Donkey Kong Country Returns HDwill soon arrive to make the Nintendo Switch the premierDonkey Kong Countryplatform. Due out on June 01, 2025, this remaster came as a surprise announcement during the June 2024 Nintendo Direct, and it was just the beginning. As part of the lead-up to the release ofDonkey Kong Country Returns HD, the Game BoyDonkey Kong Landtrilogy was released on the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack between November and December 2024. Coupled withDonkey Kong Country:Tropical Freeze’s 2018 Switch port and the originalCountrytrilogy already being part of NSO, the wholeDonkey Kong Countryseries can finally be enjoyed in one place.
For some fans, this is a dream come true.Donkey Kong Countryhas long been a cult classic Nintendo platformer series, being one of Rare’s claims to fame back in the SNES days through its tough-but-fair difficulty and replay value. Retro Studios, better known asMetroid Prime’s developer, successfully revived the series on the Wii, 3DS, Wii U, and subsequentlyNintendo Switch withDonkey Kong Country ReturnsandTropical Freeze. While it’s good to see DK’s game library collected on modern hardware,Returns HDmissed the chance to copy one ofTropical Freeze’s best Switch additions.
What’s New In Donkey Kong Country Returns HD
New features inDonkey Kong Country Returns HDare sparse; the release is focused on being a straightforward remaster of the original game. The biggest change is the new Modern Mode, which is an easy mode that players can choose at the start of a new save file. It might be seen as a compromise by some, but it’s a necessary evil to get less experienced players through what is often consideredone of the hardest Wii games ever released. For those put off by that sort of difficulty,Donkey Kong Country Returns HDis their version of choice.
How Country Returns' Modern Mode Works
Modern Mode’s changes can be divided into extra health, and extra items. Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong have three hearts in modern mode instead of two, meaning six total hits when they are teamed up. It’s a simple change, but it will be enough tobreeze through some ofDKCR HD’s levels. For the rest, players will be able to bring nine of their consumable items into levels instead of three, and Cranky Kong’s Shop uses the 3DS port’s expanded selection, including the vehicle-protecting Crash Guard and the bottomless pit-nullifying Green Balloon. Stacking those on top ofDKCR’s already potent items should guarantee success.
Tropical Freeze Has Already One-Upped DKC Returns’ Modern Mode
All of these items bringDonkey Kong Country Returns’ shop mostly in line with Funky’s Fly ‘N’ Buy fromTropical Freeze, but the latter has one thing the former lacks. Playing off ofTropical Freeze’s introduction of Dixie Kong and Cranky Kongas additional partner Kongs,Tropical Freezeon Switch added the memetic “New Funky Mode” to its repertoire. While the former shopkeep can’t take other Kongs with him outside of co-op play, Funky can roll indefinitely, hover, stand on spikes, and take five hits instead of the normal two. He’s an amalgamation of every Kong, and while they retain some advantages, Funky is undoubtedly the best.
This highlights a missed opportunity inDonkey Kong Country Returns HD, as it could have easily justified bringing Funky Kong orTropical Freeze’s other apes back in a more appropriately named Modern Mode. Gettingnew content would have madeDKCR HDmore exciting, and given it unique value for veterans interested in new movement tech. Modern Mode would also have gained feature parity with Funky Mode, as it still allows players to swap from Funky to a regular DK with extra hearts. For as valuable as Modern Mode is,Donkey Kong Country Returns HDcould have outdone it by just copyingTropical Freeze.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD
WHERE TO PLAY
Help Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong recover their precious banana hoard from the villainous Tiki Tak Tribe! Stomp enemies, blast through barrels, and ride rockets and mine carts (and even Rambi the rhino) in 80 levels across nine worlds.Play the game as it was first designed for the Wii™ system, or reduce the difficulty for extra hearts and other goodies to make your journey a little easier. This barrel-blasting adventure is visually enhanced in HD for the Nintendo Switch™ system and includes the extra levels from the Nintendo 3DS™ version!Team up with a friend and take on the whole game as Donkey Kong and Diddy KongPass a Joy-Con™ controller to a buddy and take on the Tiki Tak Tribe as DK and Diddy in two-player local play. Pelt foes with Diddy’s Peanut Popgun and hover using his Barrel Jet, and slam bad guys into submission with DK’s Ground Pound—or just Barrel Roll right through them. Work together to reclaim those bananas by the bunch!
