Nintendo released a deluge of Donkey Kong Bananza in a special Direct earlier this morning, including news that the game features local and online co-op and unique GameShare features. Most surprisingly, though, Nintendo Switch 2 owners with Donkey Kong Bananza can use GameShare to let a Switch 1 player join their game and play as Donkey Kong’s companion, Pauline. This means that technically, a Switch player who maybe hasn’t upgraded to Nintendo’s latest console can still check out the game.
During the Donkey Kong Bananza Direct, Nintendo revealed that you can share a second Joy-Con 2 controller, or a second set entirely, to let another player control Pauline separately from Donkey Kong. They can unleash Vocal Blasts using the Joy-Con 2 Mouse controls. Plus, with GameShare, you only need one copy of the game to participate in the co-op action because you can share Donkey Kong Bananza with another Switch 2 owner. This can be done locally, even to a Switch 1 player, or via an online connection to another Switch 2 owner using GameShare via GameChat.
GameShare is already a nice consumer-friendly feature, and something we’re glad has returned from the DS era in the Switch 2 generation. The fact that it can be used to play alongside someone on Switch 1 is impressive (especially as people are still tracking down a Switch 2).
This section of today’s Direct was quick, so there are likely some details still to learn about how this GameShare feature works specifically with Donkey Kong Bananza. We’re excited to learn more soon when Donkey Kong Bananza launches exclusively on Switch 2 next month on July 17.
While waiting for its release, read Game Informer’s hands-on Donkey Kong Bananza preview, and then watch the game’s reveal trailer. After that, read Game Informer’s Switch 2 review, and then check out our list of the Switch 2 games to play when you’re done with Mario Kart World.