Donkey Kong Bananza Speedrun Strategies: Glitches & Record Times

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Break the Bananas and the Game Itself — How the Speedrun Community is Dominating Donkey Kong’s Latest Adventure.

Donkey Kong Bananza has become a dream come true for speedrunners on the Nintendo Switch 2. With transformation-based movement tech, open-ended level design, and an eager community, Bananza is quickly climbing the ranks as one of 2025’s most exciting games to break—literally.

Whether you're hunting WRs or just watching ridiculous skips, this guide will walk you through the best speedrun categories, meta-defining glitches, world record times, and how you can get started.

⏱ Top Speedrun Categories in Donkey Kong Bananza

Speedruns are already being split into key categories based on glitch usage, completion criteria, and character swaps:

๐ŸŸก Any% (Glitched)

  • Goal: Beat the game as fast as possible using any available glitch.

  • WR (as of July 2025): 1:22:47 by DKdude1995

  • Includes boss skip using Minecart Clip and early access to Cloud Shrine.

๐ŸŸข Any% (No Major Glitches)

  • For runners who prefer a more “honest” race.

  • Uses tricks like transformation chaining and sequence breaks, but no clipping.

  • WR: 1:49:12 by BananaBoost

Donkey Kong Bananza Speedrun Strategies
๐Ÿ”ต 100% Completion

  • All transformations unlocked, all collectibles, full map reveal.

  • Current routing still in flux, due to the final jungle zone’s hidden requirements.

  • WR: 4:22:01 by SpeedPauline

๐ŸŸฃ Co-op Any%

  • Requires tight DK and Pauline synergy for boss manipulation and dual-trigger skips.

  • Popular with runners on Twitch due to hype moments and sync challenges.

๐Ÿ› ️ Core Speedrun Tech & Game-Breaking Glitches

๐Ÿ”„ Transformation Chaining

  • DK can cancel one form into another mid-air, allowing infinite vertical movement.

  • Used in Banandium Gorge Skip and boss rush skips.

๐ŸŽข Minecart Clip

  • Performed in the Factory Zone using a rolling crate and timed barrel transform.

  • Allows access to midgame levels within the first 5 minutes.

☁️ Cloud Launch

  • Using the Wind Ape’s double-dash and a glitchy updraft, players launch 300m+ upward to skip temples entirely.

๐Ÿชค Pause Buffering

  • Used to manipulate enemy spawns, speed up text boxes, or control load triggers.

  • Frame-perfect but consistent with practice.

๐Ÿ”ฅ Current World Records (Updated July 2025)

Category                Record Time    Runner
Any% Glitched1:22:47DKdude1995
Any% No Majors1:49:12BananaBoost
100%4:22:01SpeedPauline
Co-op Any%1:36:55DualKongZ

๐Ÿ›‘ Note: These record times are based on community submissions and livestreams as of July 2025. Official leaderboards for Donkey Kong Bananza are pending on Speedrun.com. You can find many WR attempts shared on Twitch and YouTube by searching runner names.

๐ŸŽฎ How to Start Speedrunning Donkey Kong Bananza

  1. Finish the game casually first. This helps with route memorization and movement familiarity.

  2. Join the community Discord. You’ll find practice saves, route notes, and live help.

  3. Download a timer like Livesplit.

  4. Choose a category that suits your skill level and interest.

  5. Practice in chunks. Break the game into level splits or transformations.

๐Ÿ’ฌ “Bananza’s the most fun I’ve had routing since Odyssey.” — Top runner, BananaBoost

๐Ÿ’ก Meme Categories Worth Watching

Speedrunning isn’t all serious! Here are some creative runs being shared:

  • No Transformations% – Platform-only challenge run.

  • Banana Only% – Collect only banana items and nothing else.

  • All Pauline Dialogues% – Trigger every one of Pauline’s lines, no skips.

๐Ÿ“ˆ What’s Next for Bananza Speedruns?

As of July 2025, runners expect:

  • A new major clip in the Lava Dome could shrink WRs by 30+ seconds.

  • More optimized transformation skip chains.

  • Community tournaments for Co-op and Relay Races.

  • A possible Randomizer Mod later this year via Homebrew.

๐Ÿ”— Community & Related Articles

๐Ÿ“ฃ Final Tip: Join the Race, Smash the Records

Don’t wait to master every skip — pick a category, start running, and improve over time. Whether you're going glitchless or going bananas, Donkey Kong Bananza is one of the most rewarding new games for speedrunners in 2025.

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