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It's a logical successor to its previous Donkey Kong game, with new levels, characters, and yet another amazing soundtrack. However, I can see no reason to hold Tropical Freeze against Retro. I can certainly relate to the desire for groundbreaking design and fresh settings and characters, and I can't wait for the next game from Retro Studios that pushes the envelope like Metroid Prime did on the GameCube. I feel the same question cross my mind when people deride Nintendo for delivering games with marginal changes to preexisting formulas and franchises, something I've been guilty of in the past. It may not seem right to champion anything that makes a game harder than it has to be, but if it adds to the overall enjoyment, what's not to like?
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There's little your squad can't achieve when two players put these skills to good use, and though you could, in theory, achieve the same results in single-player, the two-player experience is riskier, and thus more rewarding. Diddy Kong still has his jetpack, giving him an extra bit of hang time, and Dixie's ponytail achieves roughly the same effect as Diddy's jetpack, albeit with an added boost of altitude at the end. There are stages where his skill set is particularly useful, with spike traps standing between you and a collectible item, and the same goes for Diddy and Dixie Kong, two other playable characters from previous Donkey Kong Country games who reemerge in Tropical Freeze. Cranky not only uses it to bounce off of dangerous obstacles and kill enemies underfoot, but he puts it to work underwater as well, clearing enemies and objects from his path. Tropical Freeze doesn't significantly alter the Donkey Kong Country formula, but it offers a new character to control in Cranky Kong, whose aptitude with a cane puts Scrooge McDuck to shame. Though I have fond memories of Returns, which was a great game in many ways, Tropical Freeze immediately overwrites that game in my mind.
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Tropical Freeze 's predecessor, Donkey Kong Country Returns, wasn 't a walk in the park either, and it, too, was a more enjoyable experience with a second player riding along.
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This is a game that warrants your full and undivided attention, but even though Jeremy and I died, a lot, we were enjoying ourselves in the process. So Jeremy and I teamed up to tackle Tropical Freeze and ours was the only demo station with two players in control, and compared to the furrowed brows and hushed curses coming from around the room, our boisterous and animated reactions clearly stood out. Also, the game becomes very difficult very quickly, and the thought of a sidekick becomes really appealing, really fast. I began playing solo, but I quickly realized that this was a mistake. After playing Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze with GameSpot video producer Jeremy Jayne at a local event recently, it struck me that Nintendo has actually kept the local co-op candle burning for decades, and games like Super Mario 3D World and the latest Donkey Kong sequel are ensuring that those smart enough to own a Wii U are never without opportunities to connect with a friend in front of the TV.īy clicking 'enter', you agree to GameSpot'sĭonkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is enjoyable in single-player, but Retro Studios' tough-as-nails platformer begs for a partner in crime. With games such as Samurai Gunn and Nidhogg drawing GameSpot editors in like a fun-filled vortex, I'm reminded that the spirit of playing with friends is alive and well. Thankfully, all hope for local multiplayer isn't lost.
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Give me a controller and a second player port, and I'll show you how to co-op. Still, a friend whimpering in defeat or celebrating triumphantly in your ear doesn't compare to the same scenario on a couch, where you feed off of each other's energy and potentially elbow each other in the ribs. I get it: online multiplayer is convenient. However, there were a few years when the emphasis on online gaming threatened multiplayer as I once knew it. These memories are recalled fondly, but not content to live solely in the past, I still make a point to connect with friends over a game in meatspace whenever possible. I, like a lot of you, spent a good chunk of my spare time as a kid with a ragged controller in hand, hunkered down on the floor with slices of pizza and a friend or two by my side.
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