Get tips to start your barrel-blasting adventure!

The Tiki Tak Tribe has swiped Donkey Kong’s banana hoard! Now, DK and his pals must swing into action in Donkey Kong Country Returns HD. To help prepare you to become top banana, we’ve gathered a few tips on controls to make sure you’re ripe for the challenge.

The basics

Once you’ve created your new game file, you’ll be asked whether you’d like to play in Modern Mode or Original Mode. But… um… what’s the difference?

Well, if you ever played Donkey Kong Country Returns on Wii, Original Mode will look very familiar. You’ll start out with only two hearts and only be able to take one item into a level with you.

Meanwhile, in Modern Mode you’ll start with three hearts—meaning you’ll be able to take an additional hit. You’ll also be able to get more in-game items from Cranky Kong’s Shop and take up to nine of them into a level with you. Bring a Banana Juice to stop five hits, a Crash Guard to cancel out two hits while you’re riding mine carts or rocket barrels, or a Green Balloon to save you from falling down a pit.

(Thanks, Cranky!)

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please remember that after you choose which mode you’d like to play in, you will not be able to change it.

Now that you’ve chosen your mode, let’s start playing!

Controls

There are a few basic controls to keep in mind for a strong start:

Jump: Tap the A or B Button once to jump. Hold the button down to jump even higher. Jump on platforms, over obstacles, or onto enemies to get them out of the way.

Tip: If you time it just right, you can jump on an enemy and gain momentum for an even higher jump.

Barrel Roll: See an enemy comin’ in hot? Teach ‘em a lesson by moving forward with the L Stick and pressing the X or Y Button to do a Barrel Roll. If Diddy Kong is with you, continue pressing forward and tapping the button to keep on rollin’. Just remember, some enemies are built tougher and won’t go down from a simple roll.

Tip: By pressing the A or B button during a roll, you can launch DK into a jump. If you see a big gap that you need to cross, try this manoeuvre.

Ground Pound: By pressing the X or Y Button, DK will start slapping the ground, stunning nearby enemies. He may even shake out hidden items.

Blow: If you press the X or Y Button while holding down on the L Stick, you’ll be able to let out a puff of air. This is useful for putting out fires or revealing hidden items.

Tip: If you see small plants that look like slow-moving propellers or dandelions, try to blow on them to see if there are any hidden treasures.

Grab: Pick up barrels and objects by holding down the L or R Button. Just let go of the button to release whatever is in your grip. Donkey Kong Island is lousy with barrels, so go ape and break whatever you can.

Tip: See a hole filled with spikes that you can’t cross? Yup, that can happen around the island. Look for grass on the ceiling or hanging vines. Use Grab on these fibrous friends to get past those pesky spikes.

Try two-player co-op!

When you pass a Joy-Con controller to a friend for two-player fun, something interesting happens. The smallest Kong’s basic actions are the same as DK’s, but he also brings a couple of his own a-peel-ing moves.

Barrel Jet: When you have a second player controlling Diddy Kong, they can use the A or B Button while jumping to hover and move through the air for a short time. This action is the same as when you’re playing in single-player mode as Donkey Kong with Diddy Kong along for the ride, except now Diddy Kong can move independently (and will not carry DK).

Peanut Popgun: As Diddy Kong, the second player can press the X or Y Button to shoot the Peanut Popgun. This peanut-launching weapon can cover short distances and deliver a wallop to baddies.

Tip: While in two-player mode, the person controlling Diddy Kong can jump on Donkey Kong’s back by getting close and pressing the L or R Buttons. Once in place, the second player can fire off the Peanut Popgun, acting as a tiny turret.

Phew! We’ve covered a lot of moves in this game, and there’s still plenty more tips to go through. For now, we’ll end there… but before we go…

Try a free demo!

If you’d like to get a better sense of the gameplay in Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, you can download a free demo! Try three different stages in Modern Mode solo or with a friend. You may even run into a few friendly(ish) faces, like Cranky Kong!

If you’d like to learn more about the game or download the demo, please click on the link below.