Platform Played On: Wii U (YES THERE ARE GAMES)
Rating: 9/10
Verdict: Tropical Freeze is an outstanding platformer that doesn't quite reach the heights of Mario 3D World but has its own brand of intense that would make Nicolas Cage proud.
When Retro Studios announced that they weren't making a new Metroid and had instead decided to focus on a new Donkey Kong Country, there were a lot of disappointed people. I don't think it was because people don't like Donkey Kong... I think it was because Metroid is Metroid and it's hard to compare. Despite the fact that I'm not as in love with the Prime series as some (I'm more of a side-scroller Metroid guy), even I was a little disappointed. You see, I've really enjoyed every Donkey Kong Country that I've played but for some reason I never get excited for a new one. I genuinely have no idea why that is.
Whereas Super Mario 3D World was more of a slow, cerebral platformer, Tropical Freeze is more akin to an action flick. It throws a lot at you at pretty much all times. You would think it would be the opposite as Mario has a timer each level and this doesn't, but most of your time in Tropical Freeze is spent running/carting/flying/swinging/jumping for your life while the environment explodes and destructs around you. Because of that, the levels are often exhilarating but often stressful.
Yes, this is a difficult game. There were some levels that frustrated me, but victory never seemed unattainable. Whether it was riding the rocket barrel and watching obstacles pop up in the blink of an eye, or battling one of the elaborate bosses, the game constantly kept me on edge. It is to Retro's credit that they managed to keep things relatively fresh throughout the entire game even in a familiar intellectual property.
They do this by offering new twists in each world. This isn't an original feat, but it's an appreciated one. Every world will throw new things at you, and Retro did a great job of introducing these at a good pace while never becoming overwhelming. It just adds to the unexpected nature of the game. Mario had this to, but as I said, it was slower. You don't have time to stop and think in a large portion of Donkey Kong Country.
Of course, there's a supporting cast here because what fun would it be without Cranky Kong (the OG Kong), Diddy or Dixie? They all ride on your back and offer special abilities, though I ended up solely using Dixie. I don't know why anybody would use Diddy, but maybe that's just me. They aren't game changers but they give you an extra boost to get through the many challenging levels. The rhyno makes a return and I found some of his sections the hardest.
Besides the characters there are little boosts but these are strictly one use, one level only things. You don't get permanent boosts, and I never bought any of them. I did buy some red balloons though so I could afford to die more.
If you want replay, it's pretty much par for the course at this point. Collect the letters, spell out "Kong" and collect the puzzle pieces. It does unlock bonus levels though so completionists will be rewarded with more game time.
I was pretty impressed with the music a lot of the time. The boss battle music was fittingly aggressive and I loved every time I jumped into the rocket barrel just because I wanted to hear the music. The fact that the track got faster as I got into the later level was a nice touch because it added a sense of urgency to it all.
Visually the game shows what the Wii U is capable of. People will scoff it, especially since Retro recently said that the Wii U is a "powerhouse," but it is capable of good graphics if developers know how to use it. No, the Wii U will never have the realism that other consoles (or God forbid the PC) has, but Tropical Freeze feels right at home on the Nintendo system. The character models are gorgeous and there's a lot to appreciate about what's going on around Donkey Kong. For example, there's always something neat going on in the background and I sometimes found myself gazing at the events taking place behind all the action. Then I died, but that was nothing new at that point.
People can mock the technical prowess of the Wii U, but Retro used it extremely well and made a game that's incredible to look at. The game is colourful, crisp and animated fluidly, which is essential considering all the shifting that the environments do within each stage.
If you are on the fence about picking up this game, don't be. If you like platformers, it's one of the best current examples of the genre.
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