Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Review
Developed by: Retro Studios
Published by: Nintendo
Available on: Switch, Wii U
Reviewed on: Switch
Review by: Joseph Yaden
Although Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is essentially a port of the Wii U version, fans were excited after the announcement that it would be releasing on Switch and for good reason; Developer Retro Studios knows exactly what they’re doing when it comes to making a Donkey Kong game. Tropical Freeze is beautiful, funny, and, above all else, a well-rounded platformer with a ton of variety. Sure, it’s easy to want to scoff at the abundant of re-releases on Switch, but most people missed this game when it came out back in 2014. It’s exciting that Nintendo is breathing new life into old Wii U games and judging by the sales figures, they made the right call by bringing Tropical Freeze to Switch.
Like the title suggests, the Kong’s tropical home has been frozen over by some pesky penguins that act as a catalyst for Donkey Kong to embark on his new adventure. Throughout this level-based platformer, you will explore beautiful areas as Donkey, with Diddy, Cranky, or Dixie Kong, at your side. Unfortunately, Donkey Kong is somewhat under-powered and due to his large character model, makes for a bigger target for enemies to hit. Because of this, the game makes it difficult to want to solely stick with Donkey. Playing single-player requires you to play as him, but the other aforementioned characters can be acquired within the levels as AI companions.
Each of them possesses unique skills that make it easier to get through the levels. For example, Cranky Kong has a cane that allows for bouncing off enemies or hazardous obstacles. Additionally, Dixie can hover with her propeller hair. Depending on your skill set, it’s a good idea to choose the AI companion carefully. It’s a shame that the main character is blatantly the worst one to use, but the blow is softened by a fantastic cast of supporting characters.
Speaking of characters, the Switch version introduces a new one: Funky Kong! Because of the feedback from the original Wii U release, Retro decided to include a character that makes the game slightly easier. In Funky Mode, players can go through the entire game as Funky Kong. He encompasses most of the abilities of the other characters and has five hearts instead of two. Funky can also use his surfboard to pass over hazardous obstacles without taking damage. The inclusion of a character that makes the game easier is a welcome feature. Tropical Freeze isn’t unfair, but Funky Mode acts as an “easy” difficulty for players who just want to run through the game.
The Donkey Kong Country series has always been known for its tight platforming, exploration, and almost ruthless difficulty that is perfectly represented in Tropical Freeze. Playing evokes a wide range of emotions, from satisfaction all the way to frustration. However, the game does a great job of preparing you for the challenges that await. A generous amount of hearts can be found within levels, as well as bananas that turn into hearts after a certain amount are collected. Despite the difficulty, it shouldn’t scare you away from playing.
Moreover, there are coins scattered throughout that act as a currency to buy items. These items tie the whole experience together and motivate the player to collect as many coins as possible. It’s great because some of the purchasable items are invaluable, like more lives, additional hearts, and even the ability to choose which AI partner to start a level with.
Tropical Freeze is a platformer, but there is more to it than just jumping. Attacking enemies is a main feature that is arguably just as important as platforming. Some enemies can be rolled into, while others can only be defeated with a jump on the head. The variety in enemies is what makes this exciting because it means you must always be on your toes. Not only are the enemies varied mechanically, but visually as well. A wide variety of anthropomorphic animals run the gamut, from owls, pigs, fish, penguins, and seals.
The diversity doesn’t just stop there, though. Tropical Freeze has some of the best boss design out of any platformer on the Switch. This throws the “hit the enemy three times” formula out the window and introduces longer, more methodical boss battles. Pattern recognition is a must, as well as having quick reflexes and patience. Sometimes, these fights can be a little too brutal, partly because of the lack of checkpoints in between phases. Thankfully, this is as hard as Tropical Freeze gets, but I’d still like to see a slight shift in difficulty to make it less frustrating.
Finding collectibles in Tropical Freeze is one the most rewarding aspects, largely because they are hidden so well. I couldn’t help but go out of my way to grab a bunch of bananas, balloons, or puzzle pieces, even if it put myself in danger. That’s a common theme with this game. The smart game design entices players to be thorough before moving on and that can’t be overstated. Maybe it’s because the game is so difficult that items seem more precious, making exploration feel essential. Whatever it is, Retro Studios has nailed it.
I was happy to explore because it meant I got to look at the beautiful levels Retro Studios created. The Wii U version was already beautiful, but on Switch, Tropical Freeze runs at 1080p and 60 FPS while docked, making it even more enjoyable to look at while playing. The vibrant color palette, the quirky animations, and compelling settings all play a part in how great this game is. My favorite moment, aesthetically, is during a dark underwater section, where the only visible vibrant color is Donkey Kong’s red tie. The contrast between the dark blue character model, lighter blue background, and red tie is visually captivating.
Just when I thought I was comfortable, Tropical Freeze threw more unexpected things at me. For one, the shift in camera angle that occurs during some of the more cinematic moments had me smiling from ear to ear. There’s a minecart section that changes from a side view to an overhead, Birdseye view. It lasts just long enough to be novel and not overbearing. Another noteworthy moment featured a level that entirely consists of flying on a rocket made from a barrel.
Rounding out the positive aesthetic experience is the catchy, fantastic soundtrack. The music was primarily composed by David Wise, someone who is no stranger to creating Donkey Kong music. Like the music from SNES Donkey Kong Country games, Wise was able to capture a mood of wonder and positivity, while staying upbeat and jazzy. A standout moment was when my co-op partner and I were simultaneously humming the theme because it was stuck in our heads.
Much of my time spent with Tropical Freeze was playing co-op with a friend, which are where the bulk of my gripes come from. The game supports local co-op where player one takes on the role of Donkey, and player two can be any of the other playable characters. A misstep is that there is no online co-op mode, unfortunately. Nintendo is all about couch multiplayer, but excluding online play seems like a clear oversight. Also, as I alluded to earlier, Donkey Kong isn’t great, so the second player always seemed to be carrying the team. This imbalance is noticeable, and it made me question the design of the developers. The biggest issue is that co-op is just flat-out harder than single player. Because of the speed of the game, it’s easy to lose track of your character, causing confusion and failure. Additionally, having another player means double the room for error. It’s odd because in most cases, having a partner makes things easier, but due to the design, that’s not the case here. The only instance where co-op is easier is during the boss fights, probably because of the static stages. Instead of just adding an additional playable character to make it cooperative, accounting for the speed and design of the base gameplay should be taken into consideration when designing the multiplayer mode. It doesn’t work well to just slap a “player 2” into the mix with no alterations.
A major question is whether this is worth picking up if you’ve already played the Wii U version. In short, probably not. Yes, the Funky Mode is a neat inclusion, and it is kind of cute to see Donkey Kong playing a Switch during his idle animation. Plus, the loading screens have been tremendously improved. Still, at the full $60.00 price point, double dipping is expensive. That isn’t to say Tropical Freeze isn’t worth the price, but if you own a Wii U, perhaps sticking with that one may be the best choice.
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is one of the best sidescrolling platformers on the system and is a must-play for players looking for a challenge, especially if you missed out on the initial release. Like many of the fantastic Wii U games, they didn’t sell well, so it’s nice to see this one get a second chance on Switch. There’s a ton of content and lots to do, making this well worth the purchase.
