A couple of weeks ago, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD was released for the Nintendo Switch. Developed by Forever Entertainment and based on the 3DS version of the game, the title aimed to be the ‘definitive’ way to play the game, mixing the frame rate and wide screen visuals of the console game with the enhanced mechanics and new features of the 3DS port.
And for the most part, it does fine in that regard. It’s got a few visual glitches here and there, and it doesn’t really add anything the 3DS version doesn’t, but it’s an inoffensive version of the game nonetheless. A nice 60 fps one with the 3DS stuff tacked on top.
Unless you’re playing in co-op anyway! Because as YouTuber Kong Kompendium found out, the Switch version of DKC Returns has a major bug that completely breaks that part of the game. An oversight that makes co-op play completely impossible in many of the game’s more difficult stages. Here’s their video with more info:
As you can see, the issue is with enemy hit detection. Put simply, in the original Wii game, Retro Studios had a clever way to make sure levels were always possible if you had to jump off enemy heads to proceed. Namely, the enemy would technically maintain collision for a few frames after being defeated, so the second player could bounce off as if it was still there.
It’s a neat setup, and one that’s crucial for making it through the K levels in multiplayer, since bouncing off rows of flying tikis is crucial to making any form of progress.
Unfortunately, Monster Games then screwed it up with the 3DS version. They didn’t realise the feature existed, so left it out altogether. Now, anyone playing in co-op was unable to beat the game’s harder stages.
But it wasn’t the end of the world. Playing 3DS games with a friend required multiple copies of the system and game, and Returns on 3DS didn’t have online play. So, the percentage of fans affected was very low here.
Then Forever Entertainment came on board and made the HD version… and kept the glitched behaviour from the 3DS one. Now, despite Switch games being designed for local multiplayer and Returns HD advertising co-op as a key part of the experience, the campaign was once again impossible to beat with a friend.
And we’re not sure why that’s the case here. Sure, the HD version is based on the 3DS game. It’s got the features from that version, and it’s clearly taking inspiration from it in terms of changes.
But it wasn’t a direct port. No, it was ported to Unity from the original engine, and likely had to be built from the ground up to take advantage of that.
So, we’re not sure why the buggy feature change was kept in, or how they failed to test the game in multiplayer here.
Regardless, it’s a major issue, and it makes Returns HD downright unplayable if you’re going for 100% completion in co-op mode. Here’s hoping it gets fixed in a patch soon!
Source:
The REAL Problem with Donkey Kong Country Returns HD (Kong Kompendium on YouTube)