Donkey Kong Country Returns, Returns!

[KremlingKuthroat19]

I remember on the old archived DK Vine forum everyone saying "Nintendo would never give us the 3DS content" and we got it. So calling it a barebones port is frankly disingenuous when many of us didn't expect we'd get the 3DS content. The game does look gorgeous and Hyle does an excellent job putting this port in perspective in his recent article. This HD version frankly redeems Returns in my eyes. It was a case of not having a definitive version on either Wii or 3DS and that has finally been rectified with this Switch version.

I guess it depends on the individual, but I frankly detested the motion controls on the original. I couldn't beat Tiki Tong due to the split second reaction time it requires and via a mixture of unresponsive motion control that only work 80% of the time and the fact that shaking the Wii mote simply takes about a second longer to do than pressing the Y button to roll, so I just gave up on Tiki Tong, and I never owned a 3DS so I'm extremely happy with this port. All I wanted was the game in HD at 60 FPS with the 3DS content. That's exactly what I got. It's easy for people online to forget that not everyone owns every console and every game. I don't buy handhelds and I played the Wii version for the first time last year and got frustrated with the waggle so I'm glad to finally be able to experience the definitive edition.

Also, it's going to be interesting to see if there's a critical re-evaluation of Returns now. Hyle brought up a good point that I hadn't considered in his article. DKC is lauded for it's great graphical fidelity and Returns was frankly the only ugly DKC game. Now that it has an HD version, it can stand visually with the other 4 games on its own merits. It's kind of annoying how Returns is commonly accepted to be the "worst" DKC game, which is a bit ridiculous to me since I actually prefer this game to Tropical Freeze. It'll be interesting to see how new DK fans who have never played the series view Returns vs Tropical Freeze and how they stack up against the original trilogy. I plan on doing a playthrough of Tropical Freeze again right after I finish Returns to see how they stack up.

[Alph]

I remember on the old archived DK Vine forum everyone saying "Nintendo would never give us the 3DS content" and we got it. So calling it a barebones port is frankly disingenuous when many of us didn't expect we'd get the 3DS content.

That just shows how low our expectations were after the Tropical Freeze port. It's still not extra content compared to the last release of the game, it's just not a subtraction. Obviously I'm still happy we got it anyway.


Though thinking about it, I wouldn't be surprised if the only reason we got the 3DS levels is because they wanted the 3DS version's easier mode. Consider the fact that an easier mode was the only new addition to Tropical Freeze on Switch. It's obvious that the original versions of the Retro games were just too damn hard for the average player, so the easier mode was a must, which means it made more sense to port the 3DS version instead of the Wii version (even if that resulted in some graphical issues).

[johnbutler]

Also, it's going to be interesting to see if there's a critical re-evaluation of Returns now. Hyle brought up a good point that I hadn't considered in his article. DKC is lauded for it's great graphical fidelity and Returns was frankly the only ugly DKC game. Now that it has an HD version, it can stand visually with the other 4 games on its own merits. It's kind of annoying how Returns is commonly accepted to be the "worst" DKC game, which is a bit ridiculous to me since I actually prefer this game to Tropical Freeze. It'll be interesting to see how new DK fans who have never played the series view Returns vs Tropical Freeze and how they stack up against the original trilogy. I plan on doing a playthrough of Tropical Freeze again right after I finish Returns to see how they stack up.

While DKCR is certainly the least visually cohesive of the series, by no means is it an ugly game. I do hope however that this new port brings with it a new appreciation for the game. I think when Tropical Freeze came out, it was such an exceptional game that people saw it as almost a replacement for Returns, which I think is a very narrow minded way of looking at art.

[Kobble]

If anyone is curious about how this game is selling, according to Famitsu, it sold 107,093 physical copies in a week in Japan. From what I've read, that's 10K more than Tropical Freeze Switch sold in its first week. Not bad for a 15 year old Wii port.

I'd say that Nintendo's marketing and push of the brand is paying dividends, and will continue to do so in the future.

[Dante Kong]

So, with the game in people hands for about a week now, I want to ask- how would you all feel about Forever remaking more DK games? They've already remade mid-late 90s era games with House of the Dead and Panzer Dragoon, so something like DK 64 or even DKR are at the very least feasible. Not sure if Nitnendo would want to do these, but DKCR is probably gonna be one of Forevers most successful games so I can see them wanting more DK cash after getting a taste with Returns new success.

[AnthroKongogist]

So, with the game in people hands for about a week now, I want to ask- how would you all feel about Forever remaking more DK games? They've already remade mid-late 90s era games with House of the Dead and Panzer Dragoon, so something like DK 64 or even DKR are at the very least feasible. Not sure if Nitnendo would want to do these, but DKCR is probably gonna be one of Forevers most successful games so I can see them wanting more DK cash after getting a taste with Returns new success.

Something like this certainly wouldn’t be unheard of. That’s essentially what happened between Nintendo and Grezzo with Zelda. Didn’t buy Returns HD and don’t plan to, but it seems like they did what they could considering they were essentially porting the 3DS version of a Wii game (like the garlic port of a potato. Give them some time and resources and I’d love to see them remake the 64 era DK games, and maybe even other stuff like Jungle Beat or Barrel Blast, but I’d also love to see anybody do those things. Really I just want those games to be available, and hopefully at a more reasonable price point proportionate to how much the remake improves on the original on a technical level.

[Caravan of Noobs]

So, with the game in people hands for about a week now, I want to ask- how would you all feel about Forever remaking more DK games? They've already remade mid-late 90s era games with House of the Dead and Panzer Dragoon, so something like DK 64 or even DKR are at the very least feasible. Not sure if Nitnendo would want to do these, but DKCR is probably gonna be one of Forevers most successful games so I can see them wanting more DK cash after getting a taste with Returns new success.

Eh. I don’t think they’re the ones that should be relied upon. Their track record is spotty across the board and I keep hearing poor things from the fan bases that have gotten their games done by Forever Entertainment. I think it’s a surprised that they even got a chance to work on DK to begin with.

[Windows95]

Just got the survey from Nintendo about Donkey Kong, it asked a surprising amount of detail, such as;
- what the first 3 words are that come to mind when thinking about Donkey Kong (of course I filled out Kremlings, Rare, Dixie).
- what Donkey Kong games I played on what systems, it included all Countries, Lands, GB'94 box-art and all
- what games I played as Donkey Kong in a cameo role
- what type of levels I liked (minecart, rocket, etc.)
- what in my opinion are the main differences between Donkey Kong games and Super Mario games.

Don't know how much I should read into this, but it just gets my hopes up for a next DKC.

[TheLameNameJero]

Link??? This could actually be huge.

[Caravan of Noobs]

Just got the survey from Nintendo about Donkey Kong, it asked a surprising amount of detail, such as;
- what the first 3 words are that come to mind when thinking about Donkey Kong (of course I filled out Kremlings, Rare, Dixie).
- what Donkey Kong games I played on what systems, it included all Countries, Lands, GB'94 box-art and all
- what games I played as Donkey Kong in a cameo role
- what type of levels I liked (minecart, rocket, etc.)
- what in my opinion are the main differences between Donkey Kong games and Super Mario games.

Don't know how much I should read into this, but it just gets my hopes up for a next DKC.

Oh wow, you got one of those rare Nintendo surveys that actually pry you for franchise specific information. Besides those of the Playtest I haven't had the pleasure to do one of those. Last time I remember one of these being in circulation was surrounding the Mario RPG's. They don't send these to everybody though, it's not like Capcom who put out they're surveys publicly. Definitely showcases that DK's on Nintendo's mind but not a guarentee that they'll listen or if the random selection they picked are gonna respond in a way that'll appeal to the people of this community.

[TheLameNameJero]

In the Mario RPG survey, they mentioned a lot about Mario & Luigi that much and guess what happened next.

[Caravan of Noobs]

In the Mario RPG survey, they mentioned a lot about Mario & Luigi that much and guess what happened next.

That survey was released in April, that game was announced in June and released in November. The survey had nothing to do with it besides assure Nintendo has done the right choices with the triple release experiment.

[Windows95]

Link??? This could actually be huge.

The ID for the survey is dngbqybpld

https://feedback.nintendo-europe.com/dngbqybpld

[Caravan of Noobs]

The ID for the survey is dngbqybpld

https://feedback.nintendo-europe.com/dngbqybpld

I don't think that's how it works. These surveys aren't public.

[Windows95]

You'd need an invite code to actually enter it, but that is the survey ID I think.

Just remembered I took a few caps.

They are using DKCR design and showing an old DK sprite;



Very specific wording here for playing AS Donkey Kong;



Again, took a screencap just to be sure I wasn't dreaming this up;

[OrsonZedd]

Oh it's a europe thing.  Anyway I bitched and moaned on the DKC returns survey about how much The Aesthetics and Kremlings are important to DK.

[amanezco]

From Nintendo’s Fiscal earnings report: Donkey Kong Country Returns HD shipped 1.27m copies in two and a half months of sale

As I previously mentioned, when I was in Osaka in February, I saw a lot people buying the game. It was beautiful to see the promotion in all the stores and many people having the game in their hands. I think the port turned out well, in spite of many concerns we had during the development.

[Alph]

Man I love having this game on Switch, best way to play DKCR for sure. And it feels great having both of the Retro games together like this. They just look so good together...

[Kobble]

1.27M is good for a 15 year old port released for the third time, and at the end of a console's life.

[Galactic Specter]

From Nintendo’s Fiscal earnings report: Donkey Kong Country Returns HD shipped 1.27m copies in two and a half months of sale

As I previously mentioned, when I was in Osaka in February, I saw a lot people buying the game. It was beautiful to see the promotion in all the stores and many people having the game in their hands. I think the port turned out well, in spite of many concerns we had during the development.

This bodes well for Donkey Kong Bananza. I bet that game is going to break series' records in that region.

[amanezco]

Loading times in Returns HD have been shortened by approximately 7 seconds on Switch 2 😀

[Gus]

Loading times in Returns HD have been shortened by approximately 7 seconds on Switch 2 😀

Is that all the loading screens from when the game is opened all the way to entering a level, or is each individual loading screen shortened by about 7 seconds?

[amanezco]

It was the loading time of a level for restart of a time trial (digital copy of the game). Probably more tests should be performed to know the average loading level difference, but this info is good for showing that the loading times have indeed been shortened.

Jon on GVG did testing of restart of time trial and got only 3 seconds shorter loading time for a game on cartridge, a less significant difference.

[SwankyKlubba]

I'm glad the load times on Switch 2 have been reduced, but they still feel too long in my opinion. Maybe it's just the loading screen music, but transitions from map to stage feel kind of annoying compared to the Wii and 3DS versions of DKCR.

[StarvingGecko]

Found this interesting but didn't want to give it its own thread, channel Particular Mushroom exploring the intricacies of reversed (not mirrored) level design through the "GNOK Challenge" by going through Switch Returns levels normally and then backwards to see how much can be actually accomplished. Granted, the Modern Mode Green Balloons end up becoming relevant further in as well.