The recent Donkey Kong Bananza Direct has been met with widespread praise, boosting anticipation for the upcoming Switch 2 title.
The game’s impressive quality has led to speculation that Nintendo’s premier development team, Entertainment Planning & Development (EPD), is behind it. EPD is known for acclaimed titles like Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom, and Super Mario Odyssey, and is expected to develop Mario’s first 3D game for the Switch 2.
While Nintendo has not confirmed which team is developing Donkey Kong Bananza, former senior Nintendo staffers Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang suggest it could be EPD, aligning with rumours dating back to 2021.
Ellis notes, “If EPD is developing this game, we might be waiting a long time for the next 3D Mario. That team delivers high quality but is neither fast nor prolific.” Yang adds that a 3D Mario on Switch 2 may not arrive for four to five years, potentially releasing mid-to-late console generation.
Yang also believes Nintendo’s silence on the development team may aim to avoid disappointing fans eager for a Mario release soon.
Nintendo often collaborates with external studios like Bandai Namco. The Donkey Kong franchise itself has a history with various studios, including Rare, which rebooted the character in 1994, and Retro Studios, which revitalized the series on Wii and Wii U.
Donkey Kong Bananza is set to launch on Nintendo Switch 2 on July 17.