Summary
- Donkey Kong Country Returns HD file size is 8.3 GB.
- The game releases on January 16 for Nintendo Switch, offering classic gameplay with graphical upgrades.
With just a few days before launch, players can determine how much space they'll need to allocate to download Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, which comes in at about 8.3 gigabytes. The file size is down from the original size of about 9GB and includes the base game content from the Wii and bonus levels from the 3DS version of the game, which is also featured in Donkey Kong Country Returns HD.
Donkey Kong Country is one of Nintendo's flagship platformer franchises, spawning as a Super Nintendo platformer that quickly became a fan-favorite thanks to its level design, iconic cast of characters, and soundtrack. Originally coming from Banjo-Kazooie developer Rare, the series was a staple of the SNES in the early 1990s and received multiple follow-ups on future consoles.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD Misses the Opportunity to Revive a Fun Tropical Freeze Mode
Although Donkey Kong Country Returns HD will be its definitive version, it missed the chance to bring a beloved Tropical Freeze feature back.
One of the series' most popular entries, Donkey Kong Country Returns, is getting a remaster now on the Nintendo Switch, with its updated file size coming in at around 8.3 gigabytes compared to the original 9GB. This puts it just under two gigabytes bigger than the previous mainline game in the series, the Wii U title Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, which also received a Switch port eventually.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD File Size
- 8.3GB
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD releases on the Nintendo Switch on January 16, including extra levels from the game's Nintendo 3DS version alongside graphical upgrades. The game plays much like previous Donkey Kong Country games, putting players in control of the titular ape and his monkey companion Diddy Kong as they explore a whimsical tropical world across various platforming levels.
Despite the series' popularity with fans, there has not been a new mainline Donkey Kong Country game in over a decade, with the previous entry, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, first launching on the Wii U in 2014. That game also received an HD port on the Nintendo Switch later on, which saw similar upgrades, but did not spawn any fully new entries for the series, which has continued to focus on remasters.
Still, Nintendo's fan-favorite tropical gorilla has had plenty of appearances in other franchises since, continuing his tradition as a Super Smash Bros. Fighter and appearing as a playable character in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Most recently, he also showed up in Super Mario Party Jamboree as one of a variety of playable characters on the game's roster of favorites from the Super Mario franchise.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 77 /100 Critics Rec: 71%
- Released
- January 16, 2025
- ESRB
- E for Everyone - Mild fantasy violence
- Developer(s)
- Forever Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
WHERE TO PLAY
Help Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong recover their precious banana hoard from the villainous Tiki Tak Tribe! Stomp enemies, blast through barrels, and ride rockets and mine carts (and even Rambi the rhino) in 80 levels across nine worlds.
Play the game as it was first designed for the Wii™ system, or reduce the difficulty for extra hearts and other goodies to make your journey a little easier. This barrel-blasting adventure is visually enhanced in HD for the Nintendo Switch™ system and includes the extra levels from the Nintendo 3DS™ version!
Team up with a friend and take on the whole game as Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong
Pass a Joy-Con™ controller to a buddy and take on the Tiki Tak Tribe as DK and Diddy in two-player local play. Pelt foes with Diddy’s Peanut Popgun and hover using his Barrel Jet, and slam bad guys into submission with DK’s Ground Pound—or just Barrel Roll right through them. Work together to reclaim those bananas by the bunch!
- Multiplayer
- Local Co-Op, Online Co-Op
- Franchise
- Donkey Kong Country
- Number of Players
- 1-2
- Nintendo Switch Release Date
- January 16, 2025
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch
- Genre(s)
- Platformer
- How Long To Beat
- 11.5 hours
