Donkey Kong 64

""But do your games have MONKEYS?""

Super Mario 64 did a hell of a lot, the least of which was that it showed us exactly how the platformer genre would be handled in 3D. That game wasn't perfect, but it was damn revolutionary nonetheless, so when Rare decided to take a jab at the genre with Banjo-Kazooie, there was really nothing left to introduce. Instead, Rare perfected the genre – any problems we had with Mario 64 were fixed with Banjo-Kazooie. And once you've perfected something, it's time to move on. If you really want to prove that you've got what it takes to master the 3D platforming genre, you've got to change it altogether.

Rare never did that.

If you look at Rare's track record, you'll see that while the developer is responsible for some of the best games ever made, they're not exactly tough monkeys when it comes to innovation. (I just realized that “tough monkeys” is kind of an unintentional pun. Sorry. I didn't try it.) Goldeneye was fantastic, but it's not like that game did anything we hadn't seen before. It was just so good that we were all able to overlook its general lack of creativity. Same with the aforementioned Banjo-Kazooie. So what happens when Rare wants to bring Nintendo's famous Donkey Kong series to the N64? The game would have to be a platformer so as to not mess with the franchise's roots. And since N64 came at the dawn of the three-dimensional videogame revolution, it would have to be every bit as much of a 3D platformer as Mario 64 and Banjo-Kazooie were. But, as we've just established, the genre has already been introduced and perfected. What do you do? Do you try to be creative and mix up the genre? Or do you play it safe and stick with what you know you can do well?

Rare did play it safe, but it's surprising just how fun Donkey Kong 64 is despite the fact that it's very been-there-done-that in its basic design. Rather than pushing innovation (which the genre never really saw again until Ratchet & Clank arrived a generation later), Rare went with this “bigger is better” policy. You see, DK64 is huge. Enormous. Massive. Completely unprecedented in its sheer size. It was a big project from the start, but all that time spent is really shown in the mere scope of the whole thing. DK64 is essentially just one more big collect-a-thon. If that's not your thing, stay away. Away, I say! DK64's shiny collectible doodad of choice is the golden banana, replacing Mario 64's stars and Banjo-Kazooie's Jiggies. There are two hundred of them in the game. Two friggin' hundred. Then there are also the minor items, the regular bananas (this is a game about monkeys, remember), of which there are five hundred per level. And don't forget coins, coconuts, melons, blueprints, ammo… If it's shiny, it spins, and it's represented as a sprite, you can collect it in DK64. There's a lot of content here, and like it or not, this is a big game.

And deep, too! There are five playable characters in DK64, ranging from familiar little guys like Donkey and Diddy to new ones like Lanky and Chunky. Each character has their own set of color-coded items that cannot be collected by any other character. (For example, Diddy's color is red, so any red items lying around can only be retrieved by Diddy himself and will just turn into transparent ghosts when any other character tries to get them.) Each Kong also has an entire set of exclusive abilities (maybe even a transformation or two) and a customized weapon and musical instrument, meaning that many different parts of the levels themselves are only open to certain characters. There are twenty-five golden bananas in each level, which means there are five for each character. Though you'll have your favorite and least-favorite characters, you can theoretically only tackle about twenty percent of a level with just one Kong (and some tasks require you to switch between different Kongs to get things moving). The five character mechanic, when matched with the sheer size of the overall experience, will seem overwhelming, but that's part of what makes DK64 more than just your standard platformer.

In my Banjo-Kazooie review, I wrote:

“And what I love about Banjo-Kazooie's levels is the respect they pay to the third dimension. Whereas many of Mario 64's ‘courses' were a bit flat (Lethal Lava Land, anyone?), Banjo-Kazooie's stages often feature great mountains and enormous heights. Just exploring these levels is fun enough.”

Then, I said:

“Banjo-Kazooie thankfully doesn't rely too much on action and keeps the focus on solid, straightforward, pure platforming… Throughout the majority of Banjo-Kazooie, you're exercising your basic platforming skills.”

With that in mind, DK64 is really kind of a magnification of everything Banjo-Kazooie was. Rare continues to focus on straightforward, no-questions-asked platforming. Enemies and battles are thankfully kept to a respectable low, though there are some pretty thrilling boss fights along the way. DK64 is in many ways Banjo-Kazooie taken to the next level. Rare figured that with the previous two major 3D platformers on the N64, we had learned exactly how to handle the genre. Now, all of those platforming skills we've gained are being put to the test. I mentioned that there are two hundred golden bananas to be found in DK64, but very few of them are easily obtained or sloppily thrown into the open. A good number of them require you to complete some sort of task that involves a series of carefully-placed and carefully-timed jumps and swings, with every familiar button combination – long jumps, backflips, etc. – in constant effect. Your reflexes with an analog stick and eight buttons are always being tested, every moment. And that third dimension I mentioned? It's as relevant as ever.

And the game does have this steady rate of progression that pulls you in as you get more and more accustomed to what's going on. The first two levels – the obligatory jungle and desert stages, of course – act as kind of a no-sweat intro to the concepts and controls and give you a chance to unlock a few of the game's characters and expand your hunt for bananas. By the time you get to the third level – a massive toy factory gone haywire – it's clear that Rare isn't screwing around. The factory is covered wall to wall with every essential obstacle – you've got mazelike tunnels that wind and crisscross, giant pieces of machinery with spinning catwalks and rotating cylinders, levers shooting up and down, long pipes and elevator shafts, doors that burst open and slam closed, stacks of toys that measure stories and stories into the sky… It's like a greatest hits collection of 3D platforming. Even the enemies start to become badasses at this point, no longer dying in one hit and often requiring certain attacks as finishing blows.

And that is DK64 in a nutshell. Everything that made Mario 64 and Banjo-Kazooie so great in the first place is inflated here, and is meant, I presume, for fans of those games that want a longer, deeper, more challenging adventure rather than a new one. Although this is going to sound like a very generic thing to say, if you didn't like either of those two games, you won't be liking DK64.

The levels themselves, aside from being monstrous in scope, are still quite fun to explore, partly because of all of the things you can't do. Many areas are blocked off to only a certain Kong, since each Kong has exclusive abilities that are gradually gained from returning champ Cranky. I'll give you an example. Tiny (a relative of Donkey Kong Country series heroine Dixie) has the ability to, in certain places, shrink to near-microscopic size and fit into places any other Kong couldn't reach. So as I'm exploring a new level, I might see a little hole in the wall. I would think to myself, “That must be a place that Tiny can fit into. I'd better come back here sometime as Tiny and see what's on the other side of that hole!” This kind of curiosity does a good job of keeping players going in DK64. Only having access to part of a level at any given time means that you're encouraged to scour areas thoroughly and with multiple characters if you want to get 100%.

Rare did a really good job of keeping the game varied and fresh to the end, which, given the size of the adventure, is a relief. When the core mechanic of DK64 is jumping, jumping, and more jumping, you'd be surprised how new the game seems even after thirty hours of play time. Each character's abilities are stretched to the max in a number of unique and interesting ways (wait till you get to some of Diddy's jetpack challenges). There are dozens of mini-games, ranging from simple target shooting and races to more complex games, including the amazing mine cart levels. Each stage has a boss, but rather than being a pain in the ass, they're a joy to battle. Despite being a somewhat generic game in nature, DK64 will leave you consistently surprised.

Graphically, this is one of the system's best. There's not as much visual humor and charm as there is in many of Rare's other games – which seems kind of weird now that I think about it. But structurally, it's obvious that the level of detail is outstanding. You must have an expansion pack to run DK64 on your system (though, the pack itself was included free with the game, which is rather nice of Rare). It shows. DK64 is head-and-shoulders above the vast majority of N64 from a visual standpoint. There are some pop-up issues and a little slowdown, but it's a mostly seamless experience.

And to its credit, Rare did a lot to ensure that you'll be playing for a long time. The main game is enormous – enormous – and there are a number of little extras, such as replayable mini-games and boss fights, to extend the value. There's a multiplayer mode here, too, although it feels kind of rushed and a little pointless. It mostly ranges from typical deathmatches to sort of no-frills collecting competitions, and while it can be kind of fun as a brief diversion… Well, this is the same system that has Mario Kart 64 and Super Smash Bros., as well as some really awesome FPS's, so if you want to play a real multiplayer game, you won't be playing this. No matter – the main adventure is monstrous enough that you won't care.

Pros

+ It's 3D platforming, but it's far bigger and deeper than before.
+ Huge, massive, varied levels are open to full exploration.
+ Five-character mechanic strengthens the depth.
+ Great bosses and mini-games.
+ It's long and there is a lot to do.
+ Graphically stunning.

Cons

- As with Banjo-Kazooie, it really adds nothing to the genre.
- Some may be overwhelmed by the amount of content here.
- The whole “collect the shiny items” thing isn't everyone's cup of tea.

Overall: 8/10

Donkey Kong 64 is a great game, to put it plain and simple. Not as great as the two major platformers that preceded it, but great nonetheless. It's huge, which helps, and makes this a game that hardcore platformer fans (yeah, right) will absolutely love. It's also the first platformer that could literally be described as epic – its size gives us that description, and ensures that you'll be playing for quite some time. I should stress that DK64 isn't for everyone, and those that don't like these sort of “collect-a-thon” games will not find reason to enjoy them here. But if you liked Banjo-Kazooie, this one acts as a good follow-up. There are certain things that DK64 lacks that keep it from being an all-time classic, but this is still one of my favorite games on a console that has somewhat limited appeal.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 07/24/06