Latest news with #ShigeruMiyamoto
News.com.au
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Donkey Kong Bananza: Iconic Nintendo character gets best makeover yet
The first Donkey Kong game in over a decade has just been released and critics (including this one) are already hailing it as the best Donkey Kong game ever. But what makes Donkey Kong Bananza so special, and why has it been so long between drinks? The big ape named Donkey has been a key Nintendo character for almost as long as Nintendo has been making video games. What most people don't know, though, is that the world of video games would look very different now if Nintendo had been able to release a Popeye game in 1981 as planned. The story goes that back in the 1970s, Nintendo was trying to make an arcade game to appeal to American audiences and save Nintendo of America from the verge of collapse after the failure of their Radar Scope release. The executives turned to a young, early career graphic designer named Shigeru Miyamoto to make this game. He decided to make a Popeye title, but because rendering the usual Popeye antagonist (Bluto) would require too many pixels and make him a giant, Bluto was replaced with a giant ape, marking the creation of Donkey Kong. Later on in development, due to unspecified licensing issues, all Popeye characters had to be removed from the game. He was replaced with an American plumber to match the setting of a construction site. In the instruction manual, this plumber's name was Jumpman, but the developers nicknamed him Little Mario, after the landlord for their office in Seattle. Olive Oyl was turned into Pauline. Donkey Kong then became one of the first platform games, and the rest is history. Donkey Kong kept antagonising Mario for a few more games, before they both went on to separately star in their own game titles, like members of a boyband going off to do solo projects. In this analogy, Mario is the Harry Styles of the group, Donkey Kong Is Zayn Malik and Pauline is one of the other band members no one ever remembers. Pauline never got to enjoy the same popularity as the other heroes, or even her fellow Nintendo damsels Peach, Daisy and Rosalina. However, her recent outing in Super Mario Odyssey began to get her some of the recognition she deserves. That's why her prominent inclusion in Donkey Kong Bananza is so notable, though it's weird that Nintendo aged her down to a 13-year-old. The reason Pauline didn't take off as a character earlier, or why Mario apparently broke up with her in favour of a princess, Adelaide-based Donkey Kong super fan Chris Button isn't sure. 'I'd really like to ask Nintendo that one myself, actually, because she's one of the original Mario characters,' he told 'She's also one of the earliest examples of the classic damsel in distress trope that video games have leant on ever since. I think Pauline deserves more respect than what she has previously received.' Button points out, though, that Pauline has gotten more attention from Nintendo in recent years, being included as a racer in the latest Mario Kart World game, and getting a role as mayor of New Donk City in the popular Super Mario Odyssey game. Pauline's time to shine might finally have come. Donkey Kong has now almost completely shed his old villainous ways (though his greed remains). This latest Donkey Kong Bananza game follows a different story to the ones we're used to seeing DK in. He's a miner now, sort of. The game starts with him trying to get special Banandium Gems from the ground in the middle of a gold rush. However, there is villainy afoot in the quest to have a great wish granted and so Donkey Kong gets to do what he does best: smash stuff, collect collectables, and eat bananas. But he also must help a 13-year-old Pauline, who in turn can help transform DK using her songs. I don't want to say much more to avoid spoiling the game, but it's surprisingly touching at times. I can't believe I'm saying that about a Donkey Kong game. Daniel Vuckovic, who runs Australian community Nintendo site and is based in WA, doesn't believe that Donkey Kong would be FIFO on the mines. 'Judging by the chatter of the characters in the game, it seems like he up and left to go mining because there's bananas there, so I think he's more of an on-site guy. He's really involved and goes where he has to go to get his bananas and his money.' Made by the same people who made Super Mario Odyssey, Bananza has some of the same DNA. Although it plays completely differently, it will still be familiar to players who enjoyed Odyssey. Some people are already theorising that Bananza is a prequel to Odyssey. However, Vuckovic cautions against trying to find continuity. 'I think like Zelda, and like Mario, there are some interconnecting ideas between games, but at some point they're all just different characters. 'Link from Breath of the Wild and Link from Tears of the Kingdom are different characters. Is there an actual timeline? Who knows anymore.' Donkey Kong Banaza walks a fine line between catering to longtime fans and being the perfect introduction for new players. It's filled with tonnes of references and Easter eggs to previous games, but is enjoyable even without the context, and it would work well as someone's first video game, if played in co-op mode with someone else. With the success of the Nintendo Switch 2 console as the fastest selling console of all time, and Donkey Kong Bananza being only the second exclusive title for the new console, it's expected to sell very well. But while other game companies might use success as an opportunity to suddenly release a lot more Donkey Kong games, that's not Nintendo's style. It might be a further 11 years before we get another one. Part of what makes Nintendo stand out from other game companies so much is that it's willing to let games breathe. Button says this is down to Nintendo focusing on unique ideas over quantity. 'I think Nintendo puts a real focus on trying to find a unique element to kickstart each game,' he said. 'You only have to look at the poor Metroid fans. I would love them to throw a bone to some of those long- neglected franchises or some of those franchises that have for gaps between games. 'But I suppose that when they do return with something, like when Metroid Dread came out a couple of years ago, they really knock it out of the park.' Having now played Donkey Kong Bananza, I can confidently say that they've definitely knocked it out of the park this time. Donkey Kong Bananza is avalable now on Nintendo Switch 2.
The Independent
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Key cast members for Zelda movie revealed
Nintendo and Sony have announced the lead actors for their live-action Legend of Zelda film, with Bo Bragason cast as Zelda and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as Link. The casting news was shared by Nintendo boss Shigeru Miyamoto on social media. The film is scheduled for release on 7 May 2027. Bo Bragason's recent credits include King and Conqueror and Renegade Nell, while Benjamin Evan Ainsworth voiced Pinocchio in the 2022 live-action film and appeared in The Haunting of Bly Manor. Wes Ball is attached to direct the movie, which will be co-produced by Shigeru Miyamoto and Avi Arad, building on Nintendo's recent success with The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
France 24
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- France 24
Lead actors announced for 'Legend of Zelda' movie
The film's release is set for May 2027, joining a stream of game adaptations from "Super Mario" to "Sonic the Hedgehog" that have stormed the box office in recent years. Bo Bragason will play Princess Zelda and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth will play Link -- an elf warrior who swordfights his way through a monster-filled fantasy world -- Nintendo said on social media platform X on Wednesday. "I am very much looking forward to seeing both of them on the big screen," said the post attributed to game designer and Nintendo executive Shigeru Miyamoto. Miyamoto, the co-producer of "Super Mario", created the "Zelda" universe in 1986. Since then, the hugely popular series has sold more than 140 million games worldwide. Its latest installment, 2024's "The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom", saw the titular character shed her role as a damsel in distress to be the heroine for the first time. Bragason has previously starred in the British TV series "Three Girls" and "Renegade Nell", while Ainsworth was the voice of Pinocchio in a 2022 movie remake. Before the announcement, online speculation had been rife that US trans actress Hunter Schafer, known for HBO hit show "Euphoria", might be picked for the part of Zelda. The movie, directed by Wes Ball of the "Maze Runner" trilogy, is a big-screen first for Zelda, although the game was adapted for a 13-episode animated series in 1989. Movie adaptations of hit video games have become big business, with Nintendo's "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" the second-highest grossing film of 2023.
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
See 'The Legend of Zelda' Cast Side-by-Side with Their Video Game Characters
NEED TO KNOW In November 2023, Nintendo announced that a live-action adaptation of The Legend of Zelda video game was in the works On July 16, Nintendo's video game designer revealed that Link and Princess Zelda would be played by Benjamin Evan Ainsworth and Bo Bragason, respectively The film is slated to be released in May 2027The Legend of Zelda is coming to life! In November 2023, Nintendo announced that it was partnering with Avi Arad's production company to develop a live-action film based on the beloved video game franchise, which first debuted in 1986. Following the news, fans anticipated who might take on the lead roles of Link and Princess Zelda, characters that musician Machine Gun Kelly and Euphoria star Hunter Schafer, respectively, have expressed interest in portraying. On July 16, Nintendo's legendary video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto announced in a post on X that young stars Benjamin Evan Ainsworth and Bo Bragason would step into the roles of Link and Princess Zelda, respectively. "I'm already looking forward to their performances," he wrote in the post, originally written in Japanese. Miyamoto added that the live-action film is slated to be released on May 7, 2027. Here's a look at the cast of The Legend of Zelda side-by-side with their counterparts from the original video games. Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as Link Ainsworth will play Link, the young hero who battles the forces of evil from the dark sorcerer Ganon to rescue Princess Zelda and protect the magical kingdom of Hyrule. The young actor is most known for voicing the titular character in 2022's live-action Pinocchio, which he starred in alongside Tom Hanks. Ainsworth also appeared in CBC Television's Son of a Critch and the Netflix miniseries The Haunting of Bly Manor. Most recently, he portrayed Lester Smart in 2025's Everything's Going to Be Great. Ainsworth told Owl Connected in September 2022 that he started acting at 7 or 8 years old, though it initially started as a "fun thing to do on the weekend." In June 2025, Ainsworth opened up to Digital Journal about his advice for other aspiring young actors, suggesting they "just keep going!" "The auditioning process — from an outside perspective — can be really hard and it can this thing that you just keep doing," he said. "The main thing is that if you love it, then keep going with it, and trust yourself and try and enjoy auditions, and go into auditions confidently. If you enjoy it, then keep going." Bo Bragason as Princess Zelda Bragason will portray Princess Zelda, the daughter of the King of Hyrule. The actress previously starred in 2021's Censor and 2024's The Radleys. On TV, she has appeared in Disney+'s Renegade Nell and the BBC miniseries Three Girls. During an October 2024 appearance on the Deepest Dream podcast, Bragason shared that she began acting at 11 years old. "I think with every role that I'm doing, I feel as though I'm learning more and also getting better and better," she said, adding that she's grown from working closely with other actors on set. "I haven't had any formal acting training, but being on set, it kind of feels like I have, because I'm learning from the greats. I'm sitting back, just observing, watching what they're doing and soaking that all in," Bragason said. "Every role that I've done, I can truly say that I'm grateful for because they have kind of all been so different." Read the original article on People
Engadget
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Engadget
Donkey Kong Bananza's creators reflect on the game's path to delightful destruction
On Tuesday, Nintendo published an interview with the creators of Donkey Kong Bananza . The second big Switch 2 tentpole title comes from the team that made Super Mario Odyssey . The developers explained how they laid the foundation for DK's first 3D adventure since the Nintendo 64 era. Destruction is at the heart of Donkey Kong Bananza . Everything in his environment can be smashed to bits. Not only is that a fun mechanic, but it also adds an element of verticality and freedom of exploration. That's an ideal fit for showcasing the Switch 2's processing power. As with so many other Nintendo creations, the first step in getting there was a no-brainer. Consult with Shigeru Miyamoto. "We'd built up a lot of expertise in gameplay development for 3D action games through our work on 3D Mario games, including Super Mario Odyssey ," producer Kenta Motokura said. "But we needed to dive deeper into the fundamental question of 'What is Donkey Kong?' So, our first step was to seek out Miyamoto-san and Nintendo Executive Officer Yoshiaki Koizumi." In their talk, Miyamoto emphasized DK's moves like hand slaps and blowing. Along similar lines, Koizumi pointed to the ape's massive arms, which he uses to punch and hoist heavy objects. That got the team thinking. After all, who doesn't want to control a giant ape who runs around, breaking shit? DK slapping a platform in the 2010 game Donkey Kong Country Returns. Shigeru Miyamoto emphasized the move as a starting point for the new version. (Nintendo / Retro) The Super Mario Odyssey team was uniquely suited to handle that challenge. First, the 2017 title included some light environmental destruction. (Think the cheese rocks in the Luncheon Kingdom and Bowser's smashing in the final level.) The team experimented with fully destructible environments soon after Odyssey 's release. (That was long before they knew they'd make a Donkey Kong game.) That included the adorably strange idea of putting smashing fists on a Goomba and setting it loose. Part two of the interview includes a short video of one of these tests. On a technical level, the key to that mechanic is using voxels (3D pixels). "In Super Mario Odyssey , we started using voxels midway through development, so the areas where we could apply them were limited," Motukura said. "But the trial and error we went through back then directly led to what we were able to do in Donkey Kong Bananza ." Another interesting tidbit from the interview is that they started working on the game as a Switch 1 title. "We originally began developing Donkey Kong Bananza on Nintendo Switch, but we ran into some challenges," Motokura said. "I think it was around 2021 when we started to think about moving development to Switch 2." In the comparison image below, you can see a much richer environment in the Switch 2 version. Art director Daisuke Watanabe explained that the new console's hardware opened new doors. "We first looked into how we could upgrade what we'd originally built for Switch to take advantage of Switch 2," Watanabe said. "One of the most obvious improvements was that we could place far more objects in the environment than before. Being able to place more objects in the terrain didn't just enhance the game's visual richness. More importantly, it increased the amount of things players could destroy, which amplified the exhilaration of being able to demolish anything and everything." There are many more nuggets in Nintendo's interview. This includes animal transformations and Pauline's role in the game. (She must be the forgiving type, given how they started.) The chat also explores how DK's modern art style evolved. You can visit Nintendo's website for the full lowdown. Donkey Kong Bananza will be available tomorrow, July 17.
