Donkey Kong Country Returns HD Reviews
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD offers a fairly straightforward update of the original game: it is simply in HD. That means that all of its best platforming goodness is untouched, but it also means that some of the more frustrating aspects of the game remain as present as before. In that sense, the update is perhaps bare-bones.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
Owner of a vibrant visual, an enviable soundtrack, and a series of mechanics that greatly improved the gameplay, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD remains a great choice for both old and new players, even though it is just a remaster of a game originally released in 2010.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a great remaster of a 2D platformer that shines the most with its engaging gameplay, likeable characters, story and slick performance. Albeit, the control mapping, some graphic changes and other small unfavourable elements drag this fun game down.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is, unsurprisingly, the definitive way to play this platforming gem. Its difficulty is going to be off-putting for some and there are questions around how much this adds from previous iterations of the game. But despite some slight frame rate dips and it not quite being to the same quality standards of Tropical Freeze, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a fantastic platformer that you should absolutely add to your Switch library, especially if you’ve never played it before.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD delivers nostalgia with classic mechanics and modest enhancements, but its Switch port leans too heavily on the past, balancing fun with frustration.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
I love Donkey Kong Country 1, 2 and 3. I wish I could say the same about Donkey Kong Country Returns HD. Don’t get me wrong, this is still a very good game. I couldn’t help but feel that this was a major step down from the SNES titles. The level design in Returns isn’t quite as amazing as the originals, but it is still very good. The game does occasionally feel a little monotonous due to only having DK and Rambi for use in the standard platforming levels. The mine cart and barrel rocket levels provide much needed variety, but are often the cause of frustration.
Donkey Kong Country Returns is a lot of fun, with dozens of levels and fun moments despite the high difficulty for Nintendo games in this genre. However, since it is an improved version based on the Wii and 3DS versions, the work here could have been much better in terms of visuals.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a wonderful remaster of the original Wii game. Challenging yet fun levels, wonderful-looking levels and an original but slightly tweaked soundtrack all aid in a great throwback feel that all players will love.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is the same game that we saw in 2010, which is excellent news because it is still an excellent game and one of the best exponents of the genre. Challenging, varied, with a great soundtrack, beautiful and long, this remastering is an essential game if you have not enjoyed the original title. It is a case of having done so, perhaps the new features of the 3Ds version, the beauty of the HD finish or the pure collectability are reason enough to get it, that each one must decide but the game is basically the same. Otherwise, Tropical Freeze, its direct continuation, is a game that takes all of its values and improves them and is without a doubt the great alternative.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD makes for an okay way to play a pretty decent and generally fun (if perhaps conservative) platformer, especially if you haven’t already played Donkey Kong Country Returns before. Otherwise, it’s a pretty unremarkable remaster which lacks many meaningful improvements and has a share of minor-yet-noticeable downsides, which is a bit of a letdown for its price tag on release. While ultimately a charming and enjoyable game with some pretty good levels at spots, I find it to be just a touch on the safe side and not as dense with ideas or moments that blew me away, especially when compared to the game that followed which received much better treatment on its move to the Switch by comparison.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD doesn't have enough improvements from previous versions to justify its price tag, and areas like the cumbersome control scheme feel like they should have been improved for this version. The core platforming suffers from imprecise controls and a process of learning level layouts that feel frustrating thanks to long restart times. Mine cart and rocket barrel levels are a ton of fun, but tedious boss fights make this feel far from a definitive version of the game.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is as fun now as it was in 2010, with the banana-fuelled adventure certainly standing the test of time. It’s varied, it’s creative, and it’s challenging, but most importantly? It’s a blast to play. The controls can be a little tricky to get used to at first and it’s a little disappointing that the remastered release doesn’t offer more, but it still stands out as a wonderful platforming adventure that Nintendo fans simply have to play if they missed out on it the first time around.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a game that is fun from start to finish. Each of its levels is well designed and is capable of surprising you with each twist. This shows that a good video game will always give us reasons to play it again.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a title that deserves your attention and, without a doubt, deserves to be enjoyed. Especially if you have never played it and are looking for a game rich in content, with several stages of diversified and extremely well-designed mechanics, captivating and very well-polished audiovisuals, and a very high replay factor to make your hard-earned money worthwhile.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a basic remaster that's just enough to bring the game to Nintendo Switch for new players. With its intricate and creative level design, fun soundtrack, and solid replayability, this is an excellent platformer that fits right in with many others on Nintendo Switch. However, if you aim to experience the game in co-op, a frustrating bug makes the experience nothing like the original game, leaving Donkey Kong Country Returns HD in desperate need of a patch.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a fun, albeit frustrating, game. This isn't a bad pickup if you don’t mind constantly dying, and similar gameplay from start to finish, without much innovation. However, skip the monkey exhibit if this is your second (or third) visit.
Review in Unknown | Read full review
A great experience for newcomers, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a great experience for those who have recently played on the 3DS handheld console and are still relatively new to the game, and a beautiful legacy that should not be forgotten by the past and present.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a fun time for any platformer fan. The levels are creative and will leave gamers with their jaws on the floor with how imaginative it gets.
If you've never had the chance to play the original 2010 Donkey Kong Country Returns, this HD re-release is a great opportunity, and we recommend everyone buy it if you really want to immerse yourself in this saga - before moving on to Tropical Freeze. On the other hand, DKCR HD has very little of the HD, and the launch price is not justified by the work done. So if the grade for the game is quite high, this is inevitably tempered by the absence of really significant new features.
Review in Italian | Read full review
While Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a welcome addition to the Nintendo Switch library, it doesn’t quite reach the heights of Tropical Freeze. It plays well enough and captures the charm that fans love, but issues with performance and some dated design elements hold it back. If you’re looking to revisit Donkey Kong’s past adventures or experience them for the first time, it’s still a worthwhile trip—just don’t expect it to outshine the Kong family’s most recent outing.