Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Reviews

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is ranked in the 93rd percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
9.1 / 10.0
Feb 16, 2014

The evolution of Tropical Freeze from its predecessor isn't quite a giant leap for apekind, but it's a step in the right direction. It doesn't just maintain the status quo as a challenging platformer, but mixes in just enough new elements to prevent it from being just another rehash of the previous game. You'd be bananas to pass up the chance to add Tropical Freeze to your Wii U horde.

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9.1 / 10.0
May 9, 2018

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is a top-notch example of what a 2D platformer should be so if you missed out on it last generation, now's a fantastic time to finally enjoy it in all its potassium-rich glory.

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IGN
Top Critic
9 / 10.0
Feb 17, 2014

Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze is a fun and challenging platformer that isn't afraid to make you work hard.

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IGN
Top Critic
9 / 10.0
May 1, 2018

Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze's addition of Funky Mode makes it more accessible without reducing the formidable platforming difficulty to a walk in the park. There's still a lot of challenge, even with the extra help Donkey's Funky uncle affords. But the Switch version manages to take just enough of an edge off a punishing game to let the fun platforming outshine its difficulty.

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May 1, 2018

If you crave a challenge, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze will bring out the best of your platforming abilities. Those expecting a cakewalk will feel like they slammed headfirst into a brick wall of difficulty.

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GameSpot
Top Critic
9 / 10
May 1, 2018

Tropical Freeze is another wonderful Donkey Kong Country game, and it's better than ever on Switch.

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USgamer
Top Critic
Feb 16, 2014

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze isn't the most ambitious game, but it throws its characters into unique and clever challenges with each new level. Nintendo would be pushing it if they went for another Donkey Kong game in this style, but for now, Tropical Freeze can sit alongside Super Mario 3D World as one of the finest platformers of this generation.

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Feb 16, 2014

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze barrels some monkeys, blasts them into some trouble, but ultimately provides an archipelago of satisfying hardcore gameplay for Wii U.

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9 / 10.0
May 3, 2018

An excellent platformer that is still as fun as it was 4 years ago. It's a shame that this Switch version includes just a few new features to justify a new purchase.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

Feb 19, 2014

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze could have been a straight port of the Wii original, but Retro Studios took the winning formula and expertly built upon it. The sheer challenge, puzzle pieces, K-O-N-G letters, and hidden exits all combine to create an addictive and highly replayable side-scroller that is absolutely worth attention. Wii U owners take note, that this isn't a game you'll want to miss.

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9 / 10.0
May 1, 2018

The Switch version of Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze is basically the same as the one released on Wii U four years, and that's a good thing. It was an excellent game then, it still is nowadays: fun, challenging, full of ideas and tough, like the best games of the past.

Review in Italian | Read full review

GameMAG
ACE
Top Critic
9 / 10
May 13, 2018

Thanks to a new character and the release on the popular system, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze has finally become available to a wide audience. This is definitely the best version of the platformer, which will please users with good difficulty, but without annoying deaths, improved graphics, fast loaf times, interesting levels with lots of secrets and hardcore mode. Moreover, now you can play Tropical Freeze in portable mode, and that's a really cool addition.

Review in Russian | Read full review

9 / 10.0
Feb 21, 2014

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is a well-made platformer that adds more than enough level variety, graphical upgrades, new characters and new mechanics to keep the long-used formula from getting stale. While it doesn't reinvent the wheel, it certainly molds and polishes that wheel to near perfection.

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9 / 10.0
Mar 1, 2014

I pull out my SNES every year to enjoy the good ol\' days of gaming and last summer, a series I decided to tackle was no other than Donkey Kong Country. While playing, I would keep muttering under my breath, "Why can't gaming be like this today?" Imagine my excitement when I found at E3 that Retro would be blessing us with another Donkey Kong platformer!

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9 / 10
Feb 16, 2014

Retro Studios has demonstrated once again that it can take a treasured Nintendo franchise and keep it relevant, with modern thrills and retro nods expertly combined. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze utilises the Wii U's graphical capabilities beautifully, with levels both stunning in design and looks, and impressive set-pieces that never skip a frame and can test any gamer's skills.

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9 / 10
May 1, 2018

There's no doubt about it, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is one of the most refined and enjoyable platformers money can buy.

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May 1, 2018

Beautifully designed and wickedly challenging, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze remains a top-tier platformer, even after four years of being marooned on the Wii U.

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9 / 10.0
May 1, 2018

Tropical Freeze is pretty much as good as 2D platform games get.

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EGM
Top Critic
9 / 10.0
May 1, 2018

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze makes another strong case for the argument that Nintendo needs to port every single one of its Wii U games to the Switch. DK's latest adventure is one of the most clever, joyful platforming experiences I've had in a while, and it adds just enough newness to the series to keep the formula engaging without going overboard. There might not be enough (or anything) to convince Wii U owners to play it again, but long-lost Nintendo fans who came back for the Switch have another must-play game to add to their growing libraries.

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4.5 / 5.0
May 9, 2018

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze was already a strong title on the Wii U, and the Switch version simply makes it even better. Those that may have been turned off by the difficulty before can now feel free to jump in with Funky Mode, and the improvement to loading screens really does make a difference. It's yet another strong checkmark on the list of growing titles Switch owner need to have.

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