OpenCritic - 84
Metacritic - 86
IGN - 9.0
The new Funky Mode for Tropical Freeze on Switch makes it more approachable without turning this amazing platformer into a cakewalk.
Gamespot - 9.0
Tropical Freeze isn't a heavy-hitter from Nintendo in the same way Breath of the Wild or Super Mario Odyssey are, but it's a fantastic platformer that's bursting with creativity and expertly designed challenges. It's tuned just right--always tough but rarely frustrating--to ensure that even the most common moments feel great. If you missed out when the game first debuted back in 2014, give it a shot today. It easily stands the test of time.
Venturebeat - 8.9
But if you consider old-school platformers like Donkey Kong Country to be pinnacles of a nearly forgotten art form, Tropical Freeze is a game you need to experience. Having played many subpar platform games over the years (including certain uninspired 2D Mario titles), it's a joy to experience a game where the developers obviously had so much love for their levels and characters. Their passion shines through from beginning to end.
The only question is whether you have the necessary skill to explore everything without some Funky assistance.
Gameinformer - 9.25
The Switch version reaffirms that Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is a fantastic platformer. Having a new character control and a handheld version of the game is great for previous owners, but the real audience is those who missed the original release.
Destructoid
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is a platformer that needs to be experienced by as many people as possible. Whether that's through a $10 used version of the Nintendo Selects Wii U edition or this unfortunately priced Switch edition with skippable, but ultimately tame new content is up to you.
ShackNews - 7.0
Tropical Freeze isn't perfect by any means, but having run through it a second time, I feel like it's aged well in the last four years. The challenge can be soul-crushing, but it's satisfying to finally make it across that one jump or beat that one boss. There are enough tools available to make the journey a little bit easier this time around, but not so much to completely diminish the challenge outright.
Tropical Freeze won't stand with the all-time great DKC games, but it's a perfectly fun romp through Donkey Kong's island in its own right.
Vooks - 9.0
Tropical Freeze is a pinnacle of modern 2D platform games, offering an immense challenge while improving on the original, much revered original trilogy. Funky Kong's inclusion is clearly well-intentioned. If you know you'll need it, Funky is a fantastic way to open the game to new audiences who might have bounced off the game's difficulty.
God is a Geek - 8.0
Tropical Freeze has been given a new life on the Switch. The huge improvements to load times and resolution bump ensure newcomers will get the definitive experience of one of the best platformers out there but I still think there isn't enough to warrant a day one purchase for people who already experienced this game.
Trusted Reviews - 5.0
Considering all the amazing Wii U games still yet to come to the Nintendo Switch, I could have happily seen Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze moved much further back in the queue. It's simply an average 2D platformer that doesn't deliver the level of fun or excitement you'd expect from a Nintendo-exclusive title – particularly one featuring some of the company's most iconic mascots.
Easy Allies - 9.5
GameXplain - Loved it
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