Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Reviews
Building on the success of its forebears, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze look great, features some excellent boss battles, lots of well designed, challenging levels, and enough secrets to keep you coming back for more.
Though it fails to innovate in an engaging way, the base on which Tropical Freeze is built is solid as a glacier.
Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze is a master class in the art form of 2D platformers, but it's way too difficult for its own good and this makes the inherent flaws and limitations of the genre all the more obvious. Tropical Freeze is probably the best side-scrolling platformer we'll ever see from a technical standpoint. Now it's time for Nintendo to stop making them for a while and actually do something new.
[I]t's a great game – exactly what we expect from Nintendo. But in a way, that's also its problem: anyone with a Wii U would be a fool not to buy it, but so few people have committed to the Wii U, and in order to rectify that, Nintendo needs to woo the unconverted with all-new gaming experiences. And the gaming experience that Tropical Freeze provides may be rich, enjoyable, challenging and frequently hilarious, but it isn't anything conspicuously new.
Another high-quality first-party title for the Wii U.
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is a fantastic platformer for new players on the Switch but doesn't offer much for returning fans.
However, each level of atmosphere conveyed by the visuals would be nothing if it weren't for an equally atmospheric soundtrack, and Tropical Freeze certainly delivers on that front. David Wise, the ex-Rare composer who worked on the original Donkey Kong Country trilogy, has returned for Tropical Freeze, after missing out Returns, and his influence is an incredibly welcome one. While fans of the original trilogy will recognise the odd leitmotif here and there, these new compositions are fantastic. The Lion-King inspired savannah themes, and the chilled underwater tracks are certainly the highlights of the game.
The Switch version is better simply by being portable. It's the same great game with a few added extras and the benefit of portability. If you own a Switch, you should grab Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze. Even if you've played it on Wii U.
Tropical Freeze is still a Jump & Run highlight, that will now also attract younger players due to its Easy-Mode.
Review in German | Read full review
Platform gaming fans would be silly to pass this one over; however, the rest of you may want to "proceed with caution" as although it is a very good game, it is far from being an easy one to master.
An adventurous romp of the chest-thumping variety. Perfect for perfectionists / masochists or those wanting a hearty dose of nostalgia, but lacking in that extra something that makes it feel completely fresh.
There are so many great games I missed on the Wii U, since it's the only Nintendo console I didn't own. Thankfully, Nintendo seems aware that a lot of people missed these titles, and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is a shining example of classic platforming with just the right amount of frustrating challenge. It took me right back to the SNES days and Rare's iconic DKC games, and that's no small feat. Tropical Freeze is an absolute joy to play most of the time, and I'm glad that it's seeing new life on the Switch.
Tropical Freeze is better than it has ever been on Switch. It still packs lot of fun and good old platforming challenges, but it fails to surprise the player with new ideas or interesting twists.
Review in Italian | Read full review
A real blast to play, and a worthy addition to a beloved series. It has some minor flaws but the general experience is very positive. There's a ton to do and explore, and you get to listen to some great tunes while you do it. Definitely a solid addition to the Switch's library
Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze is a must buy on Switch even more than it was on Wii U, thanks to smoother gameplay, flashier graphics and a fun new mode, that will allow everybody to enjoy this gem of a platformer. Let's hope Nintendo will bring some more Wii U masterpieces on its new console.
Review in Italian | Read full review
It really is more fun with two.
Tropical Freeze is hard. Even when it is hard it is adorable. The difficulty escalates at a steady pace, and never spikes dramatically, which is what a game's difficulty should do. Every aspect of the action, from the standard platforming to the periodic undersea investigations to the exploits involving mine cars and rocket ships, fits smoothly into the game's world. And best of all is our itinerant rhino friend, always ready to bear up to two gorillas aloft and bulldoze its way to the end of the level.
I don't think it's overstating it that players should definitely go bananas over the Switch version of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze.
The new funky Mode dials down the challenge, but Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze remains one of the most inventive and exciting 2D platformers. It may not be surprising, or as fresh as it once was, but it's varied and challenging gameplay cement it as one of modern gaming's best platformers.
The fifth entry in the Donkey Kong Country franchise, Tropical Freeze may not contain many surprises, but its an expertly-crafted game with an excess of personality.