All Articles: Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

13 Nintendo-published games for the Switch have sold more than 1 million copies

Posted on February 1, 2019 by John Scalzo

Nintendo-branded products have always taken up a hefty portion of Santa’s sack, and 2018 was no different as Switch sales were huge during the holiday season.

Nintendo sold 15.05 million Switch consoles during the last quarter of 2018, bringing the platform’s total install base to 32.27 million. Consumers also spent the last three months stocking up on software, purchasing 63.51 million games from October through December.

Two games stood out last quarter on the sales charts, as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate sold 12.08 million copies and the combined might of Pokemon: Let’s Go Eevee! and Pokemon: Let’s Go Pikachu! sold 10 million copies. All told, 13 Nintendo-published Switch games have joined the vaunted “Million-Seller” club during this fiscal year (April 2018 – December 2018):

Title Apr 18 – Dec 18 Sales Total Sales
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate 12.08 Million 12.08 Million
Pokemon: Let’s Go Eevee!
Pokemon: Let’s Go Pikachu!		 10 Million 10 Million
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe 5.8 Million 15.02 Million
Super Mario Party 5.3 Million 5.3 Million
Super Mario Odyssey 3.35 Million 13.76 Million
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 3.21 Million 11.68 Million
Mario Tennis Aces 2.53 Million 2.53 Million
Splatoon 2 2.25 Million 8.27 Million
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze 2.08 Million 2.08 Million
Kirby Star Allies 1.16 Million 2.42 Million
Octopath Traveler
(US + Europe Only)		 1.08 Million 1.08 Million
Nintendo Labo: Variety Kit 1.06 Million 1.06 Million
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker 1.05 Million 1.05 Million

Even Nintendo’s dedicated handheld was still kicking along in 2018 (albeit slower than before). 3DS owners scooped up 1.07 million copies of Mario Kart 7 during the April through December period, bringing its total to 18.11 million copies sold.

Nintendo’s current fiscal year will end on March 31, and the consolemaker will announce their full-year sales figures sometime in April or May.

Posted in 3DS, News, Switch | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Nintendo has sold nearly 20 million Switch consoles; Pokemon RPG for Switch gets “Late 2019” launch date

Posted on July 31, 2018 by John Scalzo

The Switch isn’t flying off the shelves quite like it was in 2017, but it looks like Nintendo’s newest console is still acquiring new owners at a fairly steady clip.

Earlier today, the consolemaker delivered a new quarterly financial report (covering April-June of 2018) for investors, and confirmed that they sold 1.88 million Switch consoles during the period. Since its launch in March 2017, Nintendo has now sold 19.67 miilion Switch consoles… just a hair off the pace set by the Wii.

In other financial news, Nintendo announced that Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze and Mario Tennis Aces both became million-sellers, with each selling about 1.4 million copies. And Mario Kart 8 Deluxe added another 1.13 million copies to its sales tally, bringing its worldwide total to 10.35 million copies sold.

Finally, Nintendo narrowed down the release date for next year’s Pokemon RPG for Switch. The untitled game will now launch in “Late 2019,” as opposed to the previously-announced “Second Half of 2019.”

Thankfully, we’ll have plenty of new Switch games to play between now and then.

Posted in News, Switch | Tagged , , ,

State of Decay 2 rises as the best-selling game of May 2018

Posted on June 21, 2018 by John Scalzo

I think we can all agree that the Xbox’s two biggest franchises are Halo and Gears of War. But it looks like Microsoft can add the State of Decay series to the list, as The NPD Group (via Game Informer) has confirmed that State of Decay 2 was the best-selling game of May 2018.

The zombie survival sim beat out other several other May releases including Detroit: Become Human (#3), Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (#5), Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition (#7), and Street Fighter: 30th Anniversary Collection (#17).

While it might have seemed like a slow month for new releases, The NPD Group confirmed that increased hardware sales gave the game industry a 13% bump over May 2017’s retail figures.

The complete Top 20 for May 2018 can be found after the break. (more…)

Posted in News, PC, PS3, PS4, Switch, Xbox 360, Xbox One | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

God of War slays all comers and emerges as the best-selling game of April 2018

Posted on May 23, 2018 by John Scalzo

You might say that Kratos returned with a vengeance last month, and that’s because Sony’s God of War reboot climbed to the top of The NPD Group’s list of best-selling games for April 2018. According to the NPD (via GamesIndustry.biz), God of War was also the “best ever launch for a PlayStation exclusive.”

Sony and Kratos weren’t done setting records, and the former “Ghost of Sparta” helped sell a lot of PS4 consoles too. Thanks to a push from the newly-available PS4 Pro 1TB + God of War Limited Edition Bundle, Sony’s console was propelled to the top of the NPD’s Hardware Chart for both “units sold” and “dollar sales.” The PS4 also set a new record for console sales during the month of April, besting the previous mark set in April 2008 by Nintendo’s Wii.

While Nintendo lost out on one record, they almost stole Sony’s thunder by placing six games in the NPD’s Top 20 last month, including the Nintendo Labo: Variety Kit (#4), Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (#5), Mario Kart 8 (#6), Super Mario Odyssey (#9), The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (#13), and Kirby Star Allies (#19).

You can find the full list of The NPD Group’s best-selling titles for April 2018 after the break. (more…)

Posted in News, PC, PS3, PS4, Switch, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Raging Justice, more coming to Nintendo eShop this week

Posted on May 3, 2018 by John Scalzo

Switch owners with retro sensibilities will enjoy this week’s Nintendo eShop update…

A re-release of Retro’s Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze leads the way, but the side-scroller has some funky new tricks up its sleeve for its Switch debut. The aptly named Funky Mode will let players take control of Funky Kong as part of “a more approachable experience for players of all ages and skill levels.” Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze will be available to download beginning tomorrow, May 4.

Also available this week is Raging Justice, a side-scrolling brawler from Team17 and MakinGames. The game was inspired by Streets of Rage and Double Dragon, and Switch owners will be able to battle it out with street thugs or arrest them if they’d prefer to be a “Good Cop.” Raging Justice will be available to download on Tuesday, May 8.

WayForward’s Shantae: Half-Genie Hero – Ultimate Edition will also be added to the Nintendo eShop on May 8, and Switch owners will get the original game, as well as both expansions (Friends to the End and Pirate Queen’s Quest).

You can learn more about the rest of this week’s additions to the Nintendo eShop (including Nihilumbra, Professional Construction: The Simulation, Cast of the Seven Godsends, and more) after the break. (more…)

Posted in 3DS, News, Switch, Wii U | Tagged , ,

New Retail Releases: Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

Posted on April 30, 2018 by John Scalzo

Nintendo is bringing another Wii U re-release to the Switch in the very near future, and it’s set to be the lone new game available on retail shelves this week.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze was originally released in 2014 by Retro Studios, and since then, Nintendo’s secretive American partner has been working on something that’s… wait for it… super-secret. We don’t know if we’ll learn more about their next game anytime soon, but we do know that Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze has been enhanced and expanded for its Switch debut this coming Friday, May 4:

Barrel-blast into a critically acclaimed Donkey Kong adventure as this beloved franchise makes its Nintendo Switch debut with a banana-bunch of new features. Traverse islands packed with platforming perfection and nonstop action as the classic Kongs in the original game, or mix things up by playing the story as Funky Kong in new Funky Mode!

Arctic invaders have turned Donkey Kong Island into their personal frozen fortress, and it’s up to you to save the day. Play as Donkey Kong in Original Mode and team up with Diddy Kong, Dixie Kong, and Cranky Kong—each with unique abilities—to overcome platforming challenges and frosty foes.

For a more accessible experience, start a game in Funky Mode to enjoy a range of gameplay updates and a new main-character option, spectacular surfing simian Funky Kong! His extra hearts and unique abilities make for a more relaxed gaming experience. And no matter which mode you choose, a wealth of collectibles and two-player co-op round out the fun!

That’s all for now, but we’ll be back later this week with a look at all the new additions to the PlayStation Store, Xbox Games Store, and Nintendo eShop.

Posted in News, Switch | Tagged

PAX East 2018 attendees will be able to play Dark Souls, No More Heroes, The Messenger, many more at Nintendo’s booth

Posted on March 31, 2018 by John Scalzo

Nintendo always has a big presence at PAX East, and this year’s show will be no different. The consolemaker has announced plans to bring several highly-anticipated games to Boston, including Dark Souls Remastered, No More Heroes: Travis Strikes Again, and Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition…

Playable Demos at Nintendo’s PAX East 2018 Booth

  • Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Nintendo)
  • Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition (Nintendo)
  • Sushi Striker: The Way of Sushido* (Nintendo)
  • Dark Souls Remastered* (Bandai Namco Entertainment)
  • Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus* (Bethesda Softworks)
  • No More Heroes: Travis Strikes Again* (Grasshopper Manufacture and Suda51)
  • SNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy* (NIS America)
  • Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy* (Activision)

* Playable by the Public for the First Time

Nintendo will also play host to a Nindies Arcade at its booth, giving players their first chance to try out a few games that debuted during the Nindie Showcas on March 20. The full Nindies Arcade lineup includes…

Playable Demos in Nindies Arcade at Nintendo’s PAX East 2018 Booth

  • Just Shapes & Beats* (Berzerk Studio)
  • Dead Cells* (Motion Twin)
  • The Messenger* (Sabotage and Devolver Digital)
  • Lumines Remastered* (Enhance Games)
  • Runner 3 (Choice Provisions)
  • West of Loathing* (Asymmetric)
  • Pool Panic (Adult Swim Games)
  • Pode (Henchman & Goon)
  • Garage* (TinyBuild Games)
  • Next Up Hero (Aspyr Media and Digital Continue)

* Playable by the Public for the First Time

PAX East 2018 takes place next week, April 5th through the 8th, at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.

Posted in News, Switch | Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze will surf onto the Switch in May

Posted on January 11, 2018 by John Scalzo

It looks like the rumors were true, and the newest Nintendo Direct presentation has just been unleashed upon the world. Though the video clocks in at just over 14 minutes, this “Nintendo Direct Mini” still features a treasure trove of new announcements for the Switch.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze made a big splash on the Wii U in 2014, and Nintendo has announced that it’ll also make its way to the Switch this Spring. The side-scrolling platformer will add Funky Kong as a playable character in a new “beginner-friendly mode”:

Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Dixie Kong, and Cranky Kong return for the franchise’s debut on Nintendo Switch. This title includes all the fun and challenge of the original game, plus a new beginner-friendly mode that lets players enjoy this critically acclaimed adventure as groovy surfing simian Funky Kong. Funky Kong can double jump, hover, perform infinite rolls and even perform infinite underwater corkscrews. Thanks to his sturdy surfboard, even spikes can’t slow him down.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze will be released for the Switch on May 4.

Posted in News, Switch | Tagged