Invisible Man
The Real Huey
Given the woeful performance of the Wii U to date, Nintendo’s struggling console can use all the help it can get. Quality releases are few and far between with third party supporters dropping like flies, so it’s up to the Big N to deliver some much needed relief. First up to the batter’s box in 2014 is Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, the follow-up to the hit 2010 title for the Wii.
At first glance Tropical Freeze looks like an HD update to the original game. While much of the game will seem familiar to veterans, DK and his companions have learned a few new tricks in order to take on a new menace -- a legion of anthropomorphic invaders with a Viking-esque flair that wreak havoc on Donkey Kong Island by putting the once tropical climate into a deep freeze.
Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong increase their primate power with the addition of Dixie and Cranky, giving some much needed variety. Bouncing around on Cranky’s cane like a pogo stick and gliding through the air courtesy of Dixie’s helicopter hair provides more flexibility in how you tackle certain levels. You’ll want to these employ character-specific talents not only reach the finish line unscathed, but to uncover numerous hidden puzzle pieces, KONG letters, and other secrets like hidden exits that will keep you coming back after your initial play through.
Like its predecessor, Tropical Freeze doesn’t take long to introduce some real challenges. Reaching the end of certain levels in one piece can be a tall order, and trying to make it out alive while locating and snagging all the hard-to-reach secrets will truly test your skill as well as your patience. If you thought the platforming, boss battles, or the hair-pulling rocket barrel sequences of the original were tough, you’re in for rude awakening.
Nintendo has also kicked the optional super guide functionality to the curb, but there are a few helpful items you can purchase in various shops. Coins are easy to find, and you can cash them for extra hearts or beneficial effects like temporary invincibility. These small boosts will help you along, but it’s still up to you to make it to the goal.
As challenging as the game is, it’s never unfair. It’s rare to come across a game that has you screaming profanities at the screen one moment in a fit of rage, and then jumping for joy the next as you finally succeed. Tropical Freeze just about nails it, and with a wide range of improved controller options that let you tweak your button layout, there’s nobody to blame for your shortcomings other than yourself… unless of course a second player has joined you for fun but potentially frustrating cooperative play.
If you manage to make it through once without losing your sanity, Tropical Freeze provides plenty of extras to come back for seconds. Obtaining every last collectible takes some serious dedication, but the rewards for accomplishing this are more than satisfying -- even if Nintendo won’t let us spill the beans on the specifics just yet. However, there a few basic bonuses you’ll unlock naturally as you progress through the game, like tunes from the game’s soundtrack.
Tropical Freeze also offers a fix for those with a need for speed. The time attack mode returns, allowing you to race through each individual level for the best time possible. Earning any medal, even a bronze, requires a solid mastery of the game’s mechanics memorization of each level’s layout, and a bit of creative thinking. It might seem like a daunting task at first, but this time around Nintendo added a brilliant new feature to keep things interesting.
You can upload your best performance to an online leaderboard community to compare with other players, and the ability to watch replay videos of the best times is a brilliant feature. This allows players to gain insight into the paths and tactics the top achievers used to get the best time, which helps foster a healthy competitive component as well as giving those struggling to earn a gold medal a visual guide to success. We spent several hours vying for the top honors on the game’s first level alone. This mode could be an addicting side attraction for competitive players.
Given the amount of precision needed, it’s a good thing the game runs at a smooth 60fps. It doesn’t hurt that the levels are also gorgeous, even if they’re not technically pushing any limits. There appears to be a price for this level of fidelity, though, as Tropical Freeze suffers from some rather lengthy loading times. On the flip side, the soundtrack puts an energetic new spin on several classic tunes – memories of the original Donkey Kong Country will come rushing back after hearing the stellar rendition of the soothing Aquatic Ambiance that plays during underwater segments.
The evolution of Tropical Freeze from its predecessor isn’t quite a giant leap for apekind, but it’s a step in the right direction. It doesn’t just maintain the status quo as a challenging platformer, but mixes in just enough new elements to prevent it from being just another rehash of the previous game. You’d be bananas to pass up the chance to add Tropical Freeze to your Wii U horde.
-Gametrailers.com
If you passed this one up, you not only a c00n, but you're also not a real gamer, so stick to that piss easy shyt like Infamous and Titanfall while those with actual skill in gaming play games on our level. What's even funnier is the fact that almost every Wii U exclusive so far is better than the entire PS4/Xbox One library. And don't get me started on the 3DS, which has the best library of any console this gen. Nintendo stay winning, my nikkas.
Breh!!!!
