Donkey Kong Country Returns HD Review

The Donkey Kong Country games on the Super Nintendo are three of the finest 2D platformers ever made, and so when Retro Studios decided to take a crack at the series on the Wii back in 2010, it had an incredibly high bar to reach. Retro, having already proved itself with the Metroid Prime games, managed to create a new Donkey Kong Country adventure that not only lived up to the originals, but arguably exceeded them. Donkey Kong Country Returns HD brings Retro's 2D platformer classic to the Nintendo Switch, but with a fresh coat of paint. Those expecting Donkey Kong Country Returns HD to provide substantial new content will walk away disappointed, but that doesn't mean it's completely without upgrades.

The main difference between Donkey Kong Country Returns HD and other versions of the game is its HD visuals. Donkey Kong Country Returns has never looked better, with more vibrant colors and more defined character models. Donkey Kong Country Returns HD looks great on the Switch, but whether a visual upgrade is worth $60 is up for debate.

Those who only played Donkey Kong Country Returns on the Wii when it was originally released in 2010 may still consider picking up the new version of the game. Not only does Donkey Kong Country Returns HD feature improved graphics, but it also brings over the added content featured in the 3DS version, Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D. This includes Modern Mode (known as New Mode on the 3DS), which somewhat alleviates the game's extreme difficulty. With Modern Mode enabled, Donkey Kong and Diddy have three hearts each, access to more items, and can purchase additional tools from Cranky Kong's shop. Modern Mode makes Donkey Kong Country Returns HD less frustrating without sapping out the challenge. Rest assured that even in Modern Mode, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD doesn't pull its punches, and players will likely see the Game Over screen many times on their journey.

Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is Brutally Difficult, But That's a Good Thing

Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is relentless from the jump, with highly challenging levels filled with deadly enemies and bottomless pits that will test even the most seasoned platforming veterans. This ensures that there is never a dull moment in Donkey Kong Country Returns HD and high stakes in nearly every level. The challenge keeps players on the edge of their seats from start to finish and is, honestly, a big part of what makes the game so fun. Conquering its trickiest stages is incredibly rewarding, even in Modern Mode. Those that want an even stiffer challenge can play Donkey Kong Country Returns HD as it was originally intended on the Wii, though I assure you that it's still plenty hard with Modern Mode enabled.

An easier difficulty setting isn't the only thing Donkey Kong Country Returns HD carries over from the 3DS version. Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D featured eight brand-new levels and those are in this Switch version as well.

Another benefit Donkey Kong Country Returns HD has over the Wii version is how it handles motion controls. The original Donkey Kong Country Returns on Wii had forced motion controls, which was a controversial choice at the time. Donkey Kong Country Returns HD makes the motion controls optional, so those who want something similar to the original experience can have it, while those who prefer simple button presses can do that instead. With its multiple control schemes and difficulty levels, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD lets players tailor the experience to their liking in ways that weren't possible in the 2010 Wii version.

Otherwise, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD provides an experience that is identical to previous versions of the game. That's to say, it's still one of the absolute best 2D platformers ever made, with immaculate stages, a catchy soundtrack, and a ton of variety with a fantastic local co-op mode as the cherry on top. Donkey Kong Country Returns evolved the DKC co-op experience by letting both players actively control their Kong at the same time. Donkey Kong Country Returns co-op was a blast in 2010, and it's still a ton of fun in 2025, though there are times when the camera can cause headaches in co-op.

Donkey Kong Country Returns HD Isn't Quite a Perfect Remaster

Occasional camera issues can cause unfair deaths, though players can take steps to mitigate those problems by making sure they always stick close to their co-op partner. Dying by lag, meanwhile, is something that is unfortunately unavoidable. There were a few times during my playthrough of Donkey Kong Country Returns HD where the game would suddenly lag without warning and seemingly at random. Going through the same sections again didn't cause the lag to return, making it unclear exactly what caused the issue, but every time it did happen, it led to catastrophe. In such a challenging game where every life counts, performance issues like this can be devastating. The good news is that the lag is rare enough not to be a major concern, though it's unfortunate that it exists in the first place.

Donkey Kong Country Returns HD took about 10 hours to beat in my initial playthrough, but there were still a ton of collectibles to hunt down.

Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is otherwise pretty solid performance-wise, but the load times between levels can be long. They're not outrageous by any means, but they're long enough to be noticeable, especially in a day and age where many games have managed to eliminate load times entirely.

Even with these problems and judged in a vacuum, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a masterpiece 2D platformer. Charging $60 for what is essentially a better-looking take on the 3DS version of a game that is 15 years old, however, won't sit right with everyone. Those who played Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D on 3DS may want to wait for a sale, but those who have never played the 3DS version or have never played DKCR at all will get a ton of value out of the game. If nothing else, it's nice to have all the Donkey Kong Country games on Switch, with the release of Donkey Kong Country Returns HD giving fans the chance to experience everything the DKC series has to offer on a single platform.