Donkey Kong Country Returns HD Launches

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• Donkey Kong Country Returns HD Release Time and Date

Nearly 15 years have passed since Donkey Kong Country Returns originally launched on the Nintendo Wii. If you've always wanted to experience this critically acclaimed platformer but missed out on the Wii, Wii U, or 3DS versions, Nintendo is bringing it to the Switch with Donkey Kong Country Returns HD.

Priced at $59.99, this enhanced port is a polished remaster of the Wii classic. It boasts upgraded visuals and includes the additional levels from the 2013 3DS edition. Cooperative multiplayer also returns.

If you plan to purchase the digital version of Donkey Kong Country Returns HD on Switch, you may want to know the exact eShop release time so you can start playing as soon as it becomes available.

Donkey Kong Country Returns HD Release Time and Date

Nintendo is one of the few game publishers that rarely announces specific release times for digital titles on the Switch eShop. However, although this information isn't typically shared on social media, the company’s official support page notes that most first-party games, including Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, go live on the eShop at 9 PM PT the evening before the official release date.

This means Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is expected to become playable on January 15 at 9 PM Pacific Time. For other regions, please refer to the schedule below.

• January 15 at 10 PM MT (Denver)
• January 15 at 11 PM CT (Chicago)
• January 16 at 12 AM ET (New York)
• January 16 at 5 AM GMT (London)
• January 16 at 6 AM CET (Berlin)
• January 16 at 1 PM CST (Beijing)
• January 16 at 2 PM JST (Tokyo)
• January 16 at 4 PM AEDT (Melbourne)