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Donkey Kong Country
(The only game on the Snes to have the initials 'DKC'.)
//introduction
I'm not exactly sure how it happened, but somehow Rare managed to impress Nintendo enough to make them invest heavily in the company. Even more astonishing is the fact that when Rare asked Nintendo for one of their characters, Nintendo agreed and gave them Donkey Kong to play around with. Rare went on to produce a platformer starring Donkey Kong and his buddy - Diddy Kong.
They also made up a term - ACM, which - when the hype was brushed away - was simply a marketing gimmick used to sell the idea of the admittedly impressive graphics. When this game was eventually released, some were rather disappointed by it, considering it to be too easy and short after realising that many of the much-touted large number of levels were simple small 10-second efforts. Others believed it to be fabulous, from the graphics to the gameplay.
//story
There is some sort of rubbish about the Kong family having all their bananas stolen by some 'Kremlings' (read crocodiles). They are now apparently following a trail of stolen bananas to make their way to the person responsible and retrieve their legendary banana hoard. Of course, none of this really matters - it's a platform game.
//rules and toys
The game involves controlling 2 monkeys - Diddy and Donkey Kong - in typical platform game fashion. The main characters are able to jump, run and roll (or, in Diddy's case, cartwheel). Enemies can be rolled into as well as jumped upon to be defeated. Whilst making your way through any of the levels, you will control one of the monkeys, and the other will simply follow you. If one gets hit, you can continue as the other. Along the way, you occasionally find barrels which replenish a lost monkey.
Barrels play an important part in this game. Some can be thrown at enemies, some act as save points, some fire you in a certain direction... of course, they could be simply replaced by another graphic, but that's not the point...
//WARNING - 'SURPRISES' REVEALED - DANGER RATING 2 (SLIGHT)
//animals
There are 4 animals in this game who you can ride. Winky (a frog who has the ability to jump high and can jump on normally untouchable enemies), Rambi (a rhino who can charge into or jump onto any enemy), Expresso (an ostrich who can flap its wings to descend slowly through the air but is vulnerable to any enemy) and Enguarde (a swordfish who allows to kill underwater enemies). These are found in a wooden box, and once released can be ridden in a similar fashion to Yoshi in Super Mario World.
A 5th animal exists - Squawks - but this parrot is simply used to light up a dark level, as it carries a torch in its beak.
//a wee bit about some later levels
There are 34 stages and 6 boss encounters spread across 6 areas (Kong Jungle, Monkey Mines, Vine Valley, Gorilla Glacier, Kremkroc Industries Inc. & Chimp Caverns). Their names should give you a good idea of their settings. Once these have been completed (in a strictly linear fashion), a 7th area (Gangplank Galleon) reveals itself to contain nothing more than a final boss encounter.
Each of the first 6 areas contain an underwater level, and most contain a mine cart ride. Other levels which I feel should be mentioned are: Stop & Go Station (which involves repeatedly hitting switches to stop unkillable enemies being active); Millstone Mayhem (involving being chased by giant... things); Temple Tempest (involving the same); Slipslide Ride (ropes which you climb force you either upwards or downwards); Croctopus Chase (involving being chased by things underwater); Torchlight Trouble (involving a dark level only lit up by the aforementioned Squawks);Trick Track Trek (involving a moving platform which takes you on a long ride); Blackout Basement (which turns black every few seconds); Tanked Up Trouble (again riding a moving platform, this time collecting drums of fuel to keep the platform from dropping off the track); Loopy Lights (again hitting switches, this time to turn the lights on); and Platform Perils (platforms which move as soon as you step on them).
Apart from these levels, none stand out. However, that doesn't necessarily bear any relation to the enjoyment derived from them.
Firing yourself out of a cannon barrel becomes a more integral part of the game as the game goes on.
//END WARNING - DANGER EXTINCT
//other stuff which you probably don't particularly want to know
You don't get any continues as such. However, as with Super Mario World (mental note: stop making needless references), you are able to garner an incredible number of lives rather easily and even when you do die, chances are that you'll have saved pretty recently if you've been sensible. Because of all this, a 2-player option is pretty needless.
//2-player modes
As well as the 1-player mode, 2 2-player games exist. The co-operative mode puts 1 player in control of Diddy and the other in charge of Donkey. Whilst only 1 player is in control at a time, the control between the players can be changed at any time either by the player currently in control pressing the appropriate button or by the controlling player dying.
The 2-player competitive mode introduces a duplicate Diddy and Donkey, which wear yellow ties and baseball caps instead of red. The players take it in turns to play through a map which is unaffected by the other player (in a similar fashion to the original Super Mario Bros.). This lasts until one player completes the game, who is then proclaimed the winner.
//music
Technically, the music and sound effects are of a good standard. However, in a few levels some sound effects cut short others. Some of the loops seem to last so long that you may well never hear their entirety.,.
//graphics
The graphics were highly hyped at the time. They were first rendered in 3D and then 2D captures of this 3D model were made into sprites. However, many games had used this technique previously, something that some magazines seemed to ignore. Some consider the graphics blurry but most agree that they are rather pretty.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
how far I got: completed
the 1-player mode multiple times (didn't get all the bonus levels
though)
and tried both the 2-player modes with a friend.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
rating : 4
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
When this game originally came out, the graphics were a big selling point, and this was something that altered a lot of magazines' views of this game more than it should have. Ultimately, when it came down to it, the game itself was rather short and most of the massive number of levels advertised were simply short 'bonus levels' involving hitting objects at the right time to collect an extra life, or some such.
Needless to say, a fair few people were a bit annoyed after having paid £50 for the game that they seemed to waltz through it in a single weekend, or even a single afternoon. However, now that the game can be bought for £7, the length is rather less of an issue than it was.
But enough about the length. Whether you'll be playing it for an hour or ten, will you be enjoying yourself? The short answer is yes - as long as you enjoy playing 2D side-on platformers.
It's not really original, and it's not going to throw loads of surprises your way. However, the focus on firing yourself out of barrels does distance it a little from a generic production-line platformer, as do a few levels which try something different with the platform concept (which are listed here).
The 2-player versus mode really lasts a bit too long, basically taking twice the time a 1-player game would to complete. Long before that, it'll be clear who's won, and chances are one or both of the players will have become pretty bored. However, the co-operative mode is a lot more enjoyable, allowing people of vastly differing skill to play together without the normal lives/continues problems that normally occur.
As I mentioned previously, the 1-player game probably won't last you very long. However, while it does last, it's an enjoyable thing to play. Personally, I find that once you've completed it, it's enjoyable to do so again every so often. The fact that the game can easily be completed in around 2 hours after your first go means that you'll not have to dedicate a weekend to it.
Overall, it's nowhere near as perfect as some make out, with clichés abounding, along with re-spawning enemies, a slight over-reliance on trial and error. The 'bonus level' system, which doesn't even indicate which levels still need to be searched frustrated and makes the task of gaining a high percentage artificially difficult, and a case of either spending far too many bored hours searching all the levels or using a guide.
However, view it as a short linear platform game and you won't be disappointed. It's got a few niggles, but on the whole, it's an enjoyable game with just enough variation to keep you entertained. The lovely graphics and music certainly help. And since it's rather short, you'll be able to play through it again whenever you so desire.
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends