In recent years, the Donkey Kong series has been revived on the Nintendo Switch system. With the original trilogy released as part of the SNES Classic Collection, it was only a matter of time before a beautiful port of Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze appeared on the Wii and Wii-U (after a very long time). ). This instance) Obtain a port to the switch system for Donkey Kong Returns. The entire lineup is finally available on one console.
The game has been given a facelift with some HD upscaling and some additional modes for modern gamers, making it one of Nintendo’s best games with a refreshing blend of nostalgia and variety. You can dive back into it.
Totally bananas!
It was also originally released on the Nintendo Wii system and was one of the best platformers of that console and gaming era. Developer Retro Studios was keen to reinvigorate the love for Donkey Kong’s heritage and bring a new take on the series.
While the game was a phenomenal success, a sequel, Tropical Freeze, was released on the Wii-U, but unfortunately failed to make enough of an impact in the hands of gamers. Luckily, the release of the Switch and the recent Super Mario Bros. movie (along with Universal’s theme park lands) have reignited the love for gorillas in ties.
The premise of the game is very simple. DK’s bananas are stolen by a tribe of tiki masks called the Tiki-Taks. This leaves DK and Diddy Kong racing through several different areas on the map to defeat tribes and recover lost food. The levels are divided into beach, factory, and jungle areas and feel like regular platformer business.
Each zone has several levels and you must defeat boss battles to unlock the next area. Each level is packed with secrets, collect hidden letters to spell KONG. This includes items such as puzzle pieces and dandelions that must be stepped on to reveal items hidden behind them.
Try, Smash and Try Again
My favorite part of these games is the precision and timing required for progression. You can’t just rush through and everything will be fine. What makes this game a classic is the use of moving objects in the levels to time the right jump. To make things easier for modern gamers with less patience, there’s a “Modern Mode” where you can carry nine helper items that can save you from having to start a level over again. It’s convenient, but if you’re looking for an original experience and challenge, Classic mode is the way to go.
As with the original game, the minecart and barrel riding levels are still the most frustrating. These offer such a huge challenge that you may feel furious at times and want to quit, but the feeling of accomplishment when you complete them is just as incredibly satisfying. If you die enough times, you’ll gain access to Super Kong. Super Kong is a character you can relax with and overcome your problems and complete levels.
For younger players, this can be beneficial on more difficult levels, but please note that this is optional, so you don’t have to use it.
Although it’s in the name, the “HD” in question is where things feel a little undercooked. It looks basically the same as the Wii version, but with some brighter colors and certainly looks great on the Switch’s OLED screen as well as when docked to a TV, and feels incredibly familiar. There aren’t any major advances in the graphics, they just look like they’ve been scaled up to fit older Switch titles, and that’s good enough for this classic game. Older hardware has reached its limits, and unfortunately that’s the way it is at the moment.
final thoughts
Donkey Kong Returns HD brings your favorite game to the latest generation of consoles. Some of the graphics have been upscaled and look a little shiny, but not enough to feel like a complete remake. The addition of Modern Mode bodes well for making it more accessible to gamers who aren’t used to such high-difficulty games. There’s also a classic mode here, so you can enjoy the original experience.
That being said, Donkey Kong Returns HD allows you to complete the series on Switch and also serves as a great reason to dive back into this world.
5 stars (out of 5 stars)
Highlights: Platforming at its best. Design at different levels. Complete the DK Collection on Switch
Lowlights: A complete remake would make this even more brilliant.
Developer: Retro Studios, Monster Games
Publisher: Nintendo
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Available: Currently
Review was conducted on Nintendo Switch using the release code provided by the publisher.
