impressive ending sequence in
any Nintendo game I can remember. This isn’t just a classic being born. This is a flag planted for
what games can be. All the walls are shattered, and Donkey Kong Bananza is my Game of the Year.
And here it is. We finally reached the end of our journey. A big congratulations to my #1 #GOTY2025 pick, my Game of the Year, DONKEY KONG BANANZA!
I can't say enough good things about this game. There was never any doubt it was taking my top spot from the moment I hit credits. Truly magical!
