Donkey Kong Bananza Direct live: my live reactions with the latest Nintendo stream underway
This is our live coverage of the June Donkey Kong Bananza Direct.
It's official: Nintendo has confirmed that its next Direct will be all about Donkey Kong Bananza!
Focusing on this big release alone, the Nintendo Direct will feature "roughly 15 minutes of information about the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 game".
Some fans may have been hoping for a bit more of a bombastic June Nintendo Direct - as has been the case in the past - but it seems like Nintendo is content to just focus on the next Donkey Kong game. It's the next major Switch 2 release, after all, and comes out in about a month's time on July 17.
It's the first new Donkey Kong game in over a decade, with the prior Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze releasing on the Wii U back in 2014. While ports of Retro Studios' Country titles have released on Nintendo Switch, Donkey Kong Bananza will be the ape's first original adventure in quite some time. It's also his first big 3D platformer outing since Rare's Donkey Kong 64 all the way back in 1999.
In the build-up to the Direct, we're going to share some of our thoughts and predictions for the game as well as all things Nintendo Switch 2, while also giving you the best information on how to watch the stream.
Donkey Kong Bananza Nintendo Direct date, start time, and length
The Donkey Kong Bananza Nintendo Direct will take place on June 18, 2025, and will begin at 6AM PT / 9AM ET / 2PM BST.
As officially confirmed by Nintendo, the broadcast will last for "roughly 15 minutes".
How to watch the Donkey Kong Bananza Nintendo Direct
The most reliable place to catch the Donkey Kong Bananza Nintendo Direct live stream is the Nintendo YouTube channel.
You can watch the embedded version below.
Hello and welcome to the start of my live coverage of the upcoming Donkey Kong Bananza Direct.
There's not long to go until the stream begins now, so sit back as I deliver a steady of updates, predictions, and everything that you need to know in the build-up to the event!
Save the stream in advance
Here's a top tip that applies to basically any event that is streamed live.
Generally, YouTube allows you to wait for the broadcast a few hours before it begins - which is perfect if you want to keep it open in a separate browser window so that you definitely don't miss it.
Alternatively, you could bookmark the page in advance and come back later when the start time arrives.
I've embedded today's stream below, so that you can do just that.
Will we see Pauline?
You might have missed this, but the Nintendo Korea page may have accidentally leaked something about the game weeks ago.
Some key art was visible on a website banner, showing Donkey Kong and what looked like a younger version of Super Mario character Pauline. This was quickly replaced by a version that lines up with the game's regular cover art (where the Pauline character is replaced by a purple rock creature) but not before users on the forum ResetEra spotted it.
This has prompted a fair amount of speculation that Pauline will feature prominently in the game. If you remember the original Super Mario Odyssey reveal, Nintendo deliberately kept the character Cappy hidden - revealing them at a later date.
This could also be the case here, with Pauline potentially revealed as part of the stream today.
But what kind of role could this young Pauline play?
My personal prediction is that she might be a companion character, potentially following Donkey Kong around and assisting in his adventure.
Her younger appearance might be a sign that she will take on an almost Diddy Kong-like role, riding around on Donkey Kong's back and maybe even granting the player a few abilities when she's there.
Users on the forum spotted that she is wearing a bracelet made of purple rocks in the banner's artwork. This will probably be part of the game's plot, which we already know will prominently feature rocks and a mining motif.
Catch up with the previous trailer
Haven't seen much of Donkey Kong Bananza so far?
You should definitely take a look at the latest trailer, which was shown off back in the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct.
It gives you a good idea of what to expect from the game, which seems very similar to Super Mario Odyssey in structure.
We see plenty of Donkey Kong smashing all kinds of objects, so expect destruction to be a very big focus.
How about some unfiltered gameplay?
Trailers are all well and good, but Nintendo has also released a lengthy gameplay video showing off the game. It was part of the Nintendo Treehouse: Live stream, and lets you see the very start of the game.
Time check: just 75 minutes to go
The stream is set to begin at 6AM PT / 9AM ET / 2PM BST. This means that there is just one hour and 15 minutes (75 minutes total) to go until it's underway.
We know that the stream is only going to be 15 minutes long, so make sure to keep an eye on the time if you don't want to miss it!
When is Donkey Kong Bananza coming out?
Donkey Kong Bananza is set to release on July 17, 2025.
The game is going to be a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive title, so those still using a Nintendo Switch console will not be able to play it unless they upgrade.
If you're simply desperate to play Donkey Kong Bananza, then you'll likely be pleased to hear that the game is already up for pre-order!
It costs $69.99 / £64.95 at Amazon right now for a physical copy. I'd recommend picking it up if you already know that you want the game, and want to maximise your chances of having it in your hands on the release day.
You can currently pre-order Donkey Kong Bananza at its retail price at Amazon in the US.View Deal
The game is also up for grabs at Amazon in the UK, for £64.95. View Deal
If you pre-order at Amazon in the US or UK, you will be covered by the pre-order price guarantee - which basically means that you will pay the lowest possible price if it changes ahead of the release day.
You can see the full terms and conditions on the site.
Time check: just 45 minutes to go!
Time is passing and the Donkey Kong Bananza Direct is getting nearer, with just 45 minutes left to go.
Now is the time to make sure that you have done everything that you need to ahead of the event.
I would normally recommend stocking up on drinks and snacks for the stream, but given this one is so short at just 15 minutes I don't think that will be necessary this time around. Still, a little glass of water definitely won't hurt - so do grab one now if you're feeling thirsty.
We could see some new cover art
Following on from my predictions about the reveal of a Pauline character in this stream, I also think we will likely see some new cover art for the game.
I'm not expecting anything drastic, but right now there is a conspicuous blank spot above Donkey Kong's left shoulder on the box.
It's occupied by this small purple rock creature, but I suspect that that's just a placeholder for Pauline. This would line up with the leaked image from Korea and, honestly, make for a more attractive looking package.
Plot details are scarce (expect this to change soon), but we do know a little bit about the villains in Donkey Kong Bananza.
They're a group called Voidco and seem to be some kind of mining company. We've seen three members so far, each with unique designs, that will presumably be in-game bosses that you will have to defeat.
The core conflict of the game comes from Voidco's theft of some newly discovered golden banana gems. The events of the game see Kong attempting to get them back and if there's one thing I've learned throughout the Donkey Kong series, it's that messing with Kong's bananas is a very bad idea.
Time check: just ten minutes left!
There is now just ten minutes to go until the stream begins. Don't worry if you won't be able to catch it live, I'll be bringing you a steady stream of live reactions right here in text form...
The stream is beginning!
Fasten your seatbelts, the stream is starting!
This is your last chance to tune in if you don't want to miss anything, so get the YouTube page up quick.
