Donkey Kong Bananza Reveal Has Fans Convinced Nintendo Is Working on a Switch 2 Super Mario 3D Platformer as Well

The uncover of caller Donkey Kong Bananza details has Nintendo fans furiously speculating astir the company's next big 3D platformer — and the instrumentality of institution mascot Mario.

As revealed by IGN yesterday, Donkey Kong Bananza is being produced by Nintendo seasoned Kenta Motokura, and directed by Kazuya Takahashi, a comparatively caller summation to the company. Prior to Nintendo, Takahashi worked astatine Sega and Square Enix connected franchises specified arsenic Sonic and Final Fantasy. Motokura, meanwhile, directed Super Mario 3D World and Super Mario Odyssey.

Nintendo confirmed to IGN past period that Bananza was being worked connected by the squad down Super Mario Odyssey, without detailing precisely who. But present we cognize who the game's apical developers are — and we adjacent cognize why the crippled exists, arsenic IGN was told the thought came from Odyssey shaper and Nintendo fable Yoshiaki Koizumi.

And here's the portion that present has fans wondering. If Donkey Kong Bananza exists due to the fact that Koizumi asked the Mario Odyssey squad to marque a 3D Donkey Kong crippled but Koizumi isn't progressive successful his accustomed spot arsenic either manager oregon producer, then... well, what other could Koizumi beryllium making?

One of Nintendo's astir prolific creators, Koizumi has worked connected each large Mario 3D platformer the institution has made, acting arsenic adjunct manager connected Super Mario 64, manager of Super Mario Sunshine and Super Mario Galaxy, past shaper of Super Mario Galaxy 2, Super Mario 3D Land, Super Mario World and Super Mario Odyssey.

Koizumi besides took connected a large relation astir the motorboat of Nintendo Switch, acting arsenic wide shaper for the hardware itself, and appearing arsenic a regular look successful Nintendo Direct broadcasts. Now, fans judge Koizumi's lack is simply a motion he's being saved up for thing else: the adjacent large 3D Mario.

Nintendo seasoned Yoshiaki Koizumi.

"The information that Koizumi (produced Galaxy 2, 3D Land, 3D World, and Odyssey) isn’t moving connected Bananza is impervious capable that there’s a abstracted 3D Mario successful improvement and that Bananza isn’t expected to instrumentality Mario’s spot," wrote instrumentality BiggieNephew successful a station connected X / Twitter.

"Do you deliberation past Yoshiaki Koizumi is producing the adjacent 3D Mario?" different instrumentality said.

"YOSHIAKI KOIZUMI ISN'T THE PRODUCER NOR THE DIRECTOR OF BANANZA!" wrote a 3rd fan, each successful caps. "NEW 3D MARIO GAME FOR SWITCH 2 IS SAVED FOR NEXT YEAR, WAHOO! WE BOTH MARIO AND DK FANS CAN COEXIST TOGETHER HAPPILY AT THE START OF THIS NEW ERA OF NINTENDO! (I Hope...)"

Of course, the accomplishment of different 3D Mario crippled astatine immoderate constituent is assured, and nary of this speculation appears to beryllium taking distant from the information that Donkey Kong Bananza looks acceptable to beryllium Nintendo's adjacent large and precise promising-looking caller 3D platformer.

But the lack of a caller 3D Mario astir the Switch 2's launch, and an progressively lengthy hold for a caller 3D Mario — since Odyssey's motorboat backmost successful 2017 — has inevitably sparked speculation, and a anticipation that, alongside the upcoming delights of Donkey Kong Bananza, Nintendo's adjacent Mario outing is inactive not excessively acold away.

Other Donkey Kong Bananza details revealed by IGN this week see the information the crippled started beingness connected Nintendo Switch 1, arsenic good arsenic caller chatter from Nintendo connected however Bananza fits into Donkey Kong canon.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You tin scope Tom astatine [email protected] oregon find him connected Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social