Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze News
January2023
News Enguarde The Swordfish Almost Returned In Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Just keep swimming
Donkey Kong has had some fantastic animal companions over the years, and when Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze breezed onto the Wii U, and later Switch, it brought back with it a very small selection of animal companions. But in an interview published in the latest issue of Retro Gamer (via Nintendo Everything) creative...
October2022
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (October 22nd)
Persona-fied rabbits
Wow. This week has been so full of news, we would be hesitant to add any more for fear of bursting. After long anticipating the releases of Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope and Persona 5 Royal on the Switch, who would have thought that Bayonetta 3 drama would overshadow it all? Hey, welcome to the world of Nintendo! Aside from...
September2022
Random Wii U Owner's Son Stuffs A Bunch Of Switch Carts Into The Disc Drive
We're not entirely sure that will work...
If you're even remotely present on the veritable hellscape that is Twitter, then you'll have no doubt seen a meme in which gamers take photos of their Switch console docked with a game disc from another platform resting on top; a metaphor of the user's desire to see a port of said game arrive on Switch...
June2022
Random You Can Complete The Mine Cart Mini-Game In Super Mario RPG Without Actually Playing It
Give yourself a rest!
It's always interesting to see just how some games would function if you just... do nothing. Indeed, one of the most famous examples is the Metal Man boss in Mega Man 2. If you simply leave the controller alone upon entering the boss room, your opponent will do nothing until you make the first move; step forward just an inch...
May2022
News Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Artist Talks About "Frustrating" Zelda Rumours
Not-so Funky mode
Back when Retro Studios was riding high on the success of the Metroid Prime trilogy, not many expected them to jump off of the space bounty hunter's ship and into the jungle in Donkey Kong Country Returns. This fantastic platformer rebooted the Donkey Kong Country series from the SNES with beautiful visuals, tight platforming, and...
March2022
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (March 19th)
Fancy a trip to Coconut Mall?
We've needed a calm week here at Nintendo Life, and it sure seemed that way until the release of Wave 1 of the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass. If you're not a Mario Kart Tour fan, then this DLC is for you! Plus you can check out what
December2021
Feature The Many Faces Of Donkey Kong, Nintendo's 40-Year-Old Gorilla
Four decades of DK
Nintendo’s monkey of manifold mantles – one Donkey Kong, Esq. – recently turned 40. Forty years young and still so vital, but it could be reasonably argued that the ol’ Kongmeister has been undergoing a bit of an identity crisis for most of his lifespan. The man-ape has turned from heel to face to heel more times than The...
June2021
Feature Our Predictions For Nintendo's E3 2021 Direct
Switch Pro, BOTW2, and high, high hopes
It's been a long, weird year, but E3 is back after last year's COVID cancellation. It's still a digital event, as we're not out of the woods yet, but that means we'll be seeing all the big names on the (virtual) stage again. But will Nintendo give us everything we've hoped for, or will we be left a little...
January2021
Video We've Ranked All 55 Kongs From Donkey Kong, For Science
Wait, how many?
Donkey Kong is a franchise that has been passed around numerous developers over the years, resulting in a lovely array of different genres and interpretations of the series. It also had a TV show made about it, which is something that some people would probably like to forget. After being banded around for 30 years as of 2021 it's...
December2020
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (December 5th)
Here are our picks, but what are yours?
Another week has come and gone, with festive toys appearing in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, the announcement (finally!) of a release date for
August2020
And we would go bananas for a new entry
If there's one series we would love to see make a return, it's gotta be Donkey Kong Country. The last mainline outing was the release of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze on the Wii U in 2014, and it was then enhanced for the Switch in 2018. So, who is willing to help out on a new Donkey Kong Country game?...
January2020
News Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze's Lead Designer Has Reportedly Returned To Retro Studios
Another talent for Metroid Prime 4?
Stephen Dupree, who was credited as the lead designer on the wonderful Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, has reportedly returned to Retro Studios after two years away. The news comes from VGC, who say that the ex-Retro employee will now return to work at the studio as a principal game designer. At present,...
November2019
Random If Cranky Kong Was Once Donkey Kong, What Does The Future Hold For Funky Kong?
DK devs weigh in
With Donkey Kong Country turning 25 last week and soaking up the lion's share of the anniversary headlines, we thought we'd give its younger sibling a chance to shine. Donkey Kong 64 celebrated its 20th birthday on 22nd November and we caught up with Mark Stevenson and
November2018
News Lots Of The Switch's Biggest Games Have Just Received Huge Black Friday Discounts In Europe
Zelda, Mario, Skyrim and More
Seemingly out of nowhere - although no doubt thanks to Black Friday sales - Nintendo of Europe has slashed the cost of lots of top games on Switch, with customers now able to snag some of the best and biggest titles from the eShop at bargain prices in a new Cyber Deals 2018 event. Seeing Nintendo first-party games drop...
September2018
Anniversary Retro Studios Celebrates 20 Years In Gaming
Now let's have some Switch games, please
We imagine Retro Studios is one company that needs absolutely no introduction on these pages, but we're about to provide one anyway as the developer is today celebrating 20 years in the world of gaming. Yes, back in 1998, Retro Studios was born as a game development studio with Nintendo acting as a parent...
August2018
News A Metroid Easter Egg Has Been Found In Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze After Four Years
Hiding all this time
Nintendo games often have little nods to other franchises cheekily tucked away in hard-to-reach areas, giving fans a nice little burst of happiness and pride when they stumble across them, but this little easter egg inside Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze managed to remain hidden for more than four years. Until now, of...
July2018
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (July 7th)
Here are our picks, but what are yours?
The weekend has arrived, and it's brought with it more summer weather and all manner of new games to play. Team Nintendo Life, as always, has an eclectic selection of games both fresh and retro on their agenda for the next couple of days, but what's on yours? Drop a vote in the poll and a comment below with...
June2018
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (June 30th)
These are our picks, but what are yours?
It's the weekend once more, which means it's definitely time to start turning on your favourite Nintendo console and catch up on some much-needed gaming time. Team Nintendo Life is doing just that, with everything from some Animal Crossing on 3DS to a brand new MOBA on Switch getting a good workout. Feel free...
Talking Point What Do You Want To See From Nintendo At E3 2018?
We predict... some predictions
With E3 2018 set to kick off this weekend with the showcases from many of the big publishers and platformer holders in the video game industry, we thought it was high time we cooked up a fresh batch of predictions. Team Nintendo Life has gathered together its collective hopes and dreams for the show - some realistic,...
News Switch Owned More Market Share Than Xbox One In UK Last Month
Over 23%
Just last week we reported that Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze was the best-selling game in May in Japan, and it seems that Nintendo has had a pretty strong month in the UK, too. Figures are in for UK sales between 29th April and 26th May, and things are looking bright for the 'Big N'. The Switch's market share has been increasing...
News The Mega Man Legacy Collections On Switch Debut At Number Nine In Japan
Bombing Blue Bomber
It's been another strong week for Nintendo Switch software titles in Japan, with half the top ten comprised of games on Ninty's hybrid hardware. However, Mega Man didn't perform quite as well as Capcom was probably hoping, with the combined Mega Man Legacy Collection debuting at number nine. In other words it failed to sell as...
News Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Was The Best-Selling Game For May In Japan
Switch the best-selling console, too
Sales figures have been released for software and hardware sales in Japan for the month of May, and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze has smashed and ground-pounded its way to the number one slot. Famitsu has shared the latest numbers and chart positions for the month, which actually cover the four week...
May2018
News DKC: Tropical Freeze And Hyrule Warriors On Switch Crash Out Of The UK Charts Top Ten
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe just makes the cut
The latest UK video game charts are in, with the multiformat listing showing Nintendo Switch titles struggling against a wave of first-party exclusives and triple-A hits on other platforms. There is one saving grace in the top ten, with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe just managing to secure a tenth place slot. However,...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend?
Here are our picks, but what are yours?
The weekend is here, and about time, too. It's finally time to catch a breather and pick up your favourite Nintendo console for much-needed gaming time. And if you're here in the UK, it's a Bank Holiday weekend so you even get an extra day to belt around Mario Kart 8 Deluxe or head out on an unforgettable...
News Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition Charges Into Third Place In The UK Charts
Wii U sales were higher, though
In a sequence of events that won't surprise many, Sony's God of War has remained at the top of the UK charts for a fifth consecutive week, but Nintendo's latest release has made a dent on proceedings. Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition has secured a third place spot in what has been a quiet week for new releases,...
News Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze Hangs Onto Second Place In UK Charts
Switch version has racked up 1/4 of all copies sold so far in the UK
Sony's PS4 epic God of War remains the UK's top-selling video game for a fourth week, but Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze on Switch proves it has some staying power, too - it's been able to cling onto second place for a second week. That's pretty impressive stuff when you...
Careful: this includes spoilers
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze hasn't changed much in the transition between Wii U and Switch, so if you've already played that version you won't have a ton of questions. However, it's safe to say that the Switch has a much larger audience than the Wii U did, so a bunch of you will be coming into this excellent...
Guide Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Boss Strategies - Tips And Tricks To Beat Every Boss
Like a boss
So you thought the bosses in Dark Souls were hard? Ha! That's adorable. You clearly haven't fought a Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze boss just yet. Okay, in all seriousness, the bosses in Tropical Freeze are pretty tough, and require the very best of your reflexes and memory to beat – much like in Dark Souls. Each boss does have...
News Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Swings To The Top Of The Japanese Charts
Switch remains the top-selling console
The arrival of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze in Japan has knocked the baseball powerhouse that is Jikkyou Powerful Pro Baseball 2018 off the top spot, while God of War finally drops out of the top five. Nintendo Labo Variety Kit rose to number three, Kirby Star Allies jumped tw
News Retro Studios Handled The Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Port On Nintendo Switch
They kept that quiet
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze coming to Switch has given one of the Wii U's most enjoyable platformers the chance to find a new audience - which it most certainly has - but it also raised the question of who was actually handling the porting duties. In the past, other studios have been brought in to handle ports for...
News Consumers Go Bananas For Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze In This Week's UK Charts
Nintendo Labo goes in the recycling bin!
Last week we saw Nintendo Labo: Toy-Con 01: Variety Kit make a strong debut in the UK software charts at position three. Unfortunately for Nintendo, it's fallen out of favour this week in the UK, slipping all the way to 13th place. Poor old Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 02: Robot Kit, only charted at 20th...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend?
These are our picks, but what are yours?
The weekend is here, so we've got a lovely Talking Point to get that much-needed break going. Team Nintendo Life has plenty of titles on its collective 'to-do' list, with everything from sports sims and paint-addled shooters to music creation suites and vibrant RPGs. We're an eclectic bunch. Be sure to leave...
Video Here Are 10 New Switch Games Coming To Nintendo Switch In May
It's gonna be May
As you've no doubt noticed by the changing weather (touch wood) and the influx of NSYNC memes, May is upon us, and the fifth month of the year is bringing with it a slew of new titles for Nintendo Switch. So we've boiled all these lovely games down to tasty 10 for your visual delectation. And there's a wide breadth of titles here...
Rise from your Mangrove
Puzzle pieces and KONG letters are the big collectibles in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, provided you're not a total masochist and feel the need to run time trials or aim for 200% completion via hard mode. We really can't help you with that. But we can help you collect all of the lovely puzzle pieces and KONG...
Heights of challenge
Puzzle pieces and KONG letters are the big collectibles in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, provided you're not a total masochist and feel the need to run time trials or aim for 200% completion via hard mode. We really can't help you with that. But we can help you collect all of the lovely puzzle pieces and KONG letters...
Not so bright
Puzzle pieces and KONG letters are the big collectibles in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, provided you're not a total masochist and feel the need to run time trials or aim for 200% completion via hard mode. We really can't help you with that. But we can help you collect all of the lovely puzzle pieces and KONG letters. While...
Nice and breezy
Puzzle pieces and KONG letters are the big collectibles in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, provided you're not a total masochist and feel the need to run time trials or aim for 200% completion via hard mode. We really can't help you with that. But we can help you collect all of the lovely puzzle pieces and KONG letters. While...
Tropical Freeze-pops
Puzzle pieces and KONG letters are the big collectibles in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, provided you're not a total masochist and feel the need to run time trials or aim for 200% completion via hard mode. We really can't help you with that. But we can help you collect all of the lovely puzzle pieces and KONG letters...
Home, sweet home
Puzzle pieces and KONG letters are the big collectibles in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, provided you're not a total masochist and feel the need to run time trials or aim for 200% completion via hard mode. We really can't help you with that. But we can help you collect all of the lovely puzzle pieces and KONG letters. While...
That's just K. Rool
Puzzle pieces and KONG letters are the big collectibles in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, provided you're not a total masochist and feel the need to run time trials or aim for 200% completion via hard mode. We really can't help you with that. But we can help you collect all of the lovely puzzle pieces and KONG letters...
Guide Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Complete Walkthrough - All Puzzle Pieces And Kong Letters
Warm up
Puzzle pieces and KONG letters are the big collectibles in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, provided you're not a total masochist and feel the need to run time trials or aim for 200% completion via hard mode. We really can't help you with that. But we can help you collect all of the lovely puzzle pieces and KONG letters. While they're...
Nintendo Download 3rd May (Europe)
Every game, demo, DLC and theme hitting the EU eShop today
The Nintendo Download update for Europe it finally here, bringing all manner of new games, demos, themes and discounts to an eShop near you. We've got every new addition listed right here, direct from Nintendo, to ensure you have all the info you need to start spending with wanton abandon...
Nintendo Download 3rd May (North America)
All the games and downloadable content hitting the NA eShops
Thursday has arrived once more, bringing with it another weekly update to all of Nintendo's current eShop fronts. We've got plenty of indie sleeper hits, classic retro throwbacks and big titles all waiting to tempt their way into your virtual collection. As always, feel free to add a vote...
Random Spot The Difference Between These Two Covers For Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze hits the Switch soon, and as you'll know from our review, it's well worth picking up - even if you already own the Wii U original. However, if for some reason you don't fancy trying out the latest Kong adventure, you can still entertain yourselves with a wee game of "spot the difference". For...
News Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Disappears From The North American Wii U eShop
Update: Aaaaaaaand it's back
Update: And just like that, the game is back up on the Wii U eShop. We'll let you ponder why this might be in the comments section below. Original Story: The Nintendo Switch has had its fair share of Wii U ports, something which has divided the fanbase a little, but makes a whole lot of business sense. Considering the...
Guide Upcoming Nintendo Switch Games And Accessories For May And June 2018
June is going to be tough on your wallets!
The year may be dashing past at an alarming rate, but it's a great time to be a Switch owner; April saw the release of Nintendo Labo: Toy-Con 01 - Variety Kit and Nintendo Labo: Toy-Con 02 - Robot Kit. 2018 may have gotten off to a slow start compared to last year's amazing release schedule, but now we're...
April2018
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend?
These are our picks, but what are yours?
The weekend is here so it's (hopefully) time to sit down, grab a few quiet minutes and enjoy some time with your favourite Nintendo console. The Nintendo Life are right in the thick of it this weekend, with Nintendo Labo, Splatoon 2, NBA 2K18 and even some classic retro titles getting a bit of love. We'd love...
Video Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze's New Easter Egg is Only On Switch
Great for all the wrong reasons
Easter eggs are, in our view, a lovely way for developers to make little nods to other games, franchises, or any other subject that might otherwise pass a player by. We've discovered one such reference to the divisive Donkey Kong Country TV show in the Switch version of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze. As you...
Video Digital Foundry Explores Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze's Resolution And Frame Rate
Looks like a winner
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze was one of the Wii U's gaming highlights; the platforming fun was great from start to finish, but it also looked great and played nicely, too. To explore the differences between the WIi U version and the upcoming Switch version, though, and to check for any improvements, the folk at Digital...
Feature The History And Evolution of Donkey Kong
37 years in the making
Few gaming characters have hung around as long as Donkey Kong, and over the years we at NL towers have garnered a healthy respect for the giant, tie-wearing ape. That's why we decided to throw together a short audio-visual retrospective to take a look at how DK managed to get where he is today. What's your favourite entry...
