After years of dormancy, Donkey Kong Country is getting a new entry with a HD remaster of Donkey Kong Country Returns. However, despite how excited many of the series' fans are over this announcement, it's seemingly missing one element found in a later Donkey Kong Country outing.

The recent Nintendo Direct showed off Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, a remaster of the hit Wii platformer from 2010. While this upcoming re-release, primed to hit shelves January 2025, may not be the original DK platformer many were hoping for, it nonetheless has some new tricks up its sleeve. Not only will it come with the extra levels found on the original's 3DS port, it will include local multiplayer—splitting up Donkey and Diddy Kong for a 2-player experience.

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The Lack Of Funky Mode In Donkey Kong Country Returns HD Is A Glaring Omission

According to Nintendo's website, the enhanced title will also sport some new accessibility features. In addition to Donkey Kong Country Returns HD's other extras, a mode with more hearts and bonus pickups. Though this is a nice gesture, and one that fits with Nintendo's trend of adding more accessibility to its remakes, it's a departure from something started in the Switch port of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze. The accessible mode in that title is Funky Mode, a unique way of approaching an easier difficulty that comes packaged with some goofy pizzazz. It may not make a world of difference, but Funky Mode definitely has strengths that shouldn't be left by the wayside.

Funky Mode Handled Accessibility In A More Interesting Way

The nuts-and-bolts of Tropical Freeze's Funky Mode is that it's an easy mode encapsulated into a character, similar to Nabbit from New Super Mario Bros. U. While Nabbit is almost completely invincible, though, Funky Kong just has an expanded health pool—sporting five hearts over the maximum of four that DK can access. More importantly, though, he has the ability to roll continuously without a partner ape. In fact, this radical surfer Kong eschews having a partner in favor of being a jack-of-all-trades. His surfboard can mimic the abilities of Diddy, Dixie, and Cranky; even though he falls just a bit short of those powers, the fact he can use all of these strengths at once is a major asset.

In this sense, Funky Kong serves not only to give an easier experience, but one with a powerset that's overall less complex. Thanks to this, he's a great means for learning the ropes in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze. The only downside to him is the fact that players are stuck with the playstyle they chose at the beginning, being unable to freely choose between Funky and Classic modes. If this was ironed out, Funky Mode could be a real tour de force for Donkey Kong Country Returns HD.

Funky Mode Is The Classic Nintendo Cheese Any Kong Title Needs

Funky Kong is more than his mode, with his own character being something fans look forward to. The vest-and-bandana-wearing ape, sliding through levels with a surfboard and slick shades, is the exact kind of goofy fun found in some of Nintendo's best games. He occupies the same niche as characters like Waluigi and moments like the DK rap.

Therefore, though Nintendo's recent accessibility modes have been great, it would be fun to see the company revive accessibility characters like Nabbit or Funky Kong. These are some silly figures within Nintendo's lineup that encapsulate a newbie-friendly playstyle with some hijinks to boot. The way features like them and others are handled could really do with a comeback in titles like Donkey Kong Country Returns HD.

Donkey Kong Country

Released over just a two-year period between 1994 and 1996, many consider the original Donkey Kong Country trilogy to be among the finest side-scrolling platformers ever made. After a long hiatus, the series returned in 2010, with another game then being released for the Wii U some four years later.