Giant Banana

Giant Banana
A Giant Banana from Mario Kart Tour
First appearance	Captain N: The Game Master - "Kevin in Videoland" (1989) Donkey Kong Country (1994, Mario franchise)
Latest appearance	Mario Kart Tour (2019)

“I can't believe it. You trampled all over Gnawty. Give me that giant banana. I will take care of it for you. Come on, get going. You can't rest yet.”

—Cranky Kong, Donkey Kong Country (GBA)

Giant Bananas are larger variants of bananas that predominantly appear in the Donkey Kong Country series and as items in the Mario Kart series.

History

Captain N: The Game Master

A giant banana in Captain N: The Game Master

Giant Bananas appear in some episodes of Captain N: The Game Master. One first appears in the episode "Kevin in Videoland", where the Eggplant Wizard uses a Banana Gun, which he fires the banana bullet out and hits Kevin, trapping him in a giant banana peel until he peels out of it himself.

In the episode "The Most Dangerous Game Master", a parody to the Indiana Jones movie Raiders of the Lost Ark known as "Donkey Kong Jones and the Last Banana" features Donkey Kong in khaki clothes who finds a giant banana in a subterranean cavern, but when he steps on a trap button accidentally without notice, it begins to roll after him. Upon reaching a cliff, he is left no option but to jump, only to land in an enormous ice cream sundae with the giant banana landing on top of it, which makes it a banana split to which Donkey Kong laughs. It is revealed to be a TV show that the N Team were watching at the Palace of Power.

Donkey Kong Country series

Donkey Kong Country

Donkey Kong obtains the first Giant Banana from Very Gnawty.

In Donkey Kong Country, a Giant Banana is rewarded to Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong after they defeat a world boss. Giant Bananas have a sticker of the Nintendo logo wrapped around them. They also make cameo appearances, such as one appearing near Cranky's Cabin (absent in the GBA remake) when visited and also in Gang-Plank Galleon.

The Giant Bananas are presumably added to the banana hoard individually, but no bananas appear in there until the Kongs defeat King K. Rool at Gang-Plank Galleon. When the banana hoard is full, there are many more Giant Bananas than the number that the Kongs collected. It can be assumed that the bananas are from the background of the boss levels.

In the Game Boy Color version, they slowly hover down rather than falling onto the ground and with a rotating animation.

In the Game Boy Advance version, the Giant Bananas are slightly smaller and thinner, and they now spin like in the Game Boy Color remake, though they no longer have the Nintendo logo sticker. After defeating the bosses, Cranky Kong drops by and tells the Kongs that he will take care of the Giant Banana for them.

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest

A Giant Banana in Swanky's Bonus Bonanza

Giant Bananas make some cameo appearances in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest. One of them is in Swanky's Bonus Bonanza and three are in The Flying Krock (four in the original game's artwork and the GBA remake). The Giant Banana cameo in Swanky's Bonus Bonanza is absent in the GBA remake.

Mario Kart series

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, it is a special item that Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong (and Petey Piranha and King Boo, due to their ability to have any special item) can obtain. Once a driver makes contact with the Giant Banana Peel, it not only makes the driver spin out for a longer duration than a regular Banana, but it also leaves behind three regular Bananas on the ground. The Giant Banana is resistant to most items, but it can be destroyed with a Bob-omb, Chain Chomp, Yoshi's Egg and Bowser's Shell, though the Bowser's Shell will get deflected. It can also be picked up by running into it while using the Heart.

Mario Kart Arcade GP

Giant Bananas appear as Donkey Kong's special item in Mario Kart Arcade GP, functioning much like in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

Mario Kart Arcade GP 2

Giant Bananas also return as Donkey Kong's special item in Mario Kart Arcade GP 2, functioning very similar to its predecessor.

Mario Kart Arcade GP DX

A Giant Banana from Mario Kart Arcade GP DX

Giant Bananas reappear in Mario Kart Arcade GP DX, where it now appears as a regular item and can only be dropped from behind, but they still split into three regular bananas when slipped over by the player.

Mario Kart Tour

The Giant Banana reappears in Mario Kart Tour and works the same way. It is the special item of Morton, Donkey Kong, Yellow Toad (Pit Crew), Mario (Sunshine), Pink Shy Guy (Ninja), Rosalina (Chef) and the Donkey Kong Mii Racing Suit. When Giant Banana+ is used, the chances of getting a Giant Banana is increased, and it will drop more Bananas than usual after being hit, splitting into five Bananas rather than three. Bowser can also use Giant Bananas in Take them out quick! bonus challenges where he appears as the opponent.

Additionally, Banana Barrels+ can sometimes launch Giant Bananas alongside regular Bananas.

Donkey Kong Jungle Beat

Giant Banana Bunches appear in Donkey Kong Jungle Beat at the end of each stage in the Banana Kingdom.

Mario Strikers Charged

In Mario Strikers Charged, the Giant Banana is one of the many items used by the players. Whoever uses the item drops it behind them, which hits anyone who runs into it. It is similar to the smaller Banana, though the Giant Banana has a larger range and can hit more than one player. Unlike the smaller bananas, the Giant Banana item only deploys one banana, not multiple bananas. The Giant Bananas in this game do not have their angry facial expressions from Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, instead having the smiling expressions the regular Bananas have. It also does not leave behind three smaller banana peels when someone touches it.

Profiles

Mario Kart Tour

• Tips & Tricks: "Not only does this big banana spin out karts that hit it, but after being struck it breaks into three regular-sized Bananas. The only banana split you'll be sad to see!"
• Mario Kart Tour Twitter: "Special item introduction: Giant Banana
  A giant banana that spins out karts that hit it. After being struck it breaks into three regular-sized Bananas, so not only is it hard to avoid, but it leaves behind even more chaos in its wake!"
• Driver info: "This particularly stern-looking Giant Banana splits into three Bananas when hit."
• Driver info (Giant Banana+): "Boosts your chances to get a Giant Banana. And when you do, it splits into even more bananas!"

Gallery

Artwork

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  Render of a giant banana at Cranky's Cabin

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  Render of the giant bananas in the interior of the Flying Krock

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  Giant Banana artwork from Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

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  Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

Screenshots

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  A Giant Banana at Cranky's Cabin

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  Giant Banana from Gang-Plank Galleon

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  A Giant Banana from the GBC remake

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  Giant Banana in Gang-Plank Galleon from the GBC remake

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  Giant Banana in Gang-Plank Galleon from the GBA remake

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  Giant Bananas in the interior of the Flying Krock

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  Giant Bananas in the interior of the Flying Krock from the GBA remake

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  A Giant Banana at Cranky's Cabin in the GBC remake.

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  A Giant Banana at Cranky's Cabin in Diddy Kong Pilot

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  A Giant Banana at Cranky's Cabin in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

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  Mario Kart Tour

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  Mario Kart Tour

Sprites

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  Donkey Kong Country (Game Boy Color)

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  Donkey Kong Country (Game Boy Advance)

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  Giant Banana icon in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	ジャンボバナナ Janbo Banana	Jumbo Banana
Chinese (Traditional)	巨型香蕉皮 Jùxíng Xiāngjiāopí	Giant Banana Peel
German	Megabanane	Mega Banana
Italian	Banana gigante	Giant banana
Korean	자이언트바나나 Jaieonteu Banana	Giant Banana
Portuguese	Banana gigante	Giant banana
Spanish	Plátano gigante	Giant banana