Nintendo’s latest 3D platformer for the Switch 2, Donkey Kong Bananza, allows players to explore a subterranean landscape composed of destructible voxels. The game takes place over dozens of “sublayers,” which are bite-sized stages inside bigger themed layers, while Donkey Kong and Pauline make their way toward the Planet Core. However, how many are there exactly? Let’s dissect it.
Understanding Layers vs. Sublayers
- Main Layers: Bananza features 17 main thematic layers—from the tutorial Ingot Isle to the climactic Planet Core.
- Sublayers: Each main layer has one or more numbered sublayers (e.g. 100–102) that players progress through sequentially.
Read More: Donkey Kong Bananza: All Amiibo Unlocks & How to Use Them
Full Breakdown: Main Layers & Their Sublayers
Here’s the complete list of layers with their sublayer ranges:
| # | Layer Name | Sublayers |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ingot Isle | 1–10 |
| 2 | Lagoon Layer | 100–102 |
| 3 | Hilltop Layer | 200 |
| 4 | Canyon Layer | 300–302 |
| 5 | The Divide | 400 |
| 6 | Freezer Layer | 500–503 |
| 7 | Forest Layer | 600–602 |
| 8 | The Junction | 700 |
| 9 | Restore/Resort | 800 |
| 10 | Tempest Layer | 900–902 |
| 11 | Landfill Layer | 1000–1001 |
| 12 | Racing Layer | 1100 |
| 13 | Radiance Layer | 1200–1204 |
| 14 | Groove Layer | 1300 |
| 15 | Feast Layer | 1400–1401 |
| 16 | Forbidden Layer | 1500 |
| 17 | Planet Core | 1600–1609 |
Total Number of Sublayers
Let’s tally up:
- Ingot Isle: 10
- Lagoon: 3
- Hilltop: 1
- Canyon: 3
- The Divide: 1
- Freezer: 4
- Forest: 3
- Junction: 1
- Restore: 1
- Tempest: 3
- Landfill: 2
- Racing: 1
- Radiance: 5
- Groove: 1
- Feast: 2
- Forbidden: 1
- Planet Core: 10
Total = 50 sublayers across 17 main layers.
Why It Matters?
- Pacing: Breaking the game into 50 modular sublayers ensures a satisfying “bite‑size” progression, allowing for quick mini‑sessions or deep exploration.
- Replay & Exploration: Multiple sublayers per biome means more chances to find new Banandium gems, fossils, and secrets.
- Layer Mechanics: Each biome features its own gameplay twist—whether it’s freezing mechanics, destructible terrain, or timed challenges—spread across sublayers to ramp difficulty.
The layout of Donkey Kong Bananza, which consists of 17 themed layers separated into almost 50 different sublayers, strikes a delicate balance between modular, easy gameplay and diversity. The sublayer concept allows you to play how you want, whether that means slicing through the narrative or exploring every nook and cranny.
