Donkey Kong Country Returns - GoNintendo reader review

Let's start this week with another review from our talented pool of readers. This time, totoro1991 examines one of last fall's blockbuster titles featuring an old gaming friend. How does their opinion jive with yours?

Make sure you keep checking out the Games Database and write something worthwhile...it could wind up right here on the home page! —cortjezter

He is the Kong of all Kongs. The master of his jungle. The ape with a red tie. And he got his bananas stolen by tikis? Well, that's odd...but let's role with it ladies and gentlemen :D After all, that Tiki Tak tribe is pretty brutal.

Donkey Kong Country Returns is a 2.5D side-scroller which offers many things with simple gameplay. Basically, get from point A to point B without losing all your lives. You have two options for controls. Either you use the wiimote alone or connect a nunchuck to it. i tried both ways and found the wiimote alone worked much better as it felt more natural. The control inputs are just what you think they are except Retro mapped rolling, ground-pounding, and blowing (yes blowing) to the waggle. That is my only problem with this game. I'm not fond of waggling because it just doesn't feel right--not nearly as intuitive. But that's okay :) I got around it and it didn't hamper the experience much.

The level design is fantastic. I really mean amazing in every sense of the word. I found myself gawking at the amount of detail Retro put into this game. With stunning, colorful graphics to little nods from old games planted in some levels, this game just blew me away. One of my favorite things is riding atop Rambi while slowly walking towards an edge. Unlike in most games where the characters feet hover in midair, the models in DKCR start leaning into it looking down into the abyss while keeping their feet on the edge :) Just good stuff. And I must give kudos to those silhouetted levels. Absolutely stunning :)

Now onto the sound effects and music. There is one thing I wish they hadn't done and that's using DK's voice from Mario Party and such. It's not a big deal, but it would've been cool to hear the Brawl DK ground-pounding the crap out of them tikis :) Other than that, the sound effects are very fitting. As for the music...well...let's just say it's FREAKING AWESOME!!! It's pretty much the tracks from Donkey Kong Country redone for this amazing game with original scores as well. All those jazzy tunes are back and better than ever :) I found myself accidentally waggling my wiimote to the beat of the tunes causing many deaths for me :)

Before you dive into this game, though, remember that this isn't a game for the weak. No...this game is truly challenging. Normal mode, which allows the use of Diddy, proved reckless. Even with Diddy who gives you more hearts and a nice hovering feature along with extended rolling time, I died over and over again. Thankfully, those deaths are a learning experience and not frustrating in the least bit :) they cause you to realize what you did wrong--yes. you. not the games fault. your fault--and attempt to correct it. Hard mode is...well....much harder. With this, the levels are reversed and you don't get Diddy and you've got one heart rather than two with DK and two more with Diddy. Really puts your skills to the test. Let me tell you, those bosses aren't a cake walk like they were in past DKCs. No no...these ones have reason to be feared. This game also offers time trials for each level allowing you to try for medals. I didn't dive into that but it's another challenge of it's own :)

Of course, this game also has co-op play. I enjoyed this very much :) My best friend and I would struggle greatly to finish a level because playing co-op is surprisingly difficult. So be aware that no matter how you play this game, it's going to be hard.

Hidden in each level are puzzle pieces and KONG letters. The puzzles unlock extras and the KONG letters do something else :) They are fun to find and add more depth to an all ready deep experience.

Despite wishing those three waggle actions were mapped to buttons instead, this game offers a lot of fun. If you don't like hard games, stay away, but if you love a challenge play this immediately. I'm done. Always remember, the waffles will always prevail over the waff-less :D CYA

MY SCORE: 9