Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest

"Monkey suit."

You have conquered every locale of DK Isle, from frigid icecaps to murky mine shafts to toxic lake beds. You have successfully reclaimed your hoard of bananas from the Kremling Army. Even Cranky Kong is impressed by your efforts. But King K. Rool is not pleased with the idea of grasping defeat. He does not even give a damn about the banana hoard anymore. He merely wants revenge. And oh-how-sweet revenge is. Donkey Kong Country breathed new life into a struggling Super Nintendo not only with its mind-blowing, unprecedented visuals and audio, but with top-notch platform game action and fundamentals, with some innovation of its own. Yet its sequel, Diddy's Kong Quest, manages to outclass it in virtually every category. New characters, new environments, a plethora of secrets, and a demanding challenge to boot make it one of the most refined platform experiences ever conceived. This isn't DK's jungle playground anymore - It's a menacing new world that will make the toughest monkey wail in agony.

Still in the pirate business, now-Kaptain K. Rool plots his revenge on an unsuspecting Donkey Kong. Meanwhile, DK is relaxing on the beach, completely unsuspecting of the threat in store. Now piloting a giant green aircraft, K. Rool sends an army of Kremling minions to assault the big ape, tie him up, and return him to the airship. Diddy Kong, who is now toting along his new ditsy girlfriend, Dixie, is quickly informed of DK's kidnapping. It is now Diddy's turn to play the hero and save Donkey Kong from whatever form of torture K. Rool has in mind (like using him as a pinata). With Dixie in tow, the duo follows the Kremling army to the eerie Crocodile Isle. Similar to its predecessor, Diddy's Kong Quest features an overworld system that connects each stage and world. The worlds expand an assortment of environments, from ragged ships to sizzling volcanoes to deadly amusement parks. There is even a Lost World that is accessible under a number of circumstances.

Similar to the first installment, you will control both characters at the same time, with the one in front doing the primary maneuvering. Diddy controls very similarly to how he did in Donkey Kong Country. He is rather agile, has a fairly respectable jump, and can roll into enemies, which is perfect for quick strikes. Yet Dixie is perhaps the most versatile playable Kong in the series. Her most useful ability is the helicopter spin, which enables you to glide across lengthy chasms or gently float downward. She can also spin into enemies and pick up barrels with her ponytail. Other Kong members will set up shop across the overworld to provide you with assistance, like Cranky Kong, who offers less-than-helpful advice for a minimal charge. Funky Kong will provide you with transportation to other worlds. Cranky's wife, Wrinkly Kong, will save your game for a small fee, while Swanky Kong hosts a game show with lots of fabulous prizes. Lastly, Klubba the friendly Kremling guards access to the forbidden Lost World.

The game's worlds are wonderfully diverse, ranging from waterlogged cargo holds to massive beehives. The level of difficulty has really been drastically increased from the first installment. The bramble stages, for instance, pull you in with their serene atmosphere and majestic music. Little do they cue you in on the insane challenge they have in store. As you traverse the narrow passageways between thorn bushes, Zingers and Neckys attempt to block your progress. Any less-than-flawless attempt to dodge them results in making contact with the brambles and WHAM! A monkey is gone. Of course, what would any of this challenge be without a menacing cast of enemies to boot? In a relatively typical Rare fashion, the enemies are wacky and entertaining. The more standard drones maneuver in predictable manners and are simple to defeat. Others utilize more creative tactics, such as taking cover in barrels or arming themselves with giant cannons. Some of the tougher enemies cannot be defeated with a mere bop on the head, and thus require alternative methods of offense.

Bananas are standard DK loot. As always, they generally indicate paths to follow. But Barrels are the key items, and come in a number of varieties. Most barrels can be used for busting objects or taking out enemies. If you have lost one of your teammates and stumble across a DK Barrel, tagging it will return that partner to your team. TNT Barrels will create massive explosions, perfect for clearing out larger enemies or obstacles. Invincibility Barrels are a new feature, doing exactly as one might expect them to - Render your monkeys temporarily invulnerable. Also new are the Animal Barrels, which will transform your Kongs into the Animal Buddy whose face is painted on the outside, as opposed to merely riding them. Lastly, Bonus Barrels are what make this game's secrets so expansive. These generally well-hidden barrels appear in secrete locations in each stage. Once inside the barrel, you will be transported to a Bonus Area, where you must complete a certain task to receive a Kremcoin. In general, this includes completing an obstacle course, defeating all the enemies, or collecting a number of trinkets.

Many of the animal buddies from Donkey Kong Country return for its sequel, in addition to numerous newer faces. Rambi the Rhino controls similar to how he did in the original, only now he has a charge attack that sends him rampaging at high speeds. Enguarde the Swordfish sports no true changes. For those unfamiliar, his sharp nose can pierce through any aquatic fiend you may encounter while underwater. Squawks the Parrot also returns, but this time, he's not holding a stupid flashlight above you the whole time! He's big enough to fly you places now, and can even spit giant coconuts to rid yourself of airborne enemies. A newcomer, Rattly the Rattlesnake, can spring-jump to both cross long gaps and access high ledges. Squitter the Spider can shoot web projectiles at enemies, as well as make web platforms that can be used as temporary ledges. Clapper the Seal cannot be ridden, but rather can be pounced on to spit out frozen tablets to cool or freeze water temporarily. Lastly, Glimmer the Angler Fish appears in just one stage in the game, serving to light up dark passageways underwater with his flashlight.

Donkey Kong Country single-handedly revolutionized the gaming industry with its Mode-6 “rendered” graphics. Its sequel takes the same engine and sharpens the models a step further. Blowing away everything else of the time period visually, the characters and atmosphere look absolutely stunning for their age. The environments appear fluid and detailed, like juice dripping from honeycombs in the background or a series of twisting brambles that drape against the clouds. Yet the audio is perhaps equally ahead-of-its-time. While most games on the system had advanced far beyond 8-bit beeps and 2-note jingles, nothing could be considered orchestra-worthy. David Wise changed all that in the original, and outdoes himself here in the sequel. I do not believe I exaggerate when I say that Donkey Kong Country 2's soundtrack is nothing short of majestic. Most modern games with full orchestra cannot even match the epic beauty of this game's soundtrack. Some of the finest tunes such as the mine and bramble themes may even bring a tear to your eye. Every last melody is a true work of art.

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest is, in my honest opinion, the finest platform title to ever grace the gaming world. That includes Mario and all of his domains. Do I exaggerate? Absolutely not. It takes the innovative platform elements introduced in the original and adds the challenge, depth, and abundance of secrets to make it the perfect blend of the most solid platform mechanics. Its characters are delightful, its environments are gorgeous, and its limits know no bounds. Any platform fan - heck, any gamer - owes it to themselves to hunt down this timeless installment in this classic trilogy. While the GBA port is an adequate substitute, its watered-down features still cannot recapture the pure enchantment of the game's original form. Gaming is an art form, and no title can better prove it than the tale of two chimps single-handedly facing an armada of anthropomorphic crocodiles.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 12/29/07

Game Release: Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (US, 11/20/95)