Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is an upcoming side-scrolling 2.5D platform game in development by Retro Studios for the Wii U. It is the fifth game in the Donkey Kong Country series and the direct follow-up to the Wii game Donkey Kong Country Returns. According to what is currently known, Dixie Kong will appear as a playable character, similar to Diddy Kong's role in Donkey Kong Country Returns, while the main antagonists, the Snowmads, will be based on stereotypical Vikings, and appear as animals such as penguins, walruses, and owls. The game was originally slated for release during November 2013 before being pushed back to December 6; it was later pushed back again to February 2014.

Story
The story begins at Donkey Kong's hut, where the Kongs are celebrating what appears to be his birthday. Suddenly, one of the balloons flies off the Kong house and over the sea, where mysterious ships are stationed. Far away from the island, a penguin minion watches over them, locating the Kong house and relaying info to their leader, shrouded in a dark silhouette. Upon the leader nodding their approval, several penguin minions blow horns as six penguins carrying a large white horn covered with white mist. The leader laughs as he blows the horn, creating a large amount of wind, as well as a strange ice dragon.

Meanwhile, Diddy is busy playing kazoos, unaware of the events about to take place. Just as he is about to blow the candles out, Donkey Kong notices a mysterious snowflake appear and put out the candle on his birthday cake. He turns away with a frustrated look on his face as he hears an uproar, and he and the other Kongs came out from the house to see what the commotion was about. The ice dragon from earlier flies toward Donkey Kong Island, turning the sea under it to ice. The Kongs are then blown away from the island by the ice dragon's intense winds. Afterwards, a large ship stations itself where the Volcano from Donkey Kong Country Returns used to be, and the Snowmads seize Donkey Kong Island for their own, turning it into a frosty area with continuous snowfall.

Gameplay
The gameplay of the title is very similar to that of its predecessor, Donkey Kong Country Returns. Still, it features more playable characters, including Dixie Kong, who can use her ponytail to go up in midair and glide, and Cranky Kong, who can use his cane to destroy some obstacles, such as Spikes. The game also presents ice and underwater levels, which were absent in the Wii game. The swimming ability returns in this game; in the Wii game, touching water meant instant death. A new air gauge is implemented in water stages, requiring the Kongs to find air bubbles to avoid drowning.

For the first time in the series, the camera angle can change dynamically in some levels where Blast Barrels or minecarts are found, showing more areas and perspectives of the scenery. A new feature in this game is the Kong POW attack, which turns all enemies on-screen into items. This move can only be performed when 100 bananas have been collected, and when there is another character on Donkey Kong's back.

Similarly to Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D, the player can choose an easier mode giving each Kong three health hearts instead of two. Minecarts also have these hearts, enabling the player to be hit once without losing a life.

Bosses

 * A giant viking seal. (Lost Mangroves)
 * Skowl: a giant viking owl (Autumn Heights)
 * A polar bear with a big hammer (Juicy Jungle)

Enemies

 * Snowmads
 * Penguins who act similarly to Tiki Goons.
 * Spiky Tucks
 * Archer penguins who shoot fish.
 * Red archer penguins who shoot fiery fish.
 * Tucks
 * Orange Penguins that carry "melon bombs" on their backs.
 * Big Penguins that help the Boss Seal.
 * Flying penguins wearing pilot headgear.
 * Viking owls.
 * Giant viking owls.
 * Burly walrus-like Vikings that require three stomps to defeat.
 * Smaller walrus-like Vikings.
 * Fluffs: Bouncing rabbit Vikings.
 * Blue and red toucan enemies that act similarly to Awks.
 * Mantis enemies that act similarly to Frogoons.
 * Snail enemies.
 * Turtle enemies that retreat into their shell after being stomped on, like Koopa Troopas.
 * Platforms with a carnivorous plant acting similarly to a Chomp under them.
 * Strawberry Chomps.
 * Blue fish.
 * Fire Hedgehogs that are defeated by throwing water fruit.
 * Flying Chicken like enemies.
 * Sea Urchins that appear in the Boss Seal battle.
 * Big fish that appear in the Boss Seal battle.
 * Burning Screaming Pillars.
 * Jellyfish enemies.
 * A giant catfish with facial hair that hides in the background of an underwater level.
 * Snaggles
 * A large shark-like creature that can eat the minecart track.
 * Mimics
 * Big Mouse like enemies
 * Squiddicus
 * Screaming Pillars

Worlds and levels
The game is confirmed to have six islands that the Kongs must traverse before reaching Donkey Kong Island.


 * Lost Mangroves
 * 1-1: Mangrove Cove: A level featuring water ponds.
 * '''1-2: Shipwreck Shore
 * '''1-3: Canopy Chaos
 * '''1-B: Busted Bayou
 * 1-4: Trunk Twister: A minecart level.
 * 1-Boss: Big Top Bop: The viking seal boss level.


 * Autumn Heights
 * '''2-1: Windmill Hills
 * '''2-2: Mountain Mania
 * '''2-3: Horn Top Hop
 * '''2-4: Sawmill Thrill
 * '''2-5: Alpine Incline
 * '''2-6: Wing Ding
 * 2-Boss: Mountaintop Tussle Skowl boss level


 * Bright Savannah
 * 3-1: Grassland Grove
 * 3-2: Frantic Fields: A level inside a hurricane, where lightings strike and mini tornadoes appear.
 * 3-3: Bramble Scramble
 * '''3-4: Scorch 'N' Torch
 * 3-5: Twilight Terror A Rocket Barrel level with a remix of Stickerbrush Symphony from Donkey Kong Country 2.
 * 3-6: Cannon Canyon: A cliff level with many Barrel Cannons.


 * Sea Breeze Cove
 * '''4-1: Deep Keep
 * '''4-2: High Tide Ride
 * '''4-3: Amiss Abyss
 * 4-4: Irate Eight


 * Juicy Jungle
 * 5-1: Jelly Jamboree: A jungle stage with bouncy gelatinous trampolines.


 * Donkey Kong Island
 * 6-1: Homecoming Hijinks: A snow-themed level somewhat similar to Jungle Hijinxs.
 * 6-6: Cliffside Slide

Confirmed

 * Aqueduct Assault: A mountain-themed level which contain elastic balloons.
 * An underwater silhouette stage featuring jellyfish enemies.

Funky's Fly 'n' Buy
Funky Kong runs the item shop in place of Cranky in this game. He will sell life balloons and other balloons, portable partner barrels, banana juice, hearts, crash guards, and figurines of characters in the game that a player can get at random through a capsule toy machine.

References to other games

 * Donkey Kong Country: The music theme "Aquatic Ambience" is remixed and four of the Kong characters first appeared in this game: Donkey, Diddy, Cranky, and Funky.
 * Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest: Dixie Kong returns from this game, which marked her first appearance. Bramble levels return.
 * Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!: The ability to water skip returns. In the remake of this game Cranky has his own minigame at his dojo which was his first playable appearance in the series.
 * Donkey Kong Country Returns: Being the direct follow-up to this game, the gameplay in this game is similar to its predecessor.
 * Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D: The "New" game mode originated here and was borrowed for this game.