Review: Donkey Kong Country Returns

DK and Diddy are back but was their return to Donkey Kong Country a trip worth taking?

Just like New Super Mario Bros and New Super Mario Bros Wii before it Donkey Kong Country Returns is a return to a game franchise’s platformer roots but with the interest of drawing in a more casual market. Unlike the original Donkey Kong Country games on the Super Nintendo however Rare are not at the helm. Retro Studios, the developers of the Metroid Prime series, were tasked with the games development. With the game released earlier this month I decided, as someone who has played through the old games, to see how it measured up.

First of all if you are looking for a deep story and character development then you are looking in the wrong place. As with almost every platformer that comes to mind any element of plot is used to vaguely string together the levels and push the player character through the game’s worlds. That is indeed the case with Donkey Kong Country Returns. The story begins on DK Island with the volcano at the centre of the island erupting and spewing out the game’s antagonists which are evil Tikis called the Tiki Tak Tribe, I am sorry fans of the original but King K. Rool and the Kremlings do not make an appearance in the game. The Tikis then proceed to hypnotise the animals of the island and command them to collect humongous amounts of bananas and then take them up to their volcano lair. Included in the bananas that are being taken lies the entire collection of the Kong’s banana hoard! With all the bananas gone and a failed Tiki Tak Tribe attempt to hypnotise DK, apparently he is too stupid, DK knocks the misguided Tiki flying out of his hut and the adventure begins. Yes, as with every other DK game in existence, it is all about the bananas. The villains this time actually have more of a reason for taking the bananas though which you find out towards the end of the game. The few cutscenes present in the game are comical and a joy to watch, just don’t be expecting any gripping drama.

Whereas the basic comic narrative is nice it acts mainly as a frame for the main focus of the game, the gameplay itself and the classic platforming. The game is based on the classic Donkey Kong Country platforming of moving through a side scrolling world, avoiding obstacles and enemies if not jumping on the enemies to defeat them or reach higher platforms. There are two control types that can be used in the game and it is either the Wii-mote or the Wii-mote and Nunchuk. Either works but I found the Wii-mote and Nunchuk work much better when the controller needed shaking or “waggling”. The rolling/cart-wheeling ability is also still present for DK and Diddy respectively to increase speed or bowl over enemies and is done in this title through walking and waggling. Those are the basic mechanics that were to be expected, additional actions in the regular levels include crouching and waggling that will make DK blow which can be used to trigger secrets. Waggling by itself will cause DK to slam the ground which also triggers secrets or activates buttons to progress further into levels. Another new feature is that some elements of levels are climbable by the Kongs too and are easily recognised as it is almost always covered by grass. The basic platforming is implemented perfectly and the additional mechanics that involve waggle did not feel tacked on like a large portion of Wii titles which was surprising. Slamming the ground in a Wii-mote and Nunchuk set up makes sense and the only area where it does feel tacked on, beating up a Tiki after a boss fight, is too fun to complain about. The levels also venture into the foreground and background as DK and Diddy getting shot their through barrels adding an extra dimension to a side scroller you wouldn’t expect when only moving in one dimension.

The game can be played single player where you are in control of DK and can through DK barrels have Diddy join you to and ride on DK’s back providing longer jumps with his jet pack. It can also be played cooperatively where a second player will take the role as Diddy who can walk around by himself or ride DK shooting enemies with his peanut popguns. Each player in cooperative has two hit points before a life is lost but in single player can have four hit points as the team of Kongs. The second player can have a lot easier time than DK by opting to ride on his back as they can leave it all in player ones hands. Perhaps it was made as an ideal role for a casual player who is not confident in their gaming skills but have a gaming friend.

There are also level types from the old games where you are able to ride Rambi the Rhinoceros who can jump, defeat enemies who DK usually can’t and charge at speed. Mine cart riding levels are also present throughout the game where obstacles have to be avoided whilst riding in a mine cart. Two different level types include barrel rocket levels and silhouette levels. The silhouette levels are just incredibly stylish and all elements are different coloured shapes, excluding DK’s tie and Diddy’s shirt and hat which stand out in red over the Kong’s brown silhouettes. The barrel rocket levels, with DK riding a rocket powered barrel, where you have to manoeuvre and maintain height with the constant pressing of the jump button prove quite challenging to begin with and you will find yourself losing a few lives.

On the subject of difficulty the original Country games I always recalled as very difficult and challenging games and Country Returns delivers on this front too but yet still strives to appeal to the casual crowds. The Super guide, New Super Mario Bros Wii implemented, is back again but instead of Luigi playing the level for you it is “Super Kong”. Basically a DK with white fur instead of brown and a white furred Diddy accompanies him sometimes too which will avoid playing any levels that are too challenging. The difficulty is also thwarted somewhat by how easy it is to acquire new lives. Kong coins, of which I finished the game with about 207, are found throughout levels in the game. Fifteen can get you seven extra lives from Cranky Kong’s hut, added to those gained from collecting 100 bananas or extra life balloons; you will maintain 99 on any easy levels. I never used Super Kong on my play through the game and once I had passed the first two areas never had any less than 70 lives thanks to Cranky’s hut. In the original games I would be worried once my lives dropped below ten I may have a game over. The loss of fear meant I could fail a level several times without caring too much. In one barrel rocket level I lost a good twenty lives. Appealing to casual player marketing did not make its way into the game aside from the difficulty but did aggravate me in a shop where it was advertised on additional packaging as a game people “who loved Mario Kart Wii” would enjoy. Comparing a racing game to a platformer should never be done.

In terms of replayablility there are the classic Kong letters to collect; Kong coins can unlock bonus levels, as well as bonus lives from Cranky, and jigsaw pieces to collect too to unlock other bonus levels. An additional bonus level at the end of the game and a harder difficulty too so the game will last a while if you are looking for a challenge.

Before summarising one other aspect that I considered was fantastic was the sound. Aside from a DK still having the bizarre voice he picked up in Mario Kart Wii all the sounds in the game are very nostalgic. The original theme is present in the game as well as the world map theme that goes through an appropriate remix when every world is selected for example a slightly more spooky and echoed theme in the cave area. Also one extra point is the World Map is a nice 3D version of the original Donkey Kong Country map, another element of nostalgia.

In summary the game is one I would highly recommend to any connoisseurs of the old platforming era, specifically the original Country games, or anyone even vaguely interested in the game from face value, chances are you will enjoy it alone or with a friend. The game has a nice nod to the original games through the soundtrack and the difficulty excluding the elements tailored for a more casual audience. It is quite a lengthy game with a fair amount of replayability for challenge seekers. There is nothing wrong with the mechanics and controls as they all fit into the game nicely. I never mentioned graphics in the main portion of the review but they are bright, colourful and crisp. All in all it is a fantastic game and Retro studios should be proud. The trip back to DK Island is a trip definitely worth taking.

The Good

• Platforming at it’s best: The game’s mechanics are flawless and control excellently.
• Well used nostalgia: The originals are given subtle nods through elements such as music and not overused.
• Great presentation: Colourful, appealing graphics presented with style.
• Fun alone or with a friend: An enjoyable experience alone that friend can join in with regardless of how good they are at the game.

The Bad

• High Difficulty: The game can be very challenging with a steep learning curve for some level types
• Undecided Appeal: The game offers a challenge but too many short-cuts in an attempt to appeal to a more casual market

Donkey Kong Country Returns
• Developer: Retro Studios
• System: Wii
• Genre: Platformer
• Players: 1-to-2

Other Recommended Titles

• Donkey Kong Country (SNES/Wii Virtual Console)
• New Super Mario Bros Wii (Nintendo Wii)