Donkey Kong Bananza devs describe benefits of Switch 2 specs and share original Switch game screenshot

Recently, gamers learned that the development of Donkey Kong Bananza began on the original Switch. A new Nintendo Ask the Developer interview pinpoints 2021 as when the transition to the new console began. Kenta Motokura, Daisuke Watanabe, and Wataru Tanaka also describe how the Switch 2 specs benefit the 3D platformer.

As the July 17th Donkey Kong Bananza release date looms, they also share the first screenshot of what it would look like as a Switch game. It's difficult to notice the difference in visual fidelity in the small comparison images. Still, many of the advantages are only noticeable when interacting with environments.

According to Art Director Watanabe, "One of the most obvious improvements was that we could place far more objects in the environment than before." A main appeal of the Switch 2 game is the freedom to destroy almost everything around and under Donkey Kong.

The graphics in Donkey Kong Bananza rely on voxels, which are essentially 3D pixels. As objects become larger and more complex, they quickly consume a console's resources. Only the Switch 2 specs, which include added memory capacity, allow for these objects to be convincingly destroyed.

In the interview, Game Director Tanaka confirmed that the latest handheld's processing power was also critical. Although there is no evidence that the Switch 2 game uses DLSS, the system's Nvidia chip proved capable. The developers could target 60fps, even with detailed maps and authentic-looking explosions.

Despite the team praising the Switch 2, Kazuya Takahashi previously admitted to frame rate drops. Nevertheless, he promises a smooth overall experience in the retail version. Players will judge how significant the performance hiccups are after the Donkey Kong Bananza release date.