Donkey Kong Country Returns HD Reviews
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is the best way to experience one of the best 2D platformers ever, but it's a little too expensive.
A straightforward remaster that struggles to outshine the Switch port of Tropical Freeze, but Returns HD is still a challenging and satisfying platformer that stands the test of time.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a passable remaster of an amazing platformer – more modern improvements and a larger graphical update would have been nice, but this is still one of the greatest 2D platformers Nintendo has released this century
It’s a challenging retro platformer that is a delight to play for the most part, but with each new set of levels, I wanted to see what a new Donkey Kong excursion might look like, instead of love letters like this that are defined by their attachment to the past.
The 2010 franchise revival gets a makeover and some modern conveniences, but wild difficulty spikes make it tough to recommend for anyone but the most dedicated DKC fan.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD gives a high definition remaster to the Wii classic
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a fine way to play the 2010 original, but it's also lacking any real reason for fans to double-dip beyond waggle-free controls. It's less of a remaster and more of a port, to be honest, which would be all well and good if it wasn't being sold at such a premium. There's plenty of fun to be had, but we can't help but walk away from it with a slightly sour taste in our mouths. Our advice? Grab the superior Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze instead.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a great reminder of how good Retro Studios can be, though there's not too much for returning players.
Donkey Kong Country Returns is still a fantastic game today. The fact that it stands tall compared to other platformers is a testament to the original release's quality. However, this is the third re-release the game has seen in 15 years, and this one carries a $60 price tag with virtually no new content.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD remains a fabulous 2D platformer that retains and expands on the magic of Rare's previous games: if you haven't played it on Wii and you like the genre, you should, as it's the best version of it yet. But at the same time, as an HD update, it's hard to shake the feeling that it could have offered something more.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Donkey Kong is back with yet another remaster that remains very faithful to the original games. The level design, collectibles and many challenges make this game quite an enjoyable experience. Donkey Kong Country Returns HD main game modes offer a fair share of replayability, especially to new players that didn't experience the classic take on the game. This new Donkey Kong remaster definitely checks all the boxes.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a fine remaster of the Wii platformer, bringing along all the tweaks from its Nintendo 3DS port. It's not much more than that, but it's still a great platformer.
Nintendo's Donkey Kong Country reboot feels as good in 2025 as it did in 2010 and 2013.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD still delivers its share of scintillating simian escapades, but aside from a visual spit shine, not much has been added to the game to keep it competitive with the many excellent 2D platformers that have hit the scene since 2010, including its own sequel. DK completionists and newbies looking for a surprisingly stiff "Nintendo hard" challenge will be happy with this package, but others might want to wait until the big ape has something truly new to beat his chest about.
It would have been nice to see some new content added, but as a remaster it was not expected. Overall, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is still a fantastic addition to the Nintendo Switch lineup and is a truly enjoyable experience.
The boss fights are all clever, the controls allow for precise maneuvers, and the visuals are nice and crisp. It took me a little time to get used to the controls, and I kept feeling slower than I would have liked. But the level design is excellent, the soundtrack is choice, and the difficulty never felt unfair.
With nine worlds of fantastic action-platforming, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD has aged rather well and is still a pleasure to play, despite its sequel Tropical Freeze remaining the series' high point.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Ultimately, though, it’s worth it for anyone who hasn’t yet played Donkey Kong Country Returns before, since what they’ll find here on Nintendo Switch is absolutely the best way to play a game that represents a publisher at almost the very top of its game.
It must be said that the colorful and comical universe of Donkey Kong still works just as well. And let's not talk about the soundtrack, which is just as memorable even fifteen years later.
Review in French | Read full review
A special mention, even after many years, goes to the soundtrack that accompanies the gait of the Nintendo gorilla, in an extraordinary mix of motifs from the first trilogy and original tracks that contributed to the success of the platform game by Retro Studios.
Review in Italian | Read full review