Summary
Fans are not happy with the price ofDonkey Kong Country Returns HD, the upcoming remake of Retro Studios' Wii platformer from 2010. This is the latestDonkey Kongtitle to be ported to Nintendo’s popular Switch family of handheld consoles.
During Nintendo’s most recent Direct, it was revealed that Polish studio Forever Entertainment S.A. would release anenhanced version ofDonkey Kong Country Returnson June 06, 2025. The aptly namedDonkey Kong Country Returns HDcan now be pre-ordered on the Nintendo eShop, but fans of the franchise have criticized one particular aspect of the Switch remake.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD Price Is Too High
On Reddit, many are questioningDonkey Kong Country Returns HD’s $60 price tag, with one user even saying in a post that charging such an amount for the remake was ridiculous. In another thread discussing the price of Forever Entertainment S.A.’s upcoming game, someone pointed out that titles from otherpopular Nintendo franchiseshave sold for significantly lower values, such as the 2023 Switch remaster ofMetroid Primethat had a price tag of $40.
However, others emphasized thatDonkey Konggames have historically outsoldMetroidreleases, adding that the former franchise likely enjoyed stronger brand recognition due to its titular hero’s appearance in the widely successfulThe Super Mario Bros. Movie. ADonkey Kong Country-themed area inside Super Nintendo Worldat Universal Studios Japan is also set to open in the latter half of 2024, further indicating the franchise’s popularity. The highly anticipated park expansion was supposed to open in spring, but Universal Studios Japan announced in April that it had been delayed without providing additional details.
Donkey Kongremains one of Nintendo’s most popular mascots even 43 years after the character was created by legendary game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Aside fromDonkey Kong Country Returns, two more of the series' classic titles,Mario vs. Donkey KongandDonkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, have received Switch remakes, with both becoming some of the handheld’s best-selling games. Some of thebest-selling games for the SNESand N64, widely considered to be the best home consoles of their respective generations, wereDonkey Kongtitles as well.
Despite the criticism towards its price,Donkey Kong Country Returns HDis expected to be just as successful as its predecessors. The game will take up 9 GB of space, according to its Nintendo eShop listing, which would make it around 2.4 GB larger than the 2018 Switch remake ofDonkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze.
Donkey Kong Country
Released over just a two-year period between 1994 and 1996, many consider the original Donkey Kong Country trilogy to be among the finest side-scrolling platformers ever made. After a long hiatus, the series returned in 2010, with another game then being released for the Wii U some four years later.
