Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D (3DS) Review

Just like I opened my review of Donkey Kong Country Returns with scepticism as to whether or not Retro Studios could do a decent job bringing my favourite platforming franchise back to the forefront of cultural relevance, I was also incredibly sceptical of just how interesting or useful the 3D enhanced port of Donkey Kong Country Returns would be. Despite my lack of interest, Nintendo managed to turn this around by announcing that the port would not only include new features, but also additional levels crafted specifically for this release. So, with some rather tempered excitement, I approach the 3DS port of Donkey Kong Country Returns with an open mind and hope that it lives up to all of my expectations.

Much like previous games, the storyline for Donkey Kong hasn’t really been the series forte. Donkey Kong’s most treasured horded banana pile has been stolen by the animals of the jungle – but there is an insidious twist. The animals themselves are not malevolent at all, and instead are controlled by a group of shamanistic creatures known only as the Tikis. Yes, the Kremlings from the original trilogy are still gone and likely won’t be coming back, though we admit if you were hoping this were to be changed with this port that you were setting yourself up for disappointment anyway.

It’s good to see that Donkey Kong Country Returns makes a great transition to the 3DS and plays extremely well following the transition as well. No longer do you have to waggle the controller to roll, instead you can just press a button while running. It works so much better this way and easily puts it above the Wii version in terms of gameplay. Additionally, “New” mode curbs the games difficulty considerably, providing items and tweaking balance to make the game approachable for people of all skill levels, which is to be commended. Seasoned veterans of the genre need not fret, as the original game and its infamous difficulty is still available too though the choice will have to be made before you begin your adventure and cannot be changed without choosing another file.

Progression still remains the same – Donkey and Diddy collect puzzle pieces to unlock artwork, find secrets to earn bananas and coins as well as collect letters making up the family name (KONG) to unlock extra levels throughout the adventure. Most levels are designed rather similarly, with each level revolving around a unique gimmick that encourages players to change up their approach as they progress. I use the word gimmick in a positive light, be sure of that, but it’s pretty safe to say that the level design in Donkey Kong Country Returns is some of the best level design we’ve ever seen in the genre. This may sound like hyperbole, especially considering the series esteemed pedigree, but looking at it objectively and trying not to factor in nostalgia, Returns is an overall more fun Donkey Kong Country game.

Donkey and Diddy both control very well and have a unique feel to each of them too, which is also great. Donkey has weight to all his actions and is a little bit harder to manoeuvre properly, while Diddy Kong grants Donkey a hover jump that is integral to surviving some of the game’s more difficult situations. Diddy definitely makes the game a lot more bearable to play, and much more approachable to newcomers who aren’t quite able to get acclimated to the game’s physics, so utilising him in a way like this rather than a lifeless follower (like in previous games) is something to be praised.

I don’t outright hate the original trilogy of Donkey Kong Country games either – and it’s because of my love for the franchise that I am thrilled to see so many other hallmark elements of the original games sneaking their way into Returns – Cranky Kong returns to sell items, including keys to new levels. Rambi The Rhino assists in some levels, as does Squawks The Parrot who is able to find secrets and treasures for the player. Every level is filled with secrets and bonus rooms with mini-games too. All of the components are here.

But it’s one of the biggest selling points of the 3D package that probably has everyone talking – just how do these new Monster Games (the developer behind this port) designed levels stack up against the rest of the game? Surprisingly well, actually. These aren’t levels that are scrounged together from scraps and subjected to a half assed renewal – no, they are incredibly well paced, filled with spectacle and amazing moments of a great scale, and they all introduce their own unique gimmicks or components that aren’t found in previous levels. In short, they are incredibly well designed, well-paced, look great, have an appropriate scaling of difficulty (there is one for each world) and don’t stick out like a sore thumb. In fact, these levels are so good, that I would have absolutely no quarrels with Monster Games handling an all new sequel to Donkey Kong Country Returns – yes, they’re that good.

Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D brings everything from the Wii version of the game and adds even more to create an incredibly long lasting package for buyers. You can expect eight worlds, each with at least five levels and a boss. Add to this a whole new world with eight new stages, as well as a “mirror” mode that flips everything around, and you’ve got a whole lot of stuff to do before you can call it quits. Co-operative play is also included, but it is unfortunately local wireless only. Still, playing co-operatively alters the dynamic of the game quite a bit, and whoever plays Donkey has the opportunity to carry Diddy around to navigate tougher areas that a friend might not be able to navigate by themselves. It’s a great implementation of co-operative play. The overall game could easily last players upward of ten hours or even more if they wanted to complete absolutely everything.

The presentation is still top notch though the game has had to take a little bit of a hit visually in order to properly play on the 3DS. The game now runs in 30fps, which is a little bit jarring at first but most players will adjust pretty quickly. The 3D effect works really well here, separating the different layers of the level as Donkey and Diddy blast through them. There is some considerably ghosting / cross-talk in some areas of the game, however (the worst offender being Cranky’s Shop). Expect to see some of the most visually compelling levels in a platformer though – stormy beaches with waves crashing on the shore, collapsing ruins and dilapidated mines are just some of the environments that players can explore in Donkey Kong Country Returns. Enemy designs are nice but lack the personality of the Kremlins in previous games.

The soundtrack is similarly a great mix of new tunes and some very familiar tunes from previous games but remixed. The remixes are great at evoking certain nostalgic feelings, but the newer tunes takes a more tribal feel to them to better fit in with the theme of the new enemy, the Tiki Tribe. Sound effects and ambient noises are great too. It would be hard for a game like Returns to live up to the older games, in terms of graphical presentation and atmosphere, and it admittedly doesn’t. But it more than makes up for that with game design and playability.

Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D is a port of a game that was already pretty fantastic, except that it adds even more content, makes it more accessible to newer players with “New” mode without sacrificing the design choices that will bring in other, more experienced players as well as being completely portable. It is easily trumped by the other Donkey Kong Country games in terms of musical score and atmosphere, however in terms of pure playability, level design and game pacing, Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D is easily one of the best games in the series. Well worth a look if you missed it on the Wii or didn’t enjoy it on the Wii, as between the difficulty changes and the ability to use buttons instead of waggle, things only got better. A must have.