Donkey Kong Country

I've come to the conclusion that the GBA was designed specifically for my generation of gamers. For myself, the second most pivotal point in my gaming era (the TG16 was my first breakthrough) had to be the introduction of the Super Nintendo. Since the GBA is nothing less than a portable SNES, many successful games from that era are now reemerging on the popular handheld. To me this isn't just a way to relive old memories, but it's also an encouragement for today's generation. Games don't have to have amazing 3D, cell-shaded graphics and 5.1 Dolby sound to be great... It's about content and development. That is why the SNES was so successful, and in turn, the Gameboy Advance.

With that said, the entire line-up of Donkey Kong platformers has always been a good one. Many will argue that it started to lose its flavor towards the end-of-life of the SNES, but I disagree. I'm sure many of us could battle back and forth regarding the semantics of Rare and the DK legacy, but few can argue the impact that Donkey Kong Country played on the community in 1994.

DKC was truly revolutionary, and I can still remember how my jaw dropped the first time I popped the cart in and saw my first "3D platformer". Heck, I still manage to play the original on occasion; even if I do have to blow into the cartridge and give it a good smack to jumpstart it...

Prior to writing this review, I had to sit back and think retrospectively at the SNES version as well as the GBA version. By all means the current port is hands-down much more advanced with tons of excellent features. However, much of the excitement was lost in the transition somehow and it took me a while to put my finger on it. I think that in '94 I was so enthralled with the visuals of the game, that the gameplay took a backseat and I was a bit naive. Now I'm not saying that the gameplay was less than par, for it is one of the most solid platformers ever created... But what I am saying is that much of the "wow factor" was somehow lost in the transition from SNES to GBA. Even on the SP, the visuals seemed a bit dull and much of the sheen felt a bit numb. For purists, you'll first notice that Rare had to pull some strings to get the game to look "decent" on the unlit standard GBA. The contrast of colors was a bit overdone and much of the "shine" was skimped on in order to accommodate the bland GBA screen.

Aside from the compromise in graphics, the game is a well-replicated port of the original. The controls are flawless and natural with perfect response times that Rare has always been famous for. If making a documentary on the history of platformers, Donkey Kong Country would be the model subject of discussion. It has all of the ingredients that platform gamers look for: challenging fun, tons of extras and balance. DKC is one of those games (if you remember) that was so difficult that you wanted to use the cart for skeet. But no matter how frustrated you became you just couldn't put it down. For those who haven't played a DK platformer, be prepared to spend countless attempts at timing your jumps perfectly in order to move on.

To add a bit more substance to the classic, Rare introduced a few new features to the GBA version that pan out nicely. Probably my favorite "new" feature is the DK Attack mode. This allows you to pick a level and try to complete it as fast as you can. DKC keeps track of scores of statistics, so it's nice to see if you (or someone else) can beat your time/score. You'll also find a tiny fishing game that can be played solo or linked with another GBA. I didn't find that too appealing, but it's a nice attempt... For you DDR fanatics, you'll see a scaled down clone that was fun playing with the great in-game tunes.

Appreciating a game that is nearly 10 years old is sometimes tough to do, especially by today’s standards. However, I think Rare was in a tough spot trying to widdle the game into the Gameboy Advance. For the most part the port was flawless, but since the visuals were dumbed down so dramatically; I was quite disappointed. Scenes like the unforgettable thunderstorms in the original were all but destroyed by the transition. However, the essence and soul of the game is still well intact with superb gameplay at your fingertips. Add that with one of the best musical scores EVER and you just can't help but fall in love with the game again.

When it comes down to recommending the game, without hesitation this is a must have for anyone who loves platforming and 2D adventure. Although I encourage you old-schoolers not to expect the same reaction you had to the original, it still is a breath of fresh air to play this on the move and remember when gaming was this fun.

For the record you'll be hard pressed to find any codes where you can play Candy Kong nude. It's just not there, you sickos.