Donkey Kong Country Returns HD will be sold at full price

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The latest Nintendo Direct surprised fans with an avalanche of new reveals, including a handful of highly anticipated remakes, remasters, and re-releases. Among these announcements, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD particularly attracted attention…and incomprehension. Why a remake of this game, why do we see almost no difference, why is this reference series of the genre absent?

Already, Nintendo has collaborated with Forever Entertainment SA to produce Donkey Kong Country Returns HD on Nintendo Switch. Forever Entertainment SA is a developer that has already released a number of games on the hyrbid console and is best known for its work on Panzer Dragoon: Remake, Front Mission 2: Remake, and THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD: Remake. From the game which all left a feeling of… “molted”

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Retro Studios, very busy with the development of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, could not devote himself to this remake. However, Nintendo's past financial support of Forever Entertainment appears to have facilitated this development partnership. The question remains whether Forever Entertainment is up to the task of porting such a beloved Wii game. The answer will come on January 16, 2025, the release date of Donkey Kong Country Returns HD.

Today, we learned that the game will be sold at full price. When Metroid Prime Remastered was launched, Nintendo set its price at €40. Nintendo fans were hoping that this price would be the same for the various HD remasters and re-releases, but Nintendo had another idea. Luigi's Mansion 2 HD will be launched in a few hours, at a high price (around €60). Those who hoped that the situation would be different with Donkey Kong Country Returns HD will be disappointed, because Nintendo has just revealed a price of €60 for this title as well.

What is Donkey Kong Country Returns HD offers more than the original Wii version? You can play the game as it was designed for the Wii, or lower the difficulty to get extra hearts and other bonuses that will make your game easier. The game has also been visually enhanced in HD and includes the additional levels from the 3DS version. It's up to you to see if this content justifies the price of €60.

Donkey Kong Country Returns is a platform game developed by Retro Studios and published by Nintendo, released in 2010 for the Wii console. This title marks the great return of the series Donkey Kong Countrywhich saw the light of day on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) in the 1990s. With this game, Retro Studios was able to revive the spirit of the original while bringing new features that captivated both old fans and new players.

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In Donkey Kong Country Returns, the story begins on Donkey Kong Island, where an evil tribe of Tikis called the “Tiki Tak Tribe” have bewitched the island's animals to steal Donkey Kong's precious bananas. Awakened by the disappearance of his stock of bananas, Donkey Kong, accompanied by his faithful companion Diddy Kong, embarks on an adventure to recover his belongings and defeat the Tikis.

The gameplay of Donkey Kong Country Returns stays true to the formula of the original series, while introducing new elements to freshen up the experience. Players control Donkey Kong and can be joined by Diddy Kong in cooperative mode. Each character has their own special abilities: Donkey Kong can pound the ground with his fists to uncover secrets, while Diddy Kong uses his jetpack to briefly float in the air.

The game is divided into several worlds, each consisting of varying levels ranging from lush jungles and dark caves to beaches and factories. Levels are designed with meticulous attention to detail, offering complex platforming challenges, diverse enemies, and plenty of secrets to discover. Players must collect items such as bananas, puzzle pieces, and KONG letters to get rewards and unlock additional content.

Donkey Kong Country Returns uses 2.5D graphics, meaning that although the game is played primarily on a two-dimensional plane, characters and environments are rendered in three dimensions. This allows for spectacular visual effects and depth of field that enrich the gameplay experience. The backgrounds are vibrant and detailed, capturing the essence of Donkey Kong's tropical environments with a modern twist.

The game's soundtrack, composed by Kenji Yamamoto, pays homage to iconic music from the original series while introducing memorable new tracks. The musical themes are dynamic and immersive, reinforcing the atmosphere of the levels and the intensity of the challenges.

The success of Donkey Kong Country Returns led to a re-release on the Nintendo 3DS in 2013, titled Donkey Kong Country Returns 3Dwhich included additional features and enhancements specific to the handheld console.

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