Donkey Kong Country Returns HD: Retro Studios Snubbed in Credits

The upcoming release of Donkey Kong Country Returns HD on January 16, 2025, has sparked controversy due to the exclusion of Retro Studios, the original developers of the 2010 Wii title, from the game's credits. Instead of a full list of the original team, the credits only acknowledge Forever Entertainment, the porting and enhancement studio, and a generic statement crediting "the original development staff."

This omission isn't unprecedented. Nintendo's practice of condensing credits in remastered games has faced criticism before. In 2023, Zoid Kirsch, a former Retro Studios programmer who worked on the original Metroid Prime games, publicly expressed disappointment over their exclusion from Metroid Prime Remastered's credits. Other developers echoed his sentiment, labeling the practice as "bad practice."

The Nintendo Switch, a popular platform for retro gaming, has seen a surge in remasters and remakes of classic titles. This includes recent releases like Super Mario RPG and various Advance Wars titles. However, the consistent lack of comprehensive crediting for original development teams in these releases raises concerns.

The issue extends beyond simply omitting names. Proper crediting is crucial for game developers' career progression and serves as a vital acknowledgment of their contributions. The practice also highlights a broader industry problem concerning the crediting of translators, often overlooked or bound by restrictive NDAs.

As public outcry against inadequate crediting practices grows, pressure mounts on publishers like Nintendo to revise their policies and ensure proper recognition of all those involved in a game's creation, from initial development to remastering. The Donkey Kong Country Returns HD credit controversy serves as a stark reminder of this ongoing issue.

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