Nintendo Direct Mini: ‘Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze’ Get’s Funky On The Switch!

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze was one of the most overlooked titles for the Wii U.

The game seemed to come out at the wrong place at the wrong time, where in order to keep Wii U sales afloat in 2014, Nintendo ended up littering the console with 2D platformers in hopes of turning things around. Not only did this not work, but in the sea of 2D platformers, Retro Studios’s sublime sequel to Donkey Kong Country Returns got overlooked for just being another platformer. Flash forward 4 years, and the game has become a Wii U gem, often being praised for the amazing soundtrack and cohesive level design. Now, people who never owned a Wii U or gave Tropical Freeze a shot can now finally experience pure platform joy and bliss.

During Nintendo’s surprise mini direct yesterday morning, the company announced that the game will be heading to the Nintendo Switch on May 4th. Probably the most exciting aspect of the announcement is the addition of a new mode. The game now includes a mode that’ll allow you to play as everyone’s favorite surfer monkey Funky Kong. Funky essentially acts as an easy mode for new players trying to get into the series, which is good for a tough as nails platformer as this one. Using his surfboard, Funky Kong can infinitely hover in the air, double jump, roll forever, and even breath underwater forever. This marks the characters first playable appearance in about 10 years since his unlockable appearance in Mario Super Sluggers for the Wii.

Are you excited for Tropical Freeze heading to the switch and Funky Kong’s playable return? Tell us in the comments below, and also check out the trailer for the game below as well!