Nintendo Reveals Secrets Behind Donkey Kong Bananza's Voxel Destruction

Switch 2 exclusive features highly destructible levels with over 347 million voxels per stage

Published on Mar. 11, 2026

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Nintendo's lead developers on the Switch 2 hit Donkey Kong Bananza detailed the design philosophy behind the game's voxel destruction mechanics at GDC 2026. They explained how the team wanted destruction to be at the heart of the 3D action platformer's design, but also needed the world players were breaking to look beautiful. The average level in the game has 347,070,464 individually destructible voxels to create this effect.

Why it matters

Donkey Kong Bananza represents Nintendo's continued creative experimentation and collaboration, blending technical innovations like voxel destruction with classic platforming gameplay. The game's focus on destruction as a core mechanic highlights the company's ability to take simple, iterative ideas and turn them into exceptional, surprising experiences.

The details

The voxel destruction mechanics in Donkey Kong Bananza grew out of experiments with similar technology used in Super Mario Odyssey. Software engineer Tatsuya Kurihara prototyped the ability to rip apart and throw terrain, finding it a satisfying new interaction. Producer Kenta Motokura then wanted to build a new Donkey Kong game around these mechanics, combining the character's penchant for smashing with the voxel tech.

  • The GDC 2026 presentation took place on March 11 in San Francisco.
  • Donkey Kong Bananza is the first major single-player hit for the Nintendo Switch 2 console, which launched in 2025.

The players

Tatsuya Kurihara

The software engineer responsible for the voxel destruction mechanics in Donkey Kong Bananza, having previously worked on similar technology in Super Mario Odyssey.

Kenta Motokura

A veteran Nintendo producer who directed Super Mario Odyssey and wanted to bring Donkey Kong back to the 3D action platformer genre, using the voxel destruction as the basis.

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What they’re saying

“It is more fun to destroy that which is beautiful.”

— Tatsuya Kurihara, Software Engineer (Kotaku)

“After making a box or prototype, I felt the ability to destroy any part of the terrain was a satisfying new interaction. I especially liked the idea of being able to rip off chunks of the terrain and throw it to destroy things or make it stick. It was exciting. I felt we could create a game around the core idea.”

— Tatsuya Kurihara, Software Engineer (Kotaku)

“I've loved this scene since I was a kid. You can interact with almost everything on the screen and depending on how you go about that there are multiple ways to proceed.”

— Kenta Motokura, Producer (Kotaku)

“This game was achieved by giving each person's ideas and skills a thumbs up and fusing them together. And it doesn't end there. I hope to continue the fusing process with all the game developers who are here today. Let's create fun games and drive excitement. Finally, I want to give a thumbs-up to everyone here.”

— Kenta Motokura, Producer (Kotaku)

What’s next

The Nintendo Switch 2 console, which Donkey Kong Bananza is exclusive to, is expected to launch in 2025, so the game will likely be one of the system's marquee titles that year.

The takeaway

Donkey Kong Bananza showcases Nintendo's continued ability to blend technical innovation with classic gameplay, creating experiences that feel both fresh and familiar. The game's focus on destructibility and collaborative development process exemplify the company's unique approach to game design.