Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (NSW) Review

On this fine Wednesday evening, SuperPhillip Central has another new review to share with its readers. This time it's for yet another Wii U game that has made the switch to Nintendo's new console. It's time to get funky with Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze for the Nintendo Switch.

An infamously difficult platformer? The Kongs have an ape for that.

When Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze originally released back in 2014, it didn't receive as much attention as it should have. This was due to the fact that the game, despite its high quality, was released on the Wii U, which as a lot of us know, wasn't exactly the greatest home console success story in Nintendo's history. Quite the opposite, actually. Now, the Kongs are back and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze gets a second shot at sales redemption with a release on the Nintendo Switch.

A new group of arctic invaders has set their sights on DK Isle, the Snowmads. The leader of the bunch--which you don't know well--Lord Frederick takes a deep blow into a horn, sending a powerful chilling burst on DK Isle, not only freezing the island to its very core, but also forcibly transplanting our ape protagonists several islands over. While the Snowmads enjoy their new home in DK Isle, the Kongs, led by Donkey Kong, aim to survive the harsh islands in their path to return to and reclaim their home.

The Kongs are about to get some very rude, uninvited guests to DK Isle.

Dropping all pretense, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is pretty much the same game from its Wii U original. It's just given an easier difficulty mode where you can play as Funky Kong, sharper visuals, and less than cool, a $60 price tag ($10 more than what was offered on the Wii U). Regardless, pretty much being the same game from the oft overlooked 2014 game is a positive thing in the sense that Tropical Freeze remains a fantastic 2D platformer, one of the best ever created. Retro Studios managed to put forth a series of levels that are masterful from start to finish. While other 2D platformers focus on one mechanic and spread it out in a given level (looking at you, Mario, but you know I still love you), Tropical Freeze routinely throws in myriad mechanics and level gimmicks that tie the level together into one cohesive package.

Alas... If only there was time to work on that tan, DK... 

Let's take level 5-A, Beehive Brawl, as an example. This level's primary theme that ties everything together is that of bees. In the level, you're grabbing hold of swinging hives held by honey, doing battle with bees, entering a behemoth-sized beehive while jumping on platforms pouring downward from a waterfalls of honey, and even hitching a ride by grabbing onto the cargo held by a moving train of bees to progress through the level. In a game like New Super Mario Bros., only one of these level mechanics would be expanded upon. In Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, you're seeing multiple mechanics show up all centered around the theme of the level. It's ingenuous design, and I marveled every time a new stage element presented itself.

In Grassland Groove, even the trees bob and sway to the awesome music.

What can you say about levels like one with platforming inside a raging twister, complete with enemies and hazards being blown in your path for you to avoid; or a level that feature jumping and rolling along the grasslands and savanna as the trees swing and sway in time with the music; or one that has you riding a mine cart as a giant saw blade chases you, carving up wood in the process and having the pieces slam down on top of the track for you to either jump off of or over; and just one more example, a level that has you climbing up platforms caught in the middle of an avalanche? You can say a lot, and all of it is astoundingly positive.

In Sawmill Thrill, the pursuing saw blade sends wooden objects and obstacles slamming down onto the track.

In addition to traditional platforming levels, other types of levels are included in Tropical Freeze. I mentioned mine cart levels, but there are also rocket barrel as well as underwater levels. The latter surprised me tremendously at how graceful a heavy ape can actually swim. While I did occasionally and accidentally run into enemies or hazards while swimming with the Kongs, these moments seldom occurred. Meanwhile, the rocket barrel levels are fierce tests of control and applying enough hits of the jump button to keep the rocket soaring while carefully maneuvering around obstacles in the process. These levels that stray from the typical running, rolling, jumping and ground pounding of Tropical Freeze are welcome inclusions that keep the adventure fresh and don't feel out of place.

Careful, DK--you can go swimming with the fishes, just don't go sleeping with the fishes!

The levels themselves feature a lot to do in them. Collect the KONG letters in each level in a world opens up a bonus temple level in that world, featuring the most challenging platforming trials in the entire game. Meanwhile, there are cleverly placed puzzle pieces found in well hidden sections of level and in bonus rooms that unlock concept art and images in the Extras menu. Some levels even have secret exits that lead to new levels. Though, it must be said that the bonus rooms are nowhere near as top-tier as what was seen in Donkey Kong Country 2 and 3. These are much too basic in Tropical Freeze and repeat themselves often. Additionally, secret exits are usually placed near the end of levels, meaning that you have to go through a level twice almost the whole way through just to unlock paths to two levels. A bit annoying, but not a deal-breaker.

There's no "I" in "Kongs", so try out co-op with a buddy sometime!

What was annoying for some players and critics of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze was the game's relentless difficulty. It's important to note, however, that the challenge posed in the game was never unfair to the player. Your mileage, of course, may vary, but for some, Tropical Freeze was a game that beat them into submission with its arduous levels and perilous platforming challenges. Thankfully, Nintendo and Retro Studios have a mode for that: Funky Mode.

Funky should be your main monkey if you're feeling the pain from Tropical Freeze's Original Mode.

Funky Mode is perfect for beginners or those who want a far more relaxing time of Tropical Freeze, as it allows players to control the double-jumping, slow-hovering, five-hearts-of-health-having, spike-walking, infinite-underwater-air-breathing Funky Kong. Generally you can only use items prior to the start of a level, but Funky Mode allows you to use them mid-level. Furthermore, in Original Mode, if you collect a KONG letter and die before hitting a checkpoint, you have to recollect that letter your next life. In Funky Mode, you get to keep any KONG letters you've collected even if you were to perish after... but perish that thought instead. You'll be Funky, the main monkey, so you'll be too awesome to lose a life! That said, if Funky isn't your choice for your main monkey, you can choose to play as Donkey Kong in Funky Mode. He'll be able to tag up with a companion (the rocket barrel-hovering Diddy, the ponytail-slinging Dixie, or the cane-hopping Cranky), and both DK and his partner will have three hearts of health each instead of the usual two.

It's a touch disconcerting, though, that the default option for Tropical Freeze's Switch port is for Funky Mode. This has been mentioned by other players and critics, and I can't help but agree, but if you are a skilled player and have yet to ever play Tropical Freeze, don't let your first experience of the game be in Funky Mode. Tropical Freeze's levels were originally designed for Donkey Kong, and the genius of the level design is sorely missed when levels are tackled by Funky Kong. Funky Kong's ability to double jump, hover, and leap on spikes makes it so levels can be beaten in a way unintended by the designers. You can miss out on a lot of the complexity and cleverness of the levels and platforming challenges by playing as Funky. That's why I recommend playing Original Mode first for seasoned gamers, and for beginners to be the ones to play Funky Mode first, if they see the challenge of Original Mode too daunting at first glance.

It's all fun and games until a Kong gets a black eye from a Snowmad's poker.

Now that all has been said, do I recommend the Switch port of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze? I say that you shouldn't even hesitate to pick Tropical Freeze up if you've never owned the Wii U game. It's a master class of stimulating platforming, expert level design, and amazing presentation values (including the sensational soundtrack provided by original DKC 1 & 2 composer David Wise). Stop reading this review right now and go out and pick it up! If you've already played Tropical Freeze on the Wii U, then you might want to pass on paying full price for the Switch port, unless you're like me and value playing the game on a more enjoyable piece of hardware than the Wii U ever was. Regardless of whether one purchases the Switch version or not, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze continues to stay at the very top of the 2D platforming heap as top banana.

[SPC Says: A]

Mario Tennis Aces (NSW) Overview Trailer

One of my most anticipated games of the summer is from a Mario spin-off series that hasn't had the most successful outings as of late. Mario Tennis Open was a game I personally enjoyed, but the use of Chance Shots turned off a lot of players. Meanwhile, Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash on the Wii U was a bare-bones excuse for a full priced game, which seemed to only have been released to fill a hole in the system's paltry holiday lineup that year.

However, Mario Tennis Aces looks to be the real deal with an impressive adventure mode (complete with RPG leveling for Mario), 15+ characters, unique courts, new mechanics that can be turned off if you prefer a standard game of tennis, and much more. Mario Tennis Aces launches its serve on June 22.

Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate (NSW) Announcement Trailer

It's taken some time, but finally Monster Hunter Generations Double Cross is coming to the West as Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate. No longer will Western Nintendo Switch owners have to wait to have a Monster Hunter game to call their own. For some, it may be difficult going back to a pre-Monster Hunter World game in the franchise. Do you think it will be for you?

Lode Runner Legacy (NSW, PC) Review

From one downloadable game on the Nintendo Switch yesterday to another downloadable Switch game (also released last year on Steam), I have a late night review to share. It's Lode Runner Legacy from Tozai Games, and here's the full scoop on it.

The Mother Lode

Back in the fourth grade, when I wasn't pretending to pay attention to the latest math lesson (probably a good reason why I'm so bad at math nowadays...), I was eagerly anticipating a break so I could use the old Apple Macintosh computer to play Lode Runner on. Some fellow classmates were more interested in Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego, The Oregon Trail, or Frog Fractions, but your buddy Phil was always wanting to get further in Lode Runner.

Now, like the return of a long, lost, old friend, Lode Runner has all of a sudden returned into my life, this time on the Nintendo Switch eShop and Steam with Lode Runner Legacy. Packed with levels, a new look, and clever creation tools, Lode Runner Legacy serves the legacy of the Lode Runner series well.

Lode Runner Legacy doesn't mess with the formula that the series is known for. You are placed in levels with the goal of obtaining all of the gold inside while evading enemies. You're not completely defenseless, however, as you have the ability to destroy blocks below him to the left and right. This can temporarily trap enemies that wander over the holes created, but the holes also have another use. Many times you'll need to destroy sections of blocks in order to reach deeply buried pieces of gold.

Lode Runner can destroy blocks that allow him to fall through gaps and ensnare enemies.

This is where the strategy and critical thinking of Lode Runner as a series comes in. If you destroy blocks with a devil-may-care attitude, you'll usually find yourself trapped, killing you or worse, trapping you inside an impossible situation to overcome, requiring you to restart the level completely. Deaths in Lode Runner Legacy don't mean you have to retry a level; they merely decrease your point multiplier and cost you bonus points after a level is complete.

Hang tough, Lode Runner. You can get all this gold if you put your mind to it.

For those who want to go the extra distance, there's the option to aim for three stars completion in each level by moving through levels as fast as possible with zero deaths. However, this usually requires that you collect a special sparkling piece of gold first for a big point bonus, which most of the time is placed in a precarious position in the level to nab first. Some deep thinking is needed to figure out to reach this special piece of gold without collecting any other normal gold, 'else you miss you chance for the point bonus.

Lode Runner fans will have plenty to keep coming back to in Legacy's many modes.

There are five main modes in Lode Runner Legacy: Adventure, which is a collection of 50 levels where each batch of five levels introduces a new enemy type; Extra, which are 20 more levels that feature enemy types exclusive to this mode; Puzzle, which are levels where enemies are completely absent and it's up to you to figure out when and where to destroy blocks in order to complete them; Classic, which is over 100 levels taken directly from the original Lode Runner and given the old school of the game; and World, where you can create your own levels, characters, and collectibles, as well as download and play others' creations. So, to say that Lode Runner Legacy is lacking in content would be an objectionable statement to make. That said, you're pretty much performing the same tasks of collecting gold, destroying blocks, and avoiding enemies in every level, so there is a great sense of repetition involved in the game.

There's nothing like the classics, and that is part of what you receive in the Lode Runner Legacy package.

The World section of Lode Runner Legacy is the most promising, and it already delivers in some aspects. Being based on user-generated content, there are levels that shine more brightly than others, but thanks to a helpful search system, you can usually weed these out. Even still, you can opt to just play through a random selection of levels one after another, if you haven't gotten a care in the world as to what type of level you play as long as you're simply playing the game in general.

The creation tools on offer in Lode Runner Legacy are thankfully simple enough to use. You build characters, enemies, and collectibles one part at a time, and you can use a base model if you so desire to start you off and assist your work. Being able to play as Leonardo from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, collecting slices of pizza, while avoiding soldiers from the Foot Clan is a possibility, and I did just that. Of course, I couldn't say no to creating a certain character I'm sort of partial to, as seen in the screenshot below.

Well, don't YOU look familiar!

If you love the gameplay of the Lode Runner series, then you'll definitely find lots of enjoyment and hours of fun with Lode Runner Legacy. Everyone else might find the game a bit repetitive and good for small doses only. Whichever the case, Lode Runner Legacy is a stellar action-puzzle game with a bevy of modes, content, and satisfying creation tools to make it a recommended title to represent the Lode Runner series's legacy.

[SPC Says: B]

Review code provided by Tozai Games.

Garage (NSW) Review

tinyBuild's Garage launches tomorrow on the Nintendo Switch eShop. SuperPhillip Central provides you with a review ahead of its release date. Let's venture into the world of Garage together, brave souls!

Not quite the place you'd want to park your car inside of.

Indie game publisher and developer tinyBuild has been a huge supporter of the Nintendo Switch, and it has certainly been nice to see, as many smaller publisher and developers have found adequate (if not better) success on the Nintendo Switch eShop with their games. tinyBuild's latest comes in the form of a top-down, twin-stick shooter called Garage. While it has similarities to much more well-known games like Hotline Miami, when it concerns the quality of Garage, the two are in different levels. That isn't a compliment to Garage.

Garage has you play the role of a janitor who dabbles in drug dealing as a side hustle. Left to die inside a locked car trunk, the janitor, named Butch, smashes open the trunk and finds himself in a dreary, desolate, and quite dilapidated parking garage filled with burning cars, fire, and the smell of death in the air. Through exploring through the game's linear levels--acquiring keys to unlock doors, defeating all shapes and sizes of ferocious enemies, and keeping an eye on his health and ammo--Butch discovers that the dead have come back to life.

"Thanks for leaving me in this trunk, guys. Could use a nightlight in here, though."

Speaking of lives, Butch will definitely have to fight for his own. Garage is a hard game. Even on the easiest difficulty I found myself dying a multitude of times. Some of it was brought on by my own carelessness, while others I fault the game for. Unfortunately, the latter happens in Garage a lot more than the former.

For one, aiming with the right analog stick in Garage is a bit imprecise. Many bullets that I'd fire from one of the handful of guns I had available to me in the game (you slowly build up an arsenal as you progress forward through Garage) wouldn't hit their intended target. Not only did this waste precious ammo, but it, of course, left me open for enemies to violate Butch's personal space in a severe, and quite deadly, way. Thus, the weapons, especially the guns, just don't feel great to use, aside from a select few.

Let's just say aiming in Garage isn't exactly optimal.

Furthermore, when surrounded by a group of enemies, you're pretty much a goner, as there are no invincibility frames for Butch to really speak of. This results on multiple occasions in getting caught between foes, helplessly trying to fight back and clear a path. This is for naught as you end up dying rather quickly.

An interesting gameplay concept introduced in Garage that I don't recall being in many other top-down shooters is that enemies will only be visible to the player if they're directly within Butch's line of sight. Therefore, if there are enemies in the room adjacent to Butch and the door's shut, the player won't be able to see them. This results in some good scare moments where enemies can ambush you, but it also limits the player's ability to plot out adequate strategies. Instead, one is just left to do a lot of trial and error--memorizing enemy locations one by one and reacting accordingly.

This boss spews out rabid rats and hazardous vomit to attack Butch.
Not exactly parking attendant of the year material here, folks.

Garage contains 13 chapters, some with multiple parts, that essentially are one area of the game per chapter or part. Basically, every time you see a loading screen after entering an exit, a new chapter or part of a chapter is being loaded. While on the subject of loading screens, Garage doesn't really impress when it comes to these, either. Many of the loading screens can last upwards of a half-minute, which doesn't really place the best impression on a given player. Thankfully, such loading times don't occur between deaths, which again, players will see plenty of within the game.

Chapter 10 is supposedly a chase sequence, but as the devs say, the code was irreparably damaged. Instead, there is NO Chapter 10 to speak of. It's a shame, as I love a good, old chase sequence. 

Aside from playing through on different difficulties, there isn't much else to do once Garage has been initially completed, a process which took me around five hours on the easiest difficulty. One can opt to explore chapters for hidden notes containing passwords to various hatches located in the game, but this is merely for background story purposes. Nothing here that will motivate most players aside from the ones heavily engaged with the game.

Unfortunately, for all of these aforementioned reasons, it's a bit of a challenge to recommend Garage. The game feels under-cooked, the loading times are too long, the visibility mechanic leaves something to be desired, the difficulty is sometimes unfair, the aiming doesn't have the most precision, and there's little to do after the game has been beaten the first go-round. There are some positives to garage, however, such as some cool boss battles, nice gameplay segments that break up the shooting (such as a fun motorcycle section, or calm, soothing raft ride), and adequate pacing. That said, Garage is a game that is better left avoided, unless you really need a top-down shooter on the Switch.

[SPC Says: D+]

Review code provided by tinyBuild.