Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D will be released next month, a little over two and a half years after its release on the Wii console. Even though it’s not a huge improvement over the original, there have been some key additions to this version that enrich its content. Not only does the game include an easy mode now, but also there’s a new extra world with seven hidden levels that the player unlocks when the game is beaten (though it is considered to be of extreme difficulty by the folks over at Destructoid).
The game has been divided into two modes: “Original Mode” for those who played the Wii version and would like to stick with it, and “New Mode,” which provides players with newer items. Furthermore, this game features 3D graphics, and the developers made slight modifications to its art style, thus giving it a more polished look.
On its original release, Donkey Kong Country Returns turned out to be the game that fans had been requesting for years. According to its producers, one of the main goals was for it to evoke nostalgic feelings, which it did.
Despite finding success with Donkey Kong 64 and the Gamecube and Wii release of Donkey Kong Jungle Beat, the side-scrolling days of SNES games such as Diddy’s Kong Quest and Dixie Kong’s Double Trouble! seemed long gone before the legendary Shigeru Miyamoto ordered a Donkey Kong game that brought back the old-school gameplay while still providing innovative gaming experiences. The end product ended up selling more than four-and-a-half million copies in four months.
Is it time for other game franchises to go retro, as well? Side-scrolling games still fare pretty well but will Nintendo keep releasing similar Donkey Kong titles on the Wii U? Let us know what you think.
Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D was developed by Retro Studios and will be released on May 24, 2013.
