History YMMV / DonkeyKongCountryReturns

* AnnoyingVideoGameHelper: After dying a certain amount of times within a level, Professor Chops appears at every checkpoint to give you the option to use the Super Guide. It wouldn't be so bad if he wasn't constantly [[MostAnnoyingSound jingling]], and there's no way to disable it. Once he appears, the only way to get rid of Professor Chops is to beat the level.

* MostAnnoyingSound:
** Professor Chops, what with his jingling little flag trying to [[AnnoyingVideoGameHelper coax you into using the Super Guide]].
** The groaning sound Donkey Kong makes upon dying, in large part because you will end up hearing it '''[[NintendoHard A LOT]]'''.
*** "[[ContinuingIsPainful Dadada-dada-dada-da....DA! (Pop!)]]"

** After losing a life, Donkey Kong doesn't simply restart from the last checkpoint; he slowly drops down while holding onto a balloon. The good news is that, with the press of a button, players can pop the balloon and drop down quickly. The bad news is that certain levels have checkpoints with low ceilings, which prevent the balloon from popping until Donkey Kong is low enough to bypass the ceiling. If you've died enough times on one of these levels, [[SarcasmMode have fun]] being arbitrarily forced to listen to [[AnnoyingVideoGameHelper Professor Chops]] [[MostAnnoyingSound jingling]] for even longer than usual. Those extra seconds of waiting really do add up.

** "Dadada-dada-dada-da....DA! (Pop!)"

** The waggle abilities are already getting a reputation. The Ground Pound and the Blow aren't so bad. Having to waggle to do a roll (and thus perform a super jump, a key ability in the platforming) can really suck, especially if you're in a very chaotic and fast paced level. This is largely mitigated in the 3DS port, as waggle functions have been mapped to normal button presses.

* MostWonderfulSound:

* AnnoyingVideoGameHelper: Once it appears, the only way to get rid of Professor Chops's offer to use the Super Guide is to beat the level.

* AwesomeMusic: Much of the original ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry'' soundtrack was remixed, mixed in with original tunes. As expected of the [[AwesomeMusic/DonkeyKongCountry series' music]], it doesn't disappoint. The only songs missing from the original DKC are: Bad Boss Boogie, Ice Cave Chant, Cave Dweller Concert, Misty Menace, and of course, K. Rool's Theme.

* FunnyMoments:
** Mugly's death sequence, in which it essentially does three poses before falling.
** The opening scene when a Tiki attempted to hypnotize Donkey. At first, he's confused by what it's doing, but after a second failed attempt, he gives it a SlasherSmile and promptly kicks its butt.

* SceneryPorn:
** General consensus is that the silhouette level in the sunset is beautiful.
** Remember Retro's last project, ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime3Corruption''? A game that was already gorgeous? ''DKCR'' has ''three times as many polygons''.
** Several levels are scenery porn, to the point of hindrance because while you're staring at the chunks of rock slowly melting into the lava, the streams of lava pouring down from ledges, and the fireballs launching from below, you can forget that these things are there to ''kill you''. Don't worry, the game reminds you soon enough.
** The barrels that catapult you about a mile in Longshot Launch.

* PolishedPort: The 3DS release has better controls and optional easy modes with more items to make levels less frustrating (I.E. green balloons to save your kongs from falling to their deaths, Crash Guards which let you take several hits in mine cart and rocket barrel sections), as well as more levels in the Golden Temple. The only drawbacks are a slight graphical downgrade and that it runs at 30 FPS (as opposed to the Wii version running at 60 frames).

** With the announcement of ''[[UpdatedRerelease Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D]]'' for 3DS, part of the base complained about getting a port instead of a sequel to ''Donkey Kong Country Returns''. Though this subsided once ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryTropicalFreeze'' was revealed.

** Tutorial Pig, what with his jingling little flag trying to [[AnnoyingVideoGameHelper coax you into using the Super Guide]].

* TheScrappy: The checkpoint pig, to some [[NintendoHard frustrated]] players. Mostly when offering the Super Guide after countless deaths.

* AnnoyingVideoGameHelper: Once it appears, the only way to get rid of Tutorial Pig's offer to use the Super Guide is to beat the level.

* WinBackTheCrowd: After Microsoft's acquisition of Creator/{{Rare}}, the Donkey Kong franchise went through a bit of a DorkAge. Though games like ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongJungleBeat'' and ''VideoGame/DKJungleClimber'' have their defenders, this was the first DK game to be universally acclaimed since ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'', or even before. [[SoCoolItsAwesome And for good reason]].

* FreudWasRight: The seventh boss, Colonel Pluck, tries to defeat using a walking egg robot named Stompybot 3000. How do you beat him? Colonel Pluck will occasionally try flatten you by rocketing off the ground and landing on. If you stand beneath after he does a spin, he'll land with the robots ''legs spread wide.'' And then a robot's bottom "hatch" will ''open'', allowing you to grab on and repeatedly '''pound it '''.

** Tutorial Pig, what with his jingling little flag trying to [[StopHelpingMe coax you into using the Super Guide]].

* StopHelpingMe: Once it appears, the only way to get rid of Tutorial Pig's offer to use the Super Guide is to beat the level.

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: All of the animals that the Tikis hypnotize to fight DK and Diddy were animals they have never met before. But imagine if the Tikis instead hypnotized a fellow Kong or two they cared about (Cranky, Dixie, Candy, etc.). That would surely create a more emotional response than controlling strangers.

** DK is immune to brainwashing, either due to [[HeroicWillpower stubbornness]] or [[TooDumbToFool stupidity]].

*** The bosses of world 7 and 8 are even more annoying in Time Attack Mode, because you literally have to fight them, hoping their ''random'' attack pattern is in your favor. Yes, those particular time trials are entirely luck-based.

** Feather Fiend (the world 7 boss) can be frustrating because his pattern is hard to figure out at first and it takes awhile for him to reveal his weak point.

* PolishedPort: The 3DS release has better controls and optional easy modes, more items to make levels less frustrating(I.E. green balloons to save your kongs from falling to their deaths, Invincibility Guards which let you take several hits in the rocket barrel sections) as well as more levels in the Golden Temple. The only drawback is that runs at 30 FPS (as opposed to the Wii version running at 60 frames).

** Maneuvering a Rocket Barrel is made more difficult than necessary due to its weight.

* GameBreaker: The Banana Juice power-up gives you an additional ''ten'' health points on top of the existing 2 (4 with Diddy), and only costs 20 coins (it's not hard to acquire that many during a single level, and almost guaranteed across two levels). This can make some levels go from mind-shatteringly difficult to extremely easy simply by equipping it. It only lasts for one life though, unlike the Heart Boost (1 extra heart), which stays with you for an entire level no matter how many times you die (but will be removed if you exit the level). Given the game's [[NintendoHard difficulty level]], the Banana Juice is almost ''necessary'' in certain situations in order to get HundredPercentCompletion. [[spoiler:Especially in the hidden temple levels; World 5's in particular.]] If you were dependent on these items, then good luck trying to complete these levels in Mirror Mode, where you can't use items, Diddy is unavailable, and you only have one heart!

** With the addition of rocket barrel levels and the removal of water levels, there's been a debate between the rocket and water levels from previous DKC games. Fortunately, water levels return in VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryTropicalFreeze.
** With the announcement of ''[[UpdatedRerelease Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D]]'' for 3DS, part of the base complained about getting a port instead of a sequel to ''Donkey Kong Country Returns''. Though this subsided once VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryTropicalFreeze was revealed.
** K. Rool's replacement in the game with the evil Tikis. Some people welcome the new enemies citing that K. Rool had been suffering more BadassDecay with each sequel, while others sorely miss his presence as the BigBad, thinking he's just as iconic to the ''Donkey Kong Country'' series as DK and Diddy themselves.
* DemonicSpiders: A wall made of them!

* MostWonderfulSound: After a particularly tough level segment, nothing boosts your spirits more than the sound of a [[FanNickname Checkpoink]]. Ditto the stage clear barrel fanfare.
** Not to mention the sound of repeated smacks, delivered by Wiimote shakes. Whether you're smacking open an end-of-level barrel for something on the order of 15 banana coins, or saying goodbye to that world's Tiki Tak tribesman, it's always a welcome noise.

** The closing credits...after finally getting that last puzzle piece...[[FakeLongevity which requires playing ALL of the mirror stages...including the temple levels]] [[spoiler:AND the Golden Temple!]]

* SceneryPorn / VisualEffectsOfAwesome: General consensus is that the silhouette level in the sunset is beautiful.
** To really drive this trope home: remember Retro's last project, ''MetroidPrime 3: Corruption''? A game that was already gorgeous? ''DKCR'' has ''three times as many polygons''.
** It could be said that most of the levels are scenery porn. It can actually be a hindrance because while you're staring at the chunks of rock slowly melting into the lava, the streams of lava pouring down from ledges, and the fireballs launching from below, you can forget that these things are there to ''kill you''. Don't worry, the game reminds you soon enough.

** Seriously, nearly every level has at least one setpiece designed to show off Retro's talents.

* ScrappyMechanic: The waggle abilities are already getting a reputation. The Ground Pound and the Blow aren't so bad. Having to waggle to do a roll (and thus perform a super jump, a key ability in the platforming) can really suck, especially if you're in a very chaotic and fast paced level.
** This is largely mitigated in the 3DS port, as waggle functions have been mapped to normal button presses.
** For some, the Rocket Barrel levels.

* ThatOneLevel: It's almost universal that [[GoddamnedBats Stage 4-5]] is not fondly regarded. To an extent, World 4 as a whole is this.

* GameBreaker: The Banana Juice power-up gives you an additional ''ten'' health points on top of the existing 2 (4 with Diddy), and only costs 20 coins (it's not hard to acquire that many during a single level, and almost guaranteed across two levels). This can make some levels go from mind-shatteringly difficult to extremely easy simply by equipping it. It only lasts for one life though, unlike the Heart Boost (1 extra heart), which stays with you for an entire level no matter how many times you die (but will be removed if you exit the level). Given the game's [[NintendoHard difficulty level]], the Banana Juice is almost ''necessary'' in certain situations in order to get HundredPercentCompletion. [[spoiler:Especially in the hidden temple levels; World 5's in particular.]] If you were dependent on these items, then good luck trying to complete these levels in Mirror Mode, where you can't use items, Diddy is unavailable, and you only have one heart!p

* FunnyMoments: Mugly's death sequence, in which it essentially does three poses before falling.

* GameBreaker: The Banana Juice power-up gives you an additional ''ten'' health points on top of the existing 2 (4 with Diddy), and only costs 20 coins (it's not hard to acquire that many during a single level, and almost guaranteed across two levels). This can make some levels go from mind-shatteringly difficult to extremely easy simply by equipping it. It only lasts for one life though, unlike the Heart Boost (1 extra heart), which stays with you for an entire level no matter how many times you die (but will be removed if you exit the level). Given the game's [[NintendoHard difficulty level]], the Banana Juice is almost ''necessary'' in certain situations in order to get HundredPercentCompletion. [[spoiler:Especially in the hidden temple levels; World 5's in particular.]] If you were dependent on these items, then good luck trying to complete these levels in Mirror Mode, where you can't use items, Diddy is unavailable, and you only have one heart!

* WinBackTheCrowd: After {{Microsoft}}'s acquisition of Creator/{{Rare}}, the Donkey Kong franchise went through a bit of a DorkAge. Though games like ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongJungleBeat'' and ''VideoGame/DKJungleClimber'' have their defenders, this was the first DK game to be universally acclaimed since ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'', or even before. [[SoCoolItsAwesome And for good reason]].

* WinBackTheCrowd: Though games like ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongJungleBeat'' and ''VideoGame/DKJungleClimber'' have their defenders, this is the first DK game to be universally acclaimed since ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'', or even before. [[SoCoolItsAwesome And for good reason]].