Donkey Kong Country Returns/YMMV

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• Alternate Character Interpretation: Behold... DK as a rhyming gentleman.
• And the Fandom Rejoiced: At E3 2010, when the game was unveiled and revealed as a 2D side-scrolling platformer, the audience went ape.
  • Retro apparently played all previous Donkey Kong games in preparation to create this one, and the C.E.O. himself had a hand in making the original Donkey Kong Country.
  • Rambi is in!
  • Cranky Kong is back... and he's actually cranky again!
  • The Minecart Madness music returns (watch at 0:40)!
    • Heck, most of the original DKC soundtrack returns for this game.
  • It got a 9.5 / 10 score from Game Informer and 9.0/10 from IGN.
• Awesome Music: Much of the original Donkey Kong Country soundtrack was remixed, mixed in with original tunes. As expected of the series' music, it doesn't disappoint. The only songs missing from the original DKC are: Bad Boss Boogie, Ice Cave Chant, Cave Dweller Concert, Misty Menace and, of course, K. Rool's Theme.
• Broken Base:
  • With the addition of rocket barrel levels and the removal of water levels, there's been a debate between the rocket and water levels from previous Donkey Kong Country games. Fortunately, water levels return in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze.
  • K. Rool's replacement in the game with the evil Tikis. Some people welcome the new enemies citing that K. Rool had been suffering more Badass Decay with each sequel, while others sorely miss his presence as the Big Bad, thinking he's just as iconic to the Donkey Kong Country series as DK and Diddy themselves.
• Demonic Spiders: A growing wall made of them in the level Muncher Marathon from World 5.
• Game Breaker: The Banana Juice power-up gives you an additional ten health points on top of the existing 2 (4 with Diddy), and only costs 20 coins (it's not hard to acquire that many during a single level, and almost guaranteed across two levels). This can make some levels go from mind-shatteringly difficult to extremely easy simply by equipping it. It only lasts for one life though, unlike the Heart Boost (1 extra heart), which stays with you for an entire level no matter how many times you die (but will be removed if you exit the level). Given the game's difficulty level, the Banana Juice is almost necessary in certain situations in order to get 100% Completion. Especially in the hidden temple levels; World 5's in particular. If you were dependent on these items, then good luck trying to complete these levels in Mirror Mode, where you can't use items, Diddy is unavailable, and you only have one heart!
• Goddamned Bats: Played literally in Crowded Cavern.
• Most Annoying Sound:
  • "Dadada-dada-dada-dadada....DA! (pop!)"
  • Tutorial Pig, what with his jingling little flag trying to coax you into using the Super Guide.
  • The groaning sound Donkey Kong makes upon dieing, in large part because you will end up hearing it A LOT.
• Most Wonderful Sound:
  • After a particularly tough level segment, nothing boosts your spirits more than the sound of a Checkpoink. Ditto the stage clear barrel fanfare.
  • The sound of repeated smacks, delivered by Wiimote shakes. Whether you're smacking open an end-of-level barrel for something on the order of 15 banana coins, or saying goodbye to that world's Tiki Tak tribesman, it's always a welcome noise.
  • Killing Kowalee in the Golden Temple.
  • The closing credits, after finally getting that last puzzle piece, which requires playing ALL of the mirror stages... including the temple levels AND the Golden Temple!
• Polished Port: The 3DS release has better controls and optional easy modes with more items to make levels less frustrating (e.g. green balloons to save your kongs from falling to their deaths, Crash Guards which let you take several hits in mine cart and rocket barrel sections), as well as more levels in the Golden Temple. The only drawbacks are a slight graphical downgrade and that it runs at 30 FPS (as opposed to the Wii version running at 60 frames).
• Replacement Scrappy: The Tikis for the Kremlings. Many have their reasons as to why they're disliked, but for some, it could be the sudden amount of wizardry and sorcery added into a series that didn't rely on it that much through the original trilogy and 64.
• The Scrappy: Professor Chops, to some frustrated players. Mostly when offering the Super Guide after countless deaths.
• Scrappy Mechanic:
  • The waggle abilities are already getting a reputation. The Ground Pound and the Blow aren't so bad. Having to waggle to do a roll (and thus perform a super jump, a key ability in the platforming) can really suck, especially if you're in a very chaotic and fast paced level. This is largely mitigated in the 3DS port, as waggle functions have been mapped to normal button presses.
  • Many players tend to dislike both minecart and rocket barrel levels, particularly the latter due to its control scheme.
• So Cool Its Awesome: Regardless of the changes, Retro did their best job on the game, and it definitely shows.
• That One Boss:
  • The Mole Train is widely hated, because it seems to show no signs of ending and it's a matter of predicting when fighting the moles. Have fun on Mirror Mode.
  • Colonel Pluck (the World 7 boss) can be frustrating because his pattern is hard to figure out at first, and it takes awhile for him to reveal his weak point.
  • The final boss, as well. If you die any time during the boss battle, you don't get Diddy back. This is after a Trial and Error Gameplay-filled rocket barrel section.
  • The bosses of World 7 and 8 are even more annoying in Time Attack Mode because you have to fight them while hoping their random attack pattern is in your favor. Yes, those particular time trials are entirely luck-based.
• That One Level:
  • It's almost universal that Stage 4-5 is not fondly regarded. To an extent, World 4 as a whole is this due to the total reliance on navigating through the chaotic levels with a minecart or a rocket barrel (though in the latter's case, the Rocket Barrel levels in the game already have this reputation).
  • World 6's temple stage is widely considered to be the hardest level in the game. Rising magma, falling platforms, and worst of all invincible enemies that chase you toward the end.
  • World 5's temple stage is also a nasty one. Although with that one, simply equipping the Banana Juice power-up can make it MUCH easier.
  • Level 9-1 can also be extremely disorienting because every single platform is wavering in the air. Oh yeah, and platforms that blow up a few seconds after being jumped upon. It also has no checkpoint.
  • Level 4-K, Jagged Jewels, is hard enough normally, but on Mirror Mode it becomes nigh impossible. Do gyroscopically-spinning bladed rings and invincible enemies sound hard? Try it with one health point.
• They Wasted a Perfectly Good Plot: All of the animals that the Tikis hypnotize to fight DK and Diddy were animals they have never met before. But imagine if the Tikis instead hypnotized a fellow Kong or two they cared about (Cranky, Dixie, Candy, etc), or otherwise somebody they cared about. That would surely create a more emotional response than controlling strangers.
• Ugly Cute: Toothberries, the creatures first seen in Stage 3-5, and Snaggles, the sharks that leap out of the water to bite you.
• Waggle: The most common complaint with the game, especially in regards to rolling.
• What Do You Mean It Wasn't Made on Drugs?: The Golden Temple. Giant, floating fruit? Alright. A bunch of floating island things? Fine. Purple, tie-wearing flying koalas that toss bombs at you? Okay, now this is weird.
• Win Back the Crowd: After Microsoft's acquisition of Rare, the Donkey Kong franchise went through a bit of a Dork Age. Though games like Donkey Kong Jungle Beat and DK: Jungle Climber have their defenders, this was the first Donkey Kong game to be universally acclaimed since Donkey Kong 64, or even before. And for good reason.