User:HavocReaper48/DKCR Review


 * Note: will be expanded. Deserves moar. Maybe I'll do the other DKC games as a celebration.

I FINALLY have the game, so here's my two cents:

I'm amazed. They did it. They managed to bring together a GOOD Donkey Kong game, no less a Donkey Kong Country game! Having playing the game since childhood, I can say they did a good job. Nearly everything is perfect. The music from DKC is BACK and remixed, ah, the nostalgia! Newer tunes fit well. The levels are fantastic. In general, levels are overly difficult. The game keeps the old style of giving way too many lives (and now banana coins), the pure system of being overly difficult and slowly figuring things out, easily blowing by them, and commiting suicide to find out certain shortcuts or items. Good times. The environments are incredible, overly detailed and very natural looking.

The enemy choice, eh, little disappointed but nothing major - every classic enemy returns in one shape or another. Remember, this is not the true DKC4. The bosses are a bit.. weird. But the story is unique - tikis brought back from an imprisonment out to take over the island for revenge. Well hey, beats "some crocodiles stole nanners cuz they felt like it"

Retro introduced many, many new concepts while bringing back a few old ones. For example, it's like getting a random item at the end of a DKC2 level in DKCR, but now with a SHOOOORYUKEN ending! (I love that Shoryuken part, especially myself also growing up with Street Fighter II. Excellent, Retro). The puzzle pieces were a good new idea, another thing to collect and unlock stuff with. The ground pound is back and used a lot more. Even Diddy has his own version. You can blow on plants and such to reveal items, which is OK. I mean, uh, didn't imagine Diddy Kong blowing on some flowers for an extra banana. Don't worry, they brought back cartwheels and the Barrel Roll™!

Rambi is just awesome. Squawks is reduced to a puzzle piece finder, but, hey, it's good to see some familiar faces. Cranky Kong also returns to sell stuff. But where's Funky Kong?! Why cares about "convenience of pressing a button on the map"?! You should have to WORK to get to a certain point in the world where you can access the overworld map. And yeah, no other Kongs. There's always the sequel.

Controlling is the MAJOR defect - stupid motion controls mess me up at the thought of needing a single button - NO classic controller support. Bleh. There are two control schemes, one for Wiichuk and the Wiimote alone, but both need motion controls. Meh. Also, in single player you can only play as Donkey Kong. No (full) Diddy Kong control outside of multiplayer, which is pretty disappointing.

In conclusion, this game is definitely what Donkey Kong needed. An stellar game which is what Donkey Kong needed to get back on the map and for Donkey Kong Country to have it's long awaited revival. LONG, awaited. Although, this game is unfortunately NOT the true Donkey Kong Country 4 we've been looking for. This is one of the best games for Wii IMO, I consider it a rival to SSBB - A MUST have for Wii owners. Any Donkey Kong, DKC, or general platformer fan needs to get this game. Really. Now.

I can't wait for the sequel. It sold well. Can it top the original DKC's 8 million units?

FINAL GRADE: 9.99/10