It was demanding to be a Nintendo fan in the Wii era. The initial hype around motion control died down quite quickly when it became clear that its real-world application was extremely circumscribed. Worse still, Nintendo seemed to want to curry favor with a wider audience and its production seemed to suffer.
What sucked the most was that it seemed like motion control was shoved into everything. Mainly because they were. I think 2010 Donkey Kong Country is back is an example of this. Retro Studios has done an admirable job of continuing Rare’s legacy, but they made the completely surprising decision to include controller shake. In particular, you had to shake the controller to turn on DK. Rolls were necessary as a form of attack, but more importantly, rolling was used to extend jumps. Specifically precise jumps. Jumps you’ll see on the hardest levels. And no matter how straightforward the move was, it was unreliable.
There was no reason for it, it could have easily been tied to the same button as “pick up/grab”, you know, like it was in earlier games. You couldn’t turn it off. The fact that it had to be this way frustrated me even talking about it, but playing the hardest levels with this hamstring was driving me crazy.
Anyway, Donkey Kong Country returns in HD it doesn’t operate motion controls and is better for it.
Donkey Kong Country returns in HD (Switch)
Developer: Retro Studios, Forever Entertainment
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: January 16, 2025
MSRP: $59.99
Technically, you could play Donkey Kong Country is back without motion control in 3DS already with Donkey Kong Country returns in 3Dbut I think this type of game needs a bigger screen.
Original Donkey Kong country the series was a huge success on the SNES, practically putting Rare on the map. If someone tells you that these games were liked just for their graphics and standard gameplay, they were definitely part of the Genesis family. The rarity may have ranged from affluent 3D to 2D sprites, but the level design was top-notch. Sometimes to the point of madness. Lots of variety in different worlds.
After Nintendo and Rare parted ways, it seemed unlikely that the series would continue in any form, so it was a surprise to watch it again in 2010, and even more surprising to discover that it was every bit as good as the original trilogy (motion controls frustration aside). Honestly, although I prefer the feel of the SNES titles, it’s the levels Donkey Kong Country is back reach an offensive level of creativity. From flying rockets to dodging giant, rhythmic hammers, it’s a masterclass in set design. It provides a stiff but fair challenge across eight (main) worlds and constantly finds up-to-date ways to surprise.
One of the first things that greets you when you start a up-to-date game is the difficulty setting. There are two, and their fun names are “Modern” and “Classic”, which made me wonder what year it was. “Modern” is easier because I think the pandemic has made our thumbs thinner and our patience thinner. By default you have three hearts, and Cranky’s shop offers more items.
Aside from the fact that something from 2010 is considered not contemporary, the amusing thing is that there is an easier difficulty level because Donkey Kong Country is back already has difficulty options. It caused some discussion at the time, even before Dark Souls Debate in effortless mode. There’s a Super Guide that will show you a level if you screw up a few too many times, which became insulting when the motion controls let me down during tricky bits. There are also potions that make you invincible for a period of time. But yes, additional difficulty options never hurt. I just wish they didn’t make me feel elderly and worry about the up-to-date generations at the same time.
History Donkey Kong Country is back is somewhat disconnected from the original series, which was an escalating battle against a crazy lizard. Donkey Kong’s banana horde is stolen again (as Cranky Kong notes, “So who hasn’t stolen your bananas at this point?”), but this time it’s by a strange army of tiki idols who can hypnotize wildlife. Fortunately, DK’s advanced primate brain is immune to hypnosis, so he decides to retrieve the bananas, presumably before they turn brown.
A lot Donkey Kong Country is back it felt like a retread from the first game. You’ve got all the barrel shooting and mine transport that made this title stand out. What’s more, the piles of tempting secret items that hang just out of reach return. Although it is a linear platformer, Retro Studios followed Rare’s example by including additional challenges and hidden nooks and crannies that can be found along the way to the goal. More importantly, you are rewarded with extra levels for finding things, mainly for collecting all the KONG letters.
The view has been greatly reduced and climbable surfaces have been added, giving the levels much more verticality. This also means that the car sections require fewer split-second reactions. Personally, I’ve never had a problem with minecarts in a SNES game, but I know some people hate those levels, so maybe that’s less annoying? If it doesn’t, you’ll hate the racket.
In addition to the minecart segments, there are levels where you ride a rocket barrel through a forced-scrolling section. They require you to press the jump button to pull yourself up and get high, so it requires a bit more awareness than, say, a side-scrolling shooter. It requires a feel for how the racket responds, and some of the narrow sections can be frustrating. I enjoyed the rocket segments both times; might be my favorite part of the whole experience. There’s something to be said for simplicity, but Retro Studios was still able to create some incredibly invigorating segments involving rocket-powered travel.
The bosses are a bit more of a mixed bag. Each of them is very pattern-based and there is a lot of variation between them. Unfortunately, the same variety makes some better than others. Some of them I had trouble even figuring out what to do. In addition, there is collision detection in Donkey Kong Country is back is often questionable, and this seems to be most evident in the case of bosses. When I was away from danger, I was injured to the point that I recorded a video of one moment, then watched it and confirmed that the two models did not intersect. What the hell? I’m not sure if the shaking collision was like that in the original version. Overall, this is just a minor annoyance; it just feels out of place, a loose thread in an otherwise tight and polished game.
Graphic backlight Donkey Kong Country is back is quite understated. It’s mostly what it says on the tin: a higher resolution version of the original. Donkey Kong has a little extra fuss, but it’s clearly set up beforehand Tropical frost because he hasn’t yet discovered the amazing conditioner that gives him his amazing coat in this game.
The best comparison I can give is that it’s similar Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD. Artistically, nothing has really changed. The lighting is better, but not impressive. The textures are sharper, but they haven’t really changed. The backgrounds are mostly untouched. This is not the same size of improvement Paper Mario: Millennium Door I have, that’s largely fair Donkey Kong Country is back with more pixels.
It was nice to be back in the game. I find that platformers, unless they’re extremely unconventional, sort of get isolated in my brain. Even if they are exceptionally well made, as is the case Donkey Kong Country is back. But actually, as I sit and play them, I find that I can still appreciate them.
And while Donkey Kong Country returns in HD doesn’t revolutionize the game, it still manages to become the definitive version of the title. If you haven’t played it yet, you have a responsibility to try it out. Retro Studios has outdone itself. They took what came before and expertly expanded and improved it. It’s an astonishing display of imaginative design that is unmatched in sidescrollers. Now you can play without having to shake the controller.
