One Of The Nintendo Wii's Best Games Just Got A Second Chance On Switch
The king of the jungle is finally back.
While Mario might get all the credit as Nintendo’s platforming king, he’s far from the only character that can deliver. While Donkey Kong has to stand in Mario’s shadow, some of Nintendo’s best games star the iconic ape, and one of those titles has finally made its way to Nintendo Switch. Donkey Kong Country Returns gave DK a long-deserved moment in the sun when it was released on the Nintendo Wii, and now it’s back and better than ever on the Switch. It even includes the fun, if slightly unwieldy, motion controls of the original.
When Donkey Kong Country Returns was released in 2010, it was the first Donkey Kong Country game in nearly 14 years, a surprising wait considering the original games were some of the most beloved titles on the SNES. Returns was the first Donkey Kong game developed by Retro Studios, best known for the Metroid Prime trilogy, and while the game definitely played things safe, it’s still one of Nintendo’s most satisfying platformers.
One day, while Donkey Kong is simply chilling in his house, a volcanic eruption awakens the Tiki Tak Tribe. The villainous creatures hypnotize the animals of the islands and convince them to steal Donkey Kong’s beloved treasure trove of bananas, sending him on a John Wick-style quest of vengeance to get them back. As you might expect, Returns isn’t heavy on story, but it is a fun romp filled with plenty of Donkey Kong hijinks as he and Diddy Kong platform through the jungle and rip tikis to shreds.
What’s interesting about Returns, however, is that it has a markedly different feel than those classic games. Platforming feels tight and responsive, but Donkey Kong has a real sense of weight and momentum. He’ll keep sliding a tiny bit if you stop, and jumps send him hurtling ahead. You have all your basic jumps, attacks, and ground-pounds, but Returns also lets Diddy Kong climb on DK’s back and use his jetpack to extend jumps or float. You can also play the entire game in co-op, with one player as DK and the other as Diddy. It takes a moment to get a feel for Donkey Kong’s movement, but once you get it down, you’ll be swinging through levels with ease.
The Switch port of Donkey Kong Country Returns doesn’t add much, but it does look better than ever.
But what really makes Returns shine is its delightfully colorful art style and inventive level design. This updated version of the game makes the tropical jungle pop off the screen: levels are thick with foliage and dazzling ancient ruins, and enemies have as many colors as a big box of crayons.
But visuals are also used in little tricks and gimmicks, like silhouette levels where the lights go out and you need to carefully guide Donkey Kong and Diddy while racing the clock. Other levels let you blast through them while riding on a rocket barrel, hit nerve-wracking jumps in a minecart, or trample over enemies while riding a Rhinoceros. Returns does an impeccable job of springing in little treats and twists for players, something that future Nintendo games, like Super Mario Bros. Wonder, would do again years later.
Donkey Kong Country Returns does a great job of integrating little twists and gimmicks throughout the entire game.
It’s remarkable that Returns feels as memorable as it does, as the game doesn’t do anything to revolutionize platformers. Its gimmicks are fun and imaginative, but they’re all things we’ve seen before. Its controls and platforming fundamentals feel great, but don’t add anything new to the genre. That’s a testament to how rock-solid the game is. The Switch has already cemented its place as the best system Nintendo’s ever made, but getting Donkey Kong Country Returns HD on it is putting sprinkles on the delicious banana split.
