Players all over the world fell in love with many memorable, adventure-filled moments in the well-received Donkey Kong Country Returns game for Wii: jumping around the game’s lush and colourful side-scrolling levels; clinging to the side of a swinging platform; riding on a speeding mine cart; and leaping from barrel to barrel between foreground and background. Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D, launching May 24 for the Nintendo 3DS system, includes all these great moments, but also offers players a host of new features that were not available in the original Wii game and a beautiful new 3D makeover that makes the graphics look more impressive than ever before.

“Even if you played the original, Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D is optimized for portable play with new options and new levels,” said Ron Bertram, Nintendo of Canada’s vice-president and general manager. “The new 3D graphics pop off the screen and add an even greater sense of depth to the layered environments.”

To optimize Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D for portable play, “New Mode” has been added to the game. In New Mode, players have access to new items and game-play features. These items include portable “DK Barrels,” which players can use at any time to have access to Diddy Kong; “Green Balloons,” used to protect Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong from falling off a cliff or ledge; and “Crash Guards,” which make players temporarily invincible in rocket barrel or mine cart areas. Fans can also play in “Original Mode” to experience the game as it was originally designed.

Exclusive to Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D are eight new, challenging levels located on a cloud that can only be reached by going through the Golden Temple after players complete the main game. Two players that both own a copy of the game can also connect via local wireless to team up as Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong for some barrel-blasting, rail-riding, ground-pounding multiplayer action.

For more information about Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D, visit http://donkeykong.nintendo.com/.