Donkey Kong Bananza: DK Island and Emerald Rush DLC Review

Donkey Kong Bananza is a masterclass in platforming excellence. I reviewed the game on release and gave it a rare 10/10 experience. It’s only been a couple of months since the release of the base game, but out of nowhere, Nintendo has given us more adventures for DK and Pauline in the DK Island & Emerald Rush DLC. The questions to ask are: does it improve on the already faultless experience, adding more depth to the original game? Or is it a simple adventure intent on getting some extra sales numbers with minimal improvements?

Surprisingly, the answer sits comfortably in the middle.

When you start, you find yourself on DK Island. This place is dripping in nostalgia and full of memories from the classic series. Everything about it feels familiar: the lush jungle paths, the iconic Kong musical numbers supported by everyone’s favourite cast of characters. As soon as you arrive, you might feel an urge to linger, soaking up the atmosphere and spotting characters like Diddy, Dixie, Cranky, and Squawks. You can wander inside your old humble abode, the DK treehouse, admire the enormous stone Kong head, or even completely take it apart. Revisiting this area felt like a time capsules from earlier Donkey Kong adventures, my wish was that this be included in the base game for everyone to experience it.

But DK Island is mostly a backdrop. It doesn’t bring many new elements into your map aside from acting as the hub to launch Emerald Rush. Outside of preparing for Emerald Rush runs, your time there mostly involves collecting coins and gems, and just basking in the aesthetics. It’s a beautiful place to be, but in terms of substance, it’s a little light.

The real meat of the DLC is Emerald Rush mode. You begin each run by selecting a difficulty level; the harder the difficulty, the fewer aids you’ll receive, for example, fewer assists to power up. You’re essentially stripped of your powers after being recruited by Void Kong, who sees emerald collecting as a profitable operation. Your goal is simple: race to collect emeralds within a time limit, while navigating stages, smashing terrain, and optimising your path by unlocking perks. The better your run, the more emeralds you collect over your quota goal, which you carry forward to the next round, which in turn helps you unlock more perks and chase stronger runs. There is an addictive compounding nature to the gameplay loop, like most roguelites, which I have grown to love. But in this instance, it wasn’t enough to hold me on for a long time.

As you progress, the challenge ramps up. Early runs are manageable; collect a set number of emeralds before time runs out to move on. But later runs force you to optimise every movement, exploit multipliers, and accept that mistakes will be penalised harshly due to the time constraints. Scattered throughout levels are optional challenges that assist you in your grind, and fossils now play a different role in your adventure. Fossils let you choose between three perk upgrades; consider them trading cards. Pick one perk, level it up by continually pulling it, and carry it forward into subsequent rounds to help you claim all the emeralds needed. These perks can improve your health, increase the chance of extra emerald drops when smashing bananas, spawn more treasure chests, or give small advantages that feel meaningful in tight runs.

The DLC resets most of your standard progression when you start new runs, your base skills go back to zero so your performance in Emerald Rush depends heavily on how effectively you unlock and leverage perks and banana chips between runs. Banana chips are easier to find, which gives you a little boost in earlier runs so you don’t feel completely powerless. The system strikes a balance. Each run feels fresh, and slowly your arsenal of perks builds in potency over time.

Initially, it is quite addictive. I learnt to appreciate what the game was trying to do in regards to the new update. There’s urgency in every decision. Do you spend time chasing a risky reward with your mission-based targets for more emeralds or push ahead to unlock more perks and opportunities as you smash away? The pacing is tight, and the sense of momentum as you upgrade and improve feels rewarding. For fans of the core Donkey Kong gameplay: platforming, momentum, and timing, Emerald Rush retains the charm while layering on a new challenge.

Still, the DLC is not without its own limitations. DK Island’s beauty is undeniable, but it doesn’t offer many new surprises beyond its visual and nostalgic appeal. The emptiness outside of Emerald Rush runs can make returning there feel inert. Also, resetting most of your progress for each run can make early attempts feel punishing until you’ve unlocked enough perks to make a difference. There’s a tension between freshness and frustration.

Then there’s the price. While the artistic polish and care in level design are evident, you may find yourself wondering whether the content offered fully justifies the cost. You’re paying extra for a new hub and a roguelite variant of existing levels, levels which you need to unlock as you progress through the game’s challenges. At $30 AUD, the question of value looms. Compared to other DLCs or separate games in the same price range, such as Hollow Knight: Silksong, which is $29.50 AUD. DK’s DLC doesn’t rework the base game or bring massively fresh mechanics. Yes, it adds depth in Emerald rush, but it’s not a full overhaul. It’s simply an extension of the already impressive postgame on offer.

All in all, Donkey Kong Bananza: DK Island and Emerald Rush succeeds at what it sets out to do. It’s a new addition on familiar territory, offering challenge and nostalgia in equal measure. For its moments of tension, reward, and thrills, I enjoyed many sessions and felt compelled to return. But it was very short-lived. For all its highs, I also found myself expecting more breadth and depth; the game is limited by its content alongside its high price point. I find the value-to-price ratio egregious, considering the barrier to entry already needed to play DK Bananza. It’s a fine expansion, fun to play, and worthy for fans, but it stops just short of feeling essential.