Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest

"Close, but no banana..."

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest is a Platform game developed by Rare for Nintendo. Right now, while I'm writing this review only ONE reviewer in GameFaqs didn't like the game, all the rest have given it straight tens and nines. If you'd like to see the minority's different opinion go on if you are a desperate now-life fan boy/girl that doesn't respect the different view that other may have for something you're more than welcome to GET THE HELL OUT!!! (Time for my medication…)

Story: N/A
Pretty much the same, find that big crocodile dude and beat the @%^# out of him. This time instead of paying him a visit in order to get your bananas back you have to save DK with the aid of Diddy's girlfriend or something…

Graphics: 9.6/10
Design: 8.5/10

The trademark of the DKC series are its great graphics and yes folks the second game has great, even better graphics than the first one. However I didn't like the overall design for one reason, I love minimalism in platform games and DKC2 is a bit tiring to my eyes with so much detail. I'm sure most of you right now scream stuff like, “WHAT THE HELL IS HE SAYING?!? IS HE STUPID???”, well sorry, but like I've said that's my opinion, I'm generally very strange when it comes to graphics in games, I don't care if most people worship the graphics of certain games, for me a game must have a perfect balance between graphic quality, overall design and atmosphere and this game just doesn't have it in my humble opinion. Moving on with the nitpicking although everything is nice and all, too many stuff are identical or extremely similar to the stuff you've seen in the original DKC. That's not a bad thing, but some people may not like the lack of originality in a game like this.

Sound: 7.5/10
Music: 7/10

Very good work here as always, with the sound effects being in touch with the style of the first game. The music on the other hand isn't as catchy as before, it's ok, but not something great.

Gameplay: 5.5/10
Replay Value: 5/10

While the main mechanics of the game are the same with the first game, some slight differences made me to hate the game instead of loving it more. The main concept is nice and simple, gather bananas, carefully time your jumping, killing, swinging and err… barrel-ing and gather some bonus items while at it. What went wrong? First of all the two main characters, we have Diddy who is exactly like in the first game, small fast and not very powerful and Dixie, the female protagonist of the game who is very similar to Diddy, but a little stronger and with a nice ability that utilizes her ponytail and that acts as a helicopter. The fist duo was far better due to their big differences, here Diddy and Dixie are almost the same, if there where some more differences or some more unique abilities for each one the game would be more interesting.

The next problem with the game is the level design. The first game was challenging but in a good way since that, along with its great graphics, was the reason it was such a good game. Here the game remains challenging and maybe even more, but in a very bad way because of the bad level design. Some parts of the game are simply too frustrating and if you think that I am complaining think again because I've played far harder games that were very entertaining. One great example is the gathering of bonus items. Like in the first game, you can gather many bonus stuff like letters and such that will help you get more lives. This items are now a bit to hard to get making you just wanna go on with completing the level instead of loosing 4 lives in order to get that Coin over there. What is a Coin? Well, Coins are a new addition to the game and probably the most boring of them all. Along your quest you'll find coins scattered in the world in various semi-hidden areas, (like bonus games or hard to reach places). These Coins are needed for many stuff in the game and most of all for saving… as if saving wasn't annoying the way it was before…

The only good thing I can't think of is the innovations in level design. We have the simple run & jump levels and the typical in DKC games “barrel” levels where you use barrels like cannons in order to be thrown in the next barrel and so on. DKC2 doesn't stop there though, we have level where you have to swim fast before the water turn into lava, traverse through a titanic beehive, where honey gets stuck in your feet, ride mine carts while a ghost is chasing you and many more. Finally some new animals have been added along with the previous ones not to mention the fact that finding them isn't such a rare event in DKC2.

Positives:
-Great graphics
-New animals

Negatives:
-The original DK and Diddy duo was far better
-A bit bad level design with some parts very hard and frustrating
-Coins that are boring to get, but are very needed…

Also Play:
Donkey Kong Country (SNES)
Donkey Kong Country 3 (SNES)
Sonic The Hedgehog (Mega Drive Series)

Overall: 7.2/10

Yes, I've been a bit harsh with this game, a game so popular among gamers, but what can I say I just didn't like it at all… as always it is just a matter of taste, even for classic games like this…

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 07/21/09

Game Release: Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (EU, 12/14/95)