Donkey Kong Country Returns

[killer kirby]

I'd give you mine but I don't wanna be responsible for anyone playing DKC:R.

 

[Hero-of-Time]

 

 

[darksnowman]

I'll take one for the team and leave the Internet if killer kirby does too.

[killer kirby]

fine Was planning on leaving anyway.

[darksnowman]

COMPLETE!

 

Finished with 81%.

 

Final impressions: even towards the end, I still hadn't got a feel for the game. DKs jump didn't feel right, he felt too slow in general and shake to roll... urgh. Really wish they had added Classic Controller support with the original DKC button set up mapped. How difficult would that have been?

 

I could bang on endlessly about the games shortcomings so I'll skip that and speak about what I did like. Mine cart levels were by and large quality. I genuinely liked the rocket levels. Seriously, every time I got to one I breathed a sigh of relief that I was getting some respite from the monotony. The Factory world was decent from start to finish - probably my favourite world in the game. The use of the mines music from DKC felt out of place but it was good to hear, nonetheless. Hows this for a nice touch:

 

 

I thought the game might manage to not go out on a sour note after the highs of the Factory world. How wrong I was. I'm not a fan of lava levels in any game (not really in DKC 2 either) so the final world in DKCR was a rotten experience for me. I actually allowed tutorial pig to do a few levels for me... the only place in the entire game where I allowed him to take over. The final boss was a disgrace but then they all were.

 

When the credits started rolling and the music began as the credits music in DKC, I smiled and thought that having the game end on a remix of that tune would be reward enough for me enduring to the end. Then I was brought back to reality when the music warped into the standard music they'd introduced in this game. That pretty much sums up DKCR for me: showed brief glimpses that it could be a worthy follow up, then went off and crapped all over its heritage.

[tapedeck]

Great reboot for the franchise but lacked the sheer scale of the previous iterations going back to the simplicity of DKC1. No underwater levels was a crime as they would have changed it up vastly (as they did in the original 2D trilogy). The music was lovely but as you said, it teased without delivering. why didn't they get David Wise involved from the original's? He was no longer at Rare when the game was being developed and would have been a superb touch for the fans and possibly for Mr. Wise himself.

 

I do hope they make a sequel with Dixie and Diddy, one which is faster paced and has the variety of DKC2/3. I'd love to see some retro levels make some appearances as well - kinda like Mario Galaxy 2 did. But yeah...I can dream.

 

Was a lovely looking game (one of Wii's best) and it certainly got the Kong's back in the limelight, now I just hope the series goes from strength to strength. Retro may not touch it for a while though as Iwata and co. probably have them working on a mature Wii U title.

[daftada]

I'd like to see Retro bring this or a sequel to 3DS, there are so many levels in DKC R that would have looked incredible in 3D.

 

Hopefully any sequel will lose the 'shake to dash' controls and just stick to pressing a button to run. I've lost so many lives cos the original controls are so firmly imprinted in my brain!

[Josh64]

@darksnowman - I couldn't have said it better myself. For every great level there were 5 completely dull, uninspired or generally average levels to drag myself through.

[Magnus]

So it's like every other Donkey Kong Country game, then.

 

Trolling aside, I'm really not a fan of the series.

[Josh64]

So it's like every other Donkey Kong Country game, then.

 

Trolling aside, I'm really not a fan of the series.

 

I was such a huge fan of DKC 1 & 2 - I really do think the levels, atmosphere and gameplay were great but... I may be blinded by nostalgia. Still, the fact I loved the series so much and that this was meant to be a 'return' is what angered me the most.

 

If this had have been Jungle Beat 2 then I wouldn't have cared but the name suggested it was a return to Donkey Kong Country. In this 'return' the vast majority of characters weren't included, huge aspects of the old games like animal buddies (of which 1 was included in this) and underwater levels were forgotten and the music (even the remixes) weren't anywhere near the quality of the SNES titles, despite the obvious advantages of MP3 quality sound.

 

And c'mon, SHAKE TO ROLL?! Jesus. Fucking. Christ. This isn't 2007, Retro should have clearly seen this as a mistake.

 

It was just one disappointment after another. Alas, this is merely my opinion and as I have been shot down for this same opinion many times before I will cower in the corner and accept that Retro Studios took the series in the right direction and that I'm stuck in the 90's :p (Which really is true as my pile of Retro Gamer magazines will tell you).

[Magnus]

In this 'return' the vast majority of characters weren't included

To be fair, the vast majority of the characters Rare created for the Donkey Kong Country series were pretty awful.

 

And oh man, I would have been all over a Jungle Beat sequel. I still haven't played Donkey Kong Country Returns, for obvious reasons. Is it wrong that I get more interested in the game whenever a longtime fan of the franchise says they don't like it? :p

[Josh64]

To be fair, the vast majority of the characters Rare created for the Donkey Kong Country series were pretty awful.

 

And oh man, I would have been all over a Jungle Beat sequel. I still haven't played Donkey Kong Country Returns, for obvious reasons. Is it wrong that I get more interested in the game whenever a longtime fan of the franchise says they don't like it? :p

 

I disagree (apart from the obvious ones like... Swanky Kong *Shudders*) because Rare pretty much created the Donkey Kong universe. Before then what was there other than a building site?

 

I liked the vast majority, they all had a certain charm about them. Especially Engarde - What a sword fish. He also has the best theme music ever

 

[Magnus]

I don't mind the animal companions, but most of the Kongs are pretty terrible. Candy Kong, Funky Kong, Kiddy Kong, Swanky Kong... Just because Rare created most of the Donkey Kong universe doesn't make it good.

 

I especially hate King K. Rool, who looks like... Well, you know how when you were a kid you used to draw your own video games in sketchbooks and for the most part, you just ripped off whatever video games you were into at the time? That's what K. Rool looks like. Like if a ten-year-old kid tried to rip off Bowser.

[Josh64]

I don't mind the animal companions, but most of the Kongs are pretty terrible. Candy Kong, Funky Kong, Kiddy Kong, Swanky Kong... Just because Rare created most of the Donkey Kong universe doesn't make it good.

 

I especially hate King K. Rool, who looks like... Well, you know how when you were a kid you used to draw your own video games in sketchbooks and for the most part, you just ripped off whatever video games you were into at the time? That's what K. Rool looks like. Like if a ten-year-old kid tried to rip off Bowser.

 

I can see your point about the Kongs but you can't be serious about King K. Rool I've always thought he made a great villain, especially when in the pirate outfit

 

 

Though I can indeed see the similarities between him and Bowser. I've always yearned for K. Rool in Smash Bros. Then ultimate face off between lizard/crocodile beast things could then finally take place.

[Magnus]

Yes, the ultimate showdown between one of gaming's most recognizable villains and... that thing. :p

[killer kirby]

ugh, so glad the kremlings and K rool are over, yeah, they were cool back in the 90s, but in this day and age those designs are just plain awful, every time I look at it, prefer the much simple yet effective designs Retro have done with DKC:R

 

And oh man, I would have been all over a Jungle Beat sequel. I still haven't played Donkey Kong Country Returns, for obvious reasons. Is it wrong that I get more interested in the game whenever a longtime fan of the franchise says they don't like it? :p

 

I loved DKC as a kid, but truthfully, I prefer DKCR over the other 3 any day. Yet to play a game that is so tight in gameplay and level design like DKCR

[Magnus]

^ I like this guy.

 

Well, I mean, I like Josh too, but he's wrong. Oh, so wrong.

[Josh64]

^ I like this guy.

 

Well, I mean, I like Josh too, but he's wrong. Oh, so wrong.

 

I see how it is :P

 

But seriously, don't even get me started on the enemies in DKC:R, those damn planks of wood.

[Magnus]

At least they're well-designed planks of wood.

 

Okay, I'll stop now.

[Josh64]

At least they're well-designed planks of wood.

 

Okay, I'll stop now.

 

I guess I should be thankful.

[ReZourceman]

Used to like Magnus.

[Magnus]

Used to like Magnus.

You're breaking my heart, Michael.

[Fused King]

Just thought I'd give my opinion on this game, for I've recently finished it and opinions are apparently what this forum really drives on.

 

Let me start out by saying that I've got up to 100% (All the levels + Secret temple + All of the puzzle pieces) with my girlfriend. SO yes, I've finished the entire game with my girl, having sex along the way:laughing:

 

Certainly, it gets quite tough with 2 playes to finish some levels, but the fun-factor and the determination it evoked in us, got us through. Hence, I think the way of the multiplayer is the way of the fun (Especially when the 2nd player gets addicted to DKCR and he/she is NOT an anoying friend you only have over to play games with).

 

What did leave a bad taste in my mouth though, were the boss battles, and I know most would agree on here. In particular the final boss, .....What the fuck was that?

It was like: Oh Shit, oh, Jump, o Fuck, yeah go go! Duck! quick! okay JUMP, ....oh we won, it's over....

 

Quite dissapointing, but when I look back at what I've experienced, it doesn't really get to me.

 

Some levels were pure genius, and it's sad to see only a handful of those 'black-white' kind o' levels. In fact, I'd have liked the entire game to have been in this style, for I'm a sucker for interesting, and juicy art-styles (Muramasa, Little king's Story, Windwaker).

 

Now, I believe I played DKC2 on my Wii, and DKC3 on my GameBoy when I was young, and, when comparing DKC:R with those two, it's a shame there weren't more animal friends to play with/transform in, or any WATER LEVELS.....the fuck?!?!?

 

Another thing that was very noticable when compared to the 'originals' was the lack of truly memorable new music. Sure, the remixes were pretty sweet, but there weren't any new tunes that got stuck in my head.

 

All in all, I'd say that they left a few good things from the past out, regrettably, but they also blew an splendidly fresh wind into the series.

 

I disliked the Tikis, and I hope that, in future, we'll see one lone Tiki who has survived the primate pummeling and hypnotises King K. Rool, who'll mobilise the Kremlins once again to get those BANANAS!!!

Edited December 16, 2011 by Fused King

[nekunando]

..having sex along the way

 

..during? That would certainly have made the boss fights much more appealing

 

It was like: Oh Shit, oh, Jump, o Fuck, yeah go go! Duck! quick! okay JUMP, ....oh we won, it's over....

 

Oh.. so it was during

Edited December 16, 2011 by nekunando
Automerged Doublepost

[darksnowman]

Now, I believe I played DKC2 on my Wii, and DKC3 on my GameBoy when I was young,

 

Donkey Kong Land 3 on the Gameboy. DKC 3 is on the Snes and is a whole other kettle of fish. :wink:

 

I half agree and half disagree with your views of DKC:R and because of that, I can't completely hate you.