VideoGame A good game, but it lacks heart
First of all, I'll just say this - I never played the original DKC games, and I'm not sure if ever will. My first Donkey Kong game was Donkey Kong Country Returns, and I loved it; it's one of the best platformers ever in my opinion, mainly because of its excellent level design and gorgeous attention to detail. Sadly, despite having some strong highlights, Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze just can't hold a candle to it in my opinion.
There are some really great aspects of DKC:TR. These include the beautiful and colourful levels, which, like DKCR, are very detailed. The levels appear slightly more cartoony this time around, which unfortunately makes the levels not as memorable as the ones in DKCR, but they are still highly creative and a lot of fun to explore. The soundtrack is pretty good, and it's very satisfying and rewarding to complete the game's levels after collecting the KONG letters and picking up some puzzle pieces along the way.
However, DKC:TR is plagued by one considerably big flaw - its difficulty. Simply put, DKC:TR's levels can be extremely unforgiving. Whereas DKCR benefited from a smooth and relaxing difficulty curve which gradually became more and more demanding as you progressed through the game, DKC:TR's difficulty jumps up so quickly that it's alarming. Now, I know a lot of people love brutally hard levels (some even believe that all video games should be brutally hard, an assertion that I thoroughly disagree with) but to me, a game primarily needs to be fun more than difficult. DKC:TR is fun, but it includes some really cheap and nasty level mechanics that over time become almost insufferable. It's difficult for me to fully appreciate a game's art when the game is overloaded with hazards and constantly playing tricks on you.
One thing that is included in the game that attempts to lower the difficulty is Funky Kong's Shop, which sells a number of useful items. I do like this shop and use it often, since it does make some levels less aggravating. However, having to rely on it isn't much fun, and it doesn't make any of the game's worst tricks go away.
To put it simply, DKC:TR is an enjoyable game, but it doesn't have the heart of its predecessor. DKCR was a jolly, artistic romp that only increased in difficulty over time, but DKC:TR is a much less friendly experience. A good game, but not a great one.
VideoGame Retro's new Magnum Opus
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is a masterpiece. It takes the best parts of Returns and enhances them to craft what many DK fans have called the greatest game in the series since Diddy's Kong Quest. With an imperial soundtrack, breathtaking visuals, addictive gameplay and a very demanding challenge, the game shows that the platform genre still has a lot to offer.
In this game, DK and his family has to travel through six large islands to defeat the Snowmad Tribe, who dared to invade and occupy the peaceful DK Island. And these islands are very unique thematically, including the Canadian/German flavored Autumn Heights, the African-themed Bright Savannah, and the Brazilian-esque, fruitful Juicy Jungle. Quite a multi-ethnic selection of settings, huh?
Unless you're too obsessed to see the Kremlings back, it's hard not to like these little Viking-flavored bastards. The boss battles are all very well prepared in this game, not only in regards of the strategy but also because of the humor. In particular, Skowl and Bashmaster deserve mention for their presentation, attacks and difficulty. And if you thought the Brutal Bonus Levels in Returns were difficult, get ready for the ones you have to tackle in this game. They're absolutely insane.
And of course, the playable characters! In Returns, only DK and Diddy were playable, though it was justified since the game was meant to capture the feeling of the very first DKC. Here? Dixie makes a triumphant return and Cranky debuts as an unexpected playable character.
You know, with games like this, I can't help but wonder why the Mario games still insist on being very conservative. This game definitely shows why the New SMB games have stagnated. At least the 3D games still make a decent effort at bringing new elements (I might do a review for 3D World in the near future), but as far as 2D goes, this game is unrivaled. If you own a Wii U, do yourself a favor and try this game. I guarantee you it will entice you!!
VideoGame A step in the right direction.
Yeah, Returns kinda rubbed me the wrong way as a continuation of a storied legacy, but that shouldn't indicate that I didn't enjoy it... and more importantly, that I didn't see massive potential inherent in Retro Studios' new take on DK. I always eagerly anticipated news of the inevitable sequel (hoping against hope that they'd bring back the Kremlings in my youthful optimism) and the preview material for Tropical Freeze made me more excited than its predecessor ever managed to. That being said, with the bad taste of having previously invested my money unwisely still lingering in my youth years later, it was never going to be a day one buy. Still... come time, chance knocked on my door.
Almost instantly, it gave me so many good vibes that Returns had been sorely lacking. Dynamic level and aesthetic design, a kickin' soundtrack, and NO GODDAMN WAGGLING, the entire thing just had an energy that Returns lacked. Instead of thinking of all the things the original trilogy did better, I constantly found myself seeing things I wish had been in those games all those years ago. And that's just pretty darn good there, fella.
Tropical Freeze's main gimmick is bringing back familiar faces, including my beloved Dixie! (*Swoon*) But it's not just for nostalgic appeal; they all profoundly affect the gameplay experience as DK's tagalong partners. Half the fun is finding out which partner works best for what level. You can play through all the levels just fine with just Diddy (like in earlier times) or by yourself, but the partners' various abilities will make certain difficult parts a breeze. It's all about finding your own personal style.
Still, certain poor decisions still abound. Being a completionist still feels hollow (I'm not the kind of guy who collects stuff for its own sake), and the animal buddies are still a rare sight. Also, while not as bad as the first game, some gimmick levels are recycled without much alteration. The difficulty level, too, can be a bit much sometimes, and sadly more often than not suffers from Fake Difficulty.
Overall, it's still not worthy of its DKC title. Such an honor is not given, it is earned. And despite being a good game in its own right, Retro's got a ways to go.
...Still, there's always DKCR3: Electric Avenue, right?