Donkey Kong Bananza director comments on frame rate drops

Kazuya Takahashi, the director of Donkey Kong Bananza, has commented on the game’s performance and frame rate drops.

Overall, early impressions of the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive have been positive. However, some who have been able to try out the game prior to launch have noticed some frame rate dips. It’s largely stable and tends to hit its target of 60 frames per second, but inconsistencies have been noticed. We should get a better idea about performance following launch, which is happening next Thursday.

Takahashi recently spoke with Lavanguardia about the situation. He brought up intentional gameplay effects that highlight impacts, but “when there are major changes and destruction in the environment”, players can see a slight drop in performance. Ultimately, Nintendo “prioritized fun and playability.”

When asked about frame rate drops in Donkey Kong Bananza, Takahashi noted:

“There are several factors to consider. First, we intentionally used effects like hit-stop and slow motion to emphasize impacts. Second, because we use voxel technology, there are times when there are major changes and destruction in the environment. We’re aware that performance may drop slightly at these times. However, as you say, overall the game is smooth, and at points where large-scale changes occur, we prioritized fun and playability.”

Takahashi, along with producer Kenta Motokura, had a lot to say about Donkey Kong Bananza this week. They talked about the game’s Nintendo Switch 1 origins, why we’re finally getting a new 3D Donkey Kong, and the inclusion of young Pauline.