Games

Donkey Kong Bananza So Strong It’s Funny Emerald Rush Event – Dates and Rewards

21 November 2025
Nintendo Switch 2
11 min.
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Donkey Kong Bananza So Strong It’s Funny Emerald Rush Event – Dates and Rewards

Summary:

The So Strong It’s Funny Emerald Rush event gives Donkey Kong Bananza players a focused, high pressure challenge built around Groove Type perks and a very specific goal: earn enough emeralds in a single run to unlock exclusive statues of Lanky Kong and Chunky Kong for DK Island. Running for a limited time from November 25th to early December 2025, this challenge takes place in the Hilltop Layer and narrows the usual pool of Emerald Rush perks down to a curated Groove only set. That twist removes randomness and puts the spotlight on movement, momentum, and clever route planning instead of lucky drops. We walk through what the event is, how long you have to play, how Emerald Rush works in the DK Island & Emerald Rush DLC, and what makes Groove perks so important this time around. You also get clear advice on how to access the event, how the Hilltop Layer shapes each attempt, and how to push your score high enough to bring those Donkey Kong 64 throwbacks home as permanent decorations. By the end, you know exactly what to expect when So Strong It’s Funny goes live and how to make every run count.

What the So Strong It’s Funny Emerald Rush event is

The So Strong It’s Funny event is the second limited time Emerald Rush challenge for the Donkey Kong Bananza DK Island & Emerald Rush DLC, and it is very much built as a love letter to fans who enjoy chasing scores and rare collectibles. Unlike a casual romp through a level, Emerald Rush turns each attempt into a sprint for emeralds under strict conditions, and this event tightens those rules even further. So Strong It’s Funny is all about showcasing Groove Type perks, the upgrades that reward smart movement and stylish traversal. Instead of rolling the dice on a wide pool of perks, you enter a curated challenge where every upgrade nudges you toward moving faster, surfing longer, and covering more ground. The carrot at the end of this run is simple but powerful: exclusive statues based on Lanky Kong and Chunky Kong from Donkey Kong 64 that you can place on DK Island as lasting proof that you mastered the event while it was live.

Event dates, duration, and regional start times

Timing matters a lot with a limited event, and So Strong It’s Funny follows a strict schedule. The challenge begins on November 25th 2025 and runs for roughly one week, wrapping up in the first days of December, so you cannot afford to put it off for too long. On Nintendo’s regional event listing, the window is pinned down even more precisely, with the event kicking off at 08:00 UK time on November 25th and ending at 07:59 UK time on December 2nd. That translates to mid morning starts in much of Europe, early morning overnight hours in North America, and evening sessions in Japan and Australia. In practical terms, you have seven days of real world time to experiment with builds, learn the stage, and push for your best score. Treat it like a festival: plan a few focused play sessions rather than hoping to squeeze everything into a single rushed night at the end.

How Emerald Rush works in the DK Island & Emerald Rush DLC

To make sense of So Strong It’s Funny, it helps to understand how Emerald Rush normally behaves in the DK Island & Emerald Rush DLC. Emerald Rush is a roguelike inspired mode where you dive into a special stage and try to collect as many emeralds as possible for Void Kong in a single attempt. Each run gives you a mix of random perks, new routes, and escalating danger, so no two attempts feel exactly the same. Reaching specific emerald thresholds unlocks rewards such as Banandium Chips, costumes, and decorative statues that you can display on DK Island. You launch Emerald Rush from DK Island after clearing the main adventure, typically by talking to the NPC who handles the mode. The magic of Emerald Rush is how it reshuffles the same stage into a fresh problem every time, asking you to adapt to new perks and emergent routes. So Strong It’s Funny takes that core formula and intentionally dials down the randomness to make the challenge more learnable yet still demanding.

Groove Type perks and how they shape this event

Groove Type perks sit at the heart of So Strong It’s Funny, and they change the personality of Emerald Rush in a big way. In standard Emerald Rush, you have a mix of perk categories, from chip based upgrades that tweak your attacks to movement boosts and utility skills. For this event, Nintendo restricts the pool to Groove perks, which are generally designed around momentum, distance travelled, and stylish traversal such as surfing rails or riding terrain at speed. Some Groove perks increase the emerald payout when you keep moving without slowing down, while others extend the time you can maintain special states like turf surfing. The result is a mode where stopping feels expensive, and every second you spend hesitating is a second that could have generated more emeralds. This loadout pushes you to think about the stage as a rhythm game hiding inside a platformer, where building and keeping a flow is more important than cautious play.

How to unlock and access the So Strong It’s Funny challenge

Before you can even consider chasing statues, you need to make sure you have access to the right parts of Donkey Kong Bananza. First, you must own the DK Island & Emerald Rush DLC for the Nintendo Switch 2 version of the game, since Emerald Rush and its events are not part of the base release. Once the DLC is installed and updated, you need to progress the main story far enough to reach DK Island and unlock Emerald Rush through Void Kong, usually by finishing the core adventure and talking to the Elders about Bananza Rehearsal or similar prompts. From there, special monthly events like So Strong It’s Funny appear as limited time variants of Emerald Rush, often selectable from the same NPC or through a dedicated event menu icon. When the event window opens on November 25th, make sure your game is updated, then check the Emerald Rush menu for the event logo so you do not accidentally run the regular mode instead of the Groove focused challenge.

The Hilltop Layer stage layout and hazards

So Strong It’s Funny does not take place on DK Island itself but instead unfolds on the Hilltop Layer, a stage with its own personality and set of hazards. Hilltop Layer leans heavily on verticality, with layered platforms, sloping paths, and rail segments that snake around cliffs and ridges. The terrain offers plenty of chances to build speed, but it also punishes sloppy movement with gaps, tight corners, and enemies positioned to clip you right when you think you have everything under control. Environmental elements such as crumbling ledges and shifting platforms can break your rhythm if you do not anticipate them, forcing you to choose between aggressive lines that promise big emerald payouts and safer paths that keep your run alive for longer. Because so many Groove perks reward continuous movement, the Hilltop Layer becomes a puzzle where you try to stitch together long, uninterrupted stretches of motion while dodging hazards that are clearly designed to make you hesitate.

Best routes and hazard management on Hilltop Layer

Mapping out routes on Hilltop Layer might sound intimidating at first, but a little structure goes a long way. Start by using early runs as scouting missions where your only goal is to learn where rails begin and end, where emerald clusters appear consistently, and which enemy placements tend to catch you off guard. As you build familiarity, sketch a mental path that strings together rails, sloped paths, and emerald rich pockets into a loose circuit. Pay attention to corners where a small hop or roll cancel can preserve momentum rather than killing it. For hazards, treat them like rhythm breaks you plan for instead of nasty surprises. If a collapsing platform sits in the middle of a route you want, commit to crossing it at full speed rather than creeping up to it, since Groove perks often pay out for confidence. Over time, you will feel the stage shift from chaotic to readable, giving you the freedom to take creative lines that suit your preferred play style.

Chasing high scores and understanding emerald thresholds

The statues of Lanky and Chunky do not simply drop into your inventory after a casual run, so it helps to think in terms of emerald thresholds rather than vague goals. Every Emerald Rush event uses specific score gates that decide what rewards you walk away with, and So Strong It’s Funny follows the same pattern, asking you to cross high point totals in a single run in order to qualify for the statues. Even if the numeric values are hidden inside the event UI until you start playing, the structure becomes clear once you see the prize ladder: lower thresholds yield Banandium Chips and smaller decorative items, while the top tiers are where the big rewards live. A smart approach is to treat early runs as practice and chip farming, then pivot into serious attempts once you can regularly reach the mid tier thresholds. When you consistently land just below the highest rung, that is your cue to refine routes and perk choices instead of starting from scratch.

Unlocking the exclusive Lanky and Chunky Kong statues

The headline rewards for So Strong It’s Funny are the statues based on Lanky Kong and Chunky Kong, two fan favourite characters from Donkey Kong 64 who have spent far too long on the sidelines. In this event, they return in statue form only, but that does not stop them from feeling like proper guests on DK Island once you place them. To unlock these statues, you must achieve high scores during the event window, hitting the top reward tiers during your Emerald Rush runs. Once obtained, the statues become permanent decorative items for DK Island, meaning you keep them long after the event ends and Emerald Rush rotates to a new theme. That permanence gives every attempt extra tension: you are not just chasing a score that disappears off a leaderboard, you are working toward something you can see every time you wander around DK Island. For fans who grew up with Donkey Kong 64 or discovered it later, seeing Lanky’s lanky frame and Chunky’s bulk preserved as display pieces feels like a small reunion.

Extra rewards, Banandium Chips, and long term progression

While Lanky and Chunky steal the spotlight, it is worth paying attention to the supporting rewards baked into So Strong It’s Funny. Emerald Rush events usually hand out Banandium Chips as you clear thresholds, and this event is no exception, letting you top up the currency you use for unlocking additional upgrades and cosmetics elsewhere in the mode. There may also be smaller decorative pieces or gallery items tucked into the lower reward tiers, which makes it worthwhile to keep playing even after grabbing both statues. Because Emerald Rush carries progress across events, the chips and practice you earn here will pay dividends when the next challenge arrives later in 2025. Think of So Strong It’s Funny as both a celebration of Groove focused play and a training ground that leaves you better prepared for whatever Void Kong throws at you next. Every run that gets you closer to a statue also fills your pockets and sharpens your instincts.

Build crafting in So Strong It’s Funny is less about choosing from every perk in the game and more about leaning into the Groove only toolbox you are given. In general, you want any perk that boosts emerald gain when you maintain movement, chain together terrain surfing, or ride rails for extended periods. When the mode offers a perk that extends the duration of movement states or increases payout based on distance travelled, grab it early, since it compounds with every second you keep your flow going. In terms of play style, resist the urge to fight every enemy. Instead, pick your battles so that combat never kills your momentum for long. If you are playing with a second person on the same system, consider informal roles: one player focuses on maintaining the main emerald route while the other cleans up stray clusters and handles risky jumps. Talk through routes between runs so you both know where to aim, turning each attempt into a small co op heist rather than two separate solo efforts on the same screen.

Why So Strong It’s Funny matters for Donkey Kong fans

Beyond its mechanical twists, So Strong It’s Funny feels like a quiet celebration of Donkey Kong history. Choosing Lanky and Chunky as the star rewards sends a clear signal to players who spent years wondering when these Donkey Kong 64 characters would get some love again. Having them appear as statues rather than playable characters might sound modest at first, but in the context of DK Island’s growing gallery, it gives the DLC a gentle museum like vibe where different eras of the series can coexist in one place. The event also shows how Nintendo is willing to treat Emerald Rush as a platform for more than just high score chasing. By tying specific characters, perks, and stages together in themed events, the mode starts to feel like an ongoing series of small celebrations rather than a simple challenge checklist. If future events follow this pattern, So Strong It’s Funny may end up remembered as the moment Emerald Rush proved it could mix fan service with clever design.

Conclusion

So Strong It’s Funny takes everything that makes Emerald Rush exciting and funnels it into a focused celebration of movement, mastery, and nostalgia. By limiting perks to Groove Types, placing the action on the demanding Hilltop Layer, and locking the best rewards behind high score thresholds, the event asks you to truly learn its rhythms instead of coasting on lucky upgrades. The payoff is more than worth it. Unlocking statues of Lanky and Chunky Kong turns a weeklong event into a lasting upgrade for DK Island, something you can proudly point to long after the clock runs out. If you own Donkey Kong Bananza on Nintendo Switch 2 and have access to the DK Island & Emerald Rush DLC, carving out time for this event feels like a smart move. Treat the week as a chance to sharpen your skills, enjoy a fresh twist on the game’s roguelike mode, and welcome two familiar faces back into the spotlight, even if they arrive frozen in stone.

FAQs
  • What is the So Strong It’s Funny event in Donkey Kong Bananza?
    • The So Strong It’s Funny event is the second limited time Emerald Rush challenge tied to the DK Island & Emerald Rush DLC for Donkey Kong Bananza on Nintendo Switch 2. It focuses on Groove Type perks and tasks you with collecting as many emeralds as possible under set conditions in the Hilltop Layer stage. High scoring runs during the event window unlock exclusive decorative statues of Lanky Kong and Chunky Kong for DK Island, along with Banandium Chips and other rewards.
  • When does the So Strong It’s Funny event start and end?
    • The event begins on November 25th 2025 and runs for about one week, ending in the first days of December. On the official European listing, the window is listed from November 25th at 08:00 UK time to December 2nd at 07:59 UK time. Players in other regions can expect similar timing adjusted to their local time zones, so it is wise to check the in game event screen and your regional Nintendo site to confirm exact hours.
  • How do I access the So Strong It’s Funny Emerald Rush challenge?
    • To access the event, you must own Donkey Kong Bananza on Nintendo Switch 2 and have purchased and installed the DK Island & Emerald Rush DLC. After clearing the main adventure and unlocking Emerald Rush on DK Island, you can talk to the relevant NPC or open the Emerald Rush menu. When the event is live, So Strong It’s Funny appears as a special limited time option within that menu, clearly labeled so you can distinguish it from the standard mode.
  • What do I need to do to unlock the Lanky and Chunky Kong statues?
    • The Lanky and Chunky statues are awarded for hitting the highest emerald thresholds during the So Strong It’s Funny event. You need to achieve very strong scores in a single run rather than slowly accumulating progress over multiple attempts. Focus on learning Hilltop Layer routes, picking Groove perks that reward continuous movement, and refining your path until you can reliably push into the top reward tier. Once unlocked, the statues become permanent decorations on DK Island.
  • Is the So Strong It’s Funny event worth playing if I already finished the main game?
    • Yes, the event offers more than just a quick distraction. Even if you have finished the main story, So Strong It’s Funny gives you a fresh reason to return to Donkey Kong Bananza, whether you want the exclusive statues, extra Banandium Chips, or simply a new high score challenge with a different feel. The focus on Groove perks and the Hilltop Layer stage makes the mode play differently from standard Emerald Rush, turning it into a fun test of movement skills rather than a repeat of earlier runs.
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