Donkey Kong Country 2

Ah, nostalgia. For a 25-year old gamer whose adolescence coincided with the pinnacle of all that was good of the 16-bit era, sometimes there can be no better word. Yet, when I received a copy of Donkey Kong Country 2 for the GBA to review I was a little hesitant, because by now we have all become spoiled by the norm of 128-bit games in the third dimension. Would this be another lazy port by Nintendo, in similar fashion to the original Donkey Kong Country they released last year? The answer is no.

Simply put, if you like classic platforming action, and especially if you never played the original Donkey Kong Country 2, this is the game for you to get. This sequel improves upon its predecessor in so many ways. The plot of course is standard rescue mission fare; you play as Diddy Kong (the sidekick from the original DKC) and his girlfriend
Dixie in order to rescue Donkey Kong from the lizard-like Kremlings with a pirate fetish. The plot is so hackneyed, as is typical in most platformer fare, that even Cranky Kong, the old Kong who was the original Donkey Kong in the early 80’s, makes fun of how the “writers” have run out of ideas, which is a nice touch. Of course, it’s not the story that will get players excited about this game, it’s the journey to the final levels that are the most fun. In a similar fashion to Super Mario Bros. 3, the Kongs will traverse past multiple “worlds” each with their own unique theme (pirate-ship, lava, swamp, etc.). While travelling past each of the 65+ levels, Diddy and
Dixie must team up and make use of their unique abilities.
Dixie, for example, is very useful crossing large chasms because she propels her hair like a helicopter to cross long distances. Diddy is more skilled at barrel throwing and can jump a little higher. If you want to reach a seemingly inaccessible area, usually all that is necessary is to partner up and have Diddy toss
Dixie to the desired location, or vice-versa. To add even more variety, there are different animal friends that are a big help. Rambi the Rhino can charge right into enemies and take them out without any problems, Squitter the spider can make platform webs to reach difficult places, Rattly the Rattlesnake can jump very high, and there are several more useful animal friends.

While the main goal ostensibly is to cross through each level, the game is quite deeper than that. A significant layer of Donkey Kong Country 2 is collecting things. For example, there is a Kremling traitor named Klubba who will let you pass to a special restricted area if you bribe him with enough kremkoins, which you need to collect through bonus games, at least one of which is hidden in each level. There are also mysterious Hero coins that Kranky Kong has placed in each level as a challenge; these difficult to obtain coins will unlock something neat if you collect all of them. In addition, if you manage to collect every single banana in the game (no easy task), something really good will happen. But the collecting doesn’t stop there. The developers decided to add some new collectibles and bonus games exclusively for the GBA re-release. Rather than feel needlessly tacked on, they feel like the perfect complement to the game. Remember Expresso the Ostrich from the original DKC? Well now he’s back, and you can train and race him once you collect enough gold feathers throughout the levels. You can choose to customise his speed, strength, boost, and other attributes in an RPG-like fashion, and then control him in races. If he does well, you win prizes that are useful in the main game, so it’s not just for show. Klubba also has a new game for you. For a fee of several Banana Bunch coins (the main currency of the game) you can challenge him to a firefly catching contest, and he’ll reward you based on your performance. Keep in mind that all of these bonuses and collectibles are entirely optional, so if that isn’t your thing, you can feel free to proceed linearly throughout this often challenging adventure.

Yes, while there are plenty of opportunities to gain extra lives, you’ll need them for the really hard levels later on in the game, of which there are plenty. In addition, each boss is unique and requires a little figuring out before you discover how to defeat it. The jump- stomp formula against brain-dead baddies doesn’t work here, like it did in the first DKC.

The graphics, while suffering a slight sacrifice in the parallax shading, are nevertheless incredible for the GBA. When you control Diddy and
Dixie as they run, jump and swing to victory, you’ll find the animations fluid and fully rendered, like you’re controlling their every movement. The backgrounds and designs are very colourful and varied, and the game just looks great on the GBA SP. The music has some cute pirate tunes that are fun to listen to as well, so there are no significant complaints in the graphics and sound department.

But in the end, for gamers in their 20’s and up, it all comes down to nostalgia. That’s what’s so great about this game; when you’re playing it, you realise that you’re playing a top-notch 16-bit title of the mid 90’s portably and wherever you want. It’s the type of thing we all dreamed of when we were little. And if you’ve never played DKC2 before, so much the better, because then the experience will be completely new. Younger gamers who don’t care for nostalgia will still find a lot to like about this game, as it’s very fun and engaging simply on its own terms.

If you own a GBA, then Donkey Kong Country 2 is definitely worth a look. And with the holidays fast approaching, it may very well make a great gift.

Graphics———————8/10

Sound————————-8/10

Story————————–9/10

Gameplay——————–10/10

Overall———————8.75/10

Tilt———————-8 to 9/10