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GBA

Australia

Donkey Kong Country 2

by Ben Kosmina - September 14, 2004, 4:55 am EDT

8.5

"See, you're back again! Everybody likes old Cranky. I bet my ugly old wife doesn't get half as many visits!"

After the success of Donkey Kong Country on the Super NES, Diddy Kong's popularity was enough to secure him the lead role in the sequel, Diddy's Kong-Quest (get it? Kong-Quest? Conquest? Groan.). Along for the ride was Diddy's girlfriend Dixie Kong. Donkey Kong Country 2 has been tarted up for the Game Boy Advance with additional mini-games and extras, but does it hold up?

Let's get this clear from the start, though -- if you're expecting a pixel perfect port of the SNES game, then you're better off skipping the GBA version and digging out your SNES. While DKC2 GBA does take advantage of the GBA's capabilities (you'll see some nice background scrolling effects in levels like Lockjaw's Locker, and you'll notice the perspective of the ice shift in levels such as Clapper's Cavern) the graphics simply aren't as rich as they were on the SNES. Having said that, the game still easily trounces many other GBA games on the market with large, clear character sprites and detailed, well-designed levels. Certain SNES level effects, like honey dripping down the screen and light occasionally filtering through the thick forests also make a return. Overworld maps have been completely re-rendered so that they suit the GBA's resolution, and they look fantastic.

The game's soundtrack once again shines. As it closely following the original's themes, you can expect to hear great portable renditions of the sea shanty-like Jib Jig, the mellow Forest Interlude, the slow-paced Mining Melancholy, and the calming Stickerbrush Symphony, to name a few. Each song fits beautifully with the level it's meant for, even though some might not sound as good as they did originally. Music created specifically for the GBA version of the game, such as the Funky's Flights mini-game music, is particularly good.

Character sound effects for the game follow DKC GBA's lead and take some of the Donkey Kong 64 speech. While some characters have kept their SNES sounds, most have different voices. You can't help but grin at Kutlass's comical high-pitched "AAAAARGH!" as he plummets to his death. Most other effects, such as lava bubbling, banana pickups and the like, have remained the same.

Despite being able to save at any time now instead of having to reach specific save points, DKC2 GBA is still quite difficult. It's nice to see that the game hasn't been dumbed down for today's gamers; it still provides quite a challenge. Rare has even been...er, kind enough to add an entirely new boss to the game -- Stronghold Showdown isn't nearly as easy as it was before!

Finding all the Hero Coins and Bonus Stages is still quite an impressive feat to accomplish, and Rare has also hidden a Golden Feather in each stage. These Golden Feathers can be used to power up Expresso the Ostrich for use in a mini-game called, funnily enough, Expresso's Racing. Expresso has four stats -- Strength, Speed, Flight, and Boost. You can use your feathers to increase these specific stats to your liking. For example, you might want a racer who won't get knocked about much, or one who can carry more Boost powerups. How you train Expresso to win the races is up to you.

Another mini-game that has been added is Funky's Flights. In this one, Funky will give you a specific mission to accomplish in each world, using his Gyrocopter. While initial missions are very easy, they quickly become more difficult. Some will involve you reconstructing a statue of Donkey Kong, while others will put you in charge of a rescue mission. Completing these mini-games also adds to your game total percentage.

There's also a new, GBA specific mode available for DKC2. Diddy's Dash is a special mode of play where you aim to finish levels as quickly as possible using only Diddy Kong. Speed is the key here. You can also freeze the clock by defeating multiple baddies all in a row. It's not as in-depth as DKC's DK Attack, as that was based on score rather than time, but it still adds quite a lot of fun and replay value to the game. Diddy's Dash, Expresso's Racing, and Funky's Flights are all available for multi-cart multiplayer as well.

Cranky's wife, Wrinkly Kong, now has a secondary purpose aside from giving you hints. Wrinkly gives you a scrapbook which you can use to search for photo opportunities. Some photos are easy to spot (you'll see a camera floating over an enemy's head if you can take its picture -- all you have to do is defeat it), but others are tucked away within levels and require a bit of searching. If you get stuck, Wrinkly can give you hints on where you can find them.

While DKC2 doesn't look or sound as good as the SNES version -- and let's face it, it'll always be compared to the original version -- it certainly comes close. The addition of multiple mini-games and more hidden secrets throughout the levels certainly makes up for it not being an exact port. Those who haven't seen the SNES game won't notice the difference, and again, those who have will get more playtime than they did with the SNES version, thanks to the new extras.

Score

Graphics Sound Control Gameplay Lastability Final
7 9 8 9 8 8.5
Graphics
7

While fairly average for Rare's standards, DKC2's graphics do look quite good. Still, the washed-out look is really bad in some parts. Seeing effects like the honey dripping down the screen in the beehive levels is excellent, though.

Sound
9

An excellent soundtrack is emulated very close to the original game. The addition of voice is nice, as it isn't overdone to the point where it becomes infuriating. Sound effects remain the same as the SNES game.

Control
8

The main game's control is simple and precise, as it should be. Funky's Flights can be a bit awkward to play initially, but after a couple of tries, you should be fine.

Gameplay
9

DKC2 for the SNES was definitely the best of the trilogy, and the new bonus mini-games and additional hidden secrets make it even better. Gamers new to Donkey Kong Country are in for a treat. Expresso's Racing is a nice racing game diversion.

Lastability
8

Beating DKC2 is still quite tough, and getting 102% is more difficult thanks to the additional tasks required. There's also Diddy's Dash to tackle once you've finished the game, which, while not as in-depth as DK Attack, is still good fun.

Final
8.5

"You must be really desperate to read all this! Having trouble on your miserable, boring quest, are you?" -- Cranky Kong

Summary

Pros
  • An entirely new, tough boss!
  • Cranky Kong is as bitter as ever.
  • Mini-games and photo collecting are nice additions.
  • No toned-down difficulty!
Cons
  • Graphics and sound aren't as good as the SNES version.
  • Occasional slowdown when a lot of enemies are on-screen.
Review Page 2: Conclusion

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Genre Adventure
Developer Rare
Players1 - 4

Worldwide Releases

na: Donkey Kong Country 2
Release Nov 15, 2004
PublisherNintendo
RatingEveryone
jpn: Super Donkey Kong 2
Release Jul 01, 2004
PublisherNintendo
eu: Donkey Kong Country 2
Release Jun 25, 2004
PublisherNintendo
aus: Donkey Kong Country 2
Release Year 2004
PublisherNintendo
RatingGeneral

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