Catch-Up Crew: Donkey Kong Country - "I Liked His Big Red, Er, Ribbit-Bag?"

Welcome aboard once again for this edition of Catch-up Crew, the series where the senior staff of the USS Nintendo Life do what every good crew should do on a seat-of-your-pants cosmic adventure - adjourn to the observation lounge for a conference.

Yes, we're back at the table to discuss a classic video game that at least one of us hasn't ever played. Last month we looked at F-Zero X. This time, we're heading further back - Rareware's Donkey Kong Country for the Super Nintendo is the subject of illumination. Available to play on Switch for anybody with a Nintendo Switch Online subscription, will it hold up nearly 30 years on from its 16-bit debut?

As is customary, the ranks have shifted this month. Let's meet the crew quickly before the meeting commences:

• Capt. Alana Hagues - DKC veteran, KONGfident in command
• Cmdr. Jim Norman - DKC veteran, KONGsiderably well-versed
• Ens. Ollie Reynolds - DKC recruit, KONGscripted
• Ens. Gavin Lane - DKC recruit, inKONGruous

Alana: Good day to you all, crew! I trust you’ve all been enjoying the island’s sights? Are we all accounted for?

Ollie: Ensign Reynolds reporting for duty!

Jim: Aye aye, Captain!

Gavin: Yessir.

Alana: Excellent, excellent. It’s been a few weeks since we’ve sat down together like this, crew, so just to remind you all, we’re all friends here. Be honest, but be nice.

Now, Donkey Kong Country, hey? Arguably one of the games that put Rare on the map – visually unique, perfectly simple, but a stone-cold classic of the SNES era. But I hear there’s been some… discontent among the crew. Ensigns Lane and Reynolds, how have you managed to stay away from the Country’s charms for all these years?

Gavin: Back in those days, I erm…, well, I played a… I never had a Super NES. I was a Mega Drive kid, you see, Captain. It wasn’t until many years later that I went back and sampled Nintendo’s 16-bit catalogue.

Alana: That’s okay, Lane. You recognised your mistake and resolved it in the best way you could. Now, Reynolds?

Ollie: So, I will say that I’ve dabbled in the game here and there, albeit very briefly, over the years. I played the heck out of Donkey Kong Country Returns and Tropical Freeze when they were released, so there were certainly moments where I thought, “Hmm, let’s give the original ‘Country’ a try.” Admittedly, however, it’s only now that I’ve actually sat down and played the whole thing through.

Alana: Good, good. Sometimes it’s hard to go back, but it’s commendable that you’ve tried many times. Now, Commander Norman, I understand you have a bit more experience with Donkey Kong Country, correct?

Jim: That is correct, Captain. My first rodeo, this is not. I too did not own a SNES — it predates me a little, I’m afraid — though my uncle did have one and I have very fond memories of blasting through DKC at his house whenever I could (at least “blast through it” as much as a young child can). Armed with these memories, I then sped through the first few levels on the SNES Mini a few years back and then again on NSO when it launched.

Alana: No shame there, Norman. The SNES predates me too, though I fear if we linger on age, we may well cause even more unrest. Let’s address that later. Reynolds, given your love of DKC Returns and Tropical Freeze, what did you expect going back to the SNES original, and how does it compare?

Ollie: Given that I’d seen a lot of the game through videos and screenshots even well before the launch of Returns, I had a pretty good idea of how it might play before diving into it. It’s definitely the progenitor of Retro Studio’s platformers in the sense that it plays very similarly with the same kind of level structure and objectives. I don’t think it’s aged quite as well as some of the SNES’ other key titles, but it’s still a lot of fun, and it looks absolutely stunning.

Alana: We don’t have a CRT on board to test it out, but I’m sure those visuals look even better on an old screen… (ahem, no time for nostalgia, Alana, pull yourself together.)

Ensign Lane, I know you have little experience with even the Retro Studio games, but I am aware of your love of Rare. What were you expecting from your first DKC foray?

Gavin: I was expecting… hmmm. Given the love so many people have for this game (and the dev staff crossover with Banjo-Kazooie, a game I absolutely adore), I was expecting something to rival the 16-bit greats. Perhaps not in the same league as your Mario Worlds or your Links to the Pasts, but something very good.

Alana: I sense some hesitation in your final words, Lane?

Gavin: … Permission to speak freely, Captain?

Alana: Permission granted.

Gavin: In such a beloved-by-millions game, I don’t think I’ve ever encountered quite so much… 'BS'. Sir.

Alana: Interesting. Reynolds, Norman, are you aware of this, um, BS, Lane is referring to?

Jim: Before we throw the ensign overboard, Captain, I must admit that I can also see some of… that. There are still things to like in the original Country experience, but something about this playthrough felt a little off. I’m starting to think that it might not have aged quite as well as I had expected.

Ollie: Forgive me, Captain, but I shall need some elaboration on this so-called ‘BS’ before I can comment.

Alana: Of course. Ensign Lane, any examples?

Gavin: For me, it’s design decisions where the player has little or no chance of progressing without failing first. Yes, yes, games like Dark Souls and the umpteen squillion roguelites are built around failure, but if you’re sufficiently skilled, you could, theoretically, beat a boss or make it through a run on your first go. With DKC, that felt near impossible. The sprites are huge and lovely-looking – I can only imagine how gobsmacked I would have been seeing them in 1994! – but one result is that the visible path head is massively restricted compared to other side-on platformers. Multiple times I’d run forward only to barrel into a crocodile or off the edge of a cliff.

Alana: There is… some of that, yes. I certainly struggled with the mine cart, but I actually enjoy the precision platforming aspect of it. It feels like you have to build up a momentum and rhythm to get through every level, and I appreciate that. Ensign Reynolds, any response to Lane’s issues?

Ollie: Valid points, to be sure, and this links into my earlier comment that the game hasn’t aged quite as well as other SNES titles. However, I don’t think it was quite so much of an issue for me. I do agree that the larger sprites and the lack of any decent view of the road ahead can be a bit vexing at times, but I think the game compensates for this by being generally pretty forgiving. The difficulty isn’t a patch on Returns or Tropical Freeze (aside from maybe the mine cart sections), so I didn’t have a great deal of trouble.

Jim: Sounds like a 'Skill Issue' if you ask me. The problem is, I’m in exactly the same boat. I have worked my way through sequences like the mine cart ones without NSO rewind before, but there is no way that I was going to do that this time — those crocs-on-wheels come from nowhere, I tell you!

Alana: Now now, Norman, remember we’re all friends here – though I appreciate the admission.

Gavin: That’s okay, Captain. I fully admit I struggled with this one. Perhaps it’s down to the size of the character sprites and hitboxes, but I found it challenging to know if my ape was going to pound an enemy from above or take a hit. Sometimes I’d clip an enemy almost from the side as I jumped and they went down – other times, bye bye Diddy.

Alana: Diddy does deserve better, and more, than a little clip death.

Let’s leave the negative behind if we can, crew, and talk about something we like about the game. Ensign Reynolds, I’ll start with you.

Ollie: I mentioned earlier that the game looks stunning. There’s one level called ‘Orang-utan Gang’ (I think), and the multi-coloured sunset in the background is truly something else. I love it. The sprites are obviously exceptional as well, and I actually think Retro’s decision to lean into a more cartoon-y aesthetic was probably a mistake. The original game, and indeed the entire ‘Country’ trilogy on SNES, is gorgeous.

Alana: Commander Norman, anything to add or anything else that stands out to you?

Jim: I second everything on the visuals front and I still have a particular soft spot for the rolly momentum. But I’ll also throw the soundtrack a bone. Sure, it might not be quite as dense as what we’re used to seeing today (it can occasionally be a little stop-and-start), but almost every single theme is a belter. Everyone brings up that first water level for a good reason.

Alana: David Wise did cook up some magic. The water levels, in general, are very good here – Clam City is excellent. The music only adds to that. Certainly better than many other SNES-era water levels. Ensign Lane, any positive thoughts on DKC?

Gavin: The audio was excellent, you can’t go wrong with DW. And the visuals must have looked incredible on a CRT, with the rendered sprites blending beautifully with the environments. I liked the little snaps of humour with Cranky, and that DK arcade-inspired intro. And I really like the momentum you mentioned, too. In fact, perhaps that’s the source of my gripes – I felt like I was given tools but not the opportunities to exploit them. Whenever I built up some steam cartwheeling as Diddy, I’d have to stop to go through some tedious barrel section or avoid a sheer drop. The levels were so linear compared to something like Sonic, or even Mario, I felt I never got the chance to express any creativity or enjoy myself. It was very stop-start.

Sorry, positive! I liked the ‘EXIT’ signs because they reminded me of Castle of Illusion.

Alana: … Right you are then. No love for the Animal Buddies from anyone?

Gavin: Ah yes, Enguarde and the frog dude were highlights. I liked his big red, er, ribbit-bag? And DK64 gave me affection for Rambi.

Ollie: Yes, absolutely. Riding atop various animals like that feels like something that should have been saved for a sequel; you don't normally see stuff like this in a first entry. The fact that Rare managed to add these mechanics, alongside everything else, was remarkable. Very cool.

Jim: Being able to punt enemies out of the way as the swordfish is a core memory from the first time I played this. Extremely satisfying.

Alana: Excellent, we like to hear that the animals are loved.

Well, I believe we should make like Expresso and leave Donkey Kong Country behind. We managed to avoid a rift in the crew this time, thankfully. Now, for our next mission, I’m told that Ensign Lane is taking command again. Is this a mutiny, Ensign?

Gavin: Not at all, Captain! Just following protocol. If it pleases the crew, I’d suggest an investigation of WarioWare, Inc. I believe some of my colleagues are unfamiliar.

Jim: It will be another first for me. Ready to set sail!

Ollie: I’ve played multiple WarioWare games, but never the first! This is becoming a bit of a habit…

Alana: Well then, time for a lesson in early GBA silliness, I think. Let’s head onward and upward – especially the latter for some of the crew.

Donkey Kong Country - Recruit Report

Captain's log, stardate 20249.22. One tropical away mission seems to have caused a few fractious moments for our crew, but this trip to Donkey Kong Country has certainly been eye-opening. We understand what makes some of us tick after just a few stops now, so it's time for a bit of levity after those Jungle Japes and high-speed races. Till next time...