DK Challenge explained: Limited-time mini-games for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers

Nintendo has come up with a new idea to keep Nintendo Switch Online subscribers entertained (only for Switch 2 users): the DK Challenge, which is not exactly a game, but a collection of challenges, similar to what you would find in Nintendo World Championship NES Edition or in NES Remix a few years ago, all of them based on the Donkey Kong games available in Nintendo's library of classic games in Nintendo Switch Online.

Those games are the Donkey Kong Country trilogy on SNES, the Donkey Kong Land trilogy on Game Boy, and the NES ports of the arcade games. If you also own Donkey Kong Bananza, you will be able to play challenges based on the most recent DK game too. If you complete them, you will win special digital cards to create a digital collection.

But beware! These DK Challenges will only be available for a limited time: between June 9 and September 1, 2026. After that, those challenges will be gone, so you better play and finish your digital card collection.

It's also worth noting that instead of being a game in the menu, you will access these challenges through the Nintendo Switch Online circle-shaped icon in the console's menu. And only for Switch 2, not the original Switch.

Donkey Kong Bananza DLC has a Mario collaboration, but also limited time

At the same time, Nintendo announced that the Donkey Kong Bananza DLC, DK Island & Emerald Rush, will have a limited time collaboration with Super Mario: elements like blocks will appear in DK island, and you will win special Mario and Luigi outfits for DK and Pauline.

But beware, because it will also be a limited time collaboration only... in four waves:

• Wave 1: June 9 to June 30


• Wave 2: July 14 to July 21


• Wave 3: August 4 to August 11


• Wave 4: August 25 to September 1