Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is an enhanced Nintendo Switch port of the Wii game Donkey Kong Country Returns, released worldwide on January 16, 2025. First announced during the June 2024 Nintendo Direct, it is the second reissue of Donkey Kong Country Returns, following the Nintendo 3DS port, Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D, released in 2013. The game features visually remastered and updated graphics compared to the Wii and 3DS versions (greatly resembling Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze) as well as all of the new content from the 3DS version, including the New Mode and the Cloud levels. It is the second reissue in the Donkey Kong Country series to be released for the Nintendo Switch, following the port of the Wii U game Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, and the seventh reissue in the series overall. It was the last Super Mario-related title released for the Nintendo Switch prior to the release of the Nintendo Switch 2, and was released on the same day as the latter console was officially revealed.
A demo of the game was released on the Nintendo eShop on February 5, 2025.
Differences from the 3DS version[]
Gameplay changes[]
- New Mode has been renamed to Modern Mode, and the player can now hold up to nine items in one level instead of three.
- Motion controls return from the Wii version, though they are now optional, while the controls have been altered and the alternate movement control scheme has been removed.
Graphical changes[]
- As the title indicates, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is rendered in Wp, rather than the Wp of previous versions.
- The game runs at 60 FPS, as with the Wii version.
- Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong have more detailed in-game models based on their equivalents from Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze.
- The counters for collectibles such as Bananas use a new font.
- The game uses the redesigned logo for the Donkey Kong Franchise, first seen with the Nintendo Switch remake of Mario Vs Donkey Kong.
- The statue of Donkey Kong's original 8-bit appearance in Wonky Waterway is now seen holding a red Joy-Con, replacing the Wii Remote from the Wii and Nintendo 3DS versions.
- Donkey Kong now pulls out and plays a Nintendo Switch in his idle animation, replacing the Nintendo DS Lite from the original game and matching the animation seen in the Nintendo Switch version of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Miscellaneous[]
- The game was developed with the Unity game engine, unlike the original game and its Nintendo 3DS port.
- The box art no longer shows the Tiki Tong Tower due to the smaller width of the Nintendo Switch keep case.
- Tutorial Pig is referred to by his current name in the Image gallery's instead of "tutorial pig".
- The individual names of the original Retro Studios developers are no longer listed in the credits; this version was developed by Forever Entertainment
- The credits also scroll as opposed to being a series of screens, with the accompanying images fading in from the sides of the credits.
Controls[]
The game can be played while the Switch is in handheld mode, with the Joy-Con separate from the console, either the left or right Joy-Con on their own and held horizontally, or the Pro Controller.
Like the Switch version of Tropical Freeze, the Joy-Con, whether together or separate, have an additional, equippable control input where motion controls can be used for the Kong Roll, Ground Pound, and Blow abilities, similar to the Wii Remote controls in the original Wii game and the Wii U version of Tropical Freeze.