Donkey Kong Country Returns HD Announced for Switch at June 2024 Nintendo Direct – IGN

Nintendo Wii title Donkey Kong Country Returns is being remade for Switch, Nintendo announced at its June 2024 Direct presentation.

The remake includes levels from the Nintendo 3DS remake of the game too, and players can enjoy all of those and more when the aptly titled Donkey Kong Country Returns HD launches on January 16, 2025.

“Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong are back for some ground-pounding action in this HD version of Donkey Kong Country Returns, originally released on the Wii system,” Nintendo said. “The villainous Tiki Tak Tribe has stolen Donkey Kong’s precious banana hoard and the Kongs are barreling after them in pursuit.”

Players can take on the challenge solo or join a friend in two-player local co-op. Nintendo promises “an adventure brimming with hijinks where you can stomp obstacles, send mine carts careening, fly high on rocket barrels and even hitch a ride on Rambi the Rhino.”

The original earned a 9/10 in IGN’s review. “Donkey Kong Country Returns is yet another fantastic visit to the company’s catalogue of amazing game designs,” we said.

The Nintendo Direct was plenty busy otherwise, with a brand new Zelda game being announced alongside Mario & Luigi: Brotherhood. The show ended with the re-reveal of Metroid Prime 4, now subtitled Beyond, seven years after it was first announced. Read about every announcement, big and small, in our Everything Announced article.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.