Donkey Kong Country Returns HD Removes Original Developers From Credits

Summary

• Nintendo excluded Retro Studios' developers from the Donkey Kong Country Returns HD credits.
• Nintendo's history of condensed credits in remastered games has faced criticism from developers.

The upcoming release of Donkey Kong Country Returns HD confirms the omission of Retro Studios' original development team from the remastered version's credits. Launching January 16, 2025, this Nintendo Switch title remasters the 2010 Wii platformer.

The Nintendo Switch, renowned for its portability and extensive classic game library, is a leading contemporary retro gaming platform. Nintendo's active remastering and remaking of beloved classics, enhancing them with new content and visuals, has become a trend. Recent examples include the Super Mario RPG remake and remasters of Advance Wars and the Famicom Detective Club games.

This trend extends to the Donkey Kong Country series. Pre-release reports reveal that Nintendo omitted Retro Studios' staff—the developers of the 2010 Wii original—from Donkey Kong Country Returns HD's credits. As reported by Nintendo Life, only Forever Entertainment, the porting and enhancement studio, receives credit. Retro Studios' contribution is acknowledged only with a statement indicating the remaster is "Based on the work of the original development staff."

Nintendo Omits Retro Studios From Donkey Kong Country Returns HD Credits

This credit condensation aligns with Nintendo's approach to other Switch re-releases. In 2023, Zoid Kirsch, a former Retro Studios programmer and senior gameplay engineer on the first two Metroid Prime games, criticized Nintendo for excluding original Metroid Prime Remastered credits. He expressed disappointment, and other developers echoed his sentiment, calling the exclusion of original teams "bad practice."

Proper crediting is crucial in the game industry, vital for developers' career progression. Crediting original developers in remasters shows appreciation for their years of work on beloved titles. Nintendo has also faced accusations of inadequate credit for translators, sometimes imposing restrictive NDAs preventing them from acknowledging their work on franchises like The Legend of Zelda. Growing public awareness of improper crediting practices may eventually force publishers, including Nintendo, to adopt more inclusive crediting policies.