Line #233 VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryTropicalFreeze


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/9d09fa3d_acdd_4b41_996d_14b1e7e998e0.jpeg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:The Kongs have landed in the coolest Country yet!]]
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4	''Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze'' (released as ''Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze'' in Japanese) is a UsefulNotes/WiiU {{platform game}} produced by Creator/{{Nintendo}} and Creator/RetroStudios, a sequel to ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryReturns''. It is the fifth side-scrolling ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry'' game, and the sixth overall. The game was originally slated for release in November 2013, before being pushed to February 2014.
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6	The Snowmads, a horde of rampaging Vikings from [[GrimUpNorth the frigid northern seas]], invade DK Island and kick the Kongs out of their home--and [[ABirthdayNotABreak on Donkey Kong's birthday]], no less. Donkey, Diddy, Dixie, and Cranky must then trek across six different islands to reclaim their turf (and undo the magic spell that's turned it into an icy tundra).
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8	Veteran ''Donkey Kong Country'' series composer David Wise returned to the series to compose the soundtrack for the game, replacing Minako Hamano from ''Returns''.
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10	In May 2018, an UpdatedRerelease of the game for the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch was released, with the biggest addition being that Funky Kong, like Cranky before him, had been PromotedToPlayable, with his surfboard providing many unique abilities for him to use.
11	----
12	!!Tropes featured in ''Tropical Freeze'' include:
13	* TwoAndAHalfD: ''Tropical Freeze'' expands on what ''Returns'' did by adding curving paths and CameraPerspectiveSwitch during segments like barrel cannon sequences. Certain MinecartMadness levels also involve jumping back and forth between parallel rails.
14	* HundredPercentCompletion: Like ''Returns'', the game has 200% as the maximum amount. And once again, the only things that count towards completion percentage are the Kong letters (since you need them all to open all the stages), completing said stages [[spoiler:and then completing them again in Hard Mode]]. Puzzle pieces and Time Attack medals don't factor in.
15	* AbnormalAmmo:
16	** One of the enemies is a penguin archer who fires [[EdibleAmmunition fish]] as projectiles. Diddy can still use his Peanut Popguns, of course, and Dixie gains a gumball gun.
17	** Cranky, on the other hand, throws ''false teeth.''
18	** Lord Fredrik's horn fires out spikeballs and ''ice dragons''.
19	* {{Acrofatic}}: Lord Fredrik is so obese his belly jiggles and bounces with his every movement, and yet he can dodge rapidly, run quickly, and leap great distances with apparently little effort.
20	* AdvertisedExtra: Funky Kong, apart from being PromotedToPlayable in the Switch version, makes no appearance in the game's cinematics and only with his own model-animation for boss battles.
21	* AfricanChant: The music theme of the level Grassland Groove displays this trope. Notably, the song doesn't loop like a normal theme would do, but instead changes gradually as the player progresses in the level. When the exit is displayed, the music ends with an epic chant of Donkey Kong's name.
22	* AgelessBirthdayEpisode: The game starts with one for DK, before the bad guys crash the party.
23	* AirborneMook: Hootzes are owl-like creatures that are part of the Snowmad tribe, and either remain static in an aerial spot or move in a certain patter (back and forth in a straight line or around a circle). A fiery variant of them exists, and cannot be stomped on for obvious reasons.
24	* AllTheWorldsAreAStage: The last world, Donkey Kong Island, is a review of every world in ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryReturns'', with each regular stage being based around the most iconic challenges found in that particular area in the first game. The FinalBoss, Lord Fredrik, is also fought where Tiki Tong was in the previous game. The secret levels are brand-new, however.
25	* AlmostOutOfOxygen: The game adds an OxygenMeter for the first time in [[Franchise/DonkeyKong the series]]. As diving underwater, the Kongs must touch air bubbles or items surrounded by air in order to replenish the meter.
26	* AntiFrustrationFeatures:
27	** As the number of figurines to collect increases each time you clear a world, and getting unique figurines is a LuckBasedMission as they're only available through the Capsule Toy Machine in Funky Kong's shop (with no real way to manipulate the chances of getting a unique one), Funky will stop the player from using the machine if all the unique figurines currently available have been collected, preventing them from wasting their hard-earned Banana Coins on the machine.
28	** The Switch version allows you to access your entire inventory in the middle of a stage, meaning you no longer have to decide in advance what items to bring with you into a stage or worry about having the wrong (or no) support Kong for certain collectibles or secret exits (especially when the levels in question are either unsuitable for certain Kongs or don't provide many Kong barrels).
29	* AquaticMook: Finleys (large fish that come in blue and red variations), Gargantuan Gills (massive fanged fish), Gordos (indigo-colored fish with robust bodies), Fritzs (moray eels capable of producing electricity), and Mama Saws (sawfish whose noses actually look like man-made chainsaws). Finleys usually show gestures of boredom and swim in various patterns, with the blue ones swimming slowly and the red ones swimming faster; Gargantuan Gills attempt to swallow the Kongs in one bit by jumping out of the water (some of them, colored purple, even manage to chew railtracks during a MinecartMadness level); Gordos act and move similarly to Finleys, but require extra hits to be defeated; Fritzs attempt to hurt the Kongs with their bioelectricity, and can teleport between spots by creating whirlpools; and Mama Saws attempt to charge at the Kongs to harm them with thir saw-like noses.
30	* ArmorPiercingAttack: Cranky's pogo cane is able to harm Snowmads with helmets, which would otherwise protect them or even hurt Kongs who jump on them.
31	* ArtifactMook: Screaming Pillars are back, but on an entirely different island and in spite of the rest of the Tiki Tak Tribe being nowhere to be seen.
32	* AutobotsRockOut: Pompy, Bashmaster, and even [[BigBad Lord Fredrik]] all have killer, intense metal music as their battle themes.
33	* AutoScrollingLevel: Naturally, as barrel cannon sequences return; in a unique twist, certain segments will provide a CameraPerspectiveSwitch. Rocket barrel and mine cart segments return as well.
34	* BadassAdorable: Dixie Kong. On the badass front, she, like all the other sidekicks, [[MusclesAreMeaningless can do everything DK can]] in co-op mode. In addition to this, she can spin her ponytail like a helicopter to either extend the height and distance of her jumps or swim through strong currents underwater, which is generally seen as the most useful of the three sidekicks' special abilities for easily navigating most levels. On the adorable front, it's clear that Retro Studios was really trying to play up the "cute" factor: they gave her great big puppy dog eyes (noticeably bigger than the other characters'), a squeaky high-pitched voice, and several cute mannerisms such as her tendency to giggle a lot and the silly little happy dance she does upon successfully completing a puzzle piece challenge, finishing a level with all KONG letters, etc.
35	* {{Balloonacy}}:
36	** As in the previous game, Red Balloons lift Kongs back to the last checkpoint if they die.
37	** Green Balloons [[JustifiedExtraLives return Kongs to the stage]] if they fall into a BottomlessPit.
38	** Funky Kong ponders how many balloons he needs to attach to his surfboard to get some air if the player buys Red Balloons from his shop.
39	* BandLand: 2-3, Horn Top Hop, has you getting lifted by the air coming out of large horns, The end barrel gets sucked into a horn at the end.
40	* BattleThemeMusic: Following the trend of ''Returns'', the bosses all have their own battle themes to stand out from the style of the SNES trilogy. In particular, Pompy, Bashmaster and Lord Fredrik employ AutobotsRockOut for their themes, whereas Skowl uses OminousLatinChanting that has been noted to bear a considerable similarity with the famous theme of Sephiroth's OneWingedAngel form in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'', Ba-Boom uses a fast-paced tribal composition to go along with his mischievous nature, and Fugu uses a track that borrows the musical style of the tense tracks played in ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry2DiddysKongQuest (both games were composed by David Wise, so this makes sense).
41	* BearsAreBadNews: Bashmaster, the boss of Juicy Jungle is a gigantic polar bear Snowmad wielding [[HumongousHeadedHammer a hammer as big as he is]]. His somewhat [[NonstandardCharacterDesign more realistic design, compared to the other characters]], makes him look downright ''brutal.'' Check him out [[http://www.dkvine.com/?p=3899 here.]]
42	* BeeAfraid: The Buzzies are humongous, stubby bee enemies that often chase after Donkey Kong and his friends, trying to sting them with their stingers.
43	* BigBad: The leader of the Snowmads, Lord Fredrik. After bringing an EndlessWinter to DK Island, Lord Fredrik and the Snowmads take over the island, with DK and co. having to take it back from him.
44	* BigGuyLittleGuy: Donkey Kong is the big guy to little guys Diddy, Dixie, and Cranky Kong. All three can stand on his back.
45	* BioluminescenceIsCool: Several living creatures in the UnderTheSea levels are bio-luminescent.
46	* BirthdayBeginning: The Snowmad attack happens on Donkey Kong's birthday. May count as a SignificantReferenceDate, as the game was released in 2014, and that year marked the 20th anniversary of the ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry'' series.
47	* ABirthdayNotABreak: The Snowmads invade the DK Isles and kick the Kongs out whilst they're celebrating Donkey Kong's birthday.
48	* BlackoutBasement: The screen goes dark a few times in the level "Rodent Ruckus".
49	* BlowThatHorn: Lord Fredrik, leader of the Snowmads, has a magical horn that shoots ice, which he uses to plunge Donkey Kong Island into EndlessWinter.
50	* BlowYouAway: The Snowmad leader's horn blows the Kongs off their island before freezing it.
51	* BonusDungeon: The Secret Seclusion, which requires gathering the relics located in the Temple levels (themselves {{Brutal Bonus Level}}s) to enter, and can only be unveiled after defeating the FinalBoss and clearing the game once. It consists of three exceptionally challenging levels, and completing them unlocks Hard Mode.
52	* BonusStage: These are hidden within the levels, and accessing them challenges the Kongs to collect all items present; doing so will reward them with puzzle pieces.
53	* BootstrappedTheme: The initial E3 2013 trailers and gameplay footage frequently used the Jungle Hijinx theme, DK Island Swing, with the implication that it would be used in the opening Lost Mangrove levels. But later footage revealed that the Lost Mangrove levels would instead feature a new piece of music, which seems to indicate that DK Island Swing was used more to hype up the fans. It's instead used in the secret K levels, unlocked by getting every KONG letter in each world.
54	* BossSubtitles: Every boss has a title that is shown on their figurine. In order, these are:
55	** Pompy, the Presumptuous
56	** Skowl, the Startling
57	** Ba-Boom, the Boisterous
58	** Fugu, the Frightening
59	** Bashmaster, the Unbreakable
60	** Lord Fredrik, the Snowmad King
61	* BringIt:
62	** The Kongs do various gestures relating to the trope before throwing down with a boss. Funky Kong from the Switch version embodies the trope more traditionally, beckoning the boss with both hands.
63	** The giant grasshopper enemy, Punchy Paddy, gestures such to the Kongs as it glides down after a jump.
64	* BrutalBonusLevel: The temples from ''Returns'' make, well, a return, and once again they can only be unlocked by gathering all KONG letters in the standard levels. They're exceptionally difficult, featuring setpieces and gimmicks that make up for more devious level designs, and anything below honed reflexes and timing results in a guaranteed death. Completing them unlocks the equally difficult Secret Seclusion levels, which constitute a BonusDungeon in their own right.
65	* BrutishBulls: One of the new enemies is Buffaloafer, a Cape buffalo.
66	* BubblegloopSwamp: The game starts off in Lost Mangroves as the first world, which is a combination of this and PalmtreePanic. The mangroves themselves aren't harmful, some even being helpful by having platforms that grant access to higher spots, but some areas have thorny branches that must be avoided (though Cranky Kong can jump onto them safely with his cane).
67	* BullfightBoss: [[BigBad Lord Fredrik]] does this on occasion. Jumping on his back as he charges at you is the only way to hurt him. Towards the end of the fight, he moves slightly faster, making it harder to land on him.
68	* TheBusCameBack:
69	** Dixie Kong returns as the third playable character alongside DK, Diddy, and Cranky. Funky Kong is also back to take over Cranky's previous role as the shopkeeper.
70	** Now that Funky's playable in the Switch version, the shop is now owned by a parrot named Tawks.
71	* CaneFu: [[WhenEldersAttack Cranky Kong]] uses his cane in a number of offensive ways, most notably a pogo stick bounce similar to Scrooge's in ''VideoGame/DuckTales''.
72	* CantDropTheHero: In single player, as in ''Returns'', while you can have a partner on your back, you're always playing DK by default. [[spoiler:Unless you're playing Hard Mode.]]
73	* CelebrityParadox: Early on, you can hand slap to turn on a bunch of [=TV=]s. They have the American and Japanese title screens for ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryReturns''.
74	* CharacterSelectForcing: Though the game can be cleared by having any of Donkey's sidekicks, or even only playing as DK himself, certain secret exits that unlock hidden levels require Donkey to be accompanied by a specific sidekick (for example, an aquatic level has a secret exit obstructed by a strong water current that can only be overcome with Dixie's HelicopterHair, while a factory level has a secret exit behind a spiky path that can only be crossed with Cranky's cane).
75	* CheckpointStarvation: The K levels, as per usual. 4-B also qualifies, being the only regular level without checkpoints. [[spoiler:The three levels in World 7, Secret Seclusion, also fit. Every level in Hard Mode also becomes this.]]
76	* CircusOfFear: Where you fight Pompy, the Presumptious.
77	* CircusSynths: The very first boss level, Big Top Bop, has you fighting an [[MonstrousSeal ill-tempered sea lion]] in a circus tent. You'd think the music would be lighthearted, right? ''Nope''. [[https://youtu.be/vV1Fvc16xVU The theme for this level]] is straight up ''metal'', with electric guitars accompanied by synths.
78	* ColorCodedForYourConvenience: In addition to the [[OneUp red balloons]], you can go to Funky's shop to buy the [[BottomlessPitRescueService green balloon]] from the Platform/Nintendo3DS port of ''Returns'' and a brand new blue balloon that extends your OxygenMeter. The letters on DK Barrels also change color to indicate which Kong is within: a blue DD for Diddy, a pink DX for Dixie, and a yellow CK for Cranky.
79	* CombatTentacles: Squiddicus from ''Returns'' is back, and once again it'll use its tentacles to attempt to kill the Kongs, this time underwater.
80	* CombinationAttack: The Kong Pow. Collecting bananas gradually fills a gauge on the HUD that, when full, allows the Kongs to transform all onscreen enemies into extra lives, recovery hearts, or Banana Coins. It takes two characters to pull off the move, though, so Donkey Kong is out of luck if he's by himself. Funky Kong can't use it at all.
81	* CompanyCrossReferences: Funky Kong's description of the Crash Guard is "Vehicle Trouble? [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaI It's dangerous to go alone]] -- take one of these!" Cranky Kong had previously referenced the phrase in ''Returns''.
82	* ConceptArtGallery: Like ''Returns'', this game features an art gallery that fills up as you collect puzzle pieces in the levels and grow closer to HundredPercentCompletion.
83	* ConsoleCameo: The same as the last game, with one of DK's idle animations being to take out a Nintendo handheld and start playing it, although this time he's upgraded his DS to a [=3DS=]. If you're playing the Switch version, he takes out a Switch instead.
84	* ConspicuousElectricObstacle: Precarious Pendulums has electrified beams, caused by electric nodes with current flowing between them.
85	* ContinuityNod:
86	** The first level begins with the player having to shake the controller before the gameplay begins for real, just like in the first level of the previous game.
87	** In the first water area of the first level, diving completely underwater plays a updated remix of the water levels from ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry1''.
88	** Dixie's gumball gun is a sly reference to her IdleAnimation (chewing bubblegum) in ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry2DiddysKongQuest'' and ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry3DixieKongsDoubleTrouble''. One of her idle animations is an air guitar, referencing her victory animation in ''Donkey Kong Country 2''.
89	** In the secret exit of 1-3, Canopy Chaos, you can find Cranky's Victrola from the intro to the original ''DKC'', and it even plays the same tune.
90	** World 6, Donkey Kong Island, is ''filled'' with them for players of ''Returns''. Namely, the first eight levels are set respectively on the eight main worlds in the previous game, while the secret temple level lies [[spoiler:where the Golden Temple was]].
91	** Snaggles, Mimics, Screaming Pillars, and Squiddicus are [[{{Pun}} returning]] enemies from the first ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryReturns''. The Big Squeekly also makes a cameo appearance, frozen in a block of ice in 6-4, Blurry Flurry.
92	* ControllableHelplessness: A {{Downplayed\|Trope}} example in the first post-game level, in which there is a section of falling platforms and there is lower gravity because of the fact. At the end of the section, there is a Barrel Cannon that will be destroyed if left alone for too long. If one lets it get destroyed, then the player has no choice but to let the Kongs fall to their doom and watch as Donkey Kong [[JustifiedExtraLives rides a balloon back to the start of the level]].
93	* ConvectionSchmonvection: Happens in 6-8 Meltdown Mayhem where the ice doesn't even melt despite being just a few feet above '''molten lava'''. The ice only melts if it comes into direct contact with the lava.
94	* CoolOldGuy: Cranky Kong, who this time decides to join Donkey, Diddy and Dixie into the adventure.
95	* CrateExpectations: There are lots of wooden crates in many stages. Crates can contain things ranging from a single banana to a puzzle piece.
96	* CreepyCircusMusic: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=301s-GDML5w Big Top Bop]], the first boss theme, is an epic metal song that uses some very circusy sounding instruments in some parts. Although the effect is more empowering than creepy, it's still played in a minor key.
97	* DamnYouMuscleMemory: The game brings back the old roll mechanic if playing on the Gamepad, which means shaking the Gamepad is not only tiring but does nothing.
98	* DeadlyDustStorm: Level 3-3, "Frantic Fields". It takes place in a savannah hit by a huge dust storm that evolves into a tornado. There are dust devils that will launch the Kongs away at very high speeds, the wind grows strong enough to blow [[{{Mooks}} Snomads]] and even a full-grown Cape buffalo around (and the Kongs eventually, to the point where you can only move forward by rolling or sprinting against the wind) and lightning begins raining down, dealing damage and destroying platforms.
99	* DeathMountain: Autumn Heights, the second island. Instead of being rocky, these mountains have a forested, Bavarian flavor. The titular mountain also has an owl head carved into it, implying the island's take over by the Owl armada of the Snowmads.
100	* DerelictGraveyard: The Lost Mangroves, the first world, are loosely based on the Bermuda Triangle and as a result feature a ridiculous number of shipwrecks (mostly of more modern, UsefulNotes/WorldWarTwo-looking battleships rather than the {{pirate}}y masted ships of previous games), crashed planes and abandoned submarines. One of the secret levels at the end, Crazy Clouds, features a whole graveyard of crashed planes on the side of a [[FloatingContinent floating mountain]], with a few stray propellers and other bits still, [[TemporaryPlatform barely]], airborne.
101	* DirectContinuousLevels: The game does this in a way. The end of each level shares the look of the beginning of the next level, subtly implying their connection to each other. Sometimes the theme of future levels are set up in earlier levels. For example, one level takes place during a storm, and lightning strikes a grassy field in the background setting it on fire. The next level takes place in the resulting brushfire.
102	* DoubleUnlock: Secret Seclusion, the extra world, has to be unlocked by both defeating the FinalBoss and reuniting all the relics guarded in the six main islands' respective Temples.
103	* DreadfulDragonfly: The Monocle Monicas, which appear in the Lost Mangroves, are big pink dragonflies wearing a monocle. They are as big as Donkey Kong and move in predeterminate patterns at high speed.
104	* EasterEgg:
105	** In the plane at the beginning of Mangrove Cove, one can find a set of televisions that display the menu screen from ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryReturns'' if they are turned on.
106	** The gramophone at the end of 1-3 will play the original ''[[VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry1 Donkey Kong Country]]'' theme if you pound next to it.
107	** A tank from ''[[VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3 Super Mario Bros. 3]]'' appears in the background of one stage.
108	** In Busted Bayou, you can see [[Franchise/{{Metroid}} Samus's spaceship]] among the crashed aircraft in the background. In Amiss Abyss, a Metroid can be seen swimming in the background after you backtrack following a certain point (and unlike the first ''Metroid'' Easter egg, [[http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2018/08/a_metroid_easter_egg_has_been_found_in_donkey_kong_country_tropical_freeze_after_four_years this one wasn't discovered until four years after the game was released]]). Fitting, given that Retro Studios also developed the ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeTrilogy'' series and previously hid [[VideoGame/SuperMetroid Crocomire's skull]] and some fossilized baby Leviathans in ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryReturns''.
109	** These and far more Easter eggs can be seen in The Geek Critique's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=si15qFztEGE&list=UUxgx4EwuYDYMZFhjo1dC7SA Easter egg wrap-up for Tropical Freeze.]]
110	* EdibleAmmunition: The game has the [[CartoonPenguin Penguin]] [[HornyVikings Snomads]] use fish as ammo against the Kongs. Dixie Kong also uses a gun similar to Diddy's that fires bubblegum (a reference to her gum-chewing IdleAnimation in ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry2DiddysKongQuest'' and ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry3DixieKongsDoubleTrouble'').
111	* EndlessWinter: This is how the Snowmad Tribe successfully conquered Donkey Kong's island, which was a warm tropical island in all previous ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry'' games. Lord Fredrik turns it into a cold tundra (with the help of his magical Viking horn capable of releasing dragon-shaped ice projectiles) so his people can live there. The aim of the Kongs is to return to their homeland and confront Fredrik to claim it back and find a way to restore its former warm state.
112	* EternalEngine: Most of Juicy Jungle is a factory where large fruits are being mashed into juice, as well as used to produce giant popsicles. There's also Frozen Frenzy, which is a NostalgiaLevel based on the industrial World 7 of ''Returns''.
113	* EvilIsDeathlyCold: The game has Donkey Kong's peaceful tropical island taken over by the Snowmads, a villainous group of Viking-like arctic animals, led by Lord Fredrik, a WilyWalrus who uses his magical horn to [[AnIcePerson cover the island in ice and snow]] and blow the Kongs away. The whole objective of the game is to help the Kongs get back to the island, defeat the Snowmads, and reverse the EndlessWinter placed on the island.
114	* FakeLongevity: As with [[VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryReturns the last game]], the extra mode (named "Hard" mode in this case; the levels aren't mirrored like in ''Returns'') must be completed just to get the remaining concept art.
115	* FatBastard: Lord Fredrik, the Snowmad king. He uses his weight to his advantage in the boss battle against him.
116	* FeatherFlechettes: Used very often by Skowl, including an unavoidable wave that you must roll into a Barrel Cannon to dodge.
117	* FiendishFish: The game features several fishes, such as the Finleys, as enemies that damage the Kongs on contact.
118	* FlunkyBoss: Pompy, Skowl, and FinalBoss Lord Fredrik all summon enemies during their boss battles against DK and company.
119	* ForcedTransformation: The [[LimitBreak Kong POW]] move turns all onscreen enemies into either Extra Life Balloons, Gold Hearts, or Banana Coins (depending on which partner DK has).
120	* ForestOfPerpetualAutumn: The second world, Autumn Heights, is heavily based on a fall theme. All of its component levels are thus inspired by autumn themes, but this is especially evident in Horn Top Hop, the third level. This consists of a forest of towering birch trees with red and gold leaves. A solid canopy of autumn leaves marks the top of the level, more carpet the forest floor, and large leaves fall to earth periodically, providing temporary platforms to jump on.
121	* FreakyElectronicMusic: Invoked with the music of the level Frozen Frenzy, which is based on the Factory levels from ''Returns'' (and had employed this trope as well). The main difference this time is that, due to the cold climate of Donkey Kong Island, the theme is mixed with [[SlippySlideyIceWorld crystalline xylophone sounds]].
122	* FungusHumongous: Crumble Cavern has mushrooms at the size of Donkey Kong.
123	* FunnelCloudJourney: The Frantic Fields level starts in a windy savanna while a storm looms in the distance. Halfway through the level, you get transported to the eye of the hurricane, with floating debris serving as platforms.
124	* GameBreakingBug: The game had a rare glitch that prevented the player from advancing to level 3-4 after completing 3-3. The path would open up, but Donkey Kong couldn't move. While this didn't happen to most people, those that encountered the glitch had no way of completing the rest of the game. Fortunately this was fixed in a patch.
125	* GangplankGalleon: The second level of the last regular world is set in the coastal zone of Donkey Kong Island, only now it's set in winter and the local ships are those belonging to the Snowmad tribe.
126	* GelatinousTrampoline: 5-5, Jelly Jamboree. It is set in a [[JungleJapes jungle]] [[HailfirePeaks containing]] a [[EternalEngine factory]] that processes the jungle's tropical fruits into large cubes of delightfully bouncy jelly.
127	* GiantMook: Every Snowmad enemy has one, minus the walruses, and each one of them must be jumped on three times to be beaten.
128	* GlowingFlora: Most of the light in Crumble Cavern is provided by biolumescent mushroom that adds a mysterious atmosphere.
129	* TheGoomba: Tucks are the most common and (along with Dozies) weakest enemies in the game.
130	* GreenHillZone: Bright Savannah, in an African-flavored style. Notably, it's not the first world in the game but the ''third''. Customary features include moving wooden gizmos, scarlet-colored brambles, wooden platforms surrounded by explosives, and large spiky fruits falling from baobabs. Some levels mix this trope with other settings, such as GustyGlade (in the third level, due to a large sandstorm) and LethalLavaLand (in the fourth level, due to a brushfire).
131	* GrimUpNorth: The Snowmads moved from the cold northern seas to find a new land to conquer. DK Island happens to be the unlucky selected target.
132	* GrimyWater: 6-2 (Seashore War) introduces freezing water, which is helpfully indicated at the level's start by a sign depicting a crossed-out DK swimming. If a Kong falls into it, they take a hit of damage and get launched back to the last platform they were on.
133	* GroundPound: Cranky Kong can do this with his cane, letting him GoombaStomp enemies and bounce off spiky surfaces that would damage the other three Kongs.
134	* GuideDangIt: During a roll, you can jump even without touching the ground, in a sort of DoubleJump. The game will ''never'' tell you this, but it's required to grab a few collectibles without cheesing them with Diddy or Dixie's flight skills. However, as this techinque existed in the original SNES and Gameboy trilogies(and was necessary in several levels of [=DKC2=]), this may be an artifact of the original '90s gameplay.
135	* GustyGlade: One of the levels in Bright Savannah has the Kongs deal with a streak of violent cyclones and several objects (including enemies) flying because of the strong wind gusts in the environment. Lightning strikes are also present as a harmful hazard.
136	* HailfirePeaks:
137	** The Lost Mangroves world is a mix of BubblegloopSwamp, PalmtreePanic, elements of JungleJapes, and DerelictGraveyard, with many decaying planes and ships. The level Zipline Shrine also factors in some TempleOfDoom elements.
138	** Autumn Heights is a YodelLand take on GreenHillZone, with the hills gradually ascending into a full-on DeathMountain. Horn Top Hop mixes in some BandLand setpieces, Mountain Mania features some LethalLavaLand elements via an erupting volcano, and Sawmill Thrill gives a MinecartMadness ride through an EternalEngine. Finally, the Rodent Ruckus level mixes MinecartMadness, BlackoutBasement, TempleOfDoom, and LevelAte, via a cheese factory. The Kongs, riding a rocket barrel, must escape a giant rolling cheese wheel (a parody of the famous boulder scene from ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk'').
139	** Bright Savannah is mainly a pretty straightforward GreenHillZone (albeit a Serengeti Plains-themed one), but one level, Scorch and Torch, is set amid a brush fire, bringing in LethalLavaLand elements, and another, Frantic Fields, has you caught up in a tornado, turning the level into a GustyGlade.
140	** Juicy Jungle is a combination of JungleJapes, LevelAte, and EternalEngine, with a processing plant on this island that makes huge blocks of jelly out of the jungle's tropical fruits.
141	** Donkey Kong Island's levels mixes SlippySlideyIceWorld with the settings seen in ''Returns'' (namely, and in order of appearance, JungleJapes, PalmtreePanic, TempleOfDoom, UndergroundLevel, TheLostWoods, {{Prehistoria}} / DeathMountain, EternalEngine and LethalLavaLand).
142	* HairRaisingHare: Rabbits make up part of the Snowmads. Fluffs are smaller and bounce around, while Hareys are bigger versions of Fluffs that require three rolls or stomps to take down.
143	* HardLevelsEasyBosses: The bosses are no pushovers and are quite challenging with at least nine hit points, especially the last one. However, you will still lose far more lives in the levels.
144	* HeartContainer: The Heart Boost and Banana Juice from the previous game are once again available for sale in Funky's shop, with the former adding an extra heart to the Kongs' LifeMeter during a level and the latter granting a prolonged protection for a limited time (albeit nerfed from the first game).
145	* HeavilyArmoredMook: Various Snowmads that wear helmets and wield {{shield\|Mook}}s require more hits to defeat.
146	* TheHedgeOfThorns: There are two bramble levels: One in Lost Mangroves and another in Bright Savannah. Cranky Kong's pogo cane lets him bounce off the thorns safely. the one in the latter world, Bramble Scramble, features toothy plants as well.
147	* HelicopterHair: Just as Diddy can provide DK with a boost via his {{Jetpack}}, Dixie can do this for DK with her hair. It also works as a propeller underwater against strong currents.
148	* HeliumSpeech: As in [[VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryReturns the previous game]], Diddy Kong's in-game voice is pitched up significantly for unknown reasons.
149	* HornetHole: The level Beehive Brawl in Juicy Jungle is a bee colony set within a gigantic beehive. There are numerous nectar waterfalls with falling platforms, smaller beehives camouflaged with a grass layer, and bees transporting grass and dirt (and the bees are also as big as DK himself).
150	* HornyVikings: The Snowmads, a horde of villainous FunnyAnimal Vikings that invade DK's island to claim it as their home. Obviously, the ones with horned helmets are immune to stomps.
151	* HumongousHeadedHammer: Bashmaster, the boss of Juicy Jungle, wields a giant hammer. It even generates ice shockwaves when he brings it down.
152	* IcePalace: Lord Fredrik installs one within the core of the volcano located in Donkey Kong Island, and it's from there that he's governing the island after he and the Snowmads take over. When the Kongs arrive, Fredrik makes a large leap to challenge them in battle, but due to his weight and the impact of his jump the ice floor of the throne room breaks, taking them to the red hot bottom where the boss fight starts for real.
153	* IdleAnimation: DK breaks out a [[UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS 3DS]] (or a UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch in the UpdatedRerelease) if you make him sit still long enough.
154	* InconvenientlyPlacedConveyorBelt: In the World 5 level (Fruity Factory), several conveyor belts transport gigantic watermelons (which are uniquely cube-shaped instead of elliptical), and some of them are placed between pits with grinders that crush other fruits. Others have large axes that cut the watermelons, which make them even more dangerous.
155	* IndyEscape: The second level of Bright Savannah has many spiky fruits (implied to be durians) falling from baobabs. Near the end, the Kongs have to outrun a ''giant'' fruit that begins to roll onto them, and being touched by it spells insteant death.
156	* InstrumentOfMurder: Lord Fredrik's horn, which can expand in size to fire out spikeballs as well as ice dragons.
157	* InterfaceSpoiler: Completing the Kong Temple levels with all Puzzle Pieces will unlock its own image gallery separate from the worlds they're placed in. By going into the gallery early on in the game, You'll see that the gallery is represented by the Mysterious Relics all placed together, each with a symbol representing a world. This will give you a hint that there will be a total of [[spoiler:seven worlds]] in the game to beat even though you haven't collected all the Mysterious Relics yet.
158	* JigglePhysics: 5-5, Jelly Jamboree, demonstrates this with the gelatinous cubes that make up the main gimmick of the level. At one point you shoot your way into a pile of them and they all jiggle as you pound on them in order to break free and continue.
159	* JungleJapes: Juicy Jungle is a mixture between this and LevelAte and EternalEngine, due to the abundance of fruits and their use to produce juice and popsicles. Note that this is the ''fifth'' island (most DK games usually has a jungle level in the first world).
160	* JungleJazz: The jazzy Rocket Barrel is back from ''Returns'', and this time it's actually used in jungle levels rather than just being associated with the jungle-dwelling Kongs.
161	* KaizoTrap: Like in ''Returns'', a few levels will pull this on you if you don't jump for the barrel quick enough. For example, in the GustyGlade level in the third world, if you idle for too long in the last hovering rock before the exit, a lightning bolt will land onto it and destroy it, causing the Kongs to fall down and die.
162	* KillStreak: Like the previous games, hitting 3 stomps in a row without touching the ground will grant Banana Coins, while reaching a combo of 8 rewards Extra Life Balloons.
163	* KingMook: Skowl represents the owl family of mooks. Lord Fredrik, the Snowmad chief, is one among the walrus mooks.
164	* KungFuProofMook:
165	** [[TheSpiny Snowmads with horned helmets]] cannot be jumped on without the use of Cranky's cane, but a roll will kill them.
166	** Snowmads with spears cannot be rolled into from the front, but can be jumped on.
167	** Then there are Snowmads with both horned helmets AND spears, which must be hit from behind. There's also a variant with a 2-sided club which can only be rolled into when he raises it to attack you.
168	* LethalLavaLand: Scorch 'n' Torch, one of the levels in the third world, is a variant that [[HailfirePeaks mixes this]] with GreenHillZone, in that it's an African savanna that is being subjected to a pervasive brush fire. Near the end of the game, the Kongs go through a traditional volcanic level [[spoiler:when revisiting the Volcano region of their own island]].
169	* LevelAte: World 5, in a fruit fashion, is a rainforest area that grows a variety of gigantic fruits and includes a fruit-processing factory that produces into juice and jelly. Overlaps with EternalEngine for one level. The last level and BossBattle also overlap with SlippySlideyIceWorld, featuring a mix between regular ice, frozen fruits, and popsicles (with that last one [[LostFoodGrievance becoming important for setting up the boss fight]]). The game also has a level in Autumn Heights where the Kongs explore a cavern with large amounts of cheese.
170	* LevelGoal: Like ''Returns'', the game features floating barrels with star icons to conclude a level upon contact. These barrels also act as slot machines, as several images are shown one after another, and whichever one is displayed when a Kong touches it will become their prize: A banana, a bunch thereof, a coin, a balloon, or a DK icon that allows the player to shake the Wiimote (and Nunchuk if also used) to trigger a multiplier for a randomly-selected collectible.
171	* LevelInTheClouds: The seventh world, Secret Seclusion, features three levels set in the sky, and they're also {{Brutal Bonus Level}}s. Features include propellers that start moving upon contact, small clouds that blow the Kongs upward, ancient floating setpieces, and (in the second level) brief sequences based on the MinecartMadness and RocketRide levels.
172	* LimitBreak: The Kong Pow. Collecting bananas gradually fills a gauge on the [[HeadsUpDisplay HUD]] that, when full, allows the Kongs to transform all onscreen enemies into extra lives, recovery hearts, or Banana Coins, depending on which partner you currently have. It takes two characters to pull off the move, though, so Donkey Kong is out of luck if he's by himself.
173	* LongSongShortScene:
174	** The famous Stickerbush Symphony theme returns, but only plays at the beginning and end of a Rocket Barrel stage.
175	** 2-4, Sawmill Thrill, has a track that only plays when you respawn from the second checkpoint. It lasts about a minute before looping, but unless you stop to listen to it instead of jumping into the minecart right away (which changes the music back to the main level music), you won't hear more than the first 5 seconds.
176	* LootMakingAttack: In addition to items obtained from defeating at least 3 enemies in a row, the KONG POW ability turns all enemies on-screen into items (Extra Life Balloons for Diddy, Gold Hearts for Dixie, and Banana Coins for Cranky).
177	* LostFoodGrievance: We first see [[BearsAreBadNews Bashmaster]] lounging on an ice floe floating in a pool of juice while licking a popsicle. Franchise/DonkeyKong falls onto the platform, knocking the popsicle out of Bashmaster's hand and into the juice, where it is promptly eaten by piranhas. Bashmaster angrily looks at DK, who smiles sheepishly. Cue BossBattle.
178	* TheLostWoods: There are two examples. Autumn Heights is a ForestOfPerpetualAutumn variant with unique features like falling leaves that can be used as platforms, chapels whose bells can be rung to trigger cetain effects, a MinecartMadness segment where the Kongs have to evade numerous trunks and round saws, and a cavern with lots of cheese. Much later in the game, the Kongs revisit a part of the Forest region from ''Returns'' once they return to Donkey Kong Island; the twist is that, like the rest of the island, it's now under an EndlessWinter, resulting in an abundance of gigantic snowflakes that are harmful upon contact.
179	* LumberMillMayhem: The level "Sawmill Thrill" in Autumn Heights is a giant sawmill [[HailfirePeaks with a]] [[MinecartMadness minecart ride]] in it. Obstacles include giant saw blades (obviously), a giant saw blade chasing the Kongs cutting the track into pieces that [[ArtisticLicensePhysics somehow happen to land neatly on the track in front of the Kongs]], and flying pieces of track cut by the same saw blade that the Kongs have to jump between mid-air.
180	* MascotMook: The Snowmads, filling the role of the Kremlings from the original SNES trilogy and the Tikis from ''Returns''. The most common of them, in turn, are the penguin-based Tucks.
181	* MeaninglessLives: There are many, many ways to rack up extra lives, such as Diddy's Kong Pow skill (which turns all on-screen enemies into 1-ups), purchasing them from Funky Kong, and of course the many, many ways to collect [[LawOfOneHundred 100 bananas]]. A halfway diligent player can have 99 lives before they even complete the first world. It helps, because this game is still pretty NintendoHard.
182	* MercyMode:
183	** [[AvertedTrope Averted]] in the original Wii U version. The Super Guide from the previous game is absent.
184	** In the [[UpdatedRerelease Remaster]] for the Switch, Funky Kong got PromotedToPlayable. Not only does Funky have [[SuperToughness 5 hearts at default]], but he also has [[AllYourPowersCombined all the special abilities of the other Kongs]], essentially making playing as him the Easy Mode of the game. You can also play as DK and the other Kongs in this mode as well, but you're granted an extra heart for each Kong for a grand total of 3 when DK is alone, and 6 when partnered. Other perks include a more effective invincibility potion for sale, K-O-N-G letters staying collected if you die, and the option to skip a level after dying in it a certain amount of times.
185	* MinecartMadness: Minecart stages return in this game but are now played in a TwoAndAHalfD perspective to feature curving tracks and parallel rails that you have to jump back and forth between. One level in particular combines this with LumberMillMayhem.
186	* MonsterInTheIce: In the level "Blurry Flurry", the Mega Squeekly enemy from the previous game can be seen in the background encased in a giant block of ice.
187	* MonstrousSeal: Pompy the Presumptuous is a circus sea lion who serves as an entertainer for the villainous [[HornyVikings Snowmads]]. He's surprisingly scary for the first boss: not only is he ''enormous'' - one of the biggest members of the Snowmads - but he's one of the only three bosses in the game to get [[RottenRockAndRoll heavy metal music]] - the other two are the penultimate and FinalBoss!
188	* MusicalNod: This game introduces a new level complete song, but reuses ''Returns''' level complete song when you beat a Kong Temple level.
189	* MutuallyExclusivePartyMembers: Player 1 must always be DK (or Funky in the Switch release) while his sidekick can either be Diddy, Dixie, or Cranky. Break open a Buddy Barrel with a different Kong and your sidekick takes their leave.
190	* MythologyGag:
191	** There's an overt reference to the obscure ''Donkey Kong 3'', with a stage from the game and Stanley the Bugman's bug sprayer appearing in the factory.
192	** Sometimes when you leave the shop in the Switch version as Funky, Tawks will encourage you to give the Snowmads the "old [[WesternAnimation/DonkeyKongCountry banana slamma]]".
193	** Funky's planes have the Funky's Stadium logo on them (previously seen in ''VideoGame/MarioKartWii'').
194	** A subtle reference to the fact that Cranky Kong is the original arcade Donkey Kong: His CK barrels have the same font and color scheme as the title of ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong94''.
195	* NamedInTheSequel: The tutorial pig from the last game has been given the name "Professor Chops".
196	* NaturallyHusklessCoconuts: In some sections, you can see that coconuts without husks grow on trees.
197	* NewGamePlus: Completing the BonusDungeon unlocks Hard Mode, which disables all checkpoints and still forbids inventory items, but allows you to play as any of the four (five in the Switch version) venturing Kongs, retains the collectible items gathered (in fact, it ''adds'' the blue-colored KONG letters), and unlike Mirror Mode from ''Returns'' it doesn't reverse the levels.
198	* NewWorkRecycledGraphics: The game reuses some assets from ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryReturns''. It's noticeable with the sound effects, which are primarily derived from the latter game (such as DK and Diddy's voice lines, Diddy's jetpack, and the pronounced "KNOCK-KNOCK" sound of {{Goomba Stomp}}ing an enemy), and some of the character, prop and UI animations. A few of the {{Mooks}} are also {{Suspiciously Similar Substitute}}s of enemies from ''Returns''; Awks and Dozies are birdlike [[TheGoomba Goombas]] (the former a parrot, the latter a dodo) while Rawks and Sour Dodos are [[UndergroundMonkey recolored variants that actively chase the Kongs]], Tiki Buzzes and Hootzes are both flying {{Goomba Springboard}}s while Tiki Tork and Puffton both fill the niche of a flying enemy that can be stomped thrice, and Squidly and the fish fired by Archy both fly through the air from the right, ripe for the stomping, while Electrasquid and the flaming fishbones shot by red Archy are similar enemies that cannot be stomped.
199	* NoFlowInCGI: According to producer Kensuke Tanabe, the developers decided to take advantage of the Wii U's power by averting this, despite highly increased development time. The E3 2013 reveal of the game saw Satoru Iwata making a special point of calling attention to DK's new fur physics.
200	* NoHoldsBarredBeatdown: Much like the previous game, upon defeating a boss, you're treated to a little mini-game where Donkey Kong beats the boss to a pulp before sending them flying with a TwinkleInTheSky.
201	* NoOSHACompliance:
202	** Sawmill Thrill. What kind of sawmill would allow minecart tracks to run through it, let alone ones that are in easy reach of the blades?
203	** The juice-making factory in Juicy Jungle has unguarded tanks, exposed juicer blades, and animals swimming in the juice.
204	* NonstandardCharacterDesign: Both Bashmaster the polar bear, and the ice dragon look realistic for the setting.
205	* NostalgiaLevel:
206	** Donkey Kong Island, where every level is themed on one of the area settings that were found on DK Island in Returns, but frozen over.
207	** [[TheHedgeOfThorns Bramble Scramble]], named after the level of the same name from ''Donkey Kong Country 2''.
208	** The final level before Fredrik has an eerie laughter in the background. Said laughter belongs to Tiki Tong.
209	* NoSympathy: When Funky accidentally causes Bashmaster's Popsicle to be eaten by piranhas, he crosses his arms and makes a "hey, shit happens" kind of look.
210	* OminousOwl: Skowl, the boss of Autumn Heights, as well as his minions, the Hootz.
211	* OneHitKill: Like in ''Returns'', there are levels which, at one point, have each a deadly hazard that can kill the Kongs upon contact (with the gigantic durian rolling at them in 3-2 and the tall fruit grinder approaching them in 5-2 standing out). However, unlike its predecessor, the game eliminates the instant-death vulnerability in rocket barrels and mine carts (they're given a life meter akin to that of the characters).
212	* OneHitPointWonder: Now [[AvertedTrope averted]] with the Rocket Barrel and Minecart, which now take ''two'' hits (three if you bought a Crash Guard), and can also be healed if you pick up a heart. Played straight in Hard Mode, as the vehicles and your Kong have only one HP.
213	* OrchestralVersion: The game features rearrangements of tunes from the classic games such as "Simian Segue", "Aquatic Ambience", and "Stickerbush Symphony".
214	* OurDragonsAreDifferent: The leader of the Snowmads uses a magic horn to summon / control a gigantic ice dragon. The dragon's [[BreathWeapon icy breath]] freezes over Donkey Kong Island, turning it into a more suitable home for the Snowmads.
215	* Over100PercentCompletion: Like in ''Returns'', completing every level and getting all the Kong letters nets you 100%, while clearing [[spoiler:every level again on Hard Mode]] will award you with the maximum 200%! Fortunately, Puzzle Pieces and Time Trial medals don't contribute to this.
216	* OxygenMeter: In contrast to their original SuperNotDrowningSkills, the Kongs have these underwater. It lasts about 30 seconds and leads to them rapidly taking damage until they die or resurface if it runs out. Fortunately, there are OxygenatedUnderwaterBubbles around for them to breathe with, and Funky Kong in the Switch port averts it completely; being able to [[SuperNotDrowningSkills stay underwater as long as he likes]] thanks to his scuba-diving gear.
217	* OxygenatedUnderwaterBubbles: The game has such bubbles in its underwater sections, usually released from a treasure chest or a scaphander helmet. There also are continuous strems of small bubbles at some key points of the stages.
218	* PainfulPointyPufferfish:
219	** Sea Breeze Cove has numerous globefish enemies called Pufftups. When deflated, they can be defeated by a corkscrew attack like most other fishes, but when puffed up, they are covered with quills, preventing the Kongs from directly touching them. Only Cranky Kong's cane will be able to defeat them.
220	** The boss Fugu is a giant pufferfish which can inflate to tremendous sizes. It is covered with spikes and the Kongs can only attack its spikeless rear, or else they will be damaged.
221	** The Fish Poker Pops wield clubs with yellow pufferfishes attached at both end, which will damage the Kongs.
222	* PalmtreePanic: The Lost Magroves combines this with JungleJapes.
223	* PeltsOfTheBarbarian: Some of the Snowmads wear pelts. The most notable example is their leader, [[BigBad Lord Fredrik]], who wears a [[BadassCape fur cape]].
224	* PinkGirlBlueBoy: Dixie and Diddy's barrel font colours are pink and blue, respectively.
225	* PlatformingPocketPal: Like in ''Returns'', Donkey's companion is placed on his back when they're both played as in single-player mode, but they split when played as in co-op mode.
226	* PlayableEpilogue: The Secret Seclusion, once it's unlocked. There's also [[spoiler:Hard Mode, but there the Secret Seclusion and every other level is unlocked de facto, so it feels more like an open-ended NewGamePlus where you have to clear all levels again regardless of order]].
227	* PowerUpMount: Rambi the rhino returns to fulfill his usual role, this time only in three levels compared to the previous game's four.
228	* PreRenderedGraphics: ''Tropical Freeze'' has only two pre-rendered cutscenes -- the intro and the ending.
229	* PromotedToPlayable: Cranky Kong, of all people. After boasting about his gaming skills for years, it looks like the old curmudgeon finally has to put his money where his mouth is. This also applies to Funky Kong in the Switch version.
230	* PunnyName: The Snowmads. Their name is a {{portmanteau}} of "snow" and "nomad."
231	* RecursiveCanon: One of the games Donkey Kong may play on his 3DS within his IdleAnimation is ''[[VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryReturns Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D]]''.[[note]]It's a lot easier to tell what game he plays if the level music is turned down, due to said level music drowning out the sounds of DK's 3DS.[[/note]]
232	%%* RhinoRampage: Rambi, of course. This time, introduced in the second world and only having three levels in total.
233	* RhymingTitle: Some of the levels have names that aren't alliterative instead, such as "Sawmill Thrill" and "Blurry Flurry".
234	* RoaringRapids: 4-6, Current Capers. In it, Donkey Kong and his friends have to activate certain mechanical gizmos to open their path to the exit while dealing with both the underwater currents and the harmful objects that move due to them. A few other water levels have currents on occasion, but they are the main feature of this one.
235	* RodentsOfUnusualSize: Lots of them in the cave levels, especially Rodent Ruckus.
236	* RuinsForRuinsSake: World 4 - Sea Breeze Cove has UnderwaterRuins, statues, relics, and still-functioning mechanisms strewn all over the place, hinting at some sort of ancient Atlantean-based civilization that once thrived there. Of course, this being a simple ''Donkey Kong'' platformer where the story is only focused on the Kongs and their adversaries, no history of these ruins and how they came to be is told. They're just there for SceneryPorn.
237	* RuleOfThree:
238	** The walrus and giant owl enemies need to be jumped on three times to defeat.
239	** Each boss has three phases, and almost all of them need to be hit three times to enter the next phase or defeat them if it's the last.
240	** Starting from the third consecutive jump, the player is rewarded for damaging enemies by jumping on them without touching the ground. It starts with a Banana Coin before eventually becoming a Life Balloon.
241	* SawBladesOfDeath: Sawmill Thrill features numerous circular saws. While some do cut wood, others clearly serve as an obstacle to slice up the player. At one point, a giant saw blade chases the player.
242	* SceneryGorn:
243	** 3-4, Scorch 'n' Torch. You know those grassy plains you've been running through in the past few levels? Picture them, except ''on fire.''
244	** World 6, where you get to see all of the locations from the first game after they got turned into a [[SlippySlideyIceWorld frozen wasteland.]]
245	* SceneryPorn: The backgrounds in the first game were pretty darn good and the extra power the Wii U provides just makes them look even better.
246	* SeaHurtchin: Giant purple Sea Urchins appear as obstacles in several UnderTheSea levels, both as immobile threats and floating around in a set movement pattern. Only Cranky Kong's cane stands a chance against them. Fugu can spawn several of these during its battle.
247	* SeaMine: Some are encountered in ''Irate Eight''. They are set off when DK swims near them and blast pieces of shrapnel when they explode.
248	* SeaSerpents: The are enormous, eel-like creatures leaping out of the water to give you a hard time, particularly in the level "Twilight Terror", in the African-themed Bright Savannah world. These creatures might be based on the Inkanyamba, a similarly eel-like monster from Zulu and Xhosa mythology.
249	* SemiaquaticSpeciesSailor: The Snowmads are a viking crew of animals from GrimUpNorth. Although the crew consists of a variety of animals, the leader, Lord Fredrik, and the {{Elite Mook}}s, the Waldoughs, are walruses.
250	* SequelEscalation: The action in the previous game was set on DK Island. Here, it's extended to five more islands.
251	* SequentialBoss: Every boss in the game, from the first to the last, has three phases each. Some bosses simply attack faster, but others add new attacks and two of them have to be attacked differently depending on the phase (whether stomping them or throwing an enemy at them).
252	* ShamuFu: Various Snowmads wield fishes as weapons:
253	** The Fish Poker Pops wields [[PainfulPointyPufferfish pufferfishes]] attached at both ends.
254	** The Chum Chucker Charlie throw fishes at enemies.
255	** The Archies' and their variants use fishes (or fishbones) as arrows.
256	** The Big Sphen blows silver butterflyfishes through a horn.
257	* ShipLevel: The game features levels with the wreckage of several freighter-style ships mixed into JungleJapes and PalmtreePanic settings.
258	* ShipwreckStart: The Lost Mangroves, the first world, are loosely based on the Bermuda Triangle and as a result feature a ridiculous number of shipwrecks (mostly of more modern, World War II-looking battleships rather than the piratey masted ships of previous games), crashed planes and abandoned submarines. The Kongs end up in this world as a result of the Snowmads blowing them off DK Island at the beginning of the game.
259	* ShoutOut:
260	** Kensuke Tanabe, the game's producer, stated that the pluck-and-carry mechanic is carried over from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros2'', which he also produced.
261	** Cranky Kong's gameplay style involves using his cane as a pogo stick. [[VideoGame/DuckTales Sound familiar?]]
262	** One of the savannah levels takes place in the middle of a parade full of papercraft animals extremely similar to those from ''Theatre/TheLionKing'' Broadway musical. The music is also very ''Lion King''-esque.
263	** During DK's IdleAnimation of him playing a [=3DS=], you can actually hear sounds from the following games: ''VideoGame/SuperMario3DLand'', ''VideoGame/MarioKart7'', ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossingNewLeaf'' and ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryReturns''.
264	** Funky Kong's description of the Crash Guard: "Vehicle Trouble? [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaI It's dangerous to go alone]] -- take one of these!" Cranky Kong had previously referenced the phrase in ''Returns''.
265	** Funky Kong mentions the Extra Heart item as a "container", referencing the Heart Container item from ''The Legend of Zelda'' series.
266	** One stage name is Swinger Flinger, possibly a call out to Clinger Winger from another NintendoHard platformer, ''VideoGame/{{Battletoads}}''.
267	* ShownTheirWork: The Switch version has an IdleAnimation for Funky Kong where he eats a banana then uses the peel to shine his surfboard. Indeed, [[https://gbtimes.com/many-uses-banana-peels the humble banana peel makes for a great polishing agent for all sorts of surfaces]].
268	* SizableSnowflakes: In ''Forest Folly'', there are some eight-branched snowflakes are ''bigger than Donkey Kong'' and are hazardous to the touch. Near the end of the level, '''even bigger''' ones are seen falling from the sky and can actually ''destroy any platform''.
269	* SlipperyAsAnEel: There's a gigantic eel-like enemy called a Gargantuan Gill. A school of these things feature prominently in the aptly-named level "Twilight Terror", while a few more briefly appear later in the "High Tide Ride" level.
270	* SlippySlideyIceWorld: Donkey Kong Island, the sixth island, because of what the Snowmads did to it.
271	* TheSmurfettePrinciple: Dixie Kong is the only playable female character. Though it's still an improvement over ''Returns'', which didn't even have any female characters at all, playable or otherwise.
272	* SnowySleighBells: Faint sleigh bells are heard in the "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHxCaid4z8U Freezie Breezie]]", which plays during the icy ''Forest Folly'' and ''Icicle Arsenal'' levels.
273	* SongsInTheKeyOfPanic: Like in ''Returns'', the music in the bonus rooms changes to a more frantic arrangement when under 10 seconds are left on the timer.
274	* SortingAlgorithmOfThreateningGeography: Played with. The first five main islands all start peacefully, but their following levels move onto the more dangerous areas or sections (for example, Autumn Heights start with ground-based levels, continues with cavern and mining levels at the middle of the mountain, and culminates with threatening levels at the top in the sky; once the boss is defeated, the Kongs arrive to Bright Savannah, whose first level is a lively carnival with few hazards, but once again is followed up by progressively harsher locations). The sixth island, due to being the last without counting the bonus world, is threatening from the get-go.
275	* SoundTest: Like ''Returns'', this game features a music selection for each world that is unlocked when that world's boss is defeated. It can be accessed within the Extras menu before resuming a playthrough.
276	* SpellingBonus: The series-wide K-O-N-G letters return in this game, as usual. Like in ''Returns'', collecting all four of them in every level of a world unlocks a BrutalBonusLevel with a secret reward.
277	* SpikesOfDoom: Many levels feature spiky hazards that must be avoided, though Rambi can destroy them in the levels where he appears. Cranky Kong can tackle them easily by jumping onto them harmlessly with his cane. In the Switch version, Funky Kong is immune to spikes on the ground, as he'll plant his surfboard on the spikes to protect himself; however he cannot walk or run when this happens, he will need to jump to get moving again.
278	* SpinAttack: Along with RollingAttack on land, the Kongs can spin underwater to attack enemies.
279	* TheSpiny: Snowmads with horned helmets will hurt you if you jump on them. Ditto goes for owls on fire and those flaming porcupines in the Savannah levels. Cranky's pogo cane bypasses the horns and allows him to kill them, but the fire enemies will still hurt him.
280	* SpringsSpringsEverywhere: Various objects bounce the player upwards such as flowers, awnings and balloons. The game has actual springboards as well.
281	* SuddenNameChange: The checkpoint pig, originally known only as "Tutorial Pig" in ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryReturns'', is given the much more memorable name Professor Chops.
282	* SuperNotDrowningSkills: Funky Kong in the Switch UpdatedRerelease has no OxygenMeter and as such can stay underwater however long he pleases. Somehow, all he needs is a snorkel to be able to stay underwater indefinitely.
283	* SwordfishSabre: The Saw Mamas are sawfish enemies whose pronged rostrums cause damage to Donkey Kong, even when he performs a screw attack.
284	* TacticalSuicideBoss: Skowl and Lord Fredrik often attack the Kongs by sending mooks at them. But since the game heavily employs ThrowTheMookAtThem, the Kongs can grab one of them and then wait until the bosses are close enough to land a hit onto them.
285	* TeleportingKeycardSquad: In World 4-B (Shoal Atoll), as you collect keys, more enemies inexplicably appear throughout the stage in earlier rooms you've already cleared.
286	* TempleOfDoom: The {{Brutal Bonus Level}}s you unlock for collecting all of the KONG letters in a given world, just like in ''Returns'', and the complex gizmos within make them the most formidable levels in the game challenge-wise.
287	* TemporaryPlatform: There's a level where many platforms fall down while having a vertical position through magnetic rails but switch to horizontal position when they go through the lit segments of the rails; the huge difficulty of this level due to the requirement of quick reflexes is why it happens to be one of the game's {{Brutal Bonus Level}}s.
288	* TentacledTerror: The Squiddicus, the big octopus from ''Returns'', is back. It actively tries to harm the Kongs in Irate Eight.
289	* ThreateningShark: Sharks return from the previous game, but with the addition of swimming, they will now pursue Kongs if they are in the same body of water.
290	* ThroneRoomThrowdown: Subverted. The Kongs enter the throne room of Lord Fredrik, the FinalBoss. The Kongs and Fredrik jump onto the ice floor in front of the throne, ready to fight... but then the ice gives way, and they fall through the ice into the volcano below. Fortunately, there are platforms there, and ''that's'' where the battle takes place.
291	* ThrowTheMookAtThem: Certain enemies can be stunned after being hit, and then grabbed to be thrown at other enemies. The game was inspired by ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros2'' in this regard, so it makes sense. During the FinalBoss battle, Lord Fredrik spends part of the final battle against him as a BackgroundBoss. He sends his minions to attack you, but you can toss them back at him, prompting him to jump into the foreground for a proper battle.
292	* TimedMission: Like in ''Returns'', all bonus rooms are timed: They must be cleared before the timer elapsed to get the room's collectible puzzle piece.
293	* TimeTrial: Like ''Returns'', the game features a Time Trial mode, and awards the player with a bronze, silver, gold or ''shiny gold'' medal according to the time scored. The mode is completely optional.
294	* TruthInTelevision: While it seems kinda strange that some of the cave levels in the second world have giant blocks and wheels of cheese in them, some varieties of cheeses are actually aged in caves.
295	* TurnsRed: All the bosses do this after taking a few hits, indicated by emitting BriffitsAndSqueans and, for some of them, literally changing color, like Pompey turning from lavender to a pale red, or Bashmaster turning purple [[JustifiedTrope because he keeps slipping into the purple fruit juice surrounding the arena when you hit him]]. Every boss gains new attacks or mixes up their existing ones after doing so, like Pompey's fish-summoning attack having him throw larger fish and [[SeaHurtchin sea urchins]], or Skowl's FeatherFlechettes getting launched in multiple barrages at a time.
296	* ATwinkleInTheSky: Like in the last game, the Kongs deliver a beatdown to bosses before sending them flying.
297	* UndergroundLevel: Two levels in the Autumn Heights mix this trope with LevelAte, as they're calcified caverns that have ''cheese'' in many parts.
298	* UnderTheSea: Sea Breeze Cove, the fourth island. Underwater levels make a comeback after ''Returns'' opted for SuperDrowningSkills instead. Features include sunken mechanisms that can be activated by passing through luminous buttons, an underwater maze where the Kongs have to open chest with color-coded keys in a specific sequence, a giant squid they have to run away from (which also appeared in the previous game), and underwater currents that make navigation difficult.
299	* UnderwaterBossBattle: Fugu the Frightening. Unlike other underwater battles, in this one the Kongs have to keep an eye on the OxygenMeter, and collect bubbles if it's running out.
300	* UnderwaterRuins: The game has some rather Atlantean-looking ruins in the Sea Breeze Cove world. This being a pretty light-on-story game, their history is [[RuinsForRuinsSake unexplained]]. The first world, Lost Mangrove, is a partially-submerged DerelictGraveyard of shipwrecks and crashed planes, overgrown with vegetation.
301	* VariableMix:
302	** A more relaxing, atmospheric version of a level's theme will play when you are underwater. In addition, a large amount of stages add more instruments as you go along.
303	** World 2-6 (Wing Ding) has two versions of the track for when you're on the ground and zip-lining along the vines. The normal one has more percussion, while the zipline one is more airy.
304	** World 4-4 (Irate Eight) has four tracks playing throughout the level. One at the beginning, one while underwater, a remix of Lockjaw's Locker, and a tense theme played while being chased by the octopus.
305	** Mountain Mania and Frantic Fields gain extra drums when you're riding [[PowerupMount Rambi]].
306	* TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon: The game makes use of DK Island as a whole for this purpose, since the Kongs' objective beforehand was to return to it after being exiled into other islands. The homeland they grew in is now a frigid tundra where all familiar locations from the game's predecessor are now shrouded in snow and ice.
307	* VillainousBadlandHeroicArcadia: The game goes the FisherKing route, with the jungle paradise transformed into a SlippySlideyIceWorld by the magic of Snowmads. The game also plays this trope in microcosm with the Juicy Jungle island, where a fecund paradise of [[LevelAte gigantic fruits]] gives way to an [[EternalEngine ugly factory]] as you get closer to the Snowmad base.
308	* WilyWalrus: [[BigBad Lord Frederik]] is a walrus who leads the Snowmads, who take over Donkey Kong's island by freezing it. He is ObviouslyEvil from head to toe, thanks to features such as his [[EvilSoundsDeep incredibly deep grunts and roars]], his [[PeltsOfTheBarbarian fur cape]], and his GlowingEyesOfDoom. He's also one of 3 bosses in the game to get a ''[[AutobotsRockOut heavy metal boss theme]].'' Some of his {{Mooks}} are walruses too.
309	* WindmillScenery: The Autumn Heights level ''Windmill Hills'' obviously features many, ''many'' windmills, many of which are carrying platforms on which DK can land.
310	* WolfpackBoss: Ba-boom, who splits into three individual baboons that attack you. Subverted by the last phase, where only one of them remains and you can only hurt the one that isn't a "ghost".
311	* YeahShot: A rare villainous version. If you decide to quit the game during the GameOver sequence, the Painguin Tucks keeping the defeated Kong frozen in a block of ice will do this.
312	* YodelLand: After being last seen in ''Donkey Kong Country 3'', this aesthetic returns in the series with Autumn Heights, an alpine ForestOfPerpetualAutumn. Features include a village of timber-framed houses, a volcanic LethalLavaLand, a BandLand full of giant alphorns, two {{Underground Level}}s with [[LevelAte gigantic blocks of Swiss cheese]], and a [[MonsterShapedMountain mountain shaped like]] a [[OminousOwl giant owl]]. There's some truly beautiful SceneryPorn going on, too.
313	----
314	->'''Cranky Kong:''' Bah! You kids and your high-definition video games. Back in my day, we didn't have ''any'' definition!

Context VideoGame / DonkeyKongCountryTropicalFreeze