Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze - Nintendo Switch

This is a great platformer. I loved DK growing up but I was nervous about this one. I heard funky mode was going to be a little disappointing but I think it's awesome. Funky mode is easier however it's great when I'm in public or have company because being distracted won't effect me too much. Plus nobody can see me getting frustrated like I do without funky mode. Haha. I also love funky mode for the kiddos. This game will definitely go on to be one of the most beloved switch games of all. It's gorgeous and fluid. If you want to know if it's better in handheld or docked I can't give you a answer. I think it's awesome both ways. It's so fun that even failure can be enjoyable and funny. It reminds me of being a kid and rolling on the floor laughing with my sister when we'd crash on some 64 games. I honestly can't thank Nintendo or Best buy enough for this. When I was a kid I pretty much lived in a children's hospital, having surgery after surgery. Games like this made that time in my life memorable and fun. I'm about to go through more surgeries and I know this game will make the experience so much more enjoyable. I plan to buy some of these with systems for kids that will be hospitalized during the holidays. If you know a disabled or sick child please buy this for them. They will cherish it forever. I still have the games and handheld system my mom bought me because it honestly made a dark time in my life bright again.

I finally picked up a copy of DKC: Tropical Freeze after enough friends who played the Wii U version convinced me to give it another try. I will say Retro Studios, the developer, continues to do an excellent job at making everything in the game worlds feel connected—there is basically never a random floating platform; everything is connected to something, and that can make it easier to figure out what will do what. On the other hand, some of the things I was able to pick up on, as someone more experienced with Donkey Kong Country games, and 2D platformers in general, were not as obvious to less experienced games I tried to play with in co-op mode. I do know the Switch version has the new “Funky Mode”, which is essentially an easy mode that lets you bypass a lot of challenges in levels, but 1) I feel like removing the challenge takes a lot of the fun out for me, personally, and 2) that doesn't help with things like people forgetting you need to hold ZL/ZR while you're grabbing a vine. If you are less experienced with 2D platformers, it may make sense to go with something like New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe; if you already enjoy 2D platformers, or Donkey Kong Country in particular, then this is an excellent entry in the series that improves on 2010's Donkey Kong Country Returns in pretty much every way.

This game gives you 13 hours of great gameplay that is just as great as it was on the Wii U before. If you are new to Tropical Freeze and enjoyed Donkey Kong Country Returns you will be in for a treat. Freeze throws additional playable characters, and amazing graphics and level design at your eyeballs and is a whole lot of fun. The switch release includes a new "Funky Mode" that makes things a little easier but it isn't a get through the level free card. It simply gives you a few extra chances to correct mistakes. Playing as Funky Kong enables easier jumping and adds forgiving feathering to your falls. His surfboard also makes him invincible to spike damage for a short bit. Also you get an extra heart for each level. Tight controls are similar to the original version. I recommend playing with the pro controller as it can be difficult picking up items and enemies with the small trigger buttons in handheld mode or with the tiny joy cons for bigger hands. Pick up Tropical Freeze if you want unrelenting classic Donkey Kong platforming action and want to experience it on the Switch by yourself or with a friend! Highly recommended.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is, without a doubt, one of the finest 2D platformers available on an eighth generation console, and arguably the greatest available on the Nintendo Switch. While Tropical Freeze certainly held its own on the Wii U, the Switch port served to enhance an already wonderful experience. With enhanced graphics and more crisp, robust sound, Donkey Kong Country has never looked any better. After the incredible success of Donkey Kong Country Returns, Retro Studios has done it again, taking the series back to its roots and making it even greater. Tropical Freeze's controls are super-tight and it's characters move with unparalleled fluidity, creating a truly astounding platforming experience. The fantastic level designs put forth by Retro Studios never fail to impress, creating unique and memorable stages unseen since Donkey Kong Country's early days. To top off this beautifully crafted retro experience, the soundtrack of David Wise is a delight to the ears, evoking Wise's earlier works on the Donkey Kong Country titles for the Super Nintendo and creating a sublime, tropical ambiance that suits the game perfectly.

I usually don't play many platformers; they just aren't usually my game of choice. However, Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze is excellent. Each level is gorgeously designed and the music is even better. I'd likely buy the soundtrack if I could. One thing that really stood out to me was that everything in the levels felt like they had a reason to be there. There were no random platforms that were floating just to give Donkey Kong a place to jump. With that said, this is also a tough game. I played on the original mode, foregoing the Funky Kong easier mode for a future playthrough. There were so many moments that the game could've made me incredibly frustrated as I lost another life, but everything felt so fair that I instead loved every minute. I beat the final boss last night, but am still less than 70% through the game. There's still so much, probably some of the hardest sections, that I still have yet to play. The Switch makes this even easier, since I can play in short spurts. If you're like me and did not play this on the Wii U, do yourself a favor here and get this game.

The DKC trilogy on Super Nintendo were among my favorite games growing up. Tropical Freeze is...a different experience. The controls to this game feel floaty and not as tight and on point as some of the great SNES platformers of yore, which appeals to many but not me (for the record, I consider Super Mario World to be the greatest platformer of all time due to its wonderful control scheme, with Donkey Kong Country 2 a very close second). However, the level design, soundtrack (by the great David Wise!), and visuals are all sublime. The boss fights are more challenging and more entertaining that DKC 1 and 3, and likely surpass 2 in my eyes, as well. The only other complaint I have is the generic bonus rooms. These are worse than the original DKC trilogy and truly feel uninspired. Hopefully Retro will get a chance to right these wrongs in a potential sequel.

If you haven't played this yet on the Wii U, then this game is absolutely worth your time. If you love 2D platformers like I do, then this is a must play. Retro Studios did an amazing job of level design on this game, with everything in the environment having a justification for being there. There are no floating platforms in this game that don't have a reason for being there. Additionally, the soundtrack is wonderful, made by infamous composer David Wise. It's also very challenging in its original mode and as such, its extremely rewarding when you overcome a hard moment. For those looking for a bit of an easier time, they do have the new Funky Mode option to smooth out the difficulty. I would suggest, however, playing the original mode first since that's how this game was intended to be played. Get this game!

Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze is truly one of the best modern platformers out there. Though it may not feel exactly like the Donkey Kong Country series that we grew up with during the SNES era, it still has the quality Nintendo charm and it's another great game made by Retro Studios. This sequel to DKC Returns on the Wii not only includes excellently designed levels, but it also allows you to play Dixie Kong and the formerly unplayable characters in the series Cranky and Funky Kong. If you have never played this game and love platformers, get this game! If you've already owned this game on the Wii U, there's not much to offer that justifies the $60 price tag unless you really love this game and you MUST have it on the go.