Donkey Kong Country Returns HD Review

Donkey Kong Country Returns HD arrives on Nintendo Switch just as the platform begins to enter its twilight years. Originally released on the Wii in 2010, this marks the third time Nintendo has sold this game, following its 3DS port in 2013. This game was created by Retro Studios, one of Nintendo's subsidiary studios, with the intention of making a statement.  

Returns, which entered the 2-D platforming genre, benefited from the distinctive polish that Retro Studios gave to all of its endeavors. The game now hopes to receive an HD makeover and reintroduce itself to a younger audience under the guidance of Fremder Entertainment and the Unity engine. And while it's not quite the definitive remaster some had hoped for, there's still a lot to appreciate in this barrel-blasting throwback. 

Donkey Kong Country Returns was Retro Studios' first non-Metroid game and their first attempt at reviving Nintendo's classic Donkey Kong Country formula. What emerged was a challenging side-scroller built on dense polygon models and a distinctive layered look, giving the illusion of 3D depth via parallax scrolling.  

All of this was achieved at a crisp 60 frames per second, an impressive feat on Wii hardware. The 3DS port, released in 2013 by Monster Games, dropped to 30fps and suffered a visual downgrade but introduced a new "New Mode" with quality-of-life improvements. Now, with Forever Entertainment's HD remaster on Switch, the goal seems to be to merge the best aspects of both past versions—but how well that effort succeeds depends on what you're looking for. 

The plot remains classic Donkey Kong fare: Donkey and Diddy Kong must reclaim their hoarded banana stash from the villainous Tiki Tak Tribe, who have hypnotized the island's wildlife. It's a thin setup, but that's expected for a platformer. The focus isn't on narrative but on how well the game presents its levels, ideas, and challenges. 

Gameplay is at the heart of Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, and thankfully, this aspect holds up. Over 80 levels across various environments—jungles, beaches, volcanoes, and more—present tight, precise platforming that demands attention and skill. Unlike more modern platformers like Super Mario Bros. 

Wonder or Astro Bot, which prioritize spectacle and accessibility, Returns is a more traditional, punishing affair. It leans heavily on timing and momentum, and success depends on mastering Donkey Kong's weighty jump, roll, and pound mechanics. 

The level design remains a high point. Each stage introduces a new mechanic or twist, such as platforms that crumble underfoot or enemies that must be bounced on in sequence. The game steadily builds on these concepts, pushing your skills to the limit.  

Hidden puzzle pieces and the elusive KONG letters provide plenty of reasons to replay stages, with clever secrets tucked behind destructible terrain or off-screen ledges. The rolling jump—allowing a leap after rolling off an edge—adds another layer of complexity, offering moments of thrilling improvisation when you nail a tricky move to grab a collectible or recover from a near-death moment. 

Combat is relatively light in Returns HD, primarily involving bouncing on enemies or using ground pounds to stun them. It works well enough, and the difficulty ramps up satisfyingly across the campaign. The inclusion of Diddy Kong, freed from barrels in-game, expands your abilities with a hover mechanic and extra hearts.  

It creates a satisfying balance of risk and reward—do you attempt that tricky sequence with just DK, or wait until you've got Diddy's help? One criticism that remains relevant in 2025 is that certain mechanics—specifically those in the minecart and rocket barrel levels—feel somewhat trial-and-error.  

These high-speed stages require memorization, and they can become frustrating due to their one-hit-kill nature. Tropical Freeze improved on this by adding vehicle-specific health bars, but here, frustration may set in when chasing collectibles or simply trying to survive. Modern Mode helps alleviate this with green balloons that can save you from falling and extra hearts, but it doesn't fully solve the issue. 

The lack of checkpoints in boss fights is another sticking point. These battles are visually interesting and mechanically varied, but dying during the final phase means having to repeat the entire fight. It breaks the momentum and feels outdated. You can still enjoy the encounters, but they might test your patience, especially in later worlds. 

Returns HD offers two main difficulty settings. Classic Mode sticks closely to the Wii version's original balance, while Modern Mode, based on the 3DS's New Mode, eases things considerably. With added hearts, more item slots, and shop inventory that includes safety nets like pit-recovery balloons, this mode opens the game up to less experienced platformer fans. 

Super Kong, a helpful NPC that auto-completes levels after losing several times, is a useful resource without being overly present. For anyone wanting to complete the game, this is a good addition. Overall, the visuals are good, but not great, for the HD remaster. While it doesn't match the visual polish of Tropical Freeze—especially noticeable in character models like DK's fur—it does benefit from upgraded textures, improved lighting, and sharper resolution.  

The Switch version runs at native 1080p resolution when docked and 720p when handheld, and textures hold up well under scrutiny. The fur shader is a nice touch, and environmental effects, such as water and sky textures, have received subtle yet appreciated enhancements. 

However, some issues do persist. Pre-release footage showed missing effects, and while many have been addressed, not all have been. The glow around KONG letters has been toned down, dust clouds from ground pounds look less dynamic, and the sunset background in certain stages is missing entirely.  

They're small things, but they chip away at the authenticity. The intro FMV, though, is beautifully redone—perhaps even from the original assets—and sets a strong first impression. Performance-wise, the game hits 60fps most of the time, which is commendable for a Unity engine project on Switch. That said, there are drops during boss fights and on some levels.  

These dips aren't game-breaking, but they're noticeable, particularly because the Wii original held steady. Ironically, a game on far more powerful hardware doesn't quite achieve the same consistency. There is a strange decline in loading times.  

Despite the Switch's more advanced technology, the game is nearly twice as long as the Wii version. Even if loading times aren't absurd, it's strange (and kind of depressing) that they are longer; it's a sudden error that definitely slows down the pace. 

Sound is the weakest link for Donkey Kong Country Returns HD. The soundtrack, composed by Kenji Yamamoto, features remixes of both older and new music; however, it lacks the rich atmosphere characteristic of David Wise's work from the Donkey Kong Country series. The console remixes don't evoke that nostalgia and ambiance, and much of the new original music is fairly forgettable. 

That is a real letdown for a game that is otherwise amazing, considering the series is known for its great music. With the lush, melodic, and memorable score in the previous title, Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze, Returns HD falls flat. 

That said, the sound effects—grunts, animal calls, and impact sounds—are punchy and effective. They help sell the weight of DK's movements and the general chaos of each level. Voice samples and ambient noise contribute to the atmosphere, even if the soundtrack doesn't quite carry its weight. 

The remaster's bare-bones nature becomes most apparent when compared to other re-releases, such as Metroid Prime Remastered. There's no behind-the-scenes content, no art gallery, no significant extras—it's simply the Wii/3DS content with visual polish. The lack of ambition is disappointing, especially since the game is being re-sold at a premium in a marketplace already crowded with standout platformers. 

Returns HD does introduce quality-of-life improvements worth mentioning. The removal of mandatory motion controls is a big win—now you can enjoy the game with traditional button input, something not possible on Wii.  

All the content from the 3DS version, including its extra levels, is here, now in full HD and with co-op play on a single screen. Multiplayer is present but flawed; the zoomed-in camera and level design clearly prioritize solo play. It's more of a fun diversion than a fully realized mode, and coordination with a second player can be tricky. 

Ultimately, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a game at odds with itself. As a remaster, it's competent—better than Forever Entertainment's prior efforts, certainly—but not exceptional. It lacks the polish and completeness expected from Nintendo's best re-releases, and when compared to its sequel, it feels like a less inspired experience overall. 

Still, if you missed Returns the first time around, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is the best version yet. The controls are intact, the performance is mostly smooth, and all previous content is included. It doesn't rewrite the past, but it does preserve it respectfully. It's just a shame that some of the original game's rough edges weren't smoothed out in the process. 

Tropical Freeze and Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair remain stronger recommendations, but Returns HD earns its place in the Switch library as a challenging, rewarding, and ultimately enjoyable platformer—just one that doesn't go the extra mile.