“Donkey Kong” was one of my favorite characters in the Nintendo franchise growing up. It could be because my grandma’s affectionate nickname for me was D.K., or it could be that, in my opinion, the “Donkey Kong” franchise is often overlooked and not given the credit it deserves.

Some of my favorite childhood memories were playing “Donkey Kong 64” on the N64, so it makes sense that I’ve found joy in playing the most recent addition to the franchise, “Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze.” I started playing this, originally on my 3DS in college. However, I didn’t commit to completing the game back then for a multitude of reasons. However, as winter is nearing, I’m spending less time outside and more time indoors, so I decided to give it another try – this time on my Nintendo Switch Lite.

The game, rated E for everyone, features mild cartoon violence, such as defeating opponents by jumping on them, pounding the ground to disorient challengers and smashing barrels to unlock rewards. As previously mentioned, the concept for the game is anything but new, prior to the 2018 release of the game on the Nintendo Switch, similar games were released on the 3DS and the WiiU. While they’re technically different, I found the games to be very similar (although my husband remains adamant that they’re very different.)The game is most commonly played in single-player mode, but can accommodate up to two players.

The story line for the game features arctic creatures (aka penguins, walruses and weird looking owls) that have invaded the island that Donkey Kong and his family live on, Donkey Kong Island. Playing as Donkey Kong, you work your way through various levels to challenge the “boss” at the end of each world.

Within each world there are about five or six levels before you face a boss level. The first two themes take place in a jungle-esque world to get to the end. Along the way, in addition to simply surviving and not taking damage, you find nine puzzle pieces, search for letters to spell out Kong, and collect bananas and coins. This, for me, is one of the most fun parts of the game, finding the secret alcoves where these little extra challenges are hidden. It’s also crucial when you’re low on lives, as when you find 100 bananas or a red balloon you’re granted an extra life.

While these lives add up quickly in the beginning when levels are easier (I recall having 22 lives at one point), they diminish quickly as you progress in the more difficult levels where you jump across crumbling platforms, jump from one swinging vine to the next and jump from the head of one upside down stone dinosaur to the next.

Another fun part of this game is the inclusion of Donkey Kong’s family members, Cranky Kong, Dixie Kong and Diddy Kong. At various points in the game, Donkey Kong is able to team with one of the three to use their unique abilities and skills to defeat various enemies. In the game, each of the various family members ride on Donkey Kong’s back and give him two additional hp points or hearts.  

In the 3DS game within the series, users only play with Diddy Kong, who has a rocket and makes it easier for the pair to travel over gaps, crumbling platforms and swinging between vines. Dixie Kong uses her ponytail to give users a boost up, so platforms that are harder to reach can be easily accessed and enemies can be quickly bypassed. Cranky Kong uses his staff to help Donkey Kong bounce up, making it easier to squish enemies and reach coins that are suspended in air.

While I’m not finished with the game, I have been working my way through the stages and am hoping to finish it soon. Be warned though, this game is not easy. At times it was so difficult and I died so many times (15 at one point on a level) that I had to ask my husband to use his video game skills and help me bypass the level. However, there is what is referred to as Funky Mode, which gives users extra lives and tips on how to beat levels when it detects they’re struggling.

Overall, despite not being a new release, I’d recommend this game to families and people who enjoy the original “Donkey Kong.” However, I wouldn’t recommend this game for small children with little to no grasp of platformer games, or children who are just learning how to play video games as it can be quite frustrating at points.