Donkey Kong Country Returns HD Swings Onto Switch Next Year

Donkey Kong Country Returns Returns Returns

This looks like a cheap port. I wouldn't call those graphics HD.

This was an odd one since Tropical Freeze is already on Switch. Sigh. Hope we get a new DK someday.

Bought this game on Wii and 3DS so I'm definitely not getting it this time. Can't recommend it enough though, this game is a platforming masterpiece.

Been wanting a port of it for a long time so I'm definitely game for it.

DK and Diddy kong models definitely looks different, but I don't, everything else looks a little too wii-like.

From SD to 3D to HD. This game itself is bouncing between barrels..

Hmm will I double dip and suffer greatly with the difficulty? Perhaps.

@Waluigi451 How so? They are two different games

Would've preferred a brand new game, but I'm really excited for this to be on the Switch; finally, we'll have all five Country games together on the same system for the first time!

... Of course, SOME people here can't keep their negativity to themselves. Yikes.

This one is new to me, so definitely interested. Curious to find out how it holds up compared to Tropical Freeze.

Scraping the barrel with this. Great game for those who missed it the first two times though.

Well, I got the free games in disc on Wii version including the Donkey Kong when I bought an used Wii PAL version from online shopping website and I still haven't even finished the first stage.
Too many games to play.

Never had a Wii or 3DS so it's already a must buy, that and the fact Tropical Freeze is in my top 10 best plataformers.

I already have the 3DS version so unless there’s something new I’m probably gonna skip it. Though I definitely recommend the game to those that like donkey Kong country.

I am very thankful for this. Not only that they ported it, but that they included the 3DS levels too. Now both Retro's DKC games are on the same console. Would love if they made a third game (or a fourth one, or as many as they can), but this is very nice.

So it's basically taken the same steps as the first Xenoblade game.

Fun, but I noticed three hearts per Kong at top left. Did they make it easier? The difficulty was one of the more appealing parts of this game to me.

This was the biggest disappointment of the Direct. Seems to be a very straightforward port. I was expecting more from DK in this Direct.

I didn't think that Nintendo would have sprung for a new game so late into the Switch's lifespan, but I've never played this on Wii or 3DS, so it'd be nice to be able to enjoy the (arguably) best version of the game at last. I'm also relieved that I've never triple-dipped on this either.

This is disappointingly low effort. If they had done like a Bowser's Fury style expansion, that would've been cool. But eh. Not buying it again.

Well, here's that Donkey Kong game you wanted...

I know everyone is so sad that there hasn’t been a new DK game in years with just two rereleases now but may I point out that Mario kart has had nothing but ONE PITIFUL RERELEASE IN TEN YEARS! Sorry I just hate Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and it gets me so mad when people say it’s the greatest switch game

The TOP banana is backkkk

@nocdaes

Woulda loved a new entry or if a remake, a remake of Country 1 but will be cool to revisit this. Its been years and I do remember loving it

FINALLY. Cannot wait to replay this on my Switch.

This was definitely the worst announcement of today. The same game is being re-released for the third time. And Nintendo isn't even bringing new content. Compare that to Sonic X Shadow Generation, where we get a new campaign with Shadow, which brings new levels, bosses, enemies and maybe even a story. Here you don't even have new playable Kongs, or a King K. Rool campaign, or new animal buddies, worlds, etc.

Well, DK fans got thrown a little bone, at least, though said fans probably already played this game front to back anyway.

So that means all the modern DK games are on one system? Nintendo is really trying to make a one stop shop with switch. I'm here for it!

Well, it’s DK. Maybe I’ll give it a shot.

@Nintendoid720 it's from the easy mode that was in the 3DS version, I'm sure they'll have an option for the original mode

I was hoping for a "best of both worlds" kind of port of this game, 3DS content and controls with Wii visuals and frame rate so the fact we're actually getting this makes me very happy

I have it on Wii, but missed on the 3DS version. I might get it, depending on how much I can get it for, that and if I can get Tropical Freeze at the same time.

So Wii-3DS-Switch... I mean i like the game but come on. Donkey Kong Returns, and returns and returns again

…no new Funky mode?

I'm very happy to have DKC Returns in HD. It's a brilliant game, especially the mine cart world.

So was this the rumored Donkey Kong game we've been hearing about?

Disappointed that it looks like the original, just with a higher resolution. Also it's annoying that it releases after the holidays. Day one for me anyway.

Never played the original, glad I held off

Another bloody remaster...
You would think they had enough time, since the last one, to make a sequel instead.

I would have preferred a new DKC game but it's something. I wonder if this will include the extra world from the 3DS version.

Great game but I have this game twice. First time buyers will enjoy

Well don't think I'm ever getting back my wii copy I lent my cousin years ago, so I might grab this. I also assume it does away with some of the annoying 'waggle' controls that were present in the wii version, which is a plus for me.

@Truegamer79 they already said on the Direct the 3ds extras are included, pay attention lol

Man they could had put Funky Mode in here too, that'll would had been good.

Yawn, DKC Returns returns...Just give us a new 3D Donkey Kong or a new sidescrolling one, you lazy, lazy hacks!

@FreasurePlanten Dude. Just be thankful there was ANYTHING for Donkey Kong in here at all! They could've him and done nothing, but we got this. I would've preferred an completely new game too, but I'm a bit too old to be picky about a franchise that's basically almost left to die by Nintendo.

We gamers should just be more grateful all around and not be like little cry babies complaining about every. single. thing. It's OK to be disappointed though, but it feels too damn picky to me.

@Ryu_Niiyama All five Country games are on the Switch once this comes out, yes! It's actually really friggin cool if you think about it

@jrt87 it’s 60 dollars. We all know it’s gonna be.

I may get this if it’s like 30 or 40 but… yeah.

What is the difference between the Wii and 3DS version of the game tho?

@Maubari the other games are on NSO right?

@SwagaliciousJohnson Of course you don't. Everything NEEDS to look like Stellar Blade or else it's ''low effort''.

Go troll somewhere else.

I don't know.....this game will release at full MSRP even though at this point it REALLY shouldn't. I don't think I'll get it, I already have the Wii and 3DS versions. Was hoping for an actual new DK Country game on Switch.......and for DK64 to have been added to Nintendo Switch Online but alas, not meant to be.

@anoyonmus Yep! The only one missing is DK64.. While not strictly tied to the Country series, I still view it as such since some characters in the game reference events from DKC3

Donkey Kong really is the red head step child of Nintendo despite being a big name. Not a single new game this entire Switch gen, but we got 3 new Mario Party games instead lol.

I assume they want to have this out there again to coincide with the Donkey Kong Country theme park land expansions, much like how 3D World was re-released on Switch around the time Super Nintendo World first opened. The new DKC area looks to be pretty explicitly based on DKC Returns.

So glad to see this game. Never had a chance to play it before but I grew up on DK country 9n Snes and loved Tropical Freeze.

What’s the difference between the Wii and 3DS versions of the game?

And is this game worth buying too?

@Maubari I don't need to have positive opinions about everything. I expected DK 64 coming to NSO. Sad that we didn't get that. This game is not for me as I have played it in a very similar form before. If it's for you, that's great. I don't know why I should be thankful for a title I have no interest whatsoever in playing. Very good Direct overall, anyway.

Yes!

The release date at the end of the trailer was a real bummer though.

"Available January 16, 2025"

7 months.

I was hoping for a summer or autumn release.

This is one of the best platformers of all time. I’ll be buying ports of this game til the day I die. This announcement made the direct a 10/10. Naysayers can go eat a banana.

the graphics and gameplay r so much better in the og trilogy. I'll never understand the hype between this and tropical freeze.

No New Funky Mode?? Eh I'll still buy it, I'll have the entire DKC collection on one system. If only it would release a month earlier in time for my annual DKcember marathon 😢

I saw that DK treehouse shaking and I got all excited thinking new DK but just a remake instead I really hope this isn't the rumored DK project in the works. Still a chance there's a new Switch 2 launch DK game but this announcement almost ruined the rest of the Direct for me. Oh well. The more DK the better!!

have it on wii and still plays it from time to time, so i'm not getting this one. But if you haven't got it i recommend it, great game

I want this since I have only ever played Tropical freeze but I am not paying 60 or 50$ for this.

The game that just keeps on returning. They should call it Donkey Kong Country Boomerang.

As much as I like old games getting remasters/remakes, I'd really have just preferred a new DKC game. One of my favourite series and it's now been....checks...over 10 YEARS since Tropical Freeze first released.
Will still pick it up as this will likely be the definitive way to play it, better frame rate than the 3DS version and the forced waggle from the Wii version removed.

Nintendo aren't just beating a dead horse with all the remakes/remasters/"HD" editions of old games, they're practically $exually assaulting the poor thing...

@Froddy I thought it was a Donkey Kong Country SNES remake for a second and was sad when I realised it wasn't! As a matter of fact they should remake the SNES games and release them as a trilogy.

@Tyranexx they said it will add the 3DS levels to the Switch version iirc.

@Tyranexx Uhm, did you miss it? They ARE adding the Cloud world levels from the 3DS...

An underwhelming port yeah, but the fact that it's the 'worst' thing from it shows how packed with goodies the Direct was. Of course should it be released for $50 or $40 the price would completely justify it.

@Maubari I'm pretty sure Nintendo's the one disrespecting it and the fans' respect for it is why they're disappointed. Games like Super Mario 3D World and Kirby's Return to Dreamland got entire extra campaigns along with general gameplay additions, while both modern DKC games just get tweaks to make them a little easier.

well at least we are getting more DK

I had the wii, not 3ds version.

I really hope I can play WITHOUT motion controls! That was the only downside of wii version.

This is my least favourite Donkey Kong Country game and I already completed 100% on Wii. The game looks the same but with a higher resolution output. They did not even add fur shading!

@_Figo_ thanks for clarifying. I never played the 3DS version just Wii so I didn’t know about that lol

@andyg1412
Guess i was distracted after scrubbing out my undies once i got done watching the Metroid Prime 4 trailer LOL 😉

As much as I adore DKC Returns, can't say I'm thrilled at seeing it rereleased yet again. Feels like a lazy cash grab.

@SwagaliciousJohnson

It looks like they upscaled 480p or PAL 576p Wii version to 1080p, and is why it doesn't look good.

@Toastmaster that can probably explain why. Wii games to HD is not quite a pretty sight usually.

@Tyranexx I never had a 3DS so maybe I’ll get this game on Switch.

@anoyonmus

Yes. If they were this sloppy, then why isn't it coming until 2025?

Looks like they need a lot of more time on this, so perhaps final version looks better than this trailer.
If it were a cheap upscale it could have been released in 2024.

@Steel76 Well, Retro is making Prime 4. So they need the manpower for that

@SleeplessKnight I dunno. I think the sexual assault thing should be reserved to trends of bad ports.

@Toastmaster yeah exactly. Let’s wait and see. There will be another trailer for this I bet.

@Maubari The Zelda game just uses the same art style as Links Awakening. Idk why you are so offended and assume I am some casual gamer, because while I do play Fifa, Madden, and CoD occasionally - it is such a small percentage compared to Nintendo games I play.

Plus, Returns just looks like a more bland version of Tropical Freeze

@Tyranexx I have never played a DK game in my life except Tropical Freeze but on a friends Switch.

I have a Switch too myself but I don’t have DK. I do have Mario Wonder tho!!!

If this DK port runs well, I think I will get it. I like 2D platformers a lot.

I did try a 3D one called Crash Bandicoot and I actually beat one level in that first try and the game is said to be quite difficult which I found out.

If this doesn't have online co op there is absolutely no reason for it to exist.

@anoyonmus Yeah. When are spending so much time on it, they are probably doing upgrades.

@Toastmaster yeah. I think it’s too early to make judgements on it. Let’s wait and see. Because it’s a 2025 release, there could be more stuff we don’t know about.

A Return of a Retun.

I'm in.

@anoyonmus
In this video, Switch version looks at lot better.
[url.external]https://youtu.be/Jq8iH_afAnE[/url

Edit: I think we watched the trailer in this article at 480p and not 1080p.
There is nothing wrong with the NL trailer.

Gonna tell you guys but if this game doesn't sell well, then we probably won't get a new DK game in the future...

This one shows they haven't forgotten DK. So if we all support this, we could probably get a new DK game one day.

they should have remastered the original trilogy instead of this

@Tyranexx Yes perhaps I shall add DKC Returns if it runs well on Switch.

This is great but please announce The Wind Waker and Super Mario Galaxy 2.

@Flynnsworth Wind Waker HD and Twilight Princess HD do not exist.

Never played it so i'm looking forward to it

@russell-marlow
No, this seems to have been green lit as the other entry is stuck in development hell. This gets something DK out to coincide with the theme park plus plugs a gap in Nintendos AAA releases at the tail end for Switch while they focus internally on next gen games.

@NoPhysicalNoBuy I guess you're right. I hope we get a Star Fox game for Nintendo's next console. If Marvel VS. Capcom can return, than so can Star Fox.

The theme park expansion is in the style of this game particularly, and they probably couldn't sacrifice Retro staff working on MP4 and so went with a remaster. As a collector, I'd be triple dipping, but I'd much rather play it on Switch and so will bite.

Many Switch owners don't have 3DS or Wii. This is meant for them. Glad to see it come to Switch.

This will make those looking for it happy, but for the rest of us that wanted a new entry, this is a tad disappointing. But who knows? If it does well enough, maybe we will see that third entry after all.

@NFrealinkling
Dude... we got 48 dlc tracks some new, some old, some good and some bad + a few characters. Calling that "nothing" is absurd.

@RareFan

Likely full price too.

@neogyo

I'd love full remakes of the original trilogy, but they hold up today and are still my top 3 favorite platformers ever.

@Toastmaster

They possibly just started work on the port, so that could be one reason.

Not to forget that Nintendo purposely holds releases to ensure they have something big to release somewhat regularly.

@Tyranexx

Donkey Kong 64 is not as bad as it's reputation would have one believe. I had nearly as much fun with it as I did Mario 64.

Of course some of the Kongs (edit) were far less fun to play as and my options were limited in those days.

@Retrodouche sorry, but I started on the Wii U and playing the same game for 10 years gets old. The dlc tracks were fine but mostly lazy. From 2015-2024 we got eight new tracks: battle arena, dragon palace, sweet sweet kingdom, lunar colony, urchin underpass, sky high sundae, yoshi’s island and squeaky clean sprint. Two cups worth isn’t worth nine years of waiting, especially when over half are mediocre battle tracks. But this is all just my opinion, if you think a decade old port with dlc suffices for this Mario kart draught, then I envy you

This game was incredible. İ have played on the Nintendo Wii. İ have played Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze to. Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze is a better game for me.

@Tyranexx

Mobile phone auto correct strikes again! 😁

I did, I'll fix it now.

I'm going to take a wild guess and say Donkey Kong 64 hasn't aged as well as Mario 64. I have issues with Mario 64 today and I'm sure they'd be worse for DK64. Although at the time I do feel DK64 received overly harsh criticism.

@Spider-Kev Always knew Nintendo read the comments section... 😉

This'll do for now. Could even be interpreted as a potential nod towards an eventual third game in a Trilogy of "Returns" DK games. Fingers crossed!

Now. Luigi's Mansion 2...

@Tyranexx I got tired of waiting for Nintendo to add DK 64 to NSO so I've picked up an original cartridge ready and waiting for Analogue to release their "3D" later this year.

At the moment it's a toss up between DK64 and Rogue Squadron for second game played. (Mario 64 will open, of course).

Who’s been really crying out for this? Get Punch Out Wii ported ya crumb bums!

Probably the best second loop of any Nintendo game ever.

@Kang81 Yeah, probably.

It looks like 480p were enabled in the video as default and not 1080p.
The game does look a lot better than Wii version in this trailer.

In fact Wii version is quite pixelated.

@NFrealinkling
Well I guess some people say the glass is half empty and others say it's half full

@Kang81 true maybe they don’t need the remake treatment heh. It’s awesome we’ll be able to play the full series on Switch now!

Also, at first I was bummed about the Jan date, then realized it makes total sense to drop early next year. Will be nice to help hold us over until Switch 2 drops likely in March??

@Retrodouche guess so

Please allow us to remap the controls! Motion Control tied to important actions on Wii and two of the preset controls on 3DS was awful! Making the circle pad required to move instead of the directional pad for a 2D platformer.. what were they thinking?? If we can remap the controls to something close to the DKC trilogy, that would be ideal!

I got this free via on 3ds via club Nintendo. It's a great game. I refuse to double dip for this or my Wii U version of tropical freeze. Great games but not worth double dipping in my opinion especially with the world's economy

An old Assassin's Creed style 3D open world DK game would be awesome

This is a fantastic DKC game, but after playing on Wii and 3DS, I might be set