Donkey Kong Country Returns

Donkey Kong Country Returns
Also known as: Donkey Kong Returns (JP), Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D (3DS), Donkey Kong Returns 3D (JP, 3DS) Developers: Retro Studios, Monster Games (3DS) Publisher: Nintendo Platforms: Wii, Nintendo 3DS, NVIDIA Shield Released in JP: December 9, 2010 (Wii), June 13, 2013 (3DS) Released in US: November 21, 2010 (Wii), May 24, 2013 (3DS) Released in EU: December 3, 2010 (Wii), May 24, 2013 (3DS) Released in AU: December 2, 2010 (Wii), May 25, 2013 (3DS) Released in KR: December 7, 2013 (3DS) Released in CN: July 4, 2019 (NVIDIA Shield) Released in HK: December 9, 2010 (Wii), January 24, 2014 (3DS) Released in TW: December 9, 2010 (Wii), January 24, 2014 (3DS) This game has hidden development-related text. This game has unused music. This game has revisional differences.

To do: Supposedly there's some unused text hinting at a 4-player mode More unused music. Also, the first half of Aquatic Ambience apparently doesn't actually play in the game but is in the game files. The US version of the game contains "_pal" versions of the demos seen in the game. They are much shorter than the used ones. Comparisons between both demos: attract01/attract01_pal, attract02/attract02_pal attract03/attract03_pal Are the "_pal" versions used in the European version? And does the European version has the US version's demos in the disc?

In Donkey Kong Country Returns, Retro Studios (of Metroid Prime fame) takes on the Donkey Kong Country series, with results both fun and faithful to the originals. If you listen, you can hear it coming.

The game got a 3DS version in 2013, under the borderline word-salad title Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D.

And then over 11 years later, they swapped out the 3 for an H, with a release on the Switch set for January 2025.

Unused Music

jingle13

Labelled "jingle13", this track is a leftover from Donkey Kong Jungle Beat, where it was used in the hint movies.

Development Text

Build Info

Some build info can be found at 0x5501F0 in boot.dol.

!#$MetroidBuildInfo
!#$2010/10/14 00:29 Build v74844 (F8) [EF7D27E8BEDA17B19C176852F8402560]

(Source: Ferrox)

boot.dol

Present at 0x550348 in boot.dol is text for some debug displays.

MEM1: %2.2f/24.0 RcntPeak: %2.2f Peak: %2.2f
MEM2: %2.2f/%2.2f RcntPeak: %2.2f Peak: %2.2f
FRAME RATE FRAME RATE FRAME RATE
FRAME RATE FRAME RATE FRAME RATE
FRAME RATE FRAME RATE FRAME RATE
CPU .GPU .FPS: %3.0f %s.LOW

(Source: Ferrox)

30fps.txt

The Wii version attempts to read a file called 30fps.txt from the root of the disc. If a blank file with that filename is present, the game runs at 30 FPS instead of 60 FPS.

Although the 3DS version does run at 30 FPS, this file is not present.

Revisional Differences

Revision 0

To do: Rewrite this so its listed as a change in whatever released version first had it - doesn't make sense this way round

The original launch release. Includes differences that can't be found in later Wii versions and the WiiU Virtual Console.

• On level 6-K Perilous Passage, the Robo Bees will die when they reach their chase limit instead of flying away.

Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D

In 2013, a version of Donkey Kong Country Returns was released for the Nintendo 3DS. This version was developed by Monster Games and contains a plethora of differences:

• Whereas the Wii version contains only the Golden Temple level in World 9, the 3DS version's World 9 is an entire world called "Cloud". It contains eight levels exclusive to this version (each stylized after each world in the game), and concludes with the Golden Temple.
  • These new levels' designs are credited to various staff at Monster Games besides the final two, as indicated by their file names:
    • 9-1 - Crushin' Columns (l0x_jungle_mitch1): Mitch Ernst
    • 9-2 - Gushin' Geysers (l0x_beach_todd): Todd Legare
    • 9-3 - Spiky Surprise (l0x_ruins_isaac): Isaac Turner
    • 9-4 - Mischievous Moles (l0x_cave_john): John Schneider
    • 9-5 - Topsy Turvy (l0x_forest_josh1): Josh Defries
    • 9-6 - Tar Ball Fall (l0x_cliff_cj): Walter "CJ" Boswell
    • 9-7 - Robo Factory (l0x_factory_toshi): Toshihiko Okamoto
    • 9-8 - Lavawheel Volcano (l0x_volcano_toshi): Toshihiko Okamoto
• The 3DS version adds a "New Mode" that can be selected upon starting a new save. New Mode includes various changes that make the game easier than the original:
  • The player has three hearts instead of two in regular play, and two instead of one in Mirror Mode.
  • Cranky's shop has a few new items, and all items are much cheaper than they are in the vanilla game. Also, for those who are too lazy to collect all the K-O-N-G letters, after defeating Tiki Tong, the Rare Orbs become available in the shop for 50 banana coins each.
  • The player can now use up to three items in a single level.
  • The Super Guide becomes available after five deaths, instead of eight.
• If the player does not use items they selected for a level, said items are returned to their inventory.
• Like Super Mario 3D Land, the game encourages players to take a break after a few levels.
• Unfortunately, all these additions come at a graphical cost. The Wii version runs at a relatively stable 60 FPS, but the 3DS version is capped at 30 FPS and unfortunately is much more unstable than the original.
• Models and textures are of lesser quality in the 3DS version.
• There are more loading screens, and the background does not scroll during level transitions.

(Source: Mario Wiki)

Nvidia Shield

In 2019, Donkey Kong Country Returns was released on the Chinese Nvidia Shield, the system that modern Nintendo games are released on in China. This version runs through an official Wii emulator, with some enhancements and changes:

• The title screen features a Chinese logo, which is based on the Japanese one.
• The game runs at 1080p HD.
• Fortunately, there are no motion controls. Instead, the game uses the same control scheme as the 3DS version and Tropical Freeze.

Oddities

Nintendo DS Texture

The Nintendo DS Donkey Kong sometimes plays when left idle has a front graphic that is nearly impossible to see in-game.