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Donkey Kong Country Returns HD Announced | Nintendo Direct 2024

Draugoth

Gold Member
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Chuck Berry

Gold Member
I bet it will be $60

Of course it will be

Ill give it another shot for sure. Couldnt even make it 1/4 of the way through the Wii version due to those horrendous waggle controls. Whoever greenlighted that waggle to roll shit needs to be tossed into traffic.
 

Sp3eD

0G M3mbeR
I like that it includes the levels from the last time they remade this as the biggest feature 😂. Sounds like nothing new.
 

Golgo 13

The Man With The Golden Dong
As a Nintendo fan, this is incredibly disappointing.

Those visuals are clearly uprezzed from the original 480p assets on the Wii, with very little work done to make this look modern (or even up to the standards of Tropical Freeze visually) or worthy of a replay at all. Lazy cash grab.

Just Nintendo's casual, predatory exploitation of their fans. Nothing to see here.
 
I wasn’t expecting DK in this Direct, so I had no expectations. But for people thinking there was gonna be a big DK announcement today, this had to have been so deflating.
 
I finished it a few months ago via Dolphin on my Retroid Pocket 4, it was a pretty fun game with the exception of some ridiculously hard levels (stupid rocket barrels). You also have to map the motion controls to a button in Dolphin and it makes some of the rolling a bit trickier than it should be. I'm guessing they'll port the 3DS controls which will make the game a lot more fun I think.

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SpiceRacz

Member
One of the best side scrolling platformers ever made. With that said, I doubt many people are going to double dip on this. Especially at $60.

I finished it a few months ago via Dolphin on my Retroid Pocket 4, it was a pretty fun game with the exception of some ridiculously hard levels (stupid rocket barrels). You also have to map the motion controls to a button in Dolphin and it makes some of the rolling a bit trickier than it should be. I'm guessing they'll port the 3DS controls which will make the game a lot more fun I think.

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I played the 3DS version on PC through Citra not long ago and it’s absolutely the ideal way to play the game. The absence of motion controls make it a better game.
 
I played the 3DS version on PC through Citra not long ago and it’s absolutely the ideal way to play the game. The absence of motion controls make it a better game.

I thought about playing it that way but 60 fps + HD textures outweighed having to map the motion controls to buttons for me. Is there a way to get the 3DS version to 60 fps on Citra?
 

Astral Dog

Member
One of the best 2D platformers ever made, i was hoping they would release an HD version but ended up playing it on 3DS

while it won't get old gamers to buy it again its still a great game for anyone who hasn't played it

I been hoping they announce a brand new Donkey Kong game, 3D or 2D at least DKC Returns won't be forgotten on SD
 

cireza

Member
Even though this is pretty low effort, I am happy to get a proper home console version of this game in 60fps with standard controls. I was playing the 3DS version recently, the 3D effect was fantastic of course, but it struggled at 30fps.
 

Killer8

Member
The option to play without motion controls and including all the extra 3DS content will make this easily the definitive version. The game already looks great in HD via Dolphin. Having both this and Tropical Freeze on the one system will be convenient too.
 

Robb

Gold Member
Good game, but I’m not a fan of these remaster that just get the “HD” naming. Would’ve preferred to see this updated using the Tropical Freeze engine.
 

Robb

Gold Member
Well this is sounding less of a remaster and more of up-rez’d port.
Wouldn’t a “up-rez’d port” be a remaster? Like how they remaster movies in 4K etc.

Although I guess it has more to do with the actual code with games (?). There seem to be a very broad spectrum in terms of effort considering Metroid Prime was deemed a remaster as well.
 
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Codes 208

Gold Member
Wouldn’t a “up-rez’d port” be a remaster? Like how they remaster movies in 4K etc.

Although I guess it has more to do with the actual code with games (?). There seem to be a very broad spectrum in terms of effort considering Metroid Prime was deemed a remaster as well.
Remaster would suggest improvements including qol, improved graphics or new additions.

For example: halo anniversary has all new graphics but runs on top of the old engine, therefor its a remaster. The newest paper mario is also a remaster.

The last dk game, dkc:tf was more of a port because all they did was bump up the rez, added funky and made his character basically an easy mode.
Comparatively mario kart 8 took far more effort as not only was it a rez bump, but they revamped the online, remade the battle mode (including 8 new maps) and added new functions like 2 item slots and purple fire

Id argue MP:R was a remaster, it had improved graphics and some qol changes

And on the further end of the spectrum you have remakes, but a remake would suggest it was built completely from the ground up ala resident evil or conker live and reloaded

DKC is technically a remaster but they did so minimalistic of a job of making improvements outside of rez, that it was essentially a port. Same goes with nSMBWU
 
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Robb

Gold Member
DKC is technically a remaster but they did so minimalistic of a job of making improvements outside of rez, that it was essentially a port. Same goes with nSMBWU
Yeah that’s kind of how I think about it. Very low effort remasters.
 
If you only had access to the Wii game so far, this will be better automatically for not having waggle. But I just a few years back re-purchased the 3DS version, so there's zero reason to get this. Barely visible new fur effects don't cut it. lol at full price, get outta here.
 
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Codes 208

Gold Member
Yeah that’s kind of how I think about it. Very low effort remasters.
That was the issue with early day wii u ports to the switch. Many just barely did any changes but then you have games like sm3dw which went well beyond what it needed to by adding bowsers fury
 
Finally! No waggle controls!
There was already a very good 3DS version for that.

If you only had access to the Wii game so far, this will be better automatically for not having waggle. But I just a few years back re-purchased the 3DS version, so there's zero reason to get this. Barely visible new fur effects don't cut it. lol at full price, get outta here.
This. Such a good version with 3D.
 

Mr Hyde

Gold Member
This was a pleasant surprise. I've never played this before and I loved Tropical Freeze so this one's a given for my Switch collection.
 

Robb

Gold Member
That was the issue with early day wii u ports to the switch. Many just barely did any changes but then you have games like sm3dw which went well beyond what it needed to by adding bowsers fury
For sure. But in most cases I feel it’s pretty easy to tell that a game is a remaster based on that the visuals are identical or very very similar.

For me it mainly gets confusing with games that replace all the textures etc. with new art like Metroid Prime Remastered or Xenoblade Chronicles DE.
 

Ogbert

Member
Played through Tropical Freeze recently.

Donkey Kong is legit difficult. As in, got more more angry than Souls.

I think I managed to get good at Souls games whereas precision platformers still pummel me.
 
I've tried to force myself through this game and Tropical Freeze many times but it just never clicks with me. Something about the art style really puts me off too.

I struggled to pick up DKCR the first time I played it because it's quite different than the original games. The difference is rhythm, the Rare games are all about maintaining a fun momentum throughout a level (especially the first game).

Once I accepted that DKCR is a different beast, one focused more on interesting level design gimmicks and less on character movement, I enjoyed it a lot more.
 

Ozzie666

Member
Everytime I see a game like this, which is fine. I understand why Nintendo is so aggressive against emulation and protecting their property.
Makes these releases viable for them. At least in their books.
 

diffusionx

Gold Member
This looks like a really lame update, but IMO DKCR *is* one of the best 2D platformers of all time and to have a definitive, 60fps, no waggle, all content version is pretty awesome. I really liked both the Wii and 3DS versions but neither is ideal.
 
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I've tried to force myself through this game and Tropical Freeze many times but it just never clicks with me. Something about the art style really puts me off too.
The originals had this great atmosphere going for them. Everything that goes 2.5D tends to lack any of that for me and I have yet to really put my finger on why. NES backgrounds were often super sparse and full of black negative space as well yet sparse, simplistic backgrounds tend to be my go-to complaint with 2.5D games.

In this case specifically, this game didn't have half the charm or mood of the originals for me and thought it was mostly boring because of it.

Edit: No waggle is a big plus for fans though but yea I'm sure it'll be fucking $60.
 
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kiphalfton

Gold Member
Goes to show Nintendo doesn’t care about switch 2 this is an interesting release because folks don’t want their switches to die.

I would say Nintendo has bled the rock dry and for switch 2 they will be forced to release actual new content... but they can just do the same shit and remaster more games when switch 2 comes out.

They have zero shame (as made evident with Zelda Skyward Sword, Zelda Twilight Princess, etc.).

Remasters are fine, but not when it makes up 50% or more of your first-party game catalog. Generation after generation.
 
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SpiceRacz

Member
I thought about playing it that way but 60 fps + HD textures outweighed having to map the motion controls to buttons for me. Is there a way to get the 3DS version to 60 fps on Citra?

I think you can do that with certain games on Citra, but I’m not sure about DKCR. The game looks a lot better blown up on a computer after tinkering with the resolution.
 

Dirk Benedict

Gold Member
Even though this is pretty low effort, I am happy to get a proper home console version of this game in 60fps with standard controls. I was playing the 3DS version recently, the 3D effect was fantastic of course, but it struggled at 30fps.
That and the 3DS levels in HD included, seems nice.
 

Spukc

always chasing the next thrill
This shit game has NOTHING on the dkc snes games..

Lifeless joke of a game.. same for that tropical sequel..
 

Business

Member
Played through Tropical Freeze recently.

Donkey Kong is legit difficult. As in, got more more angry than Souls.

I think I managed to get good at Souls games whereas precision platformers still pummel me.

Ye the difficulty really puts me off these. I think it’s an unfair kind of difficulty. I have no problem with something like champion road in 3D World, it’s quite hard but mistakes are your own. In the new DK games I often find the game introduces new things without having properly ‘explained’ them, with a couple of seconds to react, I didn’t know what I was supposed to do or if something was even a threat. The game doesn’t respect your time.
 
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