Rare's series of Donkey Kong games mixed impressive visuals with some brilliant platforming action as you ran, jump, swung and swam through a variety of locations defeating those nasty Kremlings, collecting bananas and finding secrets. The Game Boy's three Donkey Kong Land games have previously been re-released via the 3DS Virtual Console, but for New Nintendo 3DS owners you can now visit the eShop and grab the original Donkey Kong Country.
Created using (in Cranky Kong's words) "the latest state-of-the-art 3D workthingys", the pre-rendered graphics used for the characters and locations made the game stand out from the crowd when in arrived on the SNES; rippling, lighting effects and changeable weather added to the visual splendour. Years later the visuals can look messy when displayed on a modern TV set, but shrunk down to the smaller screen of the New 3DS they impress once more. Incredibly detailed, there's a range of locations visited such as the jungle, temples, snowy landscapes and... is that the Ewok village? As always with these New 3DS re-releases there's the option to switch to the original resolution. This can make some elements appear a little pixely, but it makes details pop a bit more and overall is the better of the two display options.
Something that's always impressed with these games is the music and the fantastic collection of tracks are amongst the best the SNES offered. Funky jungle themes, the chilled underwater track and other adventurous and bouncy offerings make this another SNES title where you should take headphones when travelling to ensure your ears don't miss out on an aural treat.
The game is a lot of fun to play through using either Donkey or Diddy Kong to jump across platforms or climb or swing up vines. Other levels offer other ways to get through them, and you can find yourself firing your Kong out of a barrel, using an animal buddy to knock foes out of the way, bouncing of the bonces of enemies to clear a gap and - of course - there are the memorable mine cart stages.
There's the occasional spike in difficulty, but generally it's well-judged with a steadily increasing challenge as you progress. Later games in the series would give you more things to find in the game, but here it's a straightforward run to the end, which provides plenty of entertainment along the way. Once cleared there's added replayability in trying to find all the secret rooms to push up the percentage number on your save file. Candy Kong and her save point appear every few levels which isn't ideal when playing portable, but of course the usual Virtual Console suspension/restore point functions are present should you need to interrupt your gaming session.
The two-player modes are available with controller switching done using the usual Z and Y method. In "Contest" you simply take turns tackling the levels whilst "Team" offers co-operative gameplay; player one is Donkey, player two is Diddy. As you need to switch controllers (and pass your New 3DS to your friend) you have to make sure you tag them in where there is no danger of an enemy wandering into them. Should the Kong change from a hit rather than a tag, the incoming player remains frozen and invulnerable until a button is pressed; that's smart, as this prevents you both being taken out before the second player has had chance to do anything.
Conclusion
One of the best looking games on the SNES is now one of the best looking Virtual Console titles on New 3DS. Fantastic music adds to the appeal and the gameplay remains fun as you work your way through the variety of levels either just to see the ending or replaying in order to get 101* completion. Donkey Kong Country is another highly enjoyable download for the New 3DS.
Comments 48
One of the finest platformers around, and a very important game as a whole. I haven't played it in years and don't have a N3DS but envy those who can play this on the go!
I played this for the first time only about 18 months ago and absolutely loved it.Definitely my favourite of the trilogy and if I include Retro's 2,I'd place it 2nd,just behind the masterpiece that is Tropical Freeze.Being a Sega gamer in the 90's I can remember looking enviously at the box for it but I never got an opportunity to play it.For some reason,I ignored it when I got my Wii and went for the 2 sequels instead.I loved Diddy's Kong Quest but not so much the follow up.Fortunately I rectified that and got round to downloading it eventually.As it turned out,it was the last game I ever played on my Wii before getting the Wii U.I don't think I managed to 100% it but I was pretty close to.
Hopefully we'll get another DK on the NX.I'd love to see what Good-feel could with the series,they'd need to make it a lot more challenging than their other games though.
Getting the 101% completion on DKC is incredibly hard without referring to Youtube. Some of the secret exits are ridiculously hard to find.
Just completed the story mode. Echo the sentiments that this looks gorgeous on the 3DS. Platforming perfection which stands the test of time well.
Love this game. Played through it 3 times since downloading a week ago. Very low final percentage, but was able to blast through the game to the final boss in 57 minutes lol. When I had this on the Super NES it took me weeks to beat
@wazlon I thought the 101% competion was a joke... ok then...
I still find it sad that this game had a lot more animal buddies at the first entry. Yet the 2 new DKC games only have Rambi.
I think I still prefer the old games over the new ones. I hope that's not nostalgia talking.
K8sDad and I drove 50miles in near blizzard conditions to get this for our then 9 yr old son's birthday. It was the only copy available.
The kids went to school the next day and I settled in for some DK fun.
When he opened his present on Dec 8 he noticed an almost completed game. I told him I had wanted to make sure it was a good game, appropriate and yada, yada, yada. I got teased for that one for a long time.
Mine.Kart.Carnage. Glorious.
One of the most impressive video games ever made. It still amazes me how Rare was able to make the pre-rendered sprites. This game really pushed the limits and we're forever grateful for Rare's efforts.
@Uberchu He has to be joking. I mean, there is no way they would continue on with that, right? DCK2 having 102% and DCK3 having 103%?
This is the game that got me back into gaming. I was at a point in my life where I thought games were beginning to all look the same and questioned if I wanted to keep playing. A few weeks later I seen this and thought it was the best looking thing to come along in ages. Needless to say I've never turned back since. The first one was always the best in the series to me and for me changed 2d platformers for the better going forward.
Even though Donkey Kong Country 2 is the best game in the series this far, I believe that the SNES trilogy is absolutely brilliant. DKC is visually impressive, has an awesome soundtrack and includes a particular gameplay and features. 2 was even better and 3 was more like 1 but harder. The three of them deserve 10/10.
@VanillaLake Right on. Totally agree.
This time, I am getting the game.
I found it difficult to get 101% completion.....anybody got an idea of what happens when you do so?
@Knuckles Actually, DKC3 can go up to 105%, but only through completing hard mode. Playing through normally nets you 103%.
@Socar You must completely finish the game, collect the KONG letters in every level, and find all the bonus rooms.
@Li_Bae
@Yoshi KONG letters are not required for 101% in DKC.
@Socar Check the name of each level on the map. If you have found all the secret bonus levels within, you'll see "!" at the right of the name of the level. If you have much trouble getting "!" in a particular level, just check Youtube to see what you have missed. Back in the day there was no Youtube so I had to find everything on my own, and I did.
@VanillaLake Oh? I honestly thought it was required. I think playing the GBA version instilled that mind set because it tracks it. But sure enough, you're right.
@Yoshi @VanillaLake @SonataAndante I'm on it....once I get the game that is....
@VanillaLake
Exactly. The secrets aren't impossible to find as long as you pay attention. I got the SNES game on launch and managed to get 101% completion without youtube or strategy guides. You just look for stray bananas that point out where a hidden bonus barrel is. Or if you find a generic barrel somewhere, chances are there is a wall that looks "just not quite right" that you will be able to smash open.
@Yoshi But it's fun to get them anyway, and you get an extra life for every set collected.
@Vandy Yes, although I think the secret bonus rooms were a bit more evident in DKC2. There are some levels in DKC with many secrets and not all of them are that easy to find, e.g., Orang-utan Gang with five secret rooms! Or one secret within another secret, if you know what I mean. In general, as you said, you have to look for suspicious bananas, walls and holes. It's really rewarding to find those destructible walls and those invisible barrels.
Donkey Kong Country/Super Donkey Kong (JP) is a 10/10 the 'New' 3DS buttons and position makes the game a bit more challenging than the original SNES/Super Famicom.
@DuckDodgers1989 I think the Wii U version is better than the New 3DS version.
@Spin I think it's mostly nostalgia talking and DKCR on the wii had this silly wII-mote only control that felt ginda gimmicky. played on the 3DS however the awkward controls are gone.
DKCR is a proper platformer and while it does it's best to be like the old ones it does bring some nice graphical flair and great level design to the mix.
@khululy
DKC Returns is excellent. I beat the game once on Wii and twice on 3DS, even down to every KONG letter.
But if you think Returns is good, you should play Tropical Freeze. Truly, the greatest platformer I've ever played. And I've been gaming since the late 80's
The game does look gorgeous in pixel perfect mode on New 3DS. I just completed it for the first time a few days ago. It's easily one of the best platformers I've played on the system!
@JaxonH I sadly do not own a Wii-U and yes it is an exelent platforming that, together with Rayman Legends later on has proven that challenging casual side scrollers are not dead or redundant in this age of fancy open world games and 'rogue-like' games.
I have this on Wii U, but I just might double dip and get it on 3DS too.
I wasn't going to until I read on this review that you can do the 2-player modes (that's a big deal in our family) now I might get it
So sad they never released the smaller (and black) New 3DS stateside, and also sad that they offer no discount for already owning SNES titles on WiiU VC >
I'm so glad my decision to upgrade to New 3DS turned out to benefit me more than I thought in the long run. I mean, I'm also sad for all the standard 3DS users missing out on SNES titles, but... having the original DKC on my New 3DS made the whole package feel a lot more complete, with both Returns, Land and Country on the same handheld. My N3DS is a gaming museum by now (which is kinda worrying considering the utter lack of ownership when it comes to digital games on Nintendo consoles).
@Uberchu No, it's not a joke. I think DKC3 goes up to 105% completion.
I don't get it really because I think it should always be just 100% complete on games, that way you know you've got everything - going over 100% is just confusing.
So glad the SNES DKC have resurfaced and came back with a slight vengeance in the shop. It comes to WiiU, but also gets readded to the Wii and also the 3DS for farts and giggles. Noice.
@VanillaLake
Well, the first two do, at least. 3, maybe, maybe not. The soundtrack is undeniably inferior, and the game doesn't exactly have a theme like DKC2.
Best platforming game then and still the best platforming game today.
@wazlon wow lmao/
@retro_player_22
Wouldn't that be SECOND best next to DKC2?
@PigmaskFan Yeah, I mean that the Wii U version of DKC1 is the best version, specially for Europe because the Wii U version is the NTSC version and it has higher resolution than the New 3DS version. Unfortunately, the Wii U version of DKC2 is PAL (in Europe). The GBA version of DKC3 has a better soundtrack, if that's what you mean, it was composed by David Wise while the SNES soundtrack of DKC3 was composed by Evelyn Fischer.
Do you think there will be more Snes games than those they have announced?
@VanillaLake Eveline Fischer also helped to compose some tracks for the first game, most of them are the 'lesser' tracks that feel a bit more ambient and this shows in DKC 3. It's soundtrack is still good and fits the theme of the game but it's not as memorable as the first or bombastic as the second but compared to many other games OST's it's still a solid outing.
@PigmaskFan There is a theme it's a more nature/European theme to it rather than a tropical island or pirate island.
It does need to feel like a vacation trip to another country. The presentation is consistent the Semi- realistic vibe of the decors and the cheerfull character design make the game complete package and while overshadowed by the release of the N64 and PSone and the succes of the predecessors it's still a game that does more things right than wrong.
@khululy I agree, it's not bad and I did not say such a thing. I really like the nature visuals and sounds of DKC1-2-3. I love the three games' soundtracks, but if I have to choose my favourite, that would be DKC2's. And if I have to choose between DKC3 SNES and DKC3 GBA soundtracks, I'd choose GBA. However, the sound quality of GBA hardware is very poor and the SNES hardware sound quality is awesome. The SNES was such a great console, with such a superb sound chip, and had the best platformers I've ever played: the Donkey Kong Country original trilogy and Super Mario World.
@PigmaskFan As @khululy said, the first one has a tropical theme, the second one a pirate theme and the third a Northern Europe theme. Anyway, each of them has various and very original settings (e.g., the hive). The three of them share a nature inspired music. The only bad thing I can say about the third game is that it can be a bit frustrating sometimes, but it's much better than many people claim, and was overshadowed by the N64, that's for sure. Ironically, Donkey Kong 64 did not live up to the expectations, but it is nearly impossible for a small studio like Rare to make so many games for the N64 and to achieve perfection in all of them.
DKC has always been a bit too rote-seeming to me ever since I grew skilled enough to reduce any inherent challenge to nigh-on nonexistence. On the whole, the game's just a bit too unsatisfying when it comes to rewarding your playing. You don't even need to complete bonus areas to add them to your percentage. Collecting lives becomes a redundant effort some two worlds in, even without today's luxuries such as restore points and the like.
Still, if only by default, it is ten times better than puzzle pieces whose only purpose is unlocking gallery artwork and music like it's some off-brand cereal box pack-in game from the '90s. Ain't that right, Retro?
An awesome trilogy. Great gameplay, great graphics and wonderful music.
@PigmaskFan Everyone had their preference, I love DKC2 as well but the original is the only one where you could play as Donkey Kong so that one is still awesome. Kinda sad huh, Donkey Kong finally had a platforming adventure series of his own and yet he is only playable in one game out of the three, at least Retro Studio gave him more spotlight in the newer games.
The GBA ports were very good for their time and within the limitations of the form factor, but these 3DS Virtual Console releases are top notch in every regard. So far I've bought every new SNES VC title, and eagerly await more (get a move on Nintendo!).
I feel sorry for old 3DS owners, but hey - the New 3DS is better with it's tracking 3D, improved button placement, bigger screens, and cool cover plates. I barely ever bothered with the wonky 3D on old 3DSes. Now it's on full time.
But I digress... DKC is the best ever DK game IMO, and this is now the finest way to play it on the go. You'd be mad not to buy this if you're at all into platforming and 16bit era gaming.
DKC! I love you!
@retro_player_22
He was also playable in DKC64, Tropical Freeze and Returns.
@Tempestryke I was referring to those (except DK64 since that one plays differently) when I mention Retro Studio.
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