Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

This classic adventure returns with a brand-new mode to make the challenging gameplay more accessible, but don't be too fooled: This game will still test your leaping skills. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze gives fans more of the running and jumping maneuvers they expect from this kind of action game but makes it a fair bit harder. Sure, it starts off easy to make sure that you get used to your special moves, but then it tosses lots of pits, spikes, and other hazards at you that can frustrate even experienced gamers. At least the addition of secondary characters, each with their own abilities, gives you a chance at succeeding in each level, because they help you gain access to new areas and avoid some traps. In fact, as you defeat enemies, you build up a meter for your ultimate attack called Kong-Pow. Once triggered, Donkey Kong and his companion of the moment give each other a high-five, which turns all enemies on-screen into collectible items. That can be very useful in giving yourself a breather while you're trying to figure out where to go on a level.

The Nintendo Switch version of Tropical Freeze at least recognizes the game's difficulty, adding in a new Funky Kong mode to make the action easier. Funky has more powers than Donkey Kong -- he can float, walk on spikes (thanks to his surfboard), hover, and double-jump. He also has more health, which gives more chances to explore a stage. The major trade-off with this mode? DK's friends don't travel along with Funky, but that's OK -- his skills are more than enough to let him go it alone. Overall, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze ​may be too challenging for some younger players, but the addition of Funky mode and the high watermark of Nintendo quality is written all over this island-hopping tale. There's little doubt that both skilled and experienced gamers will find this a fun, polished, and replayable adventure.