ENTERTAINMENT

Donkey Kong's Makeover: Who Gets the Credit?

Tue Jan 14 2025
Get ready, gamers! Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is almost here, and Forever Entertainment is the team behind this ported version of Retro Studios' classic platformer. But here's a twist: Nintendo decided not to credit the original Retro Studios development team in this new release. Instead of naming names, they've opted for a vague "Based on the work of the original development staff. " This isn't the first time Nintendo has done this. Remember Metroid Prime Remastered? Some key developers from the original Metroid Prime team were upset about their exclusion. Zoid Kirsch, an engineer on the original team, felt let down, while Jack Mathews, the technical lead, called it a travesty. Nintendo, however, stands firm on condensing credits into a single, dismissive sentence. Take a look at the credits screen, and you'll see what we mean. It's a shame that Nintendo seems to be making this part of their standard practice for remasters and ports. They've also been in hot water for keeping their partner developers a secret until games are about to be released. But why does this matter? Credits aren't just about name recognition; they're about acknowledging the hard work and creativity that went into creating these games. When developers feel overlooked, it can affect their future work and passion for the projects they contribute to.

questions

    How might this decision affect the morale and motivation of future development teams?
    Is there a valid reason, other than convenience, for Nintendo to condense the credits in this manner?
    Why has Nintendo opted to exclude the original Retro Studios development team from the credits of Donkey Kong Country Returns HD?

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