Donkey Kong Bananza’s Mario-Inspired Update Has The Strangest Limitation Imaginable

Announced during the latest Nintendo Direct, Donkey Kong Bananza is getting additional content added to its paid DLC that will celebrate the 40th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. Puzzlingly, however, you'll only be able to play it for a limited time.

The DK Island and Emerald Rush DLC will soon allow you to dress up both Donkey Kong and Pauline in Mario Bros. outfits. Donkey Kong can equip Mario's recognizable red hat and blue overalls, while Pauline will be able to use Luigi's green hat and slap a mustache on her face. It's all rather cute and fitting for the series.

What's confusing are the limitations around it. Starting today, you'll be able to access the costumes for a limited time, with three additional waves coming in the next few months. Miss those allocated times, or all the waves entirely, and you'll not have access to the costumes again. It's an extremely strange way to celebrate Nintendo's biggest franchise, but also, somehow, entirely unsurprising for Nintendo.

You can access the DLC during the following times:

  • June 9, 2026 - June 30, 2026
  • July 14, 2026 - July 21, 2026
  • August 4, 2026 - August 11, 2026
  • August 25, 2026 - September 1, 2026

New Achievements for Classic Donkey Kong Games

The bigger update for Donkey Kong fans came in the form of new achievements for classic Donkey Kong games. Starting with Donkey Kong 64, which was recently added to the N64 library of games, you'll be able to chase in-game challenges for digital card rewards. It's a lot like RetroAchivements, but baked into the Nintendo Switch 2's backwards-compatible catalogue.

This approach to celebrating a major milestone with a time-sensitive feature feels like a familiar pattern for Nintendo. While the Mario-themed outfits are a fun nod to the Super Mario Bros. legacy, the limited-time access might leave some fans wondering why such a special feature isn’t available permanently. Still, it's a testament to the continued innovation and creative direction of Nintendo's DLC strategy.