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Donkey Kong Country Returns Review for Nintendo Wii (Wii)

Donkey Kong Country Returns Review for Nintendo Wii (Wii)

Going Bananas

November 22, 2010 – Much like any medium, gaming has the potential to evoke a sense of escapist fantasy or childlike wonder. To wit, they can be as magical as a great novel or a film, though the occasions where developers reach to the right blend of pitch-perfect mechanics, engaging gameplay, and artistic appeal are few and far between. Those of you that are old enough to remember Rare’s Donkey Kong Country series know what I’m talking about. After getting over the initial shock of the jaw-dropping, pre-rendered graphics (on a cartridge system in 1994, no less), DKC offered some of the most clever and challenging platforming this side of Mario, and had charm and aesthetic flourish to spare. Most of us were sad to see the big ape and friends go after the third SNES entry, and, following a somewhat disastrous 3D outing on the N64, he disappeared again into the Nintendo catalogue of characters, only to come out for themed spin-offs and guest appearances.

Donkey Kong Country Returns Screenshot

After playing Donkey Kong Country Returns at E3, I had my suspicions that this back-to-basics new entry was something special—I don’t think I’m the only one that’s been craving a new 2D ape adventure since the highly underrated Jungle Beat. Even in spite of some quality issues from the new game’s unfinished build, it quickly became one of my most anticipated games of the year. Once you dig a little into the actual meat of the game, it quickly becomes clear that DKC Returns is hardly just an homage. Retro has instead injected their own contemporary design sensibilities into the classic DKC format, resulting in a vibrant entry that more than lives up to the series’ original legacy.

The most immediately noticeable difference separating DKC Returns from its SNES brethren is the astounding attention to detail Retro has placed in the world. Everywhere you look among the lush jungle valleys and tropical beaches (among a host of other less paradisiacal environs) the world of Donkey Kong Island feels dynamically alive. Pirate ships bombard the beaches with cannon fire, giant cephalopods probe the foreground with their tentacles, and massive wooden pendulums break loose from vines to obliterate previous paths. At the start of a level, you may even have to proceed from an outside location to reach its “thematic start,” by say, detonating a load of dynamite to break open an entrance to a mine. There are plenty of instances where the path of a level itself is entirely unstable. Needless to say, the evolution that each stage’s progression takes feels effortless, and can often be dizzying to behold.

Donkey Kong Country Returns Screenshot

Think about the thrill you had when being chased by the stone-wheel riding gnawty (that’d be the gray beaver guys) in the temple-themed levels of DKC. Having to negotiate the level’s various traps and pitfalls with little regard to safety or reasoning with a giant circular rock nipping at your heels was a harrowing experience, right? It’s pretty tame compared to an average setpiece in DKCR. During one on-rails section of a cave-based level, Donkey Kong must ride a rocket-powered barrel through a subterranean bat lair. However, instead of just contending with a lot of little critters, you have to make your way through all the smaller bats you would expect while avoiding a monstrous, screen-filling bat that weaves in an out of the foreground and generally wreaks havoc. Chases of this kind, as well as other perilous events happen all the time in DKC Returns, although the stakes and challenge level have obviously been upped quite a bit. Those of you that may have been worried that this new Donkey Kong wouldn’t measure up to the difficulty of the older games will be pleasantly surprised with DKCR’s hardcore leanings; on top of that, you may often find yourself dying from time to time just because you were too caught up in the sheer spectacle of its dynamically-scripted level design.

Though the game is a 2D platformer, that hasn’t kept Retro from bringing the third dimension into play. Aside from the aforementioned background-to-foreground interaction with enemies, barrels rarely keep you on one plane of action. Whether you’re being shot into the hull of a ship for a bonus round or exploding through a series of crumbling stone platforms, the swooping camera creates a sense of depth that keeps the game from feeling static. There are even segments where you’re propelled into the background itself, playing the game from a diminished point of view. Though it doesn’t drastically alter the gameplay—Donkey and Diddy Kong still control on a 2D plane—it lends DKCR a 2.5-D sensibility that complements its busy feeling. You just feel like there’s always something going on.

Donkey Kong Country Returns Screenshot

What’s really important, though, is that Retro nailed the feeling of the series better than even the most die-hard fans could’ve hoped. DKC Returns is stuffed with homages to the original games. The worlds are generally familiar twists on old favorites, taking new directions with established ideas in gameplay, setting, and aesthetics. Seasoned gamers will not only recognize nods and cues taken from the classics, but also to Super Mario World, Super Mario Galaxy, DK Jungle Beat, and others. One glance at this game and you’ll probably feel the same sense of wonder you did back when you played the original.

It goes without saying that the music of the game is absolutely vital to achieving this feeling of nostalgia, a notion that Miyamoto himself was adamant about keeping around for DKCR. As a result, all the classic Donkey Kong tunes you probably listened to on the DK Jamz soundtrack are back in full force, with the same original touches that Retro integrated into the rest of the game.

Donkey Kong Country Returns Screenshot

True to the series’ roots, DKCR is also packed with secrets to find. There’s the standard KONG letters, of course, but DK coins have been replaced by puzzle pieces that are scattered throughout levels. Some mechanics have changed slightly; Donkey Kong can’t put down a barrel that he’s already picked up without breaking it, and secret bonus rooms and the like are hidden by the level itself rather than in plain sight behind a destructible barrier. In single player, however, the core gameplay remains the same. This time around, getting Diddy Kong nets you an extra two hearts (each monkey goes down after two hits) and essentially attaches Diddy to your back, allowing you use of the little guy’s jetpack to perform useful hover jumps.

Co-op is a different beast, however. With free control, a second player can use Diddy to perform his standard rolling attack and other moves, as well as shoot his peanut pop-gun. Much like with the originals, co-op makes DKCR much more fun, and a little easier when dealing with some of its trickier challenges. Donkey and Diddy are on their own this time, though. With the exception of Cranky, all the other Kongs you might expect to find loafing about the island are absent in DKCR, which also means you don’t have access to your usual assortment of rideable animal buddies. Only Rambi the Rhino makes an appearance, and even he only shows up occasionally. And since there’s no animal buddies, don’t expect any animal bonus rooms to gain a ton of extra lives, either—you’ll need to rely on Cranky’s shop if you want to stock up.

Donkey Kong Country Returns Screenshot

With DKC Returns, Retro has left very little to complain about. Some fans may lament the absence of water levels (though the only thing worth missing there is probably the music); many will probably be saddened by the lack of furry and feathered animals friends, though Squawks makes a cameo of sorts. Fans that are new to the series may find DKCR’s level design tougher than they’re used to, though you can call on Super Kong to help you beat the level a la New Super Mario Bros. Wii. If a good game is measured by how fun it is, then a great game is one that you want to revisit again and again. Donkey Kong Country Returns, much like its 16-bit forerunners, is more than deserving of such a distinction; this is one ape you’re not going to want to pass up.

RATING OUT OF 5 RATING DESCRIPTION 4.9 Graphics
Some of the best graphics on the Wii to date, DKCR is lush and lovely to look at. 4.8 Control
Classic DKC controls, though the absence of classic or GC controller compatibility is missed. The DK Jungle Beat-inspired motion controls are great, though rolling into enemies can be a little tricky. 5.0 Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
All your favorite Donkey Kong tunes are here (mostly) in one form or another. You’ll want to listen to the soundtrack over and over. 4.8 Play Value
Retro has done an incredible job bringing DKC’s traditional mechanics into the world of modern game design. The only thing distinct lament is the absence of more rideable animal buddies. Still, a must-buy. 4.9 Overall Rating – Must Buy
Not an average. See Rating legend below for a final score breakdown.

Review Rating Legend
0.1 – 1.9 = Avoid 2.5 – 2.9 = Average 3.5 – 3.9 = Good 4.5 – 4.9 = Must Buy
2.0 – 2.4 = Poor 3.0 – 3.4 = Fair 4.0 – 4.4 = Great 5.0 = The Best

Game Features:

  • Feel the power of Donkey Kong by shaking the Wii Remote and Nunchuk to perform Ground Pounds and Barrel Rolls. These moves can be used to destroy blocks, defeat enemies, and reveal hidden areas. Donkey Kong also has the new ability to climb walls and ceilings.
  • Diddy Kong has a few new tricks of his own. He can use his Barrel Jet to hover high above the ground or defy gravity and fly across small chasms. He can also help Donkey Kong with this ability by hopping on to Donkey Kong’s back. In two-player mode, a quick shake of the Wii Remote will give him the ability to fire his Peanut Popgun to assist Donkey Kong.
  • The levels in Donkey Kong Country Returns are beautifully rendered and creatively designed with lots of hidden items to discover. Try to collect all of K-O-N-G Letters and hidden Puzzle Pieces in each level to unlock something special.
  • Two-player co-op.
  • In cooperative mode, players of different skill levels can play through the game together.

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