 In the January 2015 Nintendo Direct , it was announced that the Wii version of Donkey Kong Country Returns and other Wii games would be released for download on Wii U via Nintendo eShop . Donkey Kong Country Returns was made available on the Nintendo eShop on January 21 , 2015 in Japan , January 22 , 2015 in Europe , and January 23 , 2015 in Australia and New Zealand . On March 31 , 2016 , the digital re @-@ release of Donkey Kong Country Returns was made available for North American Wii U users exclusively as a My Nintendo reward . 
