Donkey Kong Country

"Go Ape Again!"

Sometimes, there does not seem to be anything that the Game Boy Color cannot accomplish. More impressive hardware is always the corner, but when you see and play titles such as Donkey Kong Country you really have to wonder whether the leap in technical capabilities will be able to compete with the old warhorse's arsenal of classics.

Donkey Kong Country is a conversion of the eye-gouging 1994 Super NES classic, a title that still manages to be both technical impressive and incredible to play. Everyone should remember the 1981 Nintendo coin-op classic Donkey Kong, developed by a then little-known industrial design graduate called Shigeru Miyamoto. Donkey Kong is a title where a carpenter called Jumpman (who quickly switched trades from carpentry to plumbing and changed his name to Mario) had to rescue Pauline from a raging ape called Donkey Kong. This title's most noticeable feature is of course, the presentation. Although Rareware has had to reduce the resolution, this title's graphics have still been constructed from absolutely spectacular and colourful pre-rendered three-dimensional polygons that are the very finest ever seen on the Game Boy Color, even if they do lack the polish of the Super NES version. Each character, world and level looks marvellous and meshes well together while the realistic animation is first-rate and rivals that from any of Pixar's work. This title's sound is also excellent, with several tunes that fit in with the theme of the various levels and several sound effects of the highest quality.

Although Rareware have had to make some allowances for the Game Boy Color's two button control system, this title's controls are still both simple and responsive enough to master instantly. Your task is to help guide Donkey and Diddy Kong through a series of regions that are divided into a selection of different standard platform title levels. This title's design structure is fairly simple. If you are a seasoned veteran of other platform titles, then the sequence of running, jumping, rolling and swinging will seem like second nature. Likewise, if you have had the misfortune to have played any terrible platform based titles, then those annoying, yet occasional near-impossible leaps over those terrifying instant death drops into the abyss will also be familiar. However Donkey Kong Country demonstrates it's excellence by having some of the most important elements of any quality platform adventure absolutely spot on. This title contains numerous secret levels and areas to be discovered and explored with plenty of rewarding items to collect.

Jungle VIPs
This title also provides you with a plentiful variety of ways to progress through and explore each level that make this title a distinct individual experience. You can switch between controlling both Donkey and Diddy throughout this title, providing good fun and you can get assistance from and control one of the Kong Krew's amiable animal friends. These friends are Rambi the Rhino (who can GORE his way through any enemy in his path), Enguarde the Swordfish (who can sink most of his underwater opponents with a stab from his sharp sword nose), Expresso the Ostrich, Winky the Frog (who can out-jump both Carl Lewis and Jonathan Edwards) and Squawks the Parrot (who will help guide you through the cave level with his trusty old flashlight). If you are not riding on animals, you will be speeding along in mine carts, jumping between broken rail tracks. This title even contains the old ‘stop-go' switches – there is plenty of meat to the simian bone here for you to be able to sink your teeth into.

The only real flaw that Donkey Kong Country suffers from is that some of the levels have very hard, instant death tasks right towards the end that are well beyond where the Continue Barrels are located. Even though this can be frustrating, you will still be returning again and again to play this title for months and even years to come. This conversion even contains a few extra features not present in the Super NES original such as the ability to collect, trade (via the Game Boy Color's Infrared Communication Port) and print (using the Game Boy printer) stickers. This conversion also contains the bonus games Funky Fishing and Crosshair Cranky that can be played against either a friend (using two copies of this title and two Game Boy Color handhelds connected by a Universal Game Link Cable) or the CPU. This title is a genuine joy to play and provides plenty of value for money. Donkey Kong Country is one of the Game Boy Color's finest titles that looks, sounds and plays like a dream. Donkey Kong Country provides both a portable and ideal nostalgic trip back through time for those who have played it on the Super NES. This title is also the perfect introduction to platform titles for novices and a worthy purchase. No one's Game Boy Color collection should be without this masterpiece.

Verdict
Although Rareware have again since converted this title to the Game Boy Advance, Donkey Kong Country is still an excellent conversion that combines stunning presentation with Super Mario World-inspired playability and the Game Boy Color's best title since Super Mario Bros. Deluxe.
100%

Did You Know?: The 1995 Game Boy classic Donkey Kong Land is in actual fact the direct sequel to Donkey Kong Country, not Donkey Kong Country 2.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 01/11/05