Donkey Kong Bananza has surprised many, with some reviewers like Cyanize calling it their "game of the year" after just five hours.

However, it's acknowledged that the game has a "slow start" that can be "a little disorienting at first". gameranx notes the opening sections are "pretty mindless" and "kind of ugly".

Nintendo Life's Felix echoed this, finding the initial intro not very pretty and the early destruction "wasn't really doing it for me". Despite this, the game quickly transforms into "one of the best and one of the more innovative platformers".

The Bananza transformations are a highlight, described by TechRadar's Dashiell Wood as adding "new mechanics and abilities that help shake things up", with Cyanize even referring to one as a "Super Banana Saiyan" form that is "powerful" and satisfying.

However, IGN's Logan Plant and Empire's Matt Kamen point out that the abundance of "Bananergy" can make these powerful transformations "sometimes too powerful" and "trivialize otherwise interesting puzzles".

Early boss battles are also noted as "incredibly easy" by Nintendo Life's Zeon and Felix, though they become more challenging later in the game. Despite these minor critiques, the game's depth of mechanics and wealth of content are universally celebrated.