I think it is, and I think I like it. The proper reaction to that statement is something like, "you clearly haven't played Dead Souls," and that's totally true. I'm sure I'll pick up Dead Souls years from now out of sheer curiosity-and I'm sure I'll love it-but until then NONE of you have been able to make that game sound any more fun than a plane ride with Amelia Earhart.
Anyway, back on topic. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is surprisingly challenging... That's actually why I'm loving it so much. I find myself thinking "hmm, I'll just finish up World 4 and then I'll call it a night", and then before I know it an hour has gone by and I AM NOT GOING TO SLEEP WITHOUT BEATING A SINGLE LEVEL. Somehow I'm finding this really enjoyable.
It's the kind of game that kills you thirty-seven times in a row on the same level, and then you zone out while thinking about whether you want Quiznos for dinner and you wind up beating the level almost subconsciously.
It helps that after you die, Donkey Kong comes riding in on another one of his red balloons and you get to start over from the last checkpoint. Way to go, fool, you wasted a balloon. But there are like, a million of them in every level so it's not a big deal. This is a game that forces you to be careful and always keep an eye out for the next obstacle. It also demands precision in its platforming, especially if you want to gather all of the collectables and discover every secret (good luck). It adds to the fun, though. It really does.
Looking back, I never enjoyed Super Mario Galaxy like I should've because the game was such a breeze. A ton of care went into the game, without a doubt, but you hopped so quickly from one world to the next that you never really got to take it all in. Mario Galaxy didn't give me any sort of sense of accomplishment, and that was kind of a bummer.
What's great about the the new Donkey Kong is the way it walks that fine line between challenging and aggravating. The controls are very smooth, and even feel fine-tuned so that the game's challenge rarely feels like a matter of wonky controls. For example, Tropical Freeze's underwater levels are tough, but they remain comfortable outside the realm of frustration because DK's movement through the water is so tight and graceful. You always feel like you're in control, and DK goes exactly where you want him to. Underwater movement is notoriously difficult to nail down in platforming games (in any genre, really), but Tropical Freeze got it just right.
And ooohhh the music is so good! A game's soundtrack often gets overlook when the game does so many other things right, but this one deserves a lot of credit. Can't forget to mention the excellent soundtrack.
The levels also have cute names like "Rodent Ruckus" and "Bramble Scramble", which makes my feet tingle a little bit. Look, it's not the most sophisticated thing in the world but there's something to be said for Nintendo's charm. It's one of the few companies whose creations approach Disney levels of heart-warming cuteness, and Donkey Kong is definitely one of their marquee franchises.
I highly recommend playing the newest entry in the franchise. It's the most fun I've had with a platformer in a long time.
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