Donkey Kong needs to prove it's consistency before we can gauge how big it is. Saying it's bigger than Zelda isn't possible right now. Zelda consistently hits at least 3 million+, where as Donkey Kong was underwhelming for years. DKCR is akin to Twilight Princess, only smaller (TP is 8 million +).

Let's see how DKC:TF does. As of now, the series is too inconsistent to be compared to Zelda. Zelda on it's worst days is a lot bigger than Donkey Kong on it's worst days. Donkey Kong and Zelda on their best days are around a similar level.

No question that Donkey Kong can be big, and I loved the DKC titles as well as Returns. We just need to wait and see.

But what if we treat Donkey Kong Country as seperate from other DK-branded games?

Then we have a 9.3 million seller, a 6 million seller, a 5 million seller and a 3.5 million seller.  Much as we loved the game, Returns couldn't quite match up to the first game sales wise. Whereas Zelda actually surpassed the first game twice, which was 6.5 million.

I'd liken Returns to Twilight Princess, except smaller, and unable to reach a new record for the series (though DKCR did pass the 2nd game, which I consider a success in it's own right anyway). The difference is that Zelda's had more games since Twilight Princess, while the last game in the series for Donkey Kong Country (if we consider that it's own thing) is Returns. That's why we need to wait and see where Tropical Freeze hits, so we can gauge how it maintains those sales from the Wii generation.

Sadly, the Wii U isn't the best system to gauge franchises. So it still might not be as telling as we'd like it to be, but if it can hit maybe 2-3 million lifetime then I'd consider it a successful sequel.

It has to be an original IP that will interest a large market. Sadly games like that really don't. Look at what does - CoD, BF, AssCreed and all the other generic AAA games at the moment. If the WiiU can't pull up something like that with its own twist than it will only fail.

Donkey Kong is very consistant. Of the 5 mainline console platformers, 4 of then have sold over 5 million. The only one not to was Country 3 which could be due to a few reasons. It was the 3rd DK released in 3 years, Donkey and Diddy were not playable and it released after the next gen was well underway.

DKC2, DK64 and Returns all sold in the 5-6m range, with DKC selling over 9 million but it was heavily bundled so its very possible without that it would have sold around 6m as well.

This will be an all right but it wont manke any difference for Nintendo or for anybody who owns a Wii U. I hope it will be good tough

As sopmeoner who owns a Wii U it will make a HUGE difference for me. It's probably all I'll play for the next month after it comes out. I haven't wanted a game this much since Donkey Kong Country Returns back in 2010.

Of course it will

Implying there's nothing else to play? Not true; I've been playing the heck out of Mario 3D World, COD Ghosts, Need for Speed Most Wanted, Nano Assault Neo, Trine 2 Director's Cut and Monster Hunter 3 Ulimate on my Wii U. But DKC is different; since the first on the SNES I've had an abslute love affair with the series, and after waiting to long for this one I can't see myself tearing my attention away from it for quite a while.

I am still undecided if to get this game. At the moment there is more of a chance that I will get it than not. As for the game itself, it is at the very least another title in the Wii U's library.

Will be great if it got close to 1.5m by end of year.