The next big Nintendo Switch 2 game has a mode inspired by Mario Paint, and some unexpected connectivity with the original Switch.
Nintendo delivered a blowout for Donkey Kong Bananza during its latest Direct, but along with the reveal of Pauline as a co-op companion, it had some other surprises.
Between the reveal of ostrich-style power-ups and Cranky Kong from the Rare game, Nintendo debuted a mode called DK Artist, where you sculpt rock statues and customise them using the Switch 2’s mouse controls.
When the Switch 2’s mouse functionality was originally revealed, many expected Nintendo to apply them to some kind of spiritual successor to 1992’s Mario Paint on the SNES, and it appears this is exactly what DK Artist is.
As shown in the Direct presentation, you can carve sculptures out of rocks, coat them with paint, add dramatic lightning, and spruce them up with decorative bananas.
While the clip mostly shows off a sculpture of Donkey Kong’s face, recreations of Mario and Bowser are also shown, along with a surprisingly detailed pizza slice. However, there was no mention of whether these can be shared online (although it’s not hard to imagine the sordid creations certain corners of the internet will conjure up).
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Beyond DK Artist, Donkey Kong Bananza sports a two-player mode where one person shoots ‘vocal blasts’ as Pauline to destroy enemies and rocks.
It looks akin to the two-player setup in Super Mario Galaxy, where another player could shoot star bits with the Wii Remote. However, this seems like the secondary player has a more impactful role on the action, instead of just making Goombas dizzy.
Crucially, Nintendo revealed you can play this mode online with other Switch 2 systems using GameShare. You can also play this mode in local co-op between Switch 2 consoles, and more interestingly, with someone who has an original Switch.
It’s unclear how well this will run, but it means Donkey Kong Bananza is the first Switch 2 exclusive to have GameShare compatibility with the original console. Mario Kart World doesn’t support the feature at all, even if you want to share the game between Switch 2 systems.
It remains to be seen if this will be a feature in other Switch 2 games moving forward, but it’s a cool quirk for those who want to try Donkey Kong Bananza but haven’t yet upgraded to the next console yet.
Elsewhere in the presentation, Nintendo showed off an Assist Mode which enables easier navigation through Pauline’s singing and halves the damage you receive.
A new Donkey Kong and Pauline amiibo was revealed too, which is set to launch alongside the game on July 17, 2025.
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