Donkey Kong Country Returns HD Reviews
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD offers an experience worthy of old-school platform games: both frustrating and exciting at the same time. A timeless jewel that comes to Switch for you to enjoy with your family, now in HD
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a really good ptlatformer that deserves to be rediscovered or discovered for the first time. The art direction may not be top of the line, but it works well, and the level design is even over the top. The pacing of the game is also excellent, providing longevity to a relatively compact experience without letting it slip into banality or repetitiveness.
Review in Italian | Read full review
As a Wii veteran, I can't help but feel a little let down but that isn't entirely Donkey Kong Country Returns HD's fault and it doesn't change how special it was when I played it originally in 2010 so if you play it as a newbie, I'm sure you'll have a great time.
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
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a disappointing port of an otherwise very good 2D platformer that struggles with technical problems in the new edition. For a premium price, the HD version offers no new features worth mentioning. If you want to immerse yourself in the world of Donkey Kong for the first time on the Switch, you'd be better off picking up the much better Tropical Freeze or waiting for a sale.
Review in German | Read full review
It’s still a good game. It did not wow me, and I honestly think there are much better games in a similar vein out there (and for a fraction of the price), but Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a decent remaster of a well-put platformer. I just don’t think that, just like many other recent Switch outings, it justifies its really steep pricetag.
Nintendo has brought the excellent Donkey Kong Country Returns HD to the Switch, but since it was already outstanding on the Wii U and 3DS with few changes made, the slightly improved visuals may not justify the full price for those who've played the original, though it remains the best version for newcomers and platforming purists.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
Donkey Kong Country Returns is a blast from the past at its core. Its novelty has faded slightly since its first release on Wii, and many of its refinements have been outshone by the later Tropical Freeze. However, it’s the ideal way to play DKC Returns due to its high-quality level design and the visual updates
It contains all of the content from the original Wii and later 3DS releases, plus some neat quality-of-life modern improvements. At the same time, it plays everything pretty safe to make for a solid but not must-have platformer.
Fun, playable, challenging and packed full of replay value.
Almost at the end of the day between one generation and another, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD arrives to strengthen the release calendar and prove that good games don't age, using an impeccable remastering from a technical point of view, even if not very daring in other aspects.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD has all the typical characteristics of a Nintendo game: beautiful, full of charisma and with infinite creativity. The story is almost non-existent and the multiplayer chaotic, but this remake shows the strength of the Donkey Kong mascot.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
It’s been a good while since I’ve played Donkey Kong Country Returns and this HD upgrade has been a delightful reminder of just how much fun Retro Studios’ first stab at the platforming series was. As far as new additions go, this definitely ranks near the bottom when it comes to Nintendo’s Switch porting efforts. That being said, the visual update is certainly pleasant on the eye and it’s hard to argue the game’s sustained quality in level design. If you missed out on the game the first time around, then bump the score up a point. Returning players, meanwhile, will still find a brilliant time awaits, one far more impactful, the longer the gap since your last Donkey Kong Island visit.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a true remaster in a nutshell, with minor graphical upgrades but lacking any newly introduced gameplay elements. Still, it remains one of the best 2D platformers ever made.
Review in Unknown | Read full review
This will become more varied and challenging over time, especially as enemies that can only be defeated with multiple hits or a combination of several types of attack appear. The variety of levels is at least as great, both in terms of theme and gameplay elements.
Review in German | Read full review
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is the third time Donkey Kong has returned with the same game. While this might a simple remaster, it holds up as one killer platformer on the Switch. It goes to show how unrivalled the series is, even 15 years later. Nintendo, please make a new game now... I beg you.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a challenging platformer that will test you at every level as it holds up even by today's standards.
“Donkey Kong Country Returns HD” is a gem of a 2D platformer, and I recommend it for old fans and newcomers alike. The simple controls shine thanks to a brilliant level design that regularly provides variety and presents creative ideas.
Review in German | Read full review