Disclaimer: Writer is an investor in Nintendo. 

Last year, it was announced that Donkey Kong Country Returns is making its way to the Switch in HD for the low price of… $60. While I was tempted to purchase it out of my love for the series, I remembered that I still own my childhood copy on Wii. I took the mature path this time and played through the entire adventure together with my friend in low resolution.

While I wasn’t able to review the additional stages that come with the 3DS & Nintendo Switch ports, I can say with confidence that the morality/parental warnings remain the same and thus this review should be more or less satisfactory for those who are thinking about getting any version of the game. With that said, let’s roll into my review of the platformer everyone in Generation Z has played but never completed. 

Story

The story’s not any deeper than what you’d find in a Mario game. A race of beings known as the Tiki Tak Tribe are causing chaos on Donkey Kong Island, hypnotizing all the wildlife to become hostile to Donkey Kong and his family. In an absolutely shocking turn of events, the Kong’s banana hoard is stolen, so Donkey and Diddy Kong set out on an adventure to recover it. 

While I don’t have much to praise about this story, I can’t say I’ve got many complaints about it either. It’s straight and to the point, allowing you to get straight into the fun just a minute or two after starting a new game. Don’t expect things to get much more interesting later on either. 

Gameplay 

As usual with Nintendo platformers, the physics are rock solid. Donkey Kong moves in the way you’d expect him to, with a hefty weight but strong jumps. You can roll to gain speed, mow through enemies, and even jump afterwards to carry your momentum. More experienced players will find it possible to tear through levels if you can string these together correctly. He’s also got a new ground pound move, which is used to stun nearby enemies and break through certain objects. All these moves feel great to use and I have zero complaints about them.

Where my gameplay issues begin to arise is with the controllers. In the Wii version of this game, you can only play with a sideways Wii remote or with a nunchuck. Either setup still requires you to shake the remote for rolling and pounding, which is not terrible but certainly inferior to button controls. It’s frustrating when the shake registers late or at the wrong time, and I really wish there was support for the Wii classic controller or GameCube controller, but alas. Fortunately, the Switch and 3DS ports allow you to use button controls, so that’s a plus for those versions.

When it comes to the level design, there’s few problems to be had. Almost every level stands out in its own way, and most are designed incredibly well. I will say that there are some difficulty spikes with levels that drastically change the gameplay, such as minecart or rocket levels. There’s actually an entire world dedicated to the minecart, which probably makes it the worst in the game. 

You should also take note that this game is difficult. While it’s not quite as tough as the old school titles, I think you’re going to find yourself frustrated with it if you’re not well experienced with platformers. It carries a reputation among my generation as “that game that everyone played as a kid but could never beat”. The 3DS and Switch versions allow Donkey & Diddy Kong to take one extra hit and lowers the price of items in Cranky Kong’s shop, so those are probably the way to go if you’re less confident in your abilities.

Graphics

Seeing as this game was developed by Retro Studios, it’s no surprise that the visuals go hard. Everything here is 3D, with detailed backgrounds, colors that pop, and amazing animations. It’s definitely one of the best looking games on the Wii, and a far shot from games like New Super Mario Bros Wii. The world feels alive and connected, so I’ve got no complaints. 

Faith Perspective

Just as the animals native to DK Island became hostile upon the influence of the Tikis, so too can we allow ourselves to become consumed and in a sense controlled by others (like influencers or politicians) if we don’t stay vigilant. These days I so often see a lack of critical thinking in the general population, taking whatever they are told from someone they like as truth without considering alternatives or wider context. And I can’t pretend that I never do this myself – I’m certainly guilty of it.

I think us humans have a tendency to find some person or organization we appreciate and begin taking everything they say as practically infallible, without recognizing that people make mistakes and we should expect to have to be critical of others at times, even if it risks our reputation. When we fail to do this, we become more like the enemies in this game – mindless drones that are influenced all too easily, leading ourselves (and others) into great danger.

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