![]() They can be harsh, yes, but Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze is a game to be savoured. It's a neat way to sidestep the brutality that Tropical Freeze presents, and worth having on tap for when frustration mounts, though by large I'd recommend against it, given how it compromises the exquisite design of Retro Studios' levels. The big addition here is a playable Funky Kong, complete with a moveset that makes a mockery of the challenge the later levels pose there's a double jump, invulnerability to spikes and the ability to float slowly to safety once mid-air. It certainly sparkles a little brighter than the Wii U version - DigitalFoundry has the full breakdown, and essentially you're looking at a bump up from 720p to 1080p when docked - and, for a game that's renowned for its difficulty, is a little more accessible too. ![]() Maybe this Switch port is the time for it to really shine. It's a more elegant solution to Tropical Freeze's difficulty than the newly playable Funky Kong himself. A trip to Funky Kong's shop will allow you to purchase several booster items such as extra hearts or the ability to swim for an unlimited time underwater. A small shame, really - for my money, Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze is a rival for the original Metroid Prime as an example of Retro Studios' very best work. Rare's original SNES trio were fine games - and fine looking, of course, thanks to the ACM technique responsible for their unique look - but they never really displayed the same level of craft and ingenuity as the very best of Nintendo's output of the time.Ĭouple that with the sense of disappointment that developer Retro Studios was taken away from the beloved Metroid Prime series for this most unlikely of reboots back in 2010 - and the subsequent dismay that Retro Studios would also make what looked like a copy and paste sequel in 2014 - and it's no wonder that it all went a little unloved. The Wii U's paltry install base meant it was never going to get a rousing reception, regardless of its quality, and there's always been a slight stigma around the Donkey Kong Country series. Some of that apathy is understandable, admittedly. I've often found it hard to fathom exactly why his character doesn't have quite the same appeal - it's a gorilla in a necktie, for heaven's sake! - but the apathy has snowballed over the years, so that when Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze came out some four years ago on the Wii U it was met in some quarters with little more than a shrug. Despite having helped make Nintendo a key player in the world of video games in the 1981 arcade title bearing his own name, he's always been cast in Mario's shadow. Retro Studios displays mastery of the 2D platformer in this exquisite sequel. ![]()
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