Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

 Switch
User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 767 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 648 out of 767
  2. Mixed: 70 out of 767
  3. Negative: 49 out of 767
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  1. FatalBrush
    Sep 18, 2018
    9
    This is Donkey Kong back at it again: original, challenging, entertaining and an overall lovely done 2D game. This game is perfect for the fans and it takes you back in time. I'd have wished for a longer game though, hence "only" 9/10. It's a great title though.
  2. jad_giovanni
    Oct 25, 2020
    9
    Es bastante entretenido. A pesar de que lo único nuevo que tiene es un modo fácil no es malo. Tiene muy buenos gráficos, las mecánicas del juego son interesantes y es un plataformero muy exigente y justo.
  3. beeco
    May 22, 2018
    8
    The game play and controls are smooth. It's a fun run-through. You'll enjoy the basics of this platform pioneer. The level designs are nice, although many are some what short and a bit too easy. Boss fights are entertaining and classic nintendo style boss fights. The disappointing part was the length of the game, for 60 USD i'd expect more than 5 hours of main story. I beat the main gameThe game play and controls are smooth. It's a fun run-through. You'll enjoy the basics of this platform pioneer. The level designs are nice, although many are some what short and a bit too easy. Boss fights are entertaining and classic nintendo style boss fights. The disappointing part was the length of the game, for 60 USD i'd expect more than 5 hours of main story. I beat the main game in one day, and didnt have much desire to go back to 100%.… Expand
  4. nusco
    Jun 4, 2018
    8
    The Donkey Kong Country franchise is traditionally Super Mario's thougher brother. Tropical Freeze continues that tradition. Its steep difficulty curve can be mitigated somewhat on the Switch, with the addition of an "easy" mode–but it's worth accepting the challenge and playing the game as it was originally intended. It's a pretty difficult game that, on some optional levels, canThe Donkey Kong Country franchise is traditionally Super Mario's thougher brother. Tropical Freeze continues that tradition. Its steep difficulty curve can be mitigated somewhat on the Switch, with the addition of an "easy" mode–but it's worth accepting the challenge and playing the game as it was originally intended. It's a pretty difficult game that, on some optional levels, can sometimes become as hard as a modern "masocore" platformer.

    Apart from the difficulty, DKC:TF is a Nintendo game through and through, with plenty of cuteness, extreme attention to detail, nice ideas in every level and a huge amount of hidden collectibles. In fact, almost half the game is made up of hard-to-reach optional levels. The short "2.5D" sequences add a lot of dynamics to the visuals, and the classic characters and demanding boss battles seal the deal.

    Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is not a game-changer, but it's a very solid platformer that's worth its full price. Just playing through once will take you some effort. If you're set on unlocking every collectible, then make sure you have plenty of time on your hands.    … Expand
  5. B-Bog
    Mar 12, 2023
    4
    Presentation and level design are great, but man these controls just suck. Way too slow and unresponsive for the challenges the game throws at you; correcting course is almost impossible, which is BS because some of the obstacles in e.g. the barrel sections (which control like a** anyway) change position so fast that accurately responding is almost impossible. Not a fan of this dumb "everyPresentation and level design are great, but man these controls just suck. Way too slow and unresponsive for the challenges the game throws at you; correcting course is almost impossible, which is BS because some of the obstacles in e.g. the barrel sections (which control like a** anyway) change position so fast that accurately responding is almost impossible. Not a fan of this dumb "every action is mapped to two buttons" scheme either, I'm not f**king 4 years old. There are just four actions in this game but one of them has to be mapped to a shoulder button and two of them take up the same button?? Absolute nonsense.

    And this isn't just about difficulty or "gitting gud", either, as I have no problem with difficult platformers in general, but if a game demands pinpoint accuracy and fast reactions from me, then the controls should be up to the challenge as well (Celeste is a great example of this), which they're simply not here IMO. Boss battles also drag on for waaaaaaay too long, even if you do everything right.    … Expand
  6. Olicomix
    Aug 24, 2019
    10
    With creative and varied levels, incredible visuals, wonderful music, excellent structure, and overall ample amount of charm, this is not only one of the best Donkey Kong games, but also one of the best 2D platformers ever made, making this a modern classic that's given new life on the Switch, and with this being portable as well, this is an absolute must own if you have the console,With creative and varied levels, incredible visuals, wonderful music, excellent structure, and overall ample amount of charm, this is not only one of the best Donkey Kong games, but also one of the best 2D platformers ever made, making this a modern classic that's given new life on the Switch, and with this being portable as well, this is an absolute must own if you have the console, especially if you enjoy 2D platformers.… Expand
  7. maqister
    May 23, 2018
    9
    This is very good game but it is very hard as well. Graphics and level design is absolutely astonishing. Music is amazing. It is definitely too expensive as for four years old port.. It is still worth buying though. Zelda BOTW and Mario Odyssey are better games than this one but this is one is definitely the hardest among those three.

    Amazing game which pushes out Mario Kart 8 deluxe    This is very good game but it is very hard as well. Graphics and level design is absolutely astonishing. Music is amazing. It is definitely too expensive as for four years old port.. It is still worth buying though. Zelda BOTW and Mario Odyssey are better games than this one but this is one is definitely the hardest among those three.

    Amazing game which pushes out Mario Kart 8 deluxe edition from my top 3 switch games. I highly recommend it if you can enjoy hard & challenging games.    … Expand
  8. bgersh35
    May 21, 2018
    10
    DKC:TF Is a triumphant return to the Donkey Kong franchise that balances difficulty and charm al at once, Its glorious level design and elegant soundtrack make for an all around phenomenal experience, and deserves a spot on the shelf right alongside Mario and Zelda. This is a must have for Nintendo Switch owners, and quite possibly the best 2D platformer ever made
  9. switchkong
    May 22, 2018
    10
    At first I was hesitant about this game, but then I wanted to try it on the Switch to see a DK game in portable HD... I must admit I let myself down by not getting the WiiU version when it came out a few years ago. After playing Kirby Star Allies a few weeks ago, DKCTF really got the adrenaline flowing. Kirby is a 10/10 game, but this DK game really upped the challenge even when usingAt first I was hesitant about this game, but then I wanted to try it on the Switch to see a DK game in portable HD... I must admit I let myself down by not getting the WiiU version when it came out a few years ago. After playing Kirby Star Allies a few weeks ago, DKCTF really got the adrenaline flowing. Kirby is a 10/10 game, but this DK game really upped the challenge even when using Funky. This game has very well designed graphics and is full of content for a 2D game. Being around when the original SNES DK Country trilogy came out, I find Tropical Freeze and Returns to both be great additions to the library. It is unique and not just a rehash of old content. There are plenty of new islands to explore, new enemies and bosses, and being able to play as Funky or have Cranky on the team is awesome! The new shop bird Tawks is even hilarious. Squawks has a new friend.

    This game is perfect. It feels like the Dark Souls of 2D side scrolling games. Even after playing through it with Funky, there is still much left to do. Playing through Hard Mode will be exhilarating and Time Trials even more frantic.    … Expand
  10. DeusGod
    Jun 26, 2018
    9
    Almost perfect platformer game.
    As a fan of the platformer genre, this quality game is always welcome.
  11. RobGaiden
    Aug 6, 2018
    8
    The game was very good, super clever level design and great visuals, however (and I am very picky here) the control of the character is not as reactive and direct as I expected, I recently played Celeste and Flat Heroes and I think they are a bit better in this aspect. Anyway, great game!
  12. CharlesDuchemin
    Jul 16, 2023
    8
    Good game, but it doesn't really innovate from previous DK games. When will they dare to make a full 3D Donkey Kong game?
  13. nomsai
    Aug 11, 2018
    10
    It has been a very, very long while that I played a game and not only I said "I love this game" (which I say a lot) but I also said "and objectively, what a freaking masterpiece this is". This is how good I feel about this game, and why you should try it. First time ever it happens to me with a platformer.

    When I thought nothing could make me love 2D platformers anymore, when I thought    It has been a very, very long while that I played a game and not only I said "I love this game" (which I say a lot) but I also said "and objectively, what a freaking masterpiece this is". This is how good I feel about this game, and why you should try it. First time ever it happens to me with a platformer.

    When I thought nothing could make me love 2D platformers anymore, when I thought I will never be able to like 2D platformers on TV, when all that happened... I found this jewel - which I bought just for my summer holidays out of Game Boy nostalgia. I started the game being a bit sceptical, but that did last just a few minutes. Soon, I said "oooh, the level design... is genius". It was followed by an "and the art too". Contrary to others, I was not impressed by the music... until I got to a certain level and said "oook, I was wrong there too". The difficulty felt great as well. And then, I cleared my first K-level - those crazy K-levels. That feeling of satisfaction that it caused in me is so hard to describe.

    Really, this is a must have in anybody's collection.    … Expand
  14. michaelb1928
    Apr 21, 2020
    6
    Decent Game. Has some fun mechanics are some of the levels are great. Overall though didnt find myself having too much fun. The rewards for completing challenges like puzzle pieces or the KONG pieces are laughable. Still images that look like an amateur painting. Figurines which are just models of the enemies. Thats another point, There is basically no enemy variety. They are all the sameDecent Game. Has some fun mechanics are some of the levels are great. Overall though didnt find myself having too much fun. The rewards for completing challenges like puzzle pieces or the KONG pieces are laughable. Still images that look like an amateur painting. Figurines which are just models of the enemies. Thats another point, There is basically no enemy variety. They are all the same and are very easy to avoid/kill.The bonus stages are all the same with slight variations. Overall not a bad game just didnt have much fun with it.… Expand
  15. FNaF
    Dec 12, 2018
    10
    Another game from Wii U success very well on Nintendo Switch, better than Captain Toad Treasure Tracker on Nintendo 3DS & Nintendo Switch.
  16. Masterofswagger
    Mar 26, 2019
    7
    While DKC Tropical Freeze is an amazing 2d platformer, i feel like there was real stuff added to this game, other than funky mode, which is an easy mode, i would've liked for them to add in some more stuff to warrant a full price release. But a solid game all around.
  17. ConnorC
    Feb 12, 2019
    10
    This is really a 9.8, game is perfect except the final boss was BS. Minimum of 75 characters.
  18. Genius73
    Dec 16, 2018
    7
    Es un muy buen port, el juego esta muy bien para la gente que le guste los juegos de plataformas, al principio pensé que era un juego de plataformas como cualquier otro, pero al cabo de un tiempo jugando me he dado cuenta de que es un juego entretenido y muy divertido para jugar con algún amigo coma es en mi caso y también para jugar solo. y lo eso de poder estar jugando-lo
    tranquilamente    Es un muy buen port, el juego esta muy bien para la gente que le guste los juegos de plataformas, al principio pensé que era un juego de plataformas como cualquier otro, pero al cabo de un tiempo jugando me he dado cuenta de que es un juego entretenido y muy divertido para jugar con algún amigo coma es en mi caso y también para jugar solo. y lo eso de poder estar jugando-lo
    tranquilamente en el autobús jugando y pasando el rato no tiene precio.    … Expand
  19. KratosKong
    Jan 18, 2019
    9
    juego de plataformas con entornos muy variados y un diseño de niveles alocado y bien ejecutado.
  20. Onioncreature
    Oct 12, 2020
    10
    A defining entry in the series and genre as a whole, one of the most refined 2D platformers ever made. The visuals are similarly excellent, as is David Wise's masterful score.
  21. greengrapejelly
    Apr 16, 2019
    9
    In my opinion, this is the best 2d platformer on the Nintendo Switch. The visuals are amazing, the game play is very fluid, and most importantly, it's extremely fun. For anyone into 2d platformers... buy this game!
  22. giannis2001
    May 21, 2022
    9
    One of the best 2D platformers I have ever played. Smooth controls, perfect level design, incredibly good soundtrack and stunning visuals with dynamic background in each level . I highly recommend it but beware, it's challenging.
  23. Gamer507
    Jun 27, 2019
    9
    Soy seguidor de la saga desde el primer DK country . El juego se mantiene fiel a su mecánica de las primeras entregas, añadiendo algunas novedades. Es muy entretenido y los paisajes son diversos en cada nivel, lo que le da mucha frescura al juego.
    Creo que el arte y las voces pudieron haber sido menos caricaturizado, como las primeras entregas pero en general esta muy bien.
  24. JT0718
    Jan 5, 2023
    10
    In my opinion this is the greatest 2d platformer of all time. With games like Celeste, Sonic Mania, and Super Mario Bros 3 it's totally debatable, but to put this game into that conversation even is saying something. The controls may feel a little loose at first, but once you get the hang of things the Kongs feel buttery smooth to control. Level design is immaculate in this game andIn my opinion this is the greatest 2d platformer of all time. With games like Celeste, Sonic Mania, and Super Mario Bros 3 it's totally debatable, but to put this game into that conversation even is saying something. The controls may feel a little loose at first, but once you get the hang of things the Kongs feel buttery smooth to control. Level design is immaculate in this game and enemies are perfectly placed where you can get an amazing flow when going through levels. Because of that, replaying the game will only show off more of the strengths than before. This game is also a great speedrunning game so if you are into that community, it's one of the best out there. The music by David Wise is so good that I would say it's worth the $60 price tag (Hey, you also get a whole bonus game attached with the soundtrack). I’m happy that this game was ported to switch where more people can experience this amazing game. If you like platformers, you will adore this game.… Expand
  25. MatthewAce70
    Oct 24, 2020
    9
    Tropical Freeze is a fantastic sequel to a fantastic predecessor. Retro Studios have outdone themselves with this entry by making it look bigger, more varied, so gorgeous, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Calling this game good would be an understatement, because not only is this game beautiful to look at, it also plays super amazingly! Starring Donkey, Diddy, Dixie, Cranky, andTropical Freeze is a fantastic sequel to a fantastic predecessor. Retro Studios have outdone themselves with this entry by making it look bigger, more varied, so gorgeous, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Calling this game good would be an understatement, because not only is this game beautiful to look at, it also plays super amazingly! Starring Donkey, Diddy, Dixie, Cranky, and Funky, you’ll explore all kinds of islands on your way back to DK Island.
    For those who enjoy mascot platformers and just great fun in general, then this game should belong in your library.    … Expand
  26. Sijun
    Sep 16, 2019
    9
    This game is a 2D platformers friend dream come true!

    Pros: - very beautiful graphics - rewarding difficulty (its not an easy game) - nice controls - very fun gameplay - high replayability - cool soundtrack - interesting and funny level design - high variety in levels Cons: - none Verdict: I highly recommend this beautifully crafted piece of jump'n'run-art by any    This game is a 2D platformers friend dream come true!

    Pros:

    - very beautiful graphics
    - rewarding difficulty (its not an easy game)
    - nice controls
    - very fun gameplay
    - high replayability
    - cool soundtrack
    - interesting and funny level design
    - high variety in levels

    Cons:

    - none

    Verdict:
    I highly recommend this beautifully crafted piece of jump'n'run-art by any means. It is great fun and doesnt get boring by a bit, even after you played it through. It is a must have game for fans of this genre and your children alike.    … Expand
  27. Tirian
    Nov 13, 2019
    10
    Fuera de fanatismos, la saga Donkey Kong siempre ha sido una forma plataformera buenísima, especialmente en su trilogía origina, los Country de Rareware; sin embargo, esta entrega superó todo lo conocido de la saga, un juegazo muy divertidísimo, con mucha variedad, las mas grande dificultad y recupera la música legendaria de otras entregas. Recomendado al 1000x1000.
  28. ThaFlu84
    Jul 17, 2021
    8
    This is a tough and annoying platformer, that happens to be highly enjoyable. The levels are expertly designed, allowing you to zip through them or sometimes play at a methodical pace. A nice touch is all of the levels can be completed without the aid of another Kong.

    Donkey Kong’s move set is minimal and the challenge mostly comes from the platforming itself. As tough as the game is,    This is a tough and annoying platformer, that happens to be highly enjoyable. The levels are expertly designed, allowing you to zip through them or sometimes play at a methodical pace. A nice touch is all of the levels can be completed without the aid of another Kong.

    Donkey Kong’s move set is minimal and the challenge mostly comes from the platforming itself. As tough as the game is, it is fair. The classic vehicle levels adds variety, but the highlights are the “relic” levels. These are unlockable, extended levels with numerous obstacles that will test your skills, patience, and reflexes to the limit. They must be finished in one go or you restart from the beginning, but are immensely satisfying once completed.

    This game was slightly too long and will often drive you crazy. But, it is rewarding, has a lot of charm, a nice soundtrack, and challenging platforming that shouldn’t be missed.    … Expand
  29. Ivmh
    Sep 4, 2019
    10
    Al nivel de la saga COUNTRY... lo mejor de lo mejor. Plataformeo puro y duro!!! Que tiempos, gracias a Nintendo por dar la oportunidad a quienes no apostamos por la WIU.

    La Switch me hace sentir que estoy jugando a mi vieja Súper Nintendo (un niño de 10 años)
  30. Outsider64
    Sep 18, 2019
    9
    One of my favorite platformer! great animations, smooth control system, really enjoyable gameplay.
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Awards & Rankings

27
#27 Best Switch Game of 2018
10
#10 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2018
10
#10 Most Shared Switch Game of 2018

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 76 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 70 out of 76
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 76
  3. Negative: 0 out of 76
  1. Pocket Tactics
    Jan 27, 2025
    70
    Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze continues the tough-as-nails platforming with new power-ups to help navigate the nastiest obstacles, as we’re treated to the best soundtrack in the series. However, the inconsistent difficulty makes for a less refined game and the bosses are dragged out to the point where fighting them becomes a chore.
    Read full review
  2. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Sep 5, 2018
    95
    If you enjoy the thrill of Kongquest – er, conquest – over a worthy challenge, this game should satisfy. [Issue #34 – July/August 2018, p. 74]
  3. CD-Action
    Aug 2, 2018
    90
    Retro’s creativity is infinite and I simply cannot imagine any platforming fan overlooking this gem. [07/2018, p.77]
See all critic reviews »