Donkey Kong Country Returns HD review

I’m always happy to jump into a bout of Donkey Kong Country, no matter what version of the game it is. And so, seeing sequel Donkey Kong Country Returns getting a HD facelift for Nintendo Switch is a bit of a treat. As much of a treat as a remaster of the original would be? Definitely not, but there’s still a lot to like here — even if this platformer does feel a little dated in some ways.

There’s a good chance you’ll have encountered Donkey Kong Country Returns before: it originally released on Wii, before getting a ‘3D’ facelift for the Nintendo 3DS. It’s the third time the game has seen light of day, then, and this is undoubtedly the best-looking yet. Donkey Kong Country Returns HD looks wonderful on Switch: its side-scrolling levels pop off the screen, and its bold and colourful environments are a joy to take in.

If you haven’t played it before? You’ll find plenty of the tropes that the Donkey Kong Country series is known for. When you’re not running and jumping through a level, collecting bananas and stomping on enemies’ heads, you’ll be firing yourself out of barrels, riding on the backs of oversized animals or flying down a rickety minecart track. It’s a wonderful nod back to the SNES-era original Donkey Kong Country — but none of it feels quite as good.

The nature of Donkey Kong Country Returns means you need a fair bit of precision in your movements. You need to be able to jump and land accurately, whether it’s to avoid enemies, negotiate platforms or to avoid pitfalls when you’re in a minecart. But controlling Donkey Kong here is a little bit floaty; that precision doesn’t come easily, and so you’ll likely make numerous missteps before you get the hang of things.

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It means that some parts of certain levels can be much trickier than they ought to be, adding unnecessary frustration to the proceedings. It’s a shame, too, because everything else in this 2D platformer absolutely screams colour and joy — but the act of playing doesn’t always quite match how appealing the visuals are.

Perhaps it’s not all that unusual: many 2D platformers are known for being floaty, with precise movements taking some time to get used to. It might be exactly what you expect, and if so, you’re going to have a whale of a time here. But just bear in mind that you might also have more than your fair share of fails as you get used to the controls.

When you do get used to it? There are 80 levels to work your way through — including a selection that were made especially for the 3DS version that have also been remastered here. You can simply head to the end of each level, sure, but for the completionists there are puzzle pieces hidden in each level, letters spelling out ‘KONG’ and a whole host of other secrets. You’re likely to want to go and revisit past levels, then, ensuring you’ve swept up everything, and making sure you’re keeping an eye out for hidden areas as you go.

Overall, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a nice addition to the Switch’s library, even if the remaster isn’t groundbreaking in any way. It might not be quite the classic as the SNES original, but this sequel still deserves a place in any Donkey Kong fan’s heart — even if I do wish the controls were a bit tighter.