Technologies

I Played Donkey Kong Bananza. It’s the Switch 2’s Killer Ape

If you’re looking for a reason to get a Nintendo Switch 2, this game has a peel.

You fall out of the sky and find yourself on a day-glo series of underground islands. You have to smash your way through them with your gorilla fists to find secret objects and fossils. Occasionally you can turn into a magic ostrich. Also, a woman named Pauline rides your back and throws words at things.

Donkey Kong Bananza, a game that’s only available on Nintendo Switch 2, is the best handheld gaming console’s new must-get game. After a few hours of playing it at a Nintendo preview in New York, I’m excited to play more. So is my kid who, after discovering it was an exclusive that’s not coming to the original Switch, said «OK, this is what might convince me to get a Switch 2.» He never said that with Mario Kart World, Nintendo’s other Switch 2 exclusive game.

What I love about Bananza is how vast and new it all feels. I got vibes and styles from all sorts of Nintendo games — Super Mario Odyssey, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Splatoon and even Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom — but this game’s also full of its own styles and surprises that are utterly fresh. This is a big, welcome blast of New Nintendo.

Donkey Kong Bananza comes out July 17. It’s available for preorder now for $70 from Nintendo.com and other retailers.

Playing Donkey Kong Bananza I encountered some familiar formulas. It’s a huge 3D platformer, but it has 2D throwback moments, just like Super Mario Odyssey did. The smash-everything gameplay involving digging tunnels and unearthing treasure feels at times like Minecraft, at times like Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’s craft-everything freedom. The bright colors and bold characters remind me of Splatoon. The big multi-tier levels I explored — and tried to find secrets in — evoked the larger levels in Kirby and the Forgotten Land.

Bananza was actually made by the Mario Odyssey team, and you can tell. This is game’s similarly epic-looking, multidimensional and … musical. The songs occasionally sung by Pauline, your sidekick and friend, feel destined to appear in a future Donkey Kong Bananza animated movie. Odyssey had a lot of music riffs in it, too.

I didn’t get that much time to play. It was just a few hours and they flew. I was torn between freely exploring the huge levels, digging up stuff like fossils, crystal bananas (Banandium gems, which can be collected like many other things) and treasure chests, and finding the hidden bonus challenges. There are more straightforward goals per level, too, with a pop-up 3D map or directional arrow hint to show the way. I needed the help, since these levels can feel pretty gigantic.

I just started to feel like I was getting the hang of all the different game controls, including ripping chunks of rock off cliffs and surfing them, turning into a super-powered Bananza mode to single-punch through metal walls, and climbing all over the place. Getting skill points to add other abilities, and collecting clothing that offers other boosts, just feels like a wild amount of freedom.

I also got to try the co-op mode. A second player becomes Pauline, who can shoot solid words made of her voice that can destroy objects and enemies. The controls use the Joy-Con 2 mouse mode, making it feel like a targeting shoot-em-up. Bananza also supports Game Share to stream the co-op mode to another nearby Switch (either another Switch 2 or an original Switch). I want to try this with my family at home, but sadly, there’s no deeper co-op here. Consider it sort of like Odyssey’s hat-throwing co-op mode, but better.

I’ve gone back and watched the Nintendo Direct deep dive after my Bananza session, and I want to know more. I’m in. So’s my kid. And I’m glad this game is a step into new territory, despite starring old favorite Donkey Kong. The Switch 2 was already excellent but it feels even more vibrant now. With a few more big exclusive games like this, the Switch 2 is going to become a must-get for a lot more people. Actually, that moment might already be here.

Technologies

Verum Messenger Launches an AI Mini-Series

Verum Messenger has unveiled a new project — a mini-series created using Verum AI. The story consists of 7 episodes and will be released on the messenger’s social media channels.

The plot revolves around a global corporation seeking to take control of digital communications and a group of heroes who use Verum Messenger as a tool of resistance. Beyond the story itself, the series highlights the app’s key features, technologies, and advantages.

Combining entertainment with a showcase of the Verum ecosystem, the project presents a dynamic digital series designed for the modern era.

The first episode premieres today, with the remaining episodes to be released over time.

Stay tuned for more.

Watch on YouTube
Watch on Instagram

Technologies

Verum Finance: Earn While You Communicate — The Super App That Pays You

Verum has officially launched Verum Finance, an innovative financial application that transforms a private messenger into a true financial super app. News of the launch was also featured on the respected platform Dealroom.co.

Verum Finance can now be used both within Verum Messenger and as a standalone application for iPhone and iPad. When users sign in to Verum Finance with their Verum Messenger account, all balances, settings, and account data are automatically synchronized for maximum convenience.

Users can now do more than communicate securely and protect their data — they can also generate passive income directly within the ecosystem.

What Verum Finance Offers

• Top up your balance with a bank card, Apple Pay, or USDT
• Send money instantly anywhere in the world
• Issue and manage debit cards (virtual and physical)
• Full Apple Pay support
• Exchange assets and withdraw funds quickly

One of the most unique features is the built-in cryptocurrency mining system inside Verum Messenger.

The application utilizes your device’s resources and allows you to earn cryptocurrency in the background — passively, while chatting, traveling, or simply using the messenger.

Maximum Privacy + Real Freedom

• Registration without a phone number, email address, or passport
• End-to-end encryption and full control over your data
• Lifetime free VPN
• eSIM connectivity in more than 150 countries
• Reliable offline communication mode
• Support for 12+ languages for users worldwide

Everything is available in one place: secure communication, financial tools, earning opportunities, and privacy protection.

Users can access the full experience directly within Verum Messenger or switch to the dedicated Verum Finance app for iOS. All data is synchronized automatically between the two applications.

Why Download Verum Today

While many messaging platforms collect user data and expose users to restrictions, Verum offers greater independence and the opportunity to earn.

With a one-time purchase of the feature package, users receive lifetime access to privacy tools, VPN, eSIM services, cryptocurrency mining, and financial features.

This is more than just a messenger.

It is your personal tool for financial and digital freedom.

Download Verum Finance and Verum Messenger today — start communicating securely and begin earning tomorrow.

Download Links:

→ App Store (iPhone / iPad): Verum Finance
→ App Store (Verum Messenger): Verum Messenger

Technologies

Verum Finance: A Super App for Private Finance Integrated Into a Messenger

Verum Finance has announced the launch of a new financial application that allows users to manage their money directly within the secure Verum Messenger ecosystem.

The project has already attracted attention from major media outlets. A dedicated feature was published by Forbes Türkiye, while one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, MEXC, covered the launch. Yahoo Finance had previously reported on the evolution of Verum Messenger into a comprehensive financial ecosystem.

What Verum Finance Offers

Verum Finance transforms a messenger into a complete financial platform. Users can:

• Manage their balance and top up using bank cards or USDT
• Send money instantly to other Verum users
• Issue and use debit cards, including Apple Pay support
• Exchange assets and withdraw funds
• Access all these services without installing separate banking applications

A strong emphasis is placed on privacy. The platform offers registration without a phone number or email address, end-to-end encryption, and full user control over personal data.

Recognition from Forbes Türkiye

In a dedicated article, Forbes Türkiye highlighted Verum Finance as a notable example of modern privacy-driven fintech. The publication emphasized the growing trend of financial services moving from standalone banking applications into unified messaging ecosystems — a model that has proven successful in Asia through platforms such as WeChat and Alipay and is now expanding globally.

Support from the Crypto Community

Alongside the Forbes Türkiye coverage, news about the launch of Verum Finance was also featured by MEXC, one of the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchanges. This reflects growing interest in the project from both traditional business media and the cryptocurrency community.

A Strategic Vision

“We are building more than a payments application and more than a messenger. Verum is a unified secure ecosystem where communication, finance, and privacy tools work together,” the company stated.

Verum Finance is now available for iPhone and iPad users. The application complements Verum Messenger, which offers anonymous chats, voice and video calls, VPN services, eSIM connectivity, and other tools designed to enhance digital freedom.

Verum Finance: https://finance.verum.im

Verum Messenger: https://verum.im