Review: Donkey Kong Country (Super Nintendo)

*** ½ (out of ****)

Donkey Kong Country is one of those rare games that have not aged with time. Instead, it remains as effective today as it was when it was first released in 1994, although for vastly different reasons. Once considered revolutionary, Donkey Kong Country can now boast a strong sense of nostalgia, resulting from both its design and some cleverly inserted cut-scenes that define the phrase “hilarious in hindsight.” While some of today’s children might not have ever played on a Super Nintendo, even they should appreciate what this game has to offer, although for different reasons than older players. Simply put, Donkey Kong Country works on multiple levels, ranging from the technical aspects to the game-play.

The story is simple enough: Donkey Kong’s precious horde of golden bananas has been stolen by his arch-nemesis, the reptilian King K. Rool. Accompanied by his sidekick, Diddy, along with some other friends, D. K. must traverse his home island, conquering K. Rool’s army of lizards, birds, and fish, among others, to recapture the bananas. The final destination is a pirate ship, where the two apes will confront their dastardly opponent.

For someone my age, it is fun to revisit this game after a long hiatus. For players of a certain age (about twenty, give or take), Donkey Kong Country offers a stronger dose of nostalgia than even the most primitive three-dimensional entries, although the situation varies from game to game. While titles released on the Nintendo 64 are technologically inferior to those released on the Wii, they do not seem so ancient by comparison because they are in 3-D. Donkey Kong Country is in 2-D, which suggests an earlier, lost age. Granted, this will not be the case for every player, but it is one aspect that I appreciate about this particular game.

Another nostalgic element that will strike more forcefully to older players is the inclusion of Cranky Kong, the self-proclaimed professional, who was supposedly the original ape from the first Donkey Kong games (the ones featuring Mario). Spread throughout the game are places where players can stop and visit with Cranky, during which he will give fourth-wall-breaking rants about the “good old days” of video game technology. Considering that this game is nearly twenty-years-old, Cranky’s comments about stereo sound and the “latest state-of-the-art” technology provide numerous chuckles. They also offer another hint of an era that has long passed its due date.

One element that should please younger players is the actual game-play, which can be quite challenging for a novice at two-dimensional games. For someone used to three-dimensions, the change in format can be a little jarring. While revisiting Donkey Kong Country, I did not find it to be tough, but neither was it a walk in the park. It provided plenty of entertainment, which is all that matters. The game features a variety of challenges: enemies that have to be dealt with in different ways, secret areas that hold precious artifacts (mostly resulting in extra lives), and levels that require the monkeys to swim, ride in mine carts, or fire themselves from cannons. In many of these cases, careful timing is required, as one mistake can cost one life. Each level has a series of hidden letters that spell out the word “Kong.” Gathering all four letters grants players an extra life. The same is true for those who collect a set of one-hundred bananas, or who pop colored balloons. There are also various barrels that can release a Kong who has been trapped, or can be used to save progress.

Of course, Donkey and Diddy Kong each have different qualities. The former is stronger and can defeat certain enemies in an easier fashion. By comparison, Diddy is smaller and more agile, allowing him to make more timely escapes, should they be necessary. They are joined by five different animal pals, all of whom can be found in boxes within various levels. Once released, they can be ridden throughout that level and make it easier to kill or avoid enemies, as well as to find the entrances to secret caverns. As previously mentioned, Cranky Kong is a welcome presence, as are Funky and Candy Kong. Funky provides a jet that can transport the Kongs to regions of the game that were previously beaten, while Candy serves as a save point.

Looking back at Donkey Kong Country after seventeen years, certain aspects are clearly dated. Pre-rendered 3-D graphics have been replaced by fully rendered 3-D graphics, and video game storylines have become more complex and cinematic. Nevertheless, this remains an exceptional game because of the way it brings back memories for earlier generations and provides challenges for newer players. Donkey Kong Country is not a perfect game, but it is one that deserves its place among the most respected of Nintendo’s titles.