Author Topic: Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D: An Unnecessary Remake  (Read 10097 times)

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Offline Steel Diver

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Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D: An Unnecessary Remake
« on: February 19, 2013, 09:28:24 AM »

A remake of a three-year-old game? Fine, go bananas!

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/blog/33358

Being a Nintendo fan, I know the company likes to unearth classic games to rerelease in the form of Virtual Console ports or remakes. With Donkey Kong Country Returns (DKCR), Nintendo does not need to do any unearthing, because the game is still on store shelves!

Remaking DKCR is a silly idea in some aspects, but a good idea in others. While some may count this as a port, I call it a remake (call it whatever you like). But before you go ape **** (get it?) reading this, I think we can all agree that this game is not old. Released in 2010, it is still widely available for purchase. You can also play it on the Wii U. Considering these factors, I would say DKCR does not require a remake.

One feature of this new version that might be regarded as an improvement is the lack of motion controls. The original DKCR sported waggle controls that were awkward in many people’s opinions. Their absence may be used as a defense for the new game, but don't all great games have their flaws? If we go by this reasoning alone, shouldn’t every waggle-fest be given a second chance? OK, maybe not every waggle game matches the quality of DKCR, but is this one fix enough to get people to buy it?

Popular opinion of the 3D feature is also mixed, so using it as the main reason for the remake may not be a good idea. Some may argue that 3D was the biggest draw for Ocarina of Time 3D, but that game also came with a complete graphical overhaul, which is something that DKCR does not need. It also came out at a time when 3DS releases were sparse and the Zelda 25th anniversary celebration was in full swing. At this moment in time, I just don't think DKCR 3D has such a compelling set of reasons to be made.

I’m not saying the game will be bad, and I’m not even saying I won't buy it. The point I’m trying to make is that I can think of better ways Nintendo could allocate its resources, and that whatever this version costs is a waste.

I'm a staff writer here at good ol' Nintendo World Report, but I also have a Nintendo website at www.nintendogamerthoughts.com

Offline UncleBob

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Re: Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D: An Unnecessary Remake
« Reply #1 on: February 19, 2013, 09:39:38 AM »
I bet $1 that the 3DS version will outsell the Wii version. :D
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Offline lukas85

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Re: Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D: An Unnecessary Remake
« Reply #2 on: February 19, 2013, 09:43:14 AM »
you forgot to mention the most important feature of this new game, that it is portable, yes, not 3d, the appealing of this game is that you can take it anywhere and that alone make it a good option for me. i will buy this altough i already have it on the wii, and i know it will have added features too. oh and those multi-layered backgrounds in 3d and classic controls are appealing too.

Offline Stogi

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Re: Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D: An Unnecessary Remake
« Reply #3 on: February 19, 2013, 09:53:50 AM »
I feel that whenever Nintendo transfers a port or creates a remake, there's an underlying move that we're not seeing.

For instance, the New Play Control games may not have been a move to simply make more money from existing games, but also, maybe, to teach new comers to the company how to program for Wii. The same thing could be going on here. Maybe Nintendo is priming a new team to make more 3DS games.

As for taking out the waggle, why do you think they'll do that? The 3DS is outfitted with the same tech as the Wiimote.
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Offline azeke

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Re: Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D: An Unnecessary Remake
« Reply #4 on: February 19, 2013, 09:58:10 AM »
I bet $1 that the 3DS version will outsell the Wii version. :D
That is actually a viable bet. To beat Wii version, 3ds game will have to sell 5 million+ copies.

Unnecessary or not -- i am buying it. I only played DKC games on portables anyway.
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Offline Bman87301

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Re: Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D: An Unnecessary Remake
« Reply #5 on: February 19, 2013, 10:04:59 AM »
This article: An unnecessary commentary. Seriously, this article pretty much said absolutely nothing whatsoever-- you might have well have written article saying: "the sky is blue... generally, but other times it's gray... yet at night it's black." Also, you should need to learn the proper terminology. A "remake" new game that's simply based on an older concept. This is a "port"-- it's the same game just being released on a different platform-- there's absolutely no confusing the difference between the two here-- this is most definitely a PORT.

Offline Stogi

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Re: Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D: An Unnecessary Remake
« Reply #6 on: February 19, 2013, 10:10:58 AM »
So much for not going ape ****.
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Offline Fjurbanski

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Re: Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D: An Unnecessary Remake
« Reply #7 on: February 19, 2013, 11:12:41 AM »
It would probably be best for us if they made an original DK game for 3DS, buuuuuuuuut, how long would that take? I'm sure the whole point of this game is just to get something out quickly to bump up the summer releases (not that it looks like the summer needs it).


Unnecessary? Yeah, probably. A waste of time? Money? Not for me. Never played the Wii version, so I'll pick this up.
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Offline Pixelated Pixies

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Re: Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D: An Unnecessary Remake
« Reply #8 on: February 19, 2013, 11:22:12 AM »
Necessary or not, if Nintendo can successfully port great games like DKCR and it let's those games reach a wider audience (and hopefully Nintendo make some money along the way) then all power to them. There are plenty of ports that I have personally played that might be thought of as unnecessary, but for which I am very glad exist.
 
Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition, Okami (for Wii), Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition. What is unnecessary to one person is a worthwhile addition to a library for another.
 
As for your point about there being better ways for Nintendo to spend their resources, I would say that's difficult to determine without knowing how much resources were actually expended to port this game. If I had to guess though, I'd say not very much. That's not to say that porting a game from Wii to 3DS is trivial, but I can't imagine Nintendo would have had one of their top tier teams working on this and I also can't see this being a particularly expensive venture.
 
All that said, I still have no intention of picking this up. I loved it on Wii and I don't think I would enjoy it as much on the 3DS screen.
« Last Edit: February 19, 2013, 11:26:29 AM by Pixelated Pixies »
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Offline geo

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Re: Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D: An Unnecessary Remake
« Reply #9 on: February 19, 2013, 12:03:58 PM »
As for taking out the waggle, why do you think they'll do that? The 3DS is outfitted with the same tech as the Wiimote.

Because the waggle would disrupt the 3D for people who like to play the games in 3D.  Maybe this time it'll be optional instead of mandatory. 

Offline ejamer

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Re: Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D: An Unnecessary Remake
« Reply #10 on: February 19, 2013, 12:17:19 PM »
Unnecessary, sure... but maybe useful nonetheless. Proves that Wii-to-3DS ports are possible, presumably doesn't take a lot of developer resources, might leave Nintendo with tools to do more "quick ports" or to support third parties who want to give their games a second chance at life on the portable.


This announcement doesn't really excite me, but I can see it being a reasonable release from Nintendo's point of view. Now get me a portable version of Xenoblade, stat!
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Offline Tennindo

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Re: Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D: An Unnecessary Remake
« Reply #11 on: February 19, 2013, 01:53:52 PM »
what sold me? Controls. no more Shaking the damn Remote. New Controls will make this the better version of an already amazing game

Offline Pixelated Pixies

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Re: Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D: An Unnecessary Remake
« Reply #12 on: February 19, 2013, 02:01:30 PM »
New Controls will make this the better version of an already amazing game

Possibly. I think I would still recommend that people play it on a TV though. That game looks fantastic.
 
The button layout of the 3DS will also allow you to play DKCR the way it should have been played, with the 'Y' button as run and the 'B' button as jump. Those controls worked so well on the SNES, and would have worked perfectly on Wii had the Classic Controller been employed.
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Offline jglonek

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Re: Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D: An Unnecessary Remake
« Reply #13 on: February 19, 2013, 02:11:05 PM »
I never actually purchased DKRC, probably because my Wii has been gathering dust. SO, I will be buying it on the 3DS to play! I'm glad they are releasing it there

Offline Olympion

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Re: Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D: An Unnecessary Remake
« Reply #14 on: February 19, 2013, 03:49:59 PM »
It is indeed a pretty unnecessary remake, I had no problems with the motion controls and while 3D is cool, it hardly justifies paying for the same game twice. It annoys me how Majora's Mask, the one game that really needs and deserves a 3DS remake still hasn't gotten one, despite OoT3D coming out more than 18 months ago and even The Wind Waker getting remade.

Offline Adrock

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Re: Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D: An Unnecessary Remake
« Reply #15 on: February 19, 2013, 05:15:02 PM »
Ehh, more people get to play it. Always a good thing. I doubt the team handling this game is very large. If Retro Studios is handling the port, I expect a team no larger (in fact, probably smaller) than the one that made Metroid Prime Trilogy while everyone else slaved over Donkey Kong Country Returns.

Offline Mop it up

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Re: Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D: An Unnecessary Remake
« Reply #16 on: February 19, 2013, 05:18:25 PM »
It's just a port to a totally different system, so I have no problem with its existence. Remember, the first three DKC games were also ported to the Game Boy line of systems, so really this is just keeping in line with them.

Do we even know who worked on this port? No one can really call it a waste of resources unless we know that a team at Retro worked on it.

Offline Steel Diver

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Re: Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D: An Unnecessary Remake
« Reply #17 on: February 19, 2013, 06:28:45 PM »
It is indeed a pretty unnecessary remake, I had no problems with the motion controls and while 3D is cool, it hardly justifies paying for the same game twice. It annoys me how Majora's Mask, the one game that really needs and deserves a 3DS remake still hasn't gotten one, despite OoT3D coming out more than 18 months ago and even The Wind Waker getting remade.


Thanks for all the comments everyone, Olympion sums up my opinion quite well. To be honest I may play this 3DS port/remake since I barely played any of the original, but I do still think porting Wii games should not be a priority.
I'm a staff writer here at good ol' Nintendo World Report, but I also have a Nintendo website at www.nintendogamerthoughts.com

Offline Luigi Dude

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Re: Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D: An Unnecessary Remake
« Reply #18 on: February 19, 2013, 07:41:14 PM »
Thanks for all the comments everyone, Olympion sums up my opinion quite well. To be honest I may play this 3DS port/remake since I barely played any of the original, but I do still think porting Wii games should not be a priority.

Ports don't take priority though because they're made by small teams in shorter periods of time.  If Retro can't handle making a game for the Wii U because a small part of them is doing a cheap and easy handheld port, then there's some serious issues going on there that this game not existing wouldn't solve.
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Offline EasyCure

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Re: Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D: An Unnecessary Remake
« Reply #19 on: February 19, 2013, 07:59:45 PM »
I never actually purchased DKRC, probably because my Wii has been gathering dust. SO, I will be buying it on the 3DS to play! I'm glad they are releasing it there

But if you picked it up the first time around, your Wii wouldn't have been gathering dust...
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Offline Pixelated Pixies

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Re: Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D: An Unnecessary Remake
« Reply #20 on: February 19, 2013, 08:37:27 PM »
but I do still think porting Wii games should not be a priority.

Well, then you'll be relieved to hear that it hasn't been, and will continue not to be, a priority. One release does not a trend make.
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Offline Oblivion

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Re: Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D: An Unnecessary Remake
« Reply #21 on: February 19, 2013, 08:41:26 PM »
I wouldn't say unescessary when there are people that will want to and will buy this. Me included.

Offline steve3389

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Re: Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D: An Unnecessary Remake
« Reply #22 on: February 20, 2013, 12:04:16 AM »
I would be very interested if they somehow added some cross-platform functionality   How and what I don't know, and yes I know it's a VERY longshot, but with a free patch to the Wii version of the game, plus this release, maybe they could public beta some cross-platform features before the big Smash Bros. release in the future. [/longsentence]

Offline Jonnyboy117

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Re: Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D: An Unnecessary Remake
« Reply #23 on: February 20, 2013, 12:44:07 AM »
I'd be mildly interested in a direct sequel to DKCR. This port is, needless to say, completely irrelevant to me unless Retro is making it, in which case I'm outright angry at such a waste of their talent.
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Offline Pixelated Pixies

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Re: Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D: An Unnecessary Remake
« Reply #24 on: February 20, 2013, 02:01:43 AM »
To be honest, as much as I loved DKCR, it was below Retro from the beginning if you ask me. 2D platformers are a dime a dozen and in this day and age very good examples of the genre are being made by teams of one or two people. My hope has always been that DKCR was a stopgap until Retro could reveal what they've really been working on. If it is revealed that Retro was involved in this port as well then I'll assume the same, that they're still plugging away at something big and that this was just a little side project.
 
If, however, I eventually hear that Retro is designing tracks for Mario Kart U then I'm going to have to start writing threatening letters to Nintendo.
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