Donkey Kong Country Returns HD | Review | Switch - TheFamicast.com: Japan-based Nintendo Podcasts, Videos & Reviews!


Friday, January 24, 2025

Donkey Kong Country Returns HD | Review | Switch

Donkey Kong Country Returns is fondly remembered by many Nintendo fans as one of the Wii’s finest platformers. Since we’re a decade removed from the initial Wii version and subsequent release on the Nintendo 3DS, a new generation of Nintendo fans might not know or be aware of the game’s existence. Well, the game has returned (again) in the form of Donkey Kong Country Returns HD on the Switch and we’re here to take a look at the game in this review. As they (Japanese comedy duo Chocolate Planet’s Shohei Osada) say in the Japanese commercial for the game, “Let’s Donkey.”

Story and Previous Releases
Similar to most platformers from Nintendo, the narrative in Returns isn’t going to blow you away, and quite frankly, it doesn’t have to. Donkey Kong is minding his own business when creatures known as Tikis hypnotize all of the animals in the jungle and nab DK’s cherished banana hoard. Our furry hero is tasked with taking down these Tiki enemies to take back his treasure.
As many of you are well aware, Donkey Kong Country Returns originally saw life on the Wii in North America in November 2010 and then in December in Japan and other territories. The game saw a a remake in stereoscopic 3D on the Nintendo 3DS in mid 2013. This update on 3DS added new stages, retained the original aspects of the Wii version via what is called the “Original Mode” and also introduced a somewhat easier mode in the game called “New Mode.” This increased the number of hearts from two to three for the characters. 

Note
Just to be clear, from here, the focus of this review is going to be on the Switch version, rather than a comparison of all versions. While I think there is definitely some merit to that, I haven’t played the Wii or 3DS versions enough to warrant making such a review. 

Gameplay
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a pretty straight forward side scrolling game very akin to the original Donkey Kong Country series on the Super Nintendo. On the default control setting, players control Donkey Kong with either the joystick or d-pad, jump with A or B, ground pound with X or Y, blow (flowers, candles, etc.) with down and X/Y and grab items with the triggers. Y can also be used in conjunction with the joystick to initiate a roll that can take out enemies or provide a short burst of speed.

Being a DK game, Donkey’s smaller, cap wearing pal, Diddy also plays a big role, but not in the same way he did in the past. Finding and keeping Diddy around gives a few advantages, the biggest of which is doubling the total number of hearts. In addition to this, holding the jump button will initiate a rocket boost to help Donkey cover more ground. It’s a clever way to make DK feel more versatile and make the game feel fresh. A two player mode is also available (which I did not get a chance to try out). This can be initiated at any time. Here, the second player can opt to run around the stages alongside their partner or hop on Donkey’s back for a more passive experience. 
Animal buddies, or buddy, make a return in return in the form of Rambi the Rhino. He’s not in very many stages, but is a bit more powerful than what he was in previous games. Rambi will automatically bop enemies upon contact and also has the ability to take out spikes on the ground. Similar to Donkey, a ground pound can be done with the press of Y or X, while pressing these buttons while moving initiates a charge move. 

Motion control is also available in Returns HD, giving players a chance to play the game in a similar fashion as the original Wii version of the game. With split Joy-Con, you control Donkey with the left analog stick and can make use of a shake of the controller to initiate the ground pound or blow when ducking. While in this mode, you can also still make use of the corresponding buttons for the same actions so you’re not relegated exclusively to motion.
A variety of power-ups and boosts are available from Cranky Kong. Some of these include an extra heart that can be used for a stage, the help of Squawks to help you find secrets and more. These can be purchased and used as you like. Modern Mode allows you to hold a greater number of these. The most useful item in the shop is a key that can unlock access to a level in the corresponding world. While it isn’t necessary, if you’re looking to get a high completion rate, this is something that you’ll want to purchase. Speaking of purchasing, I never really ran into any problems with finding myself short of banana coins, either. 

Overall, the gameplay is extremely tight and fair. While some of the levels can be quite challenging, they never feel cheapened by issues with handling. To top it off, the game is just a blast to play.

Worlds & Stages
A number of worlds and stages are available in Returns, offering a great variety of stages to challenge. While a majority of the levels provide a standard side scrolling experience, a few other stage types are also available including mine carts, rocket barrels and more. Of course, animal enemies and Tiki enemies litter the stages as do a number of other ways to perish in the form of pits, spikes, lava and more. It should be noted that unlike previous DKC games, Returns does not have any underwater levels. I was fine with this, but some might be disappointed by that decision. 
I really enjoyed the variety of the environments and the level types. The silhouette levels are stunning, while things like the mine cart and rocket barrel stages require precision and patience. Returns is not an easy game, which makes clearing levels and seeing what else the game has to offer is very satisfying. 
There are tons of collectibles that can be found throughout each of the stages. Of course, bananas, secret rooms and the K-O-N-G letters are here in full force as are some new elements. Puzzle pieces are also hidden in nearly all of the stages, which may encourage some to go back to close in on a full completion rate. These are usually cleverly hidden and can be a bit difficult to track down. Banana coins are also liberally placed throughout the stages. As mentioned previously, these can be used in Cranky’s shop to pick up lives, additional temporary hearts or other helpful goodies. 

I played through the game without ever feeling the need to pick up any of the items outside of the key and grabbing a few lives when dipping down quite low . With that being said, Returns HD is challenging, however there are quite a few items you can obtain to help get you through the game.

Visuals, Audio & Performance
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a nice visual upgrade over its Wii and 3DS counterparts. The new textures look great and the animations that carried over from previous versions are nice. The varied environments are full of life, with moving foliage, destructible environments and more. The attention to detail here is top notch. 
While the game runs well for the most part, it does suffer from somewhat lengthy load times between the levels. There are definitely worse culprits out there, however you will definitely notice this. Additionally, I would have loved to use a quick restart option on the stages. There are times when you may make a mistake on a secret room, or miss a cleverly hidden puzzle piece early on in a stage only to find that you can no longer access it. Times like these would make such a feature useful, especially given the somewhat lengthy load times going in and out of stages. These are small issues, but some things that you might think about as well. 
The soundtrack in Returns is what you would expect from a Donkey Kong Country game. It’s good, but it doesn’t do much to differentiate itself from past entires into the series. Nothing really stood out to me as it felt very safe, perhaps in an effort to pay homage to the classic titles.

Conclusion
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a competent port of a great game that is only hindered by a few issues, most notably somewhat long load times. The level design is great, the worlds are varied and it feels good to play. If you picked up Returns in the past, there may be little reason to pick this one up unless you missed out on the new stages added with the 3DS release. For those who have no background with the game whatsoever and are just itching for something fun and challenging, you can’t go wrong with Returns HD. 

But, let’s turn things over to you guys. Did you pick up Returns on the Wii or 3DS back in the day? What did you think of the game then? Have you picked up this Switch HD remaster? Sound off in the comments down below. We’d love to hear from you. 

Final Score: 9.0

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