If someone has leaked rumors that ended up coming true in the past, their credibility is boosted. Yet, if some random nobody just decides to “leak” information, you have to expect that 90 percent of it is BS. Now, the reason I’m bringing all that up is just recently, somebody leaked out some major Nintendo Switch news, regarding software in the future.

I’m going to dive into it a little bit, and then assess whether or not the leaks are believable. So, right now, go ahead and check out the tweet that was sent out by @markomaro:

1H 2021
New Pokemon Snap (Spring)
Pokemon Collection (Feb)
Famicom Detective Club remakes (At least in Japan)
Zelda BOTW Sequel (April if is not delays)
Metroid 2D (If not more delays, already finished)
New IP (Not announced yet)
Fire Emblem Remake (Spring-Summer)

— markomaro (@Newmarkomaro) November 19, 2020

Now that you’ve seen it, let’s talk about it.

Is it True?

Yeah, might as well start with this, right? A user on Reddit went ahead and shared this tweet looking for some information on the leaker’s credibility. If you scroll down in the comments section of the post, you’ll notice that many people aren’t buying this one at all. It’s worth pointing out that not all Reddit users can be taken seriously, but when this many people are calling out the leaks for being fake, it’s alarming for sure.

The sad part is the information that was leaked is insane. If even half of this were to be true, Nintendo Switch owners would be in for a heck of a future. Though I’m starting to believe that 90% of it isn’t going to happen (at least in the manner the games were predicted). Here’s what I’d be most looking forward to on the list:

Donkey Kong Country 6

Without question, this is what piqued my interest in this leak in the first place. It’s been so bloody long since we had a new entry into the DKC franchise that I’m starting to wonder if we’re ever going to get a new one. Clearly, if there was a game in development, it’s most likely not going to be called Donkey Kong Country 6, as that would most likely be just a placeholder name.

There are no more details about it, however, which is unfortunate. I’d love to see it, but I’ll only believe it if and when Nintendo confirms it.

The BOTW Sequel in April

The likelihood of this happening is very, very slim. You even will see some commenters in the Reddit post mocking this prediction. We all know the BOTW sequel is coming, but to expect it as early as April of next year would probably be pushing it. This is Nintendo we’re talking about here, as they have historically done this with Zelda. With that said, we’d all lose our marbles if we actually had the chance to play this game that soon.

It Just Seems Like Too Much

Someone made mention of this in the Reddit post. It just seems like there are too many games on this list for the information to be accurate. How could someone know that many games in the coming future are coming to the Switch? It just seems fishy for sure, but I wanted to share it anyway. Leaks are fun to speculate about, and all we can hope for is that some of the information turns out to be true.

Even when I go back to play the older entries, I find myself loving the implementation of the good old Animal Buddies. So, with that in mind, I thought I would share with everyone my personal favorite buddies from the original trilogy. Without further ado, as they say.

Expresso the Ostrich

Expresso is quite an interesting companion because you only see him in the first game. Most of the other animal friends show up more than once. Honestly, this makes Expresso feel like arguably the most organic Animal Buddy in the entire franchise. His ability to practically infinitely fly and run extremely fast made it so you never wanted to lose him.

Squawks the Parrot

Alright, so here’s the deal with Squawks. Specifically, in the second game, he typically is involved with some of the hardest levels in the franchise. I used to hate his guts, honestly. But he’s grown on me over the years, and I can honestly say that his sections are challenging, yet very fun to traverse in. Except for “Animal Antics,” of course, that section’s a nightmare.

Enguarde the Swordfish

There are a lot of fans and speedrunners that don’t like Enguarde. In fairness, his mechanics got better with each game. In the third game, he’s pretty much unstoppable. Even in the first game, though, I love using him. Anything that can assist in underwater levels in platformers is a win for me. And Enguarde would be at the top of my list.

Squitter the Spider

You’ll hear speedrunners refer to him as “Shoes the Spider,” as he’s literally wearing shoes, but his official name is Squitter. And he’s my favorite Animal Buddy of all-time. It’s my hope and dream that he one day comes back in a new entry. His speed, platforming, and ability to shoot webs make him a dynamic force. It also helps that the levels he’s associated with are always amazing.

Really, Animal Buddies are a lost idea. Whenever we get a new game in the franchise, the hope is that they’ll have more of an impact again. I couldn’t tell you how exciting it would be to see some of these Animal Buddies in the newest generation of gaming. I’m salivating just thinking about it.

The games that have come out of the franchise, dating all the way back to the SNES, have filled us all with joy, excitement, and adrenaline. The franchise has produced some of the best 2D platformers known to man, but what’s the deal in the modern generation of gaming? Where’s Donkey Kong been for the last number of years?

It’s Been Over Six Years Since the Last Major Game

The last major game in the series was Tropical Freeze and this released way back in 2014 for the Wii U. Sure, it was eventually ported to the Switch (like every other Wii U game in existence), but it remained the same game (more or less). I’m not counting minor games or games where DK himself makes an appearance, either. I’m talking about full-fledged DKC games, it’s been a long while.

There Have Been Rumors Here and There

If you follow the world of video games, then you understand that you can’t look too much into the rumors. A majority of the time, they end up being false or they at least exaggerate what actually happens. Regardless, though, they’re still fun to speculate about and, sometimes, they wind up coming true.

Well, here and there, there have been some rumors regarding a brand-new game in the franchise. The most interesting one, by far, happened several months ago. A Twitter user posted what the Nintendo Switch lineup would be in the year 2020 (this year):

A New Donkey Kong Country will be one of the bigger games for Nintendo Switch next year. This time Retro Studios is not behind.

— markomaro (@Newmarkomaro) November 3, 2019

And they made a specific mention about a new DKC in a follow-up tweet. As you can see on the list of games, the user has correctly predicted more than a few of the games. So, maybe there’s hope?

Retro Studios is Apparently Not Behind This One

This is where things really get interesting. At the end of their second tweet, this Twitter user noted that Retro Studios would not be developing the new entry. This makes sense, as they took over development for Metroid Prime 4. So, they already have their hands full. It’s entirely possible that Nintendo decided to hand over the IP to another company.

Yes, this rumor does happen to be a little old, but it remains interesting, nonetheless. 2020 is not over yet, so Nintendo could still surprise us all with a reveal for a brand-new DKC game. I would love nothing more than for that to happen. Again, it’s just been too long without using the tie-wearing ape in action. He always delivers classic games, and the hope is that he’s about to produce yet another one.

Over the years, Donkey Kong has been involved with some of the most treasured games in history. However, perhaps no series represents the sheer brilliance of the character better than the Donkey Kong Country series. As with many others, they have become some of my favorite video games of all-time.

Today, I would like to look back at this legendary series (as no signs are pointing to the release of another entry any time in the near future) and rank the games from worst to best. Just a quick note, this list will only include the five entries from Rare and Retro Studios (with their corresponding scores as I have personally reviewed all of them).

5. Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong’s Double Trouble (5.3/10)

No, I am not a fan of Donkey Kong Country 3. For the record, I have played it quite a few times and even went through the torture of completing it 103 percent. Simply put, I believe that Rare ran out of ideas as the game is just a landfill of different, terrible gimmicks.

It certainly does not help that this entry introduces Kiddy Kong as a playable character who is beyond the worst Kong in the entire franchise. The level design is also incredibly bland and pale when in comparison to the earlier titles. Top it all off with a soundtrack that is not up to par and consistent framerate issues and you have yourself a real stinker of a game.

4. Donkey Kong Country Returns (6.9/10)

One thing is for sure; Donkey Kong Country Returns revitalized the Donkey Kong franchise and Retro Studios deserves a lot of credit for that. Now, this game is a lot different from the original series as it features a much broader camera view, simultaneous cooperative play, and the omission of traditional bonuses and such.

Retro Studios delivered their own, fresh take on the franchise and while I am not in love with Donkey Kong Country Returns, it is definitely a solid game. The mechanics are very fluid and the level design really picks up near the end.

I just felt when I first played this game (and when I still play it) that something was missing. Luckily, Retro Studios nailed it with their next title (more on that later).

3. Donkey Kong Country (8.9/10)

Let me just say this, I take no issue with anyone who still feels that the original Donkey Kong Country is the best and their favorite. The one that started it all for the Donkey Kong Country series is still one of the greatest video games that has ever been made.

From the fantastic soundtrack to the groundbreaking atmosphere and design to the refreshing presentation, this title took the world by storm over 25 years ago and still remains a marvel to this day.

It has stood up tremendously to the test of time (though most games have on the SNES). They simply do not make games like this anymore.

2. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (9.5/10)

Remember when I said that Donkey Kong Country Returns was missing something? Well, Retro Studios follow-up entry answered what it was missing; David Wise. Wow, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is just a masterclass of design, artistry, presentation, sound, you name it.

The soundtrack is so good that I listen to it on a near-daily basis. And, the gameplay is probably even better. Bringing back Dixie Kong was a smart choice and the addition of Cranky Kong added more dynamics to the mix.

Words can’t describe the visual presentation, either, as it is one of the most beautiful Nintendo games ever developed. It is too bad that the Wii U was such a colossal failure as even though it was ported to the Switch, it could never receive the notoriety it deserved. For me, it will always be incredibly special.

1. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest (9.8/10)

And, now we come to the GOAT. Without a moment’s hesitation, I can utter that Donkey Kong Country 2 is one of the top five masterpieces ever created in the history of gaming. Yeah, it is that good. It took everything the first title produced and amplified its greatness tenfold.

The new and improved bonus system added clever secrets that were more than worthwhile to find. David Wise composed the soundtrack and (shocker) it was world-class and unbelievably atmospheric. This game makes you wonder how the same company made Donkey Kong Country 3.

What really sells the experience of Donkey Kong Country 2, however, is the execution and replay value. Heck, what am I talking about; everything about this breathtaking jewel is perfect.

Conceiving this list reminded me just how much I want to see another mainline Donkey Kong Country game. With Retro Studios taking over production for Metroid Prime 4, perhaps a new developer could take over the IP. Hey, we can only hope, right?