Donkey Kong Country Returns Gets a Bit Easier on Switch but Remains Hard

For a game about collecting bananas and tossing barrels, Donkey Kong Country Returns is surprisingly original. First released for the Wii in 2010, the game builds on the classic SNES side-scroller, constantly injecting new ideas into it to create an experience that’s at times both thrilling and exciting. You’ll be challenged to do everything from rocketing through caverns filled with bats to dodging the tentacles of a giant squid. It’s a game that’s notoriously difficult. But the new port for the Switch makes it a little easier to enjoy all that excitement without getting too frustrated.

It’s titled Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, and it’s essentially the original game as the title suggests, but with sharper graphics. Essentially, there aren’t many differences; the premise of an evil mask turning hordes of animals against Kong remains the same, as do the levels to explore. As a nice bonus, though, this port includes levels that were previously only available in the 3DS version of the game.

Like the 3DS version, the Switch game offers two game modes. One called “Original” is exactly what it sounds like: a direct port of the Wii game. The other is called “Modern Mode.” The difficulty doesn’t change much, but you get a wider selection of helpful boosts, you can carry nine items at a time, and you get an extra heart by default. There’s also a recurring feature called “Super Guide.” This option appears after you die a few times, and lets you watch a playthrough of the level to see what you did wrong. You can also skip entire levels, so you can skip the one you’re having trouble with and come back to it later.

That’s important, because, as they said, this game is hard. There are perilous jumps, scenes where you have to launch yourself out of a barrel at just the right time, and multi-stage boss battles that will test your patience. That’s unchanged here, but the game now gives you more ways to deal with frustration.

Donkey Kong Country Returns is worth it, because it’s a fun game. It might not have the wackiness or playfulness of Super Mario Bros. It’s strange, but that doesn’t make it any less creative. There are standard levels where you jump around and stomp on bad guys, but the best parts of Returns have an almost cinematic feel to them. There’s the dangerous mine cart level, where you have to react quickly as the world falls apart around you. There are levels where you slowly work your way towards a goal while avoiding destructive forces like the aforementioned squids and devastating waves. It has the feel of a high-stakes action movie, except you play, you know, a giant ape with a tie.

Although the Switch is getting closer to the end of its lifespan, ports of titles like Returns and the upcoming Xenoblade Chronicles X aren’t the worst thing you could do for a dying platform. Returns may be the game that pushes Donkey Kong Country’s sense of size and suspense the most, which distinguishes the series from other side-scrorollers. It’s just a bit more approachable now, but it still has the same bite.