Top Skills to Unlock First in Donkey Kong Bananza

Donkey Kong Bananza offers various skills for you to invest your earned Skill Points, but some are definitely more beneficial than others. Given the game’s heavy emphasis on destruction and collecting items, it’s wise to enhance your sonar and collection capabilities early on to make your journey easier later.

That said, don’t forget to balance these upgrades with important boosts to your health and punching strength to navigate the more challenging areas safely. With so many skills available to DK, figuring out which ones to focus on can be overwhelming. After playing through the game, I’ve compiled a list of the top skills in DK Bananza that you should unlock as soon as possible.

How to Earn and Reset Skill Points in Donkey Kong Bananza

To quickly recap, for every five Bananas you consume, you earn one Skill Point that you can allocate to different skills. Anytime you want, simply press the Up directional button to access the “Skills” menu.

You can reset your Skill Points by visiting any Elder once you’ve unlocked their Bananza form. Talk to an Elder, and you’ll see an option to “reset my skills!” This will refund all your Skill Points at no cost, allowing you to redistribute them as you see fit. Keep in mind that any extra Apple and Melon Juice items you possess will be converted to gold.

Top Skills in Donkey Kong Bananza

Now that you know the basics of skills and Skill Points in DK Bananza, let’s look at the best skills to unlock, particularly the yellow, non-Bananza skills on the left side of the Skills menu. If it’s not included in this list, it’s likely not worth your time:

• Health Levels 1-4: Upgrading to level 4 costs a total of 10 Skill Points, giving you seven hearts, which should be adequate to see you through the game. Aim for at least six hearts by the time you reach SL 900. If you’re playing in Assist Mode, five hearts should suffice.
• Apple Juice Level 1: This skill acts like an extra life if your health runs out. It’s a bit pricey, so consider unlocking level 2 only if you feel it’s necessary.
• Bananergy Levels 1-3: This skill extends your Bananza time, a handy upgrade since it applies universally to all Bananzas. Various Pauline outfits can enhance specific Bananza durations, so switch them out as you level up this skill.
• Punch Power Levels 1-4: While DK can break a lot, tougher terrain requires more punches. This skill makes breaking through stronger surfaces faster and easier. Upgrade consistently.
• Better Collecting Levels 1-3: DK’s initial pickup radius for Gold and other items is limited. Unlocking level 1 of this skill should be a priority, followed by levels 2 and 3 as you progress.
• Better Sonar Levels 1 and 2: Similar to Better Collecting, DK’s sonar range is initially weak. Since it helps locate Bananas, fossils, and treasure chests, grab level 1 right away. Level 3 is costly, so stopping at level 2 is a good idea.
• Better Turf Surfing: This skill is useful for traversing tougher sublayers and provides a permanent boost to your surfing duration.
• Surf Surf: Another improvement for Turf Surfing, this allows you to surf on water, including poisonous waters, without taking damage, an ability not even the Zebra Bananza has.

These are the best skills for DK, but remember that each of the five Donkey Kong Bananza forms has unique skills. Some forms gain much from upgrades, while others are not worth the investment. Here’s a breakdown of the best skills for each Bananza form:

Top Kong Bananza Skills

The Kong Bananza is essentially a powerful upgrade for DK, significantly enhancing his punching capabilities. As we’ve noted in our Donkey Kong Bananza tips, unlocking all skills for this form is highly recommended:

• All of them: With full levels of Charge Punch, Fast Charge, and Kong Armor, DK turns into an unstoppable force capable of demolishing nearly anything.

Top Zebra Bananza Skills

In my opinion, the Zebra Bananza is the weakest of the five forms and not worth heavy investment in skills:

• Charge Dash Level 1: This cheap skill slightly improves your speed, which is primarily what this Bananza excels at.

Top Ostrich Bananza Skills

The Ostrich Bananza focuses on flight, making it more beneficial than the Zebra. Here are a couple of upgrades worth considering:

• Glide Levels 1 and 2: Continue holding ZL after fluttering to glide. At level 2, the glide angle becomes shallower, allowing for greater distance.
• Better Flutter: This skill boosts both the speed and duration of your flutter.

Top Elephant Bananza Skills

The Elephant Bananza is incredibly powerful, with its ability to inhale terrain and create useful spheres. It’s worth upgrading as much as you can:

• All of them: Unlocking level 1 of Better Inhaling and Stronger Lungs is crucial for improving the Elephant’s inhalation abilities. Upgrading these skills to level 2 is also helpful, but prioritize Trunk Room and Quick Storage for better material storage.

Top Snake Bananza Skills

The Snake Bananza becomes available late in the game, making heavy investments in skills less worthwhile. Nonetheless, here are a couple of skills to consider:

• Better Glare Levels 1 and 2: The time slow effect of Glare is brief, so unlock level 1 as soon as possible and then go for level 2 to double its duration.
• Better Charge Jump: This skill costs 3 Skill Points but greatly enhances your Charge Jump height, allowing for superior gliding when transitioning to the Ostrich Bananza.

Curious about how long it takes to complete Donkey Kong Bananza? Check out our estimates and our review for more insights!