Donkey Kong Country Returns HD: Remake of a remake

Is Donkey Kong Country Returns HD a remake?

Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is basically the same game as Donkey Kong Country Returns, which came out in 2010 for the Wii, but with updated graphics. So that would make this game a remaster of Donkey Kong Country Returns, which is a remake of Donkey Kong Country. Still following? 

It’s nice to see the remaster get a much-needed visual refresh, since one of the big criticisms was how bland the colours looked. But after 10 years, we were really hoping for something more. It almost makes you forget how iconic the original Donkey Kong Country was.

The revolutionary visuals of Donkey Kong Country

After years of being an arcade classic, the Kong franchise really took off with Donkey Kong Country. Yes, it was a fun platformer, but what made the game stand out were the visuals. Donkey Kong Country was revolutionary in its use of 3D graphics in a 16-bit game. 

DK Country wasn’t the first to try out this technology. Others, like Virtua Racing and Nintendo’s own Star Fox, beat the developers to this. However, together with Rare, Nintendo managed to make a 16-bit 3D game that looked vibrant and also ran smoothly on the SNES. This set Donkey Kong Country apart from other 16-bit 3D games where lags were common, or extra add-ons were required.

With this 3D technology, Donkey Kong Country set an example for how 3D 16-bit games should be. It also reduced the demand for 32-bit game consoles, which were just coming out at this time. 

DKC: A record-breaking video game

Nintendo took a risk with Donkey Kong Country, not only visually, but also with its humour. The game wastes no time in showing you its playful edge. The title sequence shows Cranky Kong (who is supposed to be the Donkey Kong in the old arcade games) being shoved aside by the new, boombox-carrying Donkey Kong. But Cranky retaliates by blasting Donkey with an explosive. This turned Donkey Kong from a non-memorable ape to a goofy fan-favourite.

Nintendo’s risk paid off, as Donkey Kong Country broke the record for fastest-selling video game at the time, and remains one of the bestselling SNES games ever.

Will we get a new original Donkey Kong game?

Now, we have Donkey Kong Country Returns HD for the Switch. Don’t get us wrong, it’s nice and all, and it seems like the perfect fit for the Switch, but we just feel like DK deserves more. He’s one of Nintendo’s leading mascots, after all, and it's weird to think that such an iconic character didn’t get a new game in over a decade. 

This refresh could mean that Nintendo is still figuring out what to do with Donkey Kong, keeping DK fans busy with this remake in the meantime. It could also have something to do with the release of the new Nintendo Switch 2 console. Since Universal recently opened a Donkey Kong zone, it doesn’t seem like this banana-loving character is going anywhere. In the future, we’ll hopefully get some groundbreaking new DK games that feel true to the Kong brand.

Is Donkey Kong Country Returns HD worth it?

What made Donkey Kong Country so special is the risk Nintendo took and revolutionary gaming graphics it introduced because of that. Donkey Kong Country Returns HD of course won’t bring this to the table, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be a fun game! We loved Donkey Kong Country Returns and can’t wait to see the game come back to life, complete with HD colours and graphics.

Play Donkey Kong Country Returns HD now with the eShop Cards from Startselect

We definitely feel like jumping back into Donkey Kong Country after all that nostalgia. Want to take a swing at Donkey Kong Country Returns HD? Get the game right here at Startselect or top-up with an eShop Card and go bananas!

Donkey Kong Country Returns HD

£49.99

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Nintendo eShop Card £25

£25.00

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Nintendo eShop Card £50

£50.00

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Nintendo eShop Card £75

£75.00

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