Tropical Freeze was a lot of things: fun, colorful, among others. However, being played via Wi-Fi is certainly not one of them. Now, the developer reveals what held them back from including it.
In a recent interview, Retro Studios CEO Michael Kelbaugh stated they weren’t willing to cram in a multiplayer mode, as it just didn’t seem to fit. Giving fans more than just a simple co-op mode was their focus, as Kelbaugh says, “…we really need to do it right and not shoehorn in… if we were really go back and create an online environment, I think we owe it to the fans to do it better than just making online co-op. We really need to put some thought and resources into doing it the right way.”
Old school Nintendo producer Kensuke Tanabe also chimed in, revealing that online multiplayer isn’t a one size fits all approach, as he feels a game like Donkey Kong is meant to be enjoyed by your opponents sitting right next to you. “This is a personal opinion, but if I’m playing with somebody, I think it’s just a heck of a lot more fun to be sitting in the same room as that person rather than playing with somebody at a distance. And I think it’s especially true for Nintendo games; we have a history of families playing together…” said Tanabe.
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is out now for the Nintendo Wii U.