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Donkey Kong Country (SNES) artwork

Donkey Kong Country (SNES) review


"Donkey Kong Country started a legacy of it's own. The original Donkey Kong game made over a decade ago, was about Donkey Kong kidnapping a beautiful woman. Now instead of Donkey Kong being the kidnapper, he is on the other side of it. So off he goes on a mission using typical side scroller skills (very similiar to Mario) creating a classic of his own. "

Donkey Kong Country started a legacy of it's own. The original Donkey Kong game made over a decade ago, was about Donkey Kong kidnapping a beautiful woman. Now instead of Donkey Kong being the kidnapper, he is on the other side of it. So off he goes on a mission using typical side scroller skills (very similiar to Mario) creating a classic of his own.

STORY (4/5): The Super Nintendo was still in it's unless it is an RPG there needs to be no story. This was just how it was in the old days, and therefor I cannot penalize the game for it. You are Donkey Kong and your entire banana horde was stolen. For some reason you like collecting a MASSIVE supply of banana's (hehehe). You and your nephew (I think) Diddy decide to go out against a Kremlin horde to get back your banana's and put a whalloping on King K. Rool himself. That's it, but really it's a classic sidescroller so I won't say anything.

GRAPHICS (18/20): Very colorful once again, and the push the capabilities of the Super Nintendo to the limits, in the EARLY years. There are detailed backgrounds, and the levels are not straight forward, as thier are realistic inclines (and some not) that scatter the area. Their are strange weather conditios like snow and rain, which affect sight and make your monkeys more likely to slip. The enemies all look good, although most of them are moles and Kremlins. There will need to be a massive number of enemies on screen to get slowdown, but if you do reach alot there may be a little bit.

SOUND (7/10): Nintendo has been known for keeping it's games with an above par set of music and this is no exception. This game introduces the classic Donkey Kong music (and no, that does not include that rap). It's background music is kinda similiar to Super Mario World, as they were both made by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo.

GAMEPLAY (46/50): Donkey Kong Country is a sidescroller similiar to Super Mario World. There is a world map, which shows you the next level you can go to, and by clicking ''A'' on the spot you will take on the designated level. Each level will base itself on various things. Some are barrel blasters, some are insane mine rides, rope swings and others are just jump and kill enemies and get from point a to point b. Donkey Kong can either defeat his enemies by jumping on them, rolling into them, or throwing barrels at them. Diddy Kong has similiar moves to defeat his enemies, except he cannot defeat the larger kremlins without something to throw at them. There is no health method, and once you are hit you go down. The thing is though if you are using Donkey Kong or Diddy and found a buddy barrel, when you go down the other will replace him at the same spot (This does not work with abysses however).

Many different skills are needed to travel through Donkey Kong Island, and these skill are scattered level by level through around 6 worlds. These 6 worlds are very big, and have many different types of elements. The barrel levels require timing, the mine levels require jumping from various tracks to other tracks. At the end of each world there is a boss, and some bosses return more than once, to get revenge.

Lastly this is the one of the first game to my knowledge with Co-Op play. You and a friend could use Donkey and Diddy Kong at the same time to move your way through the game. This is a very cool aspect, especially when the game first came out, and multiplayer was very rarely used. This game has built a name for itself, and deservingly so.

REPLAYABILITY (5/10): Sense I have beaten Donkey Kong Country, I have no played it sense. The levels are fairly repetitive in themselves, as you have to perform amazing jump alot in one level, and really I don't desire to play through it again. However you will play all the way through it once, even with its problems. Also someday you will play it again seeing it's a classic.

DIFFICULTY (3/5): This game is no walk in the park, but there are many games harder than it. However the problem with Donkey Kong Country is there are hundreds of placing where you need absolute perfect timing. As you are shot from barrel to barrel, make sure you don't screw up, or you will be flying to an endless abys. So you will have to play through the same level about 50 times until you get your timing perfect or more likely, lucky. The bosses are easily beatable, but nothing laughable either. If it weren't for the perfect timing problem, the difficulty would be fine in this game.

VINTAGE VALUE (+5): This game has spurred on its own series of games including Donkey Kong Countries, Donkey Kong Lands, and Donkey Kong 64. This is Rares biggest achievement series wise possibly, and it was extremely popular when it first hit the world head on. This has become a must own for the Super Nintendo.

OVERALL (87/100): Donkey Kong Country is weakened by the repetitiveness, and the level design how you do the same certain skill over and over again. However even with those faults Donkey Kong Country easily stands as one of the greatest games ever made, and stands tall even today. I remember when I used to go to my sister's friend's brother's house just so I could play this game when it first came out. Eight or so years later I bought a Super Nintendo and this was one of the first games I bought. It is a fun, classic sidescroller, in the tradition of Mario and made my Nintendo. Need I say more?



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Community review by ratking (July 27, 2002)

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