Summary
- Donkey Kong Country Returns HD has a co-op issue that makes certain parts of the game unnecessarily challenging in multiplayer.
- The problem originates from the 3DS version and has been carried over to the Switch; fans are disappointed with the lack of changes.
- Gamers are hoping for a future patch to fix the co-op problem, but there is no official response from the developer or Nintendo yet.
Following the release of Donkey Kong Country Returns HD on the Nintendo Switch, some players discovered a co-op-specific issue when trying to jump on enemies in the game. While this does not impact those playing solo, it makes parts of Donkey Kong Country Returns HD nearly unplayable in co-op mode.
Released on January 16, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a remaster of the classic Wii-era game and includes the extra content from the 3DS version. Before its launch, the game received some criticism from fans, who thought the lack of original content for the Switch, besides the improved graphics, made the game unworthy of a $60 price tag. While fans will continue to debate the value of the graphical updates, that is not the only controversy Donkey Kong Country Returns HD has faced. Unfortunately, a recently discovered issue could stop it from becoming the definitive version of the platformer.
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As spotted by GamingReinvented, a YouTube channel by the name Kong Kompendium found a frustrating Donkey Kong Country Returns HD co-op problem that prevents more than one player from bouncing off the same enemy. While players still had to be quick in the original Wii version of Donkey Kong Country Returns, enemies would remain interactable for roughly a second after being hit, giving the co-op partner a chance to bounce off the same target. According to Kong Kompendium, this issue has been around for a while, originating in the 3DS version. While the YouTuber surmised the lack of a second bounce for a co-op partner was due to technical limitations porting the original game to the 3DS hardware, they are unsure why the frustrating limitation was carried over to the Switch.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD Problem Makes Playing Some Levels in Co-Op Frustrating
The problem with not letting both players jump off the same enemy in short succession is easily visible in certain situations. While the inability to do this is present throughout the co-op experience in Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, it can be especially frustrating in some later levels that require bouncing off enemies to progress through an area. As seen in Kong Kompendium’s gameplay, the Platform Panic level served as an example of the issue, with one of the players having to continually fall to their death to make it through the level.
Understandably, many gamers are upset with the developer of Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, Forever Entertainment, for not changing the way bouncing works from the 3DS version. Many hope this problem will be addressed in a future patch, with Kong Kompendium revealing they had contacted both Nintendo and Forever Entertainment to notify them of the issue. Unfortunately, there has been no official response about the enemy bouncing issue yet, so players will have to wait and see if it ever gets fixed.
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Donkey Kong Country Returns HD
Help Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong recover their precious banana hoard from the villainous Tiki Tak Tribe! Stomp enemies, blast through barrels, and ride rockets and mine carts (and even Rambi the rhino) in 80 levels across nine worlds.
Play the game as it was first designed for the Wii™ system, or reduce the difficulty for extra hearts and other goodies to make your journey a little easier. This barrel-blasting adventure is visually enhanced in HD for the Nintendo Switch™ system and includes the extra levels from the Nintendo 3DS™ version!
Team up with a friend and take on the whole game as Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong
Pass a Joy-Con™ controller to a buddy and take on the Tiki Tak Tribe as DK and Diddy in two-player local play. Pelt foes with Diddy’s Peanut Popgun and hover using his Barrel Jet, and slam bad guys into submission with DK’s Ground Pound—or just Barrel Roll right through them. Work together to reclaim those bananas by the bunch!
Platformer
Systems
-
- Top Critic Rating: 77/100 Critics Recommend: 71%
- Franchise
- Donkey Kong Country
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch
- Released
- January 16, 2025
- Developer(s)
- Forever Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Multiplayer
- Local Co-Op, Online Co-Op
- ESRB
- E for Everyone - Mild fantasy violence
- How Long To Beat
- 11.5 hours
- Number of Players
- 1-2
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
- Nintendo Switch Release Date
- January 16, 2025
