Donkey Kong Country - SNES

Also known as: Super Donkey Kong

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Donkey Kong Country (SNES)
Also for: Wii, Game Boy Color
Viewed: 2D Side-on, Scrolling Genre:
Platform
Arcade origin:No
Developer: Rare Soft. Co.: Nintendo
Publishers: Nintendo (GB/US/JP)
Released: 1994 (GB/US)
Unknown (JP)

Summary

A group of crocodile pirates has stolen the famed monkey’s banana hoard and you’ve been charged with the task of stealing them back. With the aid of sidekick Diddy, DK’s quest begins here. Your adventure as the player begins and ends as a hardcore side-scrolling platform experience. Indeed, even the very first level plays host to oncoming crocs that must be stomped on, hard-to-reach platforms, hidden areas and valuable collectibles including those infamous 1UPs.

Once you finish your first level, you’ll return to the world map where your adventure is plotted as you progress. You are free to revisit previous levels, and as you journey you’ll be stopped by family members such as Cranky Kong and Candy Kong who will give you hints and tips as you get deeper into the adventure. Bosses are intermittent and on the whole pose little threat to the dozens of 1UPs you’ve already collected. The real threat comes in the game’s standard levels, Rare’s infamous and fiendish level design is at its best in Donkey Kong Country and can often leave players frustrated. But the satisfaction that comes with the completion of such levels is far more rewarding.

The use of barrels is the most prolific gameplay element of the adventure. They can represent explosives and check points, but they also serve as a means to reach other platforms and are often necessary to complete certain stages. Jumping into barrels and firing DK out of them like cannon balls becomes common ground very quickly, and in many levels you must jump from barrel to barrel with impeccable timing in order to survive. Brilliant stuff.

The bottom line is that Donkey Kong Country is a SNES classic that has earned its place in the video game hall of fame by combining cracking visuals with stunning gameplay. It’s almost legendary.