Overview
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is a platformer developed by Retro Studios and published by Nintendo, released in 2014 on Wii U and then in 2018 on Switch. I played it on Nintendo Switch.
Story and world
While Donkey Kong is celebrating his birthday, the Snowmads, invaders from the far North, storm Donkey Kong Island and cover it in ice. Driven out of their home, Donkey, Diddy, Dixie and Cranky Kong have to cross several islands to take back their territory.
Gameplay
Honestly, it's a great game to play with two people. The levels have a well-balanced difficulty curve, the gameplay is smooth and dynamic, and the bosses are a lot of fun to fight. Nothing to complain about.
Donkey Kong can carry a partner on his back, and each one brings a different ability: Diddy hovers with his jetpack, Dixie spins her pigtails to gain height, and Cranky bounces on his cane. In co-op, the second player directly controls that partner.
The Switch version adds Funky Mode, which lets you play as Funky Kong for a more accessible experience.
Graphics and music
The game is gorgeous, honestly nothing to complain about there.
And what can I say about the music: it takes you on a journey. Much of it is by David Wise, the long-time composer of the Donkey Kong Country series.
Verdict
A very successful platformer, especially with two players: the difficulty is well balanced, the gameplay is smooth and the bosses are a lot of fun. On top of that, you get beautiful graphics and music that takes you on a journey.