Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze - Video Review by IGN

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is the biggest Wii U title of early 2014, and it's now available in North America. The game was developed by Nintendo's own Retro Studios, who also crafted the well-received Donkey Kong Country Returns which was released for the Wii a few years back.

Tropical Freeze plays very much like its immediate predecessor, but with some new features. The big ape can now pluck items out of the ground, a move borrowed from the US version of Super Mario Bros. 2, and can also pick up enemies and throw them at their comrades (another move borrowed from the plumber's wacky NES classic). Also new to the series are Kong Pow Moves, which allow players to use the power of their Kongs of choice to affect enemies in various ways, like turning them into recovery hearts.

Fan-favorite Dixie Kong has returned after a long absence, and can twirl her hair like a propeller to get some hangtime on jumps and even some extra height. In single-player, she and Diddy ride on DK's back, essentially acting as power-ups, though both are completely playable characters in co-op, just like in the gorilla's Wii sidescroller.

Dixie isn't the only new playable character. Cranky Kong, whom Nintendo regards as the original Donkey Kong from the first arcade title, can be used as well. His cane allows him to defeat certain enemies the others can't, and also lets him bounce on spikes that would otherwise cause damage and take lives. In many ways, Cranky's abilities are very much like those of Scrooge McDuck in the NES classic DuckTales, and he has been received well by many for that very reason.

The reviews for Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze have been overwhelmingly positive, and the consensus from professional critics is that it's a darn good game. As of this writing, it has a Metacritic score of 82 based on 58 reviews. Average gamers also think very highly of it, and it currently has an average of 4.9 stars out of 5 on Amazon. For those of you trust average gamers more than critics, you can read some customer reviews on Amazon here.

Jose Otero of IGN recently uploaded his video review of the game to YouTube, and he thinks it's awesome. You can watch his review after the break.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze - Cranky Kong Trailer

Nintendo recently announced that Cranky Kong would be a playable character for the first time ever in the upcoming Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, which has drawn plenty of interest from fans of the popular series.  As most of you likely know, Cranky is said to be the elderly version of the original Donkey Kong who starred in the first arcade game.

The Big N has released a trailer showing the old ape in action, and it looks like he will have some tricks of his own. Unlike the other Kongs, Cranky can use his cane to bounce safely over spikes, much like Scrooge McDuck in the classic DuckTales game, and plenty of gamers have made that comparison.

In addition to showing Cranky, the video also shows off plenty of levels including frozen lands, tropical regions, and more. The classic mine cart stages will return and the new shifting-camera system will make some of the old tropes seem fresher than usual, including the mine cart stages. Also, there is a new meter that, when filled, will allow players to perform buddy moves which will affect enemies onscreen. The screenshot you see above comes straight from the new trailer, depicting Donkey and Cranky's buddy move which turns enemies into coins.

Another thing worth noting is that David Wise, who composed the soundtracks for the original DKC trilogy, has returned to compose the score for Tropical Freeze. This is certainly welcome news considering the undeniable talent he has for all things musical.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze will be released exclusively on the Wii U on Feb. 21, 2014. If you would like pre-order, or just read more info about it, you can check out the game's official detail page on Amazon. Trailer after the break.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze - Dixie Kong Trailer

Nintendo has released a new trailer for Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze which shows off Dixie Kong, who was introduced in the third entry in the series and is making a return after an extended absence. Her pony tail can be used to whip enemies, allow DK to jump a little higher than normal and also glide. It appears she will play the same role as Diddy in that she will mostly be used as an accessory rather than a playable character in single player. Of course, when playing co-op with a friend, she and Diddy will both be playable characters.

The trailer shows off a some new environments including a few stages that feature minecarts as well as the controversial barrel rockets that players either love or hate. Just a reminder: the game has been delayed until February of 2014. Video after the break.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze delayed until February 2014

During today's Nintendo Direct broadcast, the Big N confirmed that Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze has been delayed until early next year. The company says more time is needed to to finish development and make further enhancements before it is released. It had originally been due out sometime before Christmas, but the new release window is February 2014.

Source: Nintendo Direct

Nintendo reveals release dates for major first-party Wii U games

Nintendo has revealed the release dates for two of its most highly-anticipated Wii U games. Super Mario 3D World will be released on November 22nd, and Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze will be released on December 6th, just in time for the holidays. You can watch some trailers for both games via the following links.

Super Mario 3D World
Announcement Trailer
Video Walkthrough

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Announcement Trailer
Video Walkthrough

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze - Video Walkthrough with Kensuke Tanabe

Yesterday, Nintendo announced that Retro Studios are working on Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, which is coming to the Wii U in November of this year. A new video has been released in which Producer Kensuke Tanabe discusses the story and characters of the latest entry in the platforming series. This time, DK and his buddies have been evicted from Donkey Kong Island and must fight their way through five different islands as they try to take back their homeland from the animal vikings who have taken control of it.

The camera has been modified so that it will rotate around the action at times, rather than simply scrolling from side to side for the entirety of the game. Dixie Kong will return after years of absence, and one new character who has yet to be revealed will also be featured as well. The title introduces a new "pluck" mechanic which allows players to pull items out of the ground, a gameplay element which was inspired by Super Mario Bros. 2, the first game Tanabe worked on as a director. Video after the break.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze coming to Wii U in November

Nintendo has announced Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze for the Wii U. The gorilla's first HD adventure features two-player mode with Diddy and Dixie. The game is scheduled for release in November of this year. Nintendo of America has confirmed via Twitter that Retro Studios are developing the 2.5D platformer. Trailer after the break.