I've been meaning to--ahem--return to this game to give it the SPC review treatment. It's a good thing I waited, as when I originally was going to review Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, the early 2026 update hadn't come out yet. No one knew it was even a thing until it released! If I had reviewed this game prior to the patch/update, my thoughts on this HD remaster would have been less, for sure. Read on to see exactly why that is with this, the SuperPhillip Central review.
The Definitive Donkey Kong Country Returns
Donkey Kong has no doubt been making a bit of a comeback in the spotlight. Not to say he's been totally ignored these past several years, but with a monumental (and absolutely excellent) Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive 3D platformer, appearance in The Super Mario Bros. Movie (with a movie of his own coming down the banana chute), and a dedicated space in the Super Nintendo World theme park, Nintendo's great gorilla is getting quite the resurgence in fame.
No doubt as a means to capitalize further on DK and friends was Nintendo's recent patch and update to Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, which originally released on the Nintendo Switch early last year. Adding a slew of new--and most importantly FREE--features to the game, I felt it was more than well worth returning to Returns for a fourth (!!) playthrough.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD begins with a new threat besieging Donkey Kong's island, the Tiki Tribe, hypnotizing the isle's residents and having them take DK's prized banana hoard away. They attempt and fail to hypnotize DK, resulting in him rushing out of his home to reclaim his rightful banana prize. While nowhere near the popularity of the Kremling Krew, the Tiki Tribe do offer themselves as decent enough villains all the same.
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| Returning to Donkey Kong Country... Dixie Kong! |
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| Donkey and Diddy Kong opt to ruffle these birds' feathers. |
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD's eight worlds each contain a variety of levels and theming to them. From world 1's Jungle that introduces players to the game and most of its gameplay mechanics, to world 2's Beach which brings forth a new mechanic in one of its levels, that of the rocket barrel. This has players carefully pressing and letting off of the B button to raise and lower the barrel as automatically moves through auto-scrolling levels. The aim here is to evade and avoid walls, ceilings, and other hazards, as one hit means the monkeys are dead meat immediately, then.
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| Don't be fooled by DK's three hearts--it only takes one hit to perish on a rocket barrel! |
The levels themselves each introduce a different kind of gimmick to them, and I say "gimmick" in a complimentary and positive way rather than a negative one. Players will find themselves constantly seeing new level mechanics throughout their adventures with the Kongs. These are iterated on wonderfully throughout each level--whether that's running away from a horde of pursuing spiders, carefully avoiding the rising tide that hopes to wash away errant Kongs, or moving through a labyrinth of switches that when brushed up against, changes which platforms are solid and which disappear.
Really, the design with Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is so phenomenal, and Retro Studios did a fabulous job with making fun, engaging, and also quite challenging levels. The only real gripes I have with the adventure, and these remain the same since the Wii release, are that bonus areas often repeat through the same dozen or so variants and that world 4 is a tiring endurance run of mine cart and rocket barrel levels. I still don't really enjoy world 4 because of that reason.
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| Rambi rides again, but unfortunately he remains the only playable animal buddy in Returns HD. |
I mentioned in the tagline that Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is the definitive version of the game that originated on the Wii. It has readily available local co-op play for two players like the Wii original, and has the bells and whistles of the Nintendo 3DS port, including a more accessible difficulty mode, helpful items to bring along inside levels, and the eight 3DS-exclusive levels that unlock after the initial credits have rolled. And of course, the Wii original's motion controls are totally optional this time around.
However, the Nintendo Switch version was not always definitive. It was only until a recent patch/update (as of earlier this year) that remedied a rather large problem with co-op play. In the original Switch version prior to the update, bouncing off an enemy would defeat it immediately, meaning if a second player was following closely, they'd end up falling down below with no recourse. With this recent update, when the first player bounces off an enemy, there's a little delay for the second player to be able to bounce off the enemy as well before it's defeated. This makes co-op SO much better, and it wasn't an issue in the Wii or 3DS versions of the game.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a difficult game, make no doubt about that, but the inclusion of the 3DS's additions can make it less troublesome of an experience. It still won't be a cakewalk, but the burden will be lessened all the same. These additions include a modern mode to allow Donkey and Diddy an extra hit of damage to both of them, as well as the ability to purchase helpful items from Cranky's shop. These are things like being able to take more than one hit in a rocket barrel or mine cart level (fixing one of my issues with world 4), being able to get rescued once from falling into a bottomless pit, and the ability to take Squawks the Parrot with you in a given level. The latter will literally, well, squawk when players are near a hidden Puzzle Piece. These Puzzle Pieces are much more challenging to find than the KONG letters, so it's nice to have that option to get some extra assistance.
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| Unlike Tropical Freeze after it, the bosses in Returns don't outwear their welcomes. |
And that's really a pleasant thing here--none of these accessibility features from the 3DS version are mandatory to use. In fact, you can completely make a save file without them by using Classic mode as opposed to the new Modern mode. But to make an already deviously difficult game less of a frustrating one is always welcomed, especially in an optional fashion like Returns HD offers.
No doubt you've already perused the screenshots and captions attached to this review and noticed something--or someONE--different. The aforementioned update to Donkey Kong Country Returns HD also brought with it a brand-new playable character for Returns in general: Dixie Kong! She makes the game even less of a headache thanks to her ability to twirl her ponytail to provide an upward float to catch some extra height. This is unlike Diddy Kong, whose jetpack provides horizontal distance as opposed to Dixie who provides both horizontal and vertical distance. It makes getting some of the secrets and hidden goodies within Returns HD a much easier experience. While having Dixie Kong aboard DK doesn't quite hit the levels of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze's Funky Mode, it does lessen the challenge a little all the same.
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| Dixie makes a lot of the platforming challenges much easier to handle. |
The final new addition this year's update brought to Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is that of "Turbo Attack" which basically is a speed-runner's delight. It speeds up the gameplay of levels, bosses, and more, making for a much faster, but also much more punishing experience. This is alongside the already present ability to play through the game in Mirror Mode, once the initial game is 100% complete. This Mirror Mode turns everything around, backwards, but also makes it so DK is by his lonesome and must play through levels without taking a single hit. A challenging mode, and one I avoided for obvious skill-based (or lack thereof, for me) reasons.
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| The animations, visuals, colors, lighting--all of it--are just delightful in DKC Returns HD! |
Whether you're running through the game casually, aiming for a 100%+ save file--and whether THAT be solo or in co-op with a friend or family member--you're going to have a good time with Donkey Kong Country Returns HD. That is, if you know what to expect from the game on a challenge level. Returns was always a tough game to beat, and it's one of modern Nintendo's toughest platforming offerings to date. The inclusion of the 3DS's optional accessibility features do lessen the blow of the difficulty, but it won't completely absolve you of a challenge, for sure!
The very recent additions of Dixie Kong, Turbo Attack mode, and fixes to the co-op (the latter of which Returns HD introduced as a problem) make for a platformer in Donkey Kong Country Returns HD that is a superb, stellar, and banana slamma' of an experience. Fans of Nintendo's great ape are like DK after getting his banana hoard returned to him; they're eating well!
[SPC Says: A-]
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