I was an incredibly huge fan of the original Donkey Kong Country for the Super NES. The sequels, though fun, never quite captured the magic of the original. Unlike Mario games the DKC formula became repetitive over time, failing to introduce much beyond new characters and locales. It became a series that I didn’t miss not having played in 13+ years.
So, when Nintendo announced Donkey Kong County Returns for the Wii during their annual E3 press conference, I wasn’t nearly as excited as the crowd around me. It wasn’t until I got my hands on the game, though, that I reconnected with what made the original game so much fun: obsessive collection, zany action, and great visuals.
Luckily for me the majority of the visitors to the Nintendo booth were in line for either the 3DS or the Legend of Zelda, so I was able to snag some good time with DKC Returns. The demo had 4 levels available to play, including a new version of the original’s “treehouse” section and a mine cart stage.
As soon as the first stage fired up, the feel of the game was unmistakably familiar. Developer Retro Studios realized that part of the allure of the series is its pre-rendered visuals. The textures, lighting, and shading of the polygons recreates that look, and the “bouncy” animation allows for something always to be moving in the jungle environment. The proportions of the stage elements — giant springy flowers, volcanoes, spike pits — all seem a bit larger than I remember, but that only added to the over-the-top feel of the design.
The game maintains the controls of the series, with a few noteworthy additions. Firstly, the game introduces a ground pound triggered by drumming the WiiMote and Nunchuck in the air, allowing for various obstacles and item containers to be broken. It’s actually a pretty natural motion that I found works well and doesn’t feel tacked on. It only becomes a nuisance when trying to blow the petals off of flowers, which requires Donkey Kong to crouch down first. Other than that, the jumps felt natural and smooth, like a hybrid between Super Mario and Little Big Planet, and Diddy’s pod shooter and jet pack (yay!) were great inclusions.
The heart of any Donkey Kong Country game is the collection system. In Returns, the developers have us collecting coins, bananas, puzzle pieces, and letters. I’d imagine that the replay value will be great for those who are collection hungry, but may be a little much for gamers who just want to play without feeling like they are missing out on something.
Donkey Kong Country Returns really is a refined experience. I expected a mine cart stage, and it was there, only with more loops and jumps. I expected a treehouse level, and it was more colorful and action-oriented than before yet still a great introduction. The game plays exactly like I wanted it to, especially for someone still high on platforming. The edition of the background layer, an entirely second level of play on many stages, provides even more variety.
Nintendo has a knack for building on our nostalgia. The latest iteration is a sort of re-imagining of the original DKC instead of a real sequel. Much like New Super Mario Bros before it, Donkey Kong Country Returns strips the franchise to its basics before adding a layer of polish to it. Thankfully, Nintendo knows how to create brilliant platforming experiences even from those bare essentials.
Donkey Kong Country Returns ships this Holiday season.
[Images and video courtesy Nintendo]
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