"One of the few and best music games on the GC"

Score: 8/10

After quite a while of waiting, Donkey Konga hit the western hemisphere, and it was worth the wait. This has to be one of the most senseless yet funnest games I have ever played (I have not played DDR). I had played it at a Nintendo party in the summer but was quite skeptical about a game played with drums. My skepticism was soon crushed, however, and I found it to be an extremely fun and addictive game.

Graphics: 6/10

Although the graphics aren't exactly pushing the limits of the GC, they don't really need to. Donkey Kong and Diddy look somewhat basic, and so do the backgrounds. In the end though, you'll be too hard concentrating on the notes to notice the graphics really.

Story: 5/10

If you expected this game to have a dazzling story, then you were seriously mistaken. So, DK and Diddy find a pair of barrels. They show it to Cranky and he tells them they're a magic type of bongos. They want to be famous, and yeah, I think you get the gist of it. OK so it's not that good, but then again, who cares? It's the drumming that counts!

Game-play: 9/10

It's all about the drumming.. and the clapping! Yup, this game really delivers in senseless fun. The aim is to drum/clap at the right time and in the right way. There is a stationary circle in which spinning barrels, with symbols on them, pass through from the right side of the screen to the left. When the barrel passes through the circle, you must drum/clap in the right way. For example, when a red symbol comes along, you must hit the right bongo, when a yellow symbol comes along, you hit the left bongo, a purple symbol means to hit both at the same time, and a white sort of star means a clap. The red and yellow symbols even have lines curved around the corresponding side telling you which side to hit (yellow symbol has a curve on the left side of the circle, and the opposite with a red), making it easy to remember. You don't even have to clap though. The small sound sensor in between the bongos is just, basically, a sound sensor. So you can have fun hitting the sides, clicking above it, or even shouting at it (<--good stress relief). Don't get too comfortable though, it might sound simple, but certain songs, such as the SSBM Opening theme, can get very difficult.

There are also three difficulties to choose from; Monkey, Chimp and Gorilla (Monkey being the easiest, and Gorilla being the hardest). The songs are all the same but with harder and more notes to hit to as you play harder modes. You'll have to purchase expert versions with the money you earn doing all the songs in Street Performance though. And if that wasn't enough, there are Jam modes in which you have to memorise the notes! Every barrel comes by but with no symbol on it, meaning you'll have to know what bongo to hit, or whether to clap. Talk about impossible...

This game can also be played with controllers but, to be honest, it is nowhere near as fun as playing with bongos. It can help if you wanted to desperately play multi-player, but overall, controllers do not compare to bongos.

If you feel like taking a break from playing to songs then this game has that covered too. You can buy mini games with coins you earn in Street Performance and purchase games such as Bash K. Rool, which is effectively a whack-a-mole game with a giant metal sort of drum. There are three holes arranged in a triangle shape. Left drum smacks the left hole, right drum smacks the right hole, and a clap will cause the top hole to be smacked. You must whack K. Rool, but avoid hitting Diddy. Simple, but fun. There are also 2 other games: Banana Juggle, and 100M vine climb, both which can be played in two player modes. I don't really want to spoil those though, so you'll have to try them for yourself ;)

Fun fun fun: 10/10

That's right, 10 out of 10. If you don't find this game fun then you are not classed as a human being, period. Although it may seem to get boring after a while, as soon as you try harder songs you'll be stuck right into the game again. The reason I gave this a 10 out of 10 though is because of the fun you can have on multi-player. When playing any multi-player mode you may find yourself in a state of trance, trying to beat your opponent to the fullest. It's also fun just to jam with your friends when you have spare time, and the more amount of players = more amount of fun.

Difficulty: 9/10

This game really is suited for people of all abilities. The game eases you into it with very simple songs on Monkey mode. The songs are rated in number of bongos, 1 being the easiest, and up to 10 (I think) which are the hardest songs. As you become more comfortable with the notes, you'll find yourself getting better and being presented with harder songs. The hardest songs can become seemingly impossible though, especially if you're trying them on jam mode.

Overall: 8/10

Buy or Rent: Buy

This game is really based on tastes. If you enjoy a good senseless yet fun game, then this is a must-get. If not, then you probably wouldn't enjoy this game too much, even if you did rent it. I don't even know any places that will rent bongos. This game is one of the few music/rhythm games on the GC and so I would definitely recommend it if you enjoy those type of games. Some other games are soon to be released that can be used with the bongos as well, so buying these now would be a good investment.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 10/25/04