One of the best things to come from the release of Donkey Kong Bananza is how it put the spotlight back onto Donkey Kong as a central character. It revitalized the interest in the games that starred Nintendo's tie-wearing ape, offering a new look at a long-time part of Nintendo's storied franchises. Within their back catalog of titles, there are many characters that Nintendo has yet to bring into the spotlight with new games that would do the same thing. While not every game franchise that Nintendo has released is on the same level as Mario or Zelda, or Donkey Kong for that matter, the potential for a different character to become more like them is definitely there. If something like Donkey Kong Bananza on the Nintendo Switch 2 can uplift Donkey Kong back into the limelight with fans, the same thing can be done for any of Nintendo's other characters just waiting to be utilized.

But which characters from the pantheon of Nintendo franchises should be the next in line to get a game made like Donkey Kong Bananza for Switch 2? There are so many to choose from that would make a great basis for a new game built with the same approach as it, or even similar to Super Mario Odyssey. Doing so could lead to another big resurgence for another Nintendo franchise that has been dormant for a long time. Here are four Nintendo characters that need games made like Donkey Kong Bananza that could be big hits for everyone on the Nintendo Switch 2.

4 Ice Climbers

Going on a frosty adventure

Outside of their appearance in the Super Smash Bros. series of games, the Ice Climbers have not really had any kind of big game release on recent Nintendo platforms. The original Ice Climber game was made for the Famicom and NES back in 1985, with an arcade release of the VS System version of the game. Pop and Nana are two climbers that continuously climb up a mountain that is filled with all sorts of goofy enemies blocking their way to the top. The two of them have always been seen as a pair rather than individually, simply being given the name Ice Climbers when they appeared in Super Smash Bros. Melee, their first appearance in the popular series. The Ice Climber game is often referenced in other Nintendo franchises, like the WarioWare and Kirby's Dream Land series, but there was never a sequel or follow-up to their original game.

What if the Ice Climbers had an open-exploration game in the same vein as Donkey Kong Bananza or Super Mario Odyssey? With the characters being explorers, it could be a concept that would fit well with them, as well as offer something interesting. Imagine traveling through a wide-open snowy landscape, possibly scaling a mountain with the same kind of deep exploration that Donkey Kong's adventure had. Using their mallets, the Ice Climbers could chisel out the surrounding snow to reveal new paths, hidden secrets, and maybe more. Even the enemies from the original NES game could translate well into a 3D environment with a similar setting, especially the glasses-wearing bears that are often associated with the duo. Something like this would not only bring back a somewhat forgotten pair of Nintendo characters, but show them in a new light that would make for an interesting 3D game.

3 Pit (Kid Icarus)

Bring back this angel

The Kid Icarus Uprising game on the 3DS was a hit among Nintendo fans who picked up the company's new portable handheld in 2012. But the series has been inactive since that game came out, with the series protagonist Pit being limited to his appearance in the Super Smash Bros. series. But what if Pit could fly once again similarly to his 3DS adventure, only with a bit more room to soar through the skies? Many fans have been begging for a return of the series, or even a sequel to the 3DS game, in a bit way. With the Nintendo Switch 2 being a more powerful console than its predecessor, now might be the best time to revisit Pit's franchise and take off once again.

Luckily, the Kid Icarus games have a heavy basis in Grecco-Roman mythology, with tons of inspiration to pull from. More monsters from Greek myth, and possibly more characters that could interact with Pit and the goddess Lady Palutena with nods to specific mythological figures. But a game like this could take notes from Donkey Kong Bananza's multi-layered areas, applying that kind of level design to locations floating in the air. Kid Icarus Uprising took Pit to new areas that had him flying through multiple floating isles and giant structures, which could be interesting to deeply explore. Between fighting monsters, finding treasures and new weapons, and the large-scale boss battles that the series is known for, a new Kid Icarus game with this kind of approach would be a legendary adventure.

2 Wario (Wario Land)

Greed is good

It's been far too long since we've had a new solo adventure for Nintendo's greedy antithesis to Mario. Wario is a fun character that would be a perfect stand-in for a game made with the same design concepts as Super Mario Odyssey, but with a bit more greediness. Back in 2003, the Nintendo GameCube had a 3D platformer called Wario World, which had a similar approach to other 3D Mario games of the time. Wario had to regain his castle from a sentient Black Jewel, discovering treasures along the way. Although not as open as other Mario titles, Wario World was still a logical next step for the character after the Wario Land series on the Game Boy.

But what if this approach was bigger, bolder, and with more greed? While having a cheesy title like Wario Odyssey probably wouldn't work, the same gameplay approach from Donkey Kong Bananza and Super Mario Odyssey would be a perfect fit for Wario. Traversing open locations, battling goofy enemies, and searching everywhere for tons of treasure is ideal for a character like this who has been so rooted in getting as much treasure as he can. Even better, Wario has other abilities that both Mario and Donkey Kong don't have, which could lend an interesting layer to solving puzzles and getting around that would stand out. But at the end of the day, it's all about the greed with Wario, which is almost too perfect for a 3D platforming game on the Switch 2 where you're constantly collecting things.

1 Fox McCloud (Star Fox)

Out of the Arwing, exploring on foot

Most people would agree that the best Star Fox games were the ones that followed in the footsteps of Star Fox 64. But there are a lot of people who really enjoyed playing games like Star Fox Adventures and Star Fox Assault on the Nintendo GameCube. Both of these games have the common trait of taking Fox McCloud out of his famous Arwing ship, and allowing him to move around and explore the surrounding planet he is on. Much of the inspiration for the first GameCube release comes from The Legend of Zelda series, with Fox discovering items and getting around puzzles in the same way Link would do in his own games. But rather than following a traditional Zelda-like formula for a new game that takes this approach, a combination of elements from Donkey Kong Bananza and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild could work in big ways.

Part of this doesn't mean keeping the classic elements of Star Fox out of the experience, but rather complimenting them in ways that make sense. Like other space exploration titles, such as No Man's Sky and even Starlink: Battle for Atlas, giving players the ability to fly a ship and explore on foot is the key to success. Traveling through distant locations on a planet and landing a ship to explore the finer details could be the makings of a great sci-fi adventure with Fox McCloud as the focal point. The layered areas from Donkey Kong Bananza could be a basis for how intricately some locations are designed, while the approach to vehicles and long-distance travel from Breath of the Wild could be the blueprint for how Fox gets around.

Following in their footsteps

To the surprise of many, Donkey Kong Bananza is shaping up to be one of the must-own titles for the Nintendo Switch 2. With its successful release and revitalization of the Donkey Kong series, Nintendo can take a similar approach to its other characters and franchises that have been dormant for a long time. There are plenty of beloved series that Nintendo fans have wanted to see make a comeback, and not just as inclusions in a new cross-over game. By taking notes on what made Donkey Kong Bananza so good and why people resonated with the game, Nintendo could push more of their characters into becoming successful new franchises for people to latch onto. With Mario and Donkey Kong having major wins with this formula, it's time we saw more of Nintendo's roster show up in a very big way with successful new game releases.