Platformers were plentiful in the 2010s, but among the 2D variety, one stood out above all others. This is not counting the Mario Maker games due to them being focused on user-generated content, as that is another topic altogether. No, the best 2D platformer of the 2010’s was Retro Studios’ Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze. Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze takes place after the Nintendo Wii title, Donkey Kong Country Returns, and sees Donkey Kong and his friends watch as their home is overrun by animal Vikings known as the “Snomads” who freeze Donkey Kong Island. Donkey Kong and the crew then set off in an attempt to take back their home traversing through water levels, icy terrains, and many other challenges.
Retro Studios took what they developed with Donkey Kong Country Returns, and expanded heavily on the concept. More playable characters were added, including Dixie Kong and Cranky Kong. the latter of which was now playable for the first time in a Donkey Kong Country game and had a great playstyle reminiscent of Scrooge McDuck in the classic Ducktales game. If you’ve played the previous Donkey Kong Country games, then you would be very familiar with the frustrating yet addicting platforming mechanics. Besides your basic maneuvering on the ground, Donkey Kong and the gang need to swing on vines, travel on various vehicles and animals, and in this game, swim through treacherous deterrents. The swimming in this game works differently here than in previous games. and has a great amount of detail applied to them, with DK gracefully diving right in the water instead of his normal clunky gorilla jump.
Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze also revamped the way vehicles function compared to past titles. Now when riding in a minecart, the screen will sometimes switch to 3D where controls will be shifted to navigate the cart by jumping from side to side. This happens interchangeably from side-scrolling to 3D, and then viewing the game from above. The dynamic camera actually is involved heavily in the general gameplay. in terms of barrel blasts, rocket barrels and general platforming. This changed up the challenge of the game quite a bit and adds a slightly new challenge to the already difficult mine cart levels.
And then there is the difficulty of the games. The Donkey Kong Country series has always been a difficult series, but this time things can be a bit fairer while losing known of the challenge. If you press the jump button too hard while on a mine cart level, you’ll hit an enemy flying only inches above the track or an incorrectly timed barrel shot will equal your inevitable demise. Nintendo, however, added a few things to make DK’s adventure a little bit easier for players like a shield power-up you can buy from Funky Kong’s shop to help you pass that frustrating mine cart level. Then there is Funky mode in the Switch version. The Switch port adds Funky Kong as a playable character, as a form of easy mode. He is able to traverse the levels much faster than the other characters and can overcome almost all obstacles. The Switch port in general has some nice touches to mark the transition between consoles, and a small number of touch-ups manage to make a great game even more polished.
Tropical Freeze has some of the best visual designs of any platformer in any era. Each world looks different and unique and feels alive in its own way, and stands out apart from the last. Even the ice worlds have a different feel to them than you would find in most platformers, and you get a real sense of how Donkey Kong Island was transformed by the Snomads. The music is also amazing, as the game features a soundtrack by David Wise who is at his best hear. From savannah music that seems straight out of the Lion King, to the haunting melodies of a frozen Donkey Kong Island, the game is home to some of the best music in gaming history. The bosses are also amazing and show a level of creativity not seen before. From a Viking Walrus to a Warhammer wielding polar bear fighting you to a heavy metal theme, Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze is a step above all other games.
Even the Mario series from Nintendo has never seen 2D polish to this extent, and there is a certain calming nature about the game. Even with its intense difficulty, there is something here for everyone. There is a speedrun mode and even a mode that lets you play as Dixie, Diddy or Cranky in single-player mode. The characters all feel different from each other and have unique moves when paired with Donkey Kong. Dixie can use her hair as a form of a helicopter lift, while Diddy plays like in Returns. Cranky as mentioned plays like Scrooge McDuck in the classic Ducktales game, and all of these characters have their strengths and weaknesses for clearing certain areas, like spiky areas and underwater passages. With all of these playable characters, there is another bonus as well; when you collect 100 bananas, you can utilize a new ability called “Kong Pow”. Diddy Kong’s kong pow turns all enemies on the screen will be turned into red balloons which are extra lives, while Dixie Kong’s kong pow, turns all of the enemies on the screen will turn into golden hearts which allow Donkey Kong to withstand one more hit before depleting red hearts. Cranky Kong’s kong pow ability is a bit different as it turns, all enemies into banana coins which allows players to purchase items from Funky Kong’s shop. And as mentioned above, Funky is made playable in the Switch version to act as an easy mode.
Retro Studios created something special here and the result was one of the best games ever made. No other 2D platformer came close to this, and it is a game that everyone needs to play, whether on Wii U or on the Nintendo Switch.