One level sees you piloting a rocket through the gap in a rolling wheel of cheese, while another asks you to hop between rocks and debris in the middle of a mountain-top avalanche as parts of the world collapse around you. Beyond the opening world, each level brings at least one new idea to the fore, and then mashes it up with one or two more core mechanics, combining them in some truly inventive ways. We’re willing to go out on a limb here and say that Tropical Freeze has the best 2D platforming Nintendo’s catalogue has ever seen. We expect it to look just as good if not better on the Switch’s crisp handheld screen. Tropical Freeze made simple, yet impressive use of the WiiU’s hardware, and still looks great to this day. You might not notice it directly as you barrel through the stages, but it all adds up to a fantastic experience. Animations stand out too, with plenty of background detail given to both plantlife and the island’s inhabitants. The island itself is luscious enough, but the game regularly throws in new ways to surprise you graphically, whether it’s the silhouette levels like Amiss Abyss that leave red colours like DK’s tie popping from the background, or the red hot heat emanating from Scorch ‘n’ Torch’s raging wildfire. Tropical Freeze on the other hand is quite simply gorgeous. Odyssey may be a beautiful game, but Mario’s recent 2D platformers have hardly pushed the boat out when it comes to beauty. The silhouette levels are really something. or Kirby games have given us, providing the perfect accompaniment to the jungle island adventure. DK’s steel drum beats easily outclass anything the 2D New Super Mario Bros. Take a moment to listen to either Broken Bayou or Funky Waters from the OST and you’ll see what we mean. Nintendo has a real knack for creating music that perfectly matches the atmosphere of a level, and Tropical Freeze is yet another stellar example of this. Much like DKC Returns, David Wise’s soundtrack to Tropical Freeze is filled with bouncy remixes of old Kong classics, along with some excellent new tracks. While the larger titles like Odyssey and Breath of the Wild draw most of the attention, their smaller games have hardly been slouches in that regard either.
Nintendo has been on an absolute stormer when it comes to kitting out their games with full orchestral scores.
You may have overlooked it the four years ago, but here’s why Retro Studios’ Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze deserves a second chance on Switch. In fact, we’d go so far as to say it’s one of the best 2D platformers Nintendo has released in quite some time, even including the Mario franchise. Tropical Freeze is anything but lazy, however. Donkey Kong’s second outing since DKC: Returns on the Wii seemed destined to be overlooked released to a dwindling audience on the WiiU back in 2014, the market for the title was already small, and despite solid reviews, many saw the game as a lazy extension to its predecessor. Amidst all the clamour over Nintendo Labo and Dark Souls coming to Switch, you’d be forgiven for missing the news that Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze will also be getting a re-release on Nintendo's latest console.