While Donkey Kong fans are currently enjoying the HD port of Donkey Kong Country Returns on the Nintendo Switch, there’s an Easter egg hidden in one of the series’ earlier titles that might surprise even the most dedicated players. Did you know that the heroine from Metroid, Samus Aran, is hiding within the game Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze?
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When Samus Aran Makes a Cameo in Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze
With all eyes on the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2, the previous iteration of the beloved console still has plenty of hidden gems to offer. Just recently, fans had the chance to revisit Donkey Kong Country Returns in its HD version on the Nintendo Switch. While that game also has its fair share of secrets, it’s another installment in the series, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, that holds a particularly intriguing Easter egg: the unexpected appearance of Samus Aran, the iconic bounty hunter from the Metroid series.
You might think the only way Donkey Kong and Samus Aran could cross paths would be through Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, but it turns out that Samus has a small, yet clever, presence in Tropical Freeze. As shown in a screenshot from the game, Samus’s ship appears to have crashed in the swampy area of level 1-B (Marshes and Wreckage). While the ship is easy to spot when highlighted in a red rectangle, it’s hidden so well that many players missed it when the game first released.
A Fun Nod That Makes Perfect Sense
At first, it might seem unusual to see two Nintendo franchises collide in this way—especially given the stark contrast between a lighthearted, 2D platformer like Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze and the darker, more serious tone of Metroid. But the connection between the two games is simpler than it seems: both Metroid Prime and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze were developed by the same studio, Retro Studios.
Retro Studios has a long history working on these two franchises, having developed all three Metroid Prime games as well as Donkey Kong Country Returns and Tropical Freeze. This connection explains the hidden reference, as the developers likely wanted to give a playful nod to one of their other successful projects.
Today, Retro Studios is still hard at work on Metroid Prime 4, which is set to release this year for the Nintendo Switch—and who knows, there might be another Donkey Kong reference hidden in there as well. Given Retro Studios’ track record of weaving subtle Easter eggs into their games, it’s worth keeping an eye out for surprises when the highly anticipated game finally arrives.
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In the world of gaming, it’s always fun when different franchises within the same company cross paths. With Samus Aran popping up unexpectedly in Tropical Freeze, it’s a reminder of the creative minds behind some of the most beloved titles in Nintendo’s catalog.