Going to bump this because I don't see anybody discussing this game here, so I assume you people either hate fun and challenging games, or you just have bad taste.
Anyway, I reached World 8 yesterday, and so far I've lost about 100 lives. I have been knocked out by enemies, fallen down pits and mostly made stupid mistakes and died in moments of my incompetence. But I'll be [darn]ed if I'm not enjoying the punishment. THIS is what video games are all about. A large world, huge levels with multiple secrets and enemies, and a level of challenge that definitely gives you a sense of accomplishment when you finally overcome them. I'm proud to say this is the first game in a long time that I have to keep coming back to, I just simply can't put it down. Despite failing multiple times in my run through, I have only resorted to looking up help once, and that was to deal with the Feather Fiend boss, because I could not grasp how to fight it at all.
What Retro did here is what other companies should take notes on. They clearly couldn't emulate the SNES trilogy, which were masterpieces in themselves, so they went ahead and brought in the ingredients that made those games so memorable, and cranked up the crazyness to excite the inner child inside of you. I mean, when I start a level, I immediately recognize an old tune brought back to liven up DK Island once more and I fall into a nostalgic trance. But that doesn't last long, because these levels require you to keep your senses aware of everything coming at you. One of my personal favorites is Rickety Rails, where you're once again riding a mine cart, this time through a cave full of frozen stalactite, all the while the ground below you is breaking apart and the rails soon become too brittle to support you. Meanwhile a bunch of moles throw pickaxes and bombs at you, and you're jumping skills are put to the test as you dodge stalagmites and earthquakes. If this description just made your heart stop, you need to actually experience it to truly feel the adrenaline of this game.
But the game isn't simply Donkey Kong Country Extreme. There are many new elements that keep the game from feeling too much like a rehash. Rocketbarrel levels have been majorly changed to be more about your sense of pressure rather than the fuel you can collect. Your ability to survive depends solely on how sensitively you can press the gas even when giant cogs and bats are closing in on you. There's also silhouette levels, a rare treat in the game that makes you appreciate the aesthetic value of a video game more than simply looking at it. These levels I've found to be some of the easiest in the game, but they offer a great moment where you can simply watch a painting in motion, accompanied by
the best remix of Jungle Hijinx, and possibly the best track in the game.. DK and Diddy also have new abilities to make the visit much smoother than you can imagine. Diddy brings back his Peanut Popguns and the Rocketbarrel Pack, making him the ideal co-op buddy especially when playing with an inexperienced player. Don't rely on them too much though, because they will drain your Life Balloons, which also deplete if you do not free them from the barrels they can arrive in from off-screen. DK is packing the same ol' ground pound and roll as before, but he also gives whistling a try. That's right, blowing on daisies, windmills and torches could net you some extra bananas, coins and even puzzle pieces. It can even make facing flammable enemies less of a chore.
I truly want to meet with the staff at Retro Studios and personally thank them for making the greatest follow up to a dormant video game series this generation. I remember a lot of key staff left after Metroid Prime 3 wrapped up, and many doubted they could recapture the same magic after the Prime trilogy. But Donkey Kong Country Returns proved that the studio is lead by a shared vision, not a select number of individuals. The vision of creating a wonderful video game experience, the kind that last a life time. That is anyone who owns a Wii should have this game in their library. Give old Donkey Kong a banana and he will bring home the gold.
