Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze (Wii-U)

[Gabz Girl]

Tom Mcshea is the biggest knob in gaming journalism, so I just ignore most of his awful reviews. Bitching and moaning in his DK preview about how Retro should've made a new Metroid or whatever is highly unprofessional and I still can't understand how people can defend this guy.

If it turns out to be true, I'll ignore it yet again but I will enjoy the shitstorm over at Gamespot. =]

[Your Vest Friend]

Also Edge apparently gave the game 7/10.

[Soniman]

Not mind blowing scores so far it seems. Though ill wait until we get the brunt of them

[Kaabiitorori]

Considering this guys preview of the game, that leaked score isn't so surprising: http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wrestling-with-donkey-kong-country-tropical-freeze/1100-6416779/

 

I mean, I get why this guy feels this way (a new Retro IP or a Metroid game by them might get more interest in the Wii U....) but that is just unprofessional. He is having a fan criticism, not a professional criticism (which would fall along the lines of the game "not having a balance difficulty or the game is lacking content and the like), and having fan criticism in something that should be in a professional thing is really REALLY bad.

 

That website is so going to get flamed all over the place if that leaked review is true !

 

The moment I recognised who the previewer was I seriously wasn’t surprised: Tom McShea has been pretty notorious for his Nintendo reviews in recent years. Seems like in the preview he complained about how DKC Tropical Freeze is much of the same (ironic giving how reviews like Call of Duty get away with the rehashing bullshit) and how Retro Studios is not doing anything but another Donkey Kong game. The latter not only screams unprofessionalism but a clear lack of respect to Retro’s work. Let alone the fact it’s GameSpot, one of the many mainstream video game media which has lost their journalistic integrity long since they kicked out the reviewer involved in Kane & Lynch because GameSpot weren’t agreed with his score despite the fact the game was advertised on the site (clearly, a paid review).

 

If the reviewer for DKC Tropical Freeze is Tom McShea, again, I won’t be surprised at all. This won’t change my views towards the game, I’ll still pick it up a week or two after launch (gotta deal with the Wii U backlog first!) and enjoy the living shit out of this game.

[Conando]

I wouldn't say Tom McShea is someone to take seriously. He doesn't seem to like anything.

Also Edge apparently gave the game 7/10.

 

Means it's pretty good, then. Edge is far more strict with their scores. (If I'm remembering correctly a 7 is akin to anything in the 8's from other reviewers).

[Autosaver]

Edge gave a ton of Nintendo games a 7, so it's nothing to worry about.

[Old dead account]

>Implying a 7/10 is a bad score

>Taking Gamespot seriously

I ain't even mad. Still getting this game ASAP.

[Conando]

Speaking of reviews, GameInformer apparently gave it a 9.25. The online review isn't up yet, though (only the magazine review is available).

[Doctor MK]

Here come the reviews!

 

NintendoLife - 9/10

EDGE - 7/10

ShackNews - 6/10

Joystiq - 4/5

Eurogamer - 7/10

GamingTrend - 75/100

CVG - 8/10

DigitalSpy - 4/5

Metro - 7/10

Destructoid - 10/10

IGN - 9.0

USGamer - 4.5/5

GameSpot - 6/10

Paste Magazine - 8.5/10

VentureBeat - 70/100

TheSixthAxis - 9/10

GameReactor - 8/10

RetroGamer - 74%

The Scotsman - 8.7/10

NowGamer - 7/10

GameSided - 9.5/10

 

GameXplain - 5/5

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2Faqi58LZY

 

GamesRadar - 4/5

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hr9cDDkfoDs

 

Polygon - 8.5/10

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wkL2VAUZ6k

 

NomComms - 9.6/10

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99_qGgXGAFk

 

FamilyGamerTV

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrgRFC0COlY

[canderson]

Damn, the review scores are all over the place.

Don't forget to add Gamespot's 6/10 review(the lowest score so far).

[PSI Wind]

Holy shit, the reasons and complaints in Gamespot's review is such a joke. He says as a positive "Exciting and challenging boss battles" but then says "Harsh checkpoints during boss battles". I mean, WOW.

[Mando-Whirl-Wind]

So mostly positive, with a couple of crybabys over difficulty? sounds fine by me, just too bad it isnt in the budget at the moment

[Milo]

Copypasting a couple of GameSpot comments that posted a list of reviews scores in response of GameSpot's 8.8 6 review and added a few more Metacritic reviews of the game with /good/ reviews. Reviews with stars count towards the Metacritic aggregate score (as of now).

 

Destructoid: 10

Gaming Age: 10

GameInsider: 9.5

GameXplain: 5/5

GameSided: 9.5

NWR NA: 9.5

Vandal Online: 9.4

Game Informer: 9.25

FOK!games (Dutch): 9.5

Meristation - 9.2

GameTrailers: 9.1

IGN: 9

3DJuegos: 9

Nintendo Life: 9

GamingUniverse.De: 9

VgNetwork.it: 9

TheSixthAxis: 9

Insidegamer(dutch): 9

US Gamer: 9 

Polygon: 8.5

LazyGamer: 8.5

God is a Geek: 8

Gameblog.fr: 8

Joystiq: 8

GamesRadar: 8

FNintendo: 8

Eurogamer Italy: 8

 

Metacritic score lists the game at 81, based on 24 critics (18 pos., 6 mixed) so far.

GameRankings lists a 80.15% score, based on 17 reviews so far.

[Doctor MK]

I can't say I'm entirely surprised by the range of review scores, and not because of any "it should have been Metroid instead!" mindsets. Though Tropical Freeze has indeed looked like a solid gameplay experience since its announcement, it has also looked very very similar to its predecessor, which is both a blessing and a curse. Donkey Kong Country Returns was an absolute blast, and more of the same definitely isn't a bad thing, but it does also mean that Tropical Freeze was forever doomed to lack the "wow" factor unless it really pulled something special out of the bag. It's a bit like Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2, I guess, with the sequel essentially just being an evolution of the original rather than something entirely new. However, it appears where Galaxy 2 propelled itself to new levels of quality with its creative level design, Tropical Freeze has perhaps played it a little too safe and so lacks the same sort of impact. It's all down to what you're wanting from the game I suppose - either a revolutionary new entry in the franchise, or a souped-up expansion pack of sorts.

 

Either way, I'm still super excited to play the game for myself come the end of the week. While I can't see it drawing me in as much as, say, Super Mario 3D World, I can tell that the platforming itself is going to be a real treat and I for one can't wait to experience it.

[Gabz Girl]

Ugh, most of the mixed reviews I see here are complaining and bawww'ing about the difficulty (especially apparent in Gamespot's review) which really bothers me because it shows why games nowadays are rarely hardcore in terms of difficulty. Either way, I'm still getting this!

Oh btw, if being very similar to another game is so bad, then why does CoD always get such great reviews? Yes I know Ghosts was pretty mixed but those got great reviews for a long period of time and the games have hardly changed since Modern Warfare 2, even in terms of graphics. Smells of bias to me.

[MegasonicZX]

Now ya guys know how I feel when you complain about SLW's supposedly "cheap" difficulty (pfft casuals)

 

But yeah, it really shows how bad the industry is these days when it comes to games that can't be beaten through by just putting things on easy mode.

[Conando]

I wouldn't honestly get too bothered by it, though. Gamespot has proven itself to be a joke time and time again, or at least some kind of clickbait magnet. I agree that ALBW was better than a lot of things it was up against as GOTY, but everyone knows they chose it just to ruffle the most feathers and get the most page hits.

[Milo]

Currently GameRankings score is 81.74% based on 25 reviews, while Metacritic scores it at 82 based on 43 reviews.

 

Compared to aggregate scores of past DKC games...

 

DKC1: 88.94% (GR)

DKC2: 89.91%

DKC3: 83.24%

DKCR: 87.87% / 87 (MC)

DKCR 3D: 83.51% / 83

 

...DKC: TF definitely the least positively reviewed of the lot, though still a good game. If Retro makes a third attempt at a DKC game, hopefully it will bring things back to form as well as bring more new things/refinements to the table, though I assume now that DKC: TF is finished, Nintendo will want them (if not Retro themselves) to bring the Metroid series back to form after the damage Other M caused.

[Gabz Girl]

I don't want Retro to make a third DK game, unless they want people to continue moaning about more Metroid or whatever. If they do make another DK game however then I hope there will be something a bit more innovative than a 2D platformer. Maybe they can do something to DK64, but better.

[8ther]

I think Monster Games are being groomed into a DK developer i mean they did the 3DS port of DKCR and the co-developed Tropical Freeze with Retro, with Retro being pressured by both fans and Nintendo to make new Metroid/new ip, MG seems to be the best candidates over who should take over the series from Retro.

 

Was i the only one dissapointed that final boss wasn't secretly a mech/costume being piloted by K. Rool?

 

Seriously why is Nintendo being reluctant use the Kremlings, i know they were created by Rare but last i check Nintendo fully owned them, i get the feeling that DKCR was intended to be a soft reboot of the series and that the Kremlings completely written out of the Donkey Kong universe.

[PSI Wind]

Because reptiles are cold-blooded. Why would the Kremlings be in a game with a winter focus.

[Nintendoga]

Didn't stop them from being in the winter and ice themed worlds/levels from all the other games

[Your Vest Friend]

Because reptiles are cold-blooded. Why would the Kremlings be in a game with a winter focus.

The ND Crash Bandicoot games apparently forgot that because the reptile bosses are always in cold places.

Otherwise it might be because they just felt like getting bosses who would make more sense using cold as a weapon.

I was just here to point out that even reviews that were very positive criticised the game for being a bit too samey.

[Lady Soniko]

So it would turn out I'm getting this day one after all because of forgetting about my pre-order with Shopto, woke up this morning and had been charged £30 from my bank and an invoice from shopto, welp.

 

Ah well.

[Tails spin]

The ND Crash Bandicoot games apparently forgot that because the reptile bosses are always in cold places.Otherwise it might be because they just felt like getting bosses who would make more sense using cold as a weapon.I was just here to point out that even reviews that were very positive criticised the game for being a bit too samey.

Then what do u make of the kremlings in the snow world of Dkc, in the ice caves of dkc 2 and snow world of dkc3

Edit this goes to psi winds post as well