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GBA

North America

Donkey Kong Country 2

by Michael Cole - December 5, 2004, 12:14 pm EST

8.5

Kremlings beware: prehensile ponytails are back in style!

Donkey Kong Country 2 is often considered the best in Rare's DK series. The sequel featured richer sound, further-improved graphics and a more polished bonus room system than the first, and it managed to feel completely new to fans of the original. DKC2 on the GBA provides the first complete portable version of the SNES classic. Diddy's game may have sustained aesthetic damage during the port, but its creamy nugget of fun remains unscathed.

The Donkey Kong Country series initiated the collect-a-thon platforming movement; DKC2 is packed with Banana Coins, Hero Coins, Kremkoins, extra life balloons, Kong letters, and, of course, bananas. SNES veterans will reminisce over the hours spent in the levels' nooks and crannies. Indeed, while Nintendo's hype machine promoted DKC2's amazing graphics and sound in 1995, level design was the game's true star. This is truer than ever on the GBA, with the game's diminished visuals and audio. Practically every level introduces something novel: a new enemy, a new animal buddy, a new type of barrel, etc. Later levels depend on skills honed in similar earlier levels, too: players would not be able to out-climb rising ooze if they hadn't practiced climbing rope in earlier rigging levels.

Those unfamiliar with DKC2 will discover many hours of platforming and exploration in the GBA rendition, and players revisiting the game may have forgotten its genuine difficulty. Later levels require excellent timing and precision—even veterans will make use of collected extra lives. Finding secrets will also take a keen eye, since most are marked via suspicious banana placement or environment details, while accessing clearly-marked bonus rooms often requires advance planning and skill. Rare consistently rewards curiosity and dexterity, even if with a trivial banana bunch. Die-hard fans of the original will complete this remake much more quickly than the newbies, but supposed experts at the game are probably foggy on at least one or two of the game's many Hero Coins. Rare has also hidden photos and golden feathers in the GBA game's levels, though these are not concealed as cleverly as the Hero Coins.

Just as in previous Donkey Kong Game Boy conversions, the graphics are scaled down (at the expense of visual detail) to provide the same field of vision found on the SNES. The game looks grainier as a result, but it prevents unintended "blind zones" that have plagued other console-to-GBA ports. Even so, the original occasionally stooped to jumps of faith and surprising enemy placement to induce cheap deaths or to obfuscate secrets. The rising ooze rigging level mentioned earlier (Slime Climb) is perhaps the worst culprit: the player is forced to speed through a vertically oriented level where he must travel a specific path, but if the player goes too quickly he is likely to slam into a pacing Zinger bee.

With its rich samples and heavy bass, DKC2's musical score wasn't exactly composed with the GBA's abilities in mind. The conversion is somewhat painful, and anyone listening to the GBA version will sense that something is off. Resampled instruments are not nearly as vibrant, and some are outright replaced. All things considered, Rare did a decent job with the limited hardware: while some songs are missing a track or have a wrong-sounding note, most tunes are still enjoyable phantoms of the original's majesty.

Rare's handheld team has included a few new side games to spice things up for Kong experts. Expresso can be raced against three other ostriches in a fun diversion, and the bird's statistics can be improved by collecting golden feathers. Funky now has gyrocopter-based missions where the player must navigate through large side-scrolling areas to deliver an item, rescue Kong relatives, or reconstruct a statue. This game is executed sloppily with clumsy controls, but it isn't horrible and does extend the game's length. The best addition is Diddy's Dash, where players can race through any of the game's levels against a buddy or the clock. Although I was unable to try out this multiplayer mode, I predict competitive platformer racing of Sonic 2 (Genesis) quality.

Donkey Kong Country 2 on the GBA is an above-average port of an excellent game. Rare had to make sacrifices, but the classic gameplay is as addictive as ever. Owners of the original can probably pass on this port, but it is a must-have for anyone who missed out during the Super Nintendo's heyday.

Score

Graphics Sound Control Gameplay Lastability Final
7.5 7 9 9.5 8 8.5
Graphics
7.5

The sprites and environments aren't nearly as impressive on the GBA. Rare has scaled the graphics down to fit the handheld's inferior vertical resolution, making everything less sharp, but this is far better than drastically reduced visibility. The adjusted brightness, which reduces background detail and washes everything out, is truly what sours the original's fancy graphics. The subdued contrast may fix DKC2's visibility issues on the GBA, but this port really could have used a brightness option (as seen in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past) for the Game Boy Player and DS.

Sound
7

The aural downgrade is perfectly understandable with the handheld platform's inferior audio capabilities. The GBA renditions of David Wise's songs are hollow facsimiles, though most are bearable. Sound effects remain mostly intact and are supplemented by additional, amusing samples. Never play this game too loud or without headphones: compatible systems' internal speakers muffle all but the highest frequencies, and the game can be ear-piercing at times (especially on the Nintendo DS).

Control
9

Some of the animal buddies control loosely, and holding down while swimming is not nearly as effective as it was on the SNES, but otherwise the game handles identically to its source material. Very rarely is control the cause of death, though enemy placement is suspect at times.

Gameplay
9.5

The levels progress naturally, and each holds new surprises and creative secrets. There are a few unlabeled bounties and blind corners, but these cheap tricks mostly rear their heads around optional items or areas. Donkey Kong Country 2 is among the best platformers ever made, and the main game's content is never stale on the Game Boy Advance.

Lastability
8

With its bonus rooms, hero coins and balanced difficulty, new players—especially completionists—will find lots to do in this game. The Expresso and gyrocopter mini-games will not entice nostalgic gamers, but Diddy's Dash is a very welcome addition, especially for those with multiplayer capabilities. DK connoisseurs will be done with the single player game within ten hours, but that's to be expected of such a port.

Final
8.5

Nine years later, Donkey Kong Country 2 can still defend its honor. DKC2 has some minor flaws, and its GBA port isn't the majestic 16-bit experience we fell in love with in '95, but it still provides a darn good time. DKC2 on the GBA is wholeheartedly recommended to Genesis fans and fledgling gamers who never experienced the SNES masterpiece; owners of the original should only purchase this version if they really desire a portable copy.

Summary

Pros
  • Fantastic level design and gameplay
  • Hordes of secrets and collectables
  • Reduced color contrast = High visibility without SP/DS lighting
  • Time Trial "Diddy's Dash" mode
Cons
  • Crippled audio
  • Occasionally frustrating enemy or secret placement
  • Reduced color contrast = muddier graphics
  • Unremarkable gyrocopter mini-game
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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