Donkey Kong Country Returns for the Wii is one of the best 2D platformers of the past 20 years. It’s a hyperbolic statement I would typically avoid in a review, but revisiting the game on Switch and years of reflection have given me the confidence to commit. The Switch transition does have some downsides making it a somewhat underwhelming port of a fantastic game, but it doesn’t change the fact that Returns is a classic and I am glad I no longer have to break out a Wii Remote and Nunchuck or my 3DS to revisit it.
I am not here to necessarily re-review Donkey Kong Country Returns (we gave it a deserved 9.5 upon release), but it is worth calling out what makes it wonderful and that game fully exists here. Controlling Donkey Kong feels great and every level is meticulously designed with exciting moments and unique elements. The soundtrack, which primarily reimagines the music of the original SNES game, is incredible and nostalgic. The Country feels alive, full of color and energy, and your interaction with it feels tangible and meaningful.
Expanding your moveset by playing successfully and keeping Diddy Kong at your side is brilliantly implemented. When you lose him, it completely changes how you approach challenges, and when you get him back it is a worthwhile reward. I appreciate the focused nature of just having Donkey and Diddy Kong in Returns. The sequel, Tropical Freeze, is also a fantastic game, but it spreads itself a little thinner comparatively by having a larger suite of secondary characters. Since Diddy is your sole partner, each level is designed to make the best of his suite of abilities.
Returns is not for the faint of heart and remains challenging. One of the benefits of the Switch port is the option for a slightly easier version of the game. The platforming is not adjusted in any way, but you can choose to have more hearts, which especially helps with the difficult boss fights. I replayed the game on this mode and found it hit a good balance of remaining difficult without veering into the unfair.
This version of the game also allows you to not use motion controls. Everyone’s mileage on that mechanic varies. I enjoyed the tactility of shaking the remotes to make Donkey Kong pound the ground in the past, but there is an undeniable and welcome convenience to just being able to use buttons and keep your arms still.
This port comes up short in the visuals and performance. The game looks great in high-definition, but it doesn’t feel like quite enough in 2025, especially compared to the port of Tropical Freeze, a game that had stronger visuals even on Wii U. The framerate also hits some inconsistent stutters occasionally, which is especially noticeable in a precise platformer like this. It is never game-breaking. Rather, it is an occasional annoying distraction, but considering this is a port of a game from two console generations ago, the hiccups are surprising and disappointing.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a fantastic reminder that the franchise that began on the Super Nintendo in 1994 is a real competitor for Nintendo’s best 2D platforming series, an extremely competitive landscape. Retro took the baton in 2010 and nailed it and even though this version of the game isn’t necessarily Returns at its strongest, it is still an excellent way to recover all of Donkey Kong’s bananas – a worthwhile pursuit especially if you missed it in 2010.
This 2025 review reflects our thoughts on the game’s current state at publishing. As such, post-launch updates were factored into the final score.
