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. What is currently known is that Dixie Kong will appear as a playable character, similar to Diddy Kong's role in Donkey Kong Country Returns, and that the main antagonists will be based off of Vikings. The Vikings seem to appear as animals like penguins, walruses, and owls.

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. The game also presents ice and underwater levels, which are absent in the Wii game. 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 parts and perspectives of the scenery.

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 hit it once without losing a life. A difference to Donkey Kong Country Returns as a whole, however, is that the Kongs can swim in this sequel. In the previous game, touching water causes instant death.

Playable characters

 * Donkey Kong
 * Diddy Kong
 * Dixie Kong
 * An unknown fourth character.

Enemies

 * Vikings
 * Penguins who act similarly to Tiki Goons.
 * Penguins wearing horned helmets.
 * Archer penguins who shoot fish.
 * Flying penguins wearing pilot headgear.
 * Viking owls.
 * Giant viking owls.
 * Burly walrus-like Vikings that require two stomps to defeat.
 * Smaller walrus-like Vikings.
 * 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.
 * Bluish fish.
 * Jellyfish enemies.
 * A giant octopus enemy resembling Squiddicus.
 * A giant catfish with facial hair that hides in the background of an underwater level.

Bosses

 * A giant viking seal

World 1

 * 1-1: Mangrove Cove: A level featuring water ponds.
 * 1-4: Trunk Twister: A minecart level.
 * 1-B: Big Top Bop: The viking seal boss level.

World 2

 * 2-6: Cannon Canyons: A cliff level where the Kongs use several Barrel Cannons.

Confirmed

 * An ice level with many stone structures.
 * A jungle stage with bouncy gelatinous trampolines.
 * An underwater silhouette stage featuring jellyfish enemies.
 * A grassy level with a pine forest in the background.
 * A mountain-themed level which contains elastic balloons.
 * A canyon containing giraffe and zebra-esque poles.