Chime In: Donkey Kong Country

DKC didn’t have the best mechanics or a great storyline, but it was one of my favorite games ever. The graphics were great but not groundbreaking, the soundtrack was funky and varied, and it was just fun to play. I didn’t know anybody who played the game and didn’t want to beat it. It was great to just roll around and grab everything and make it to the end of a level. The bosses were annoying and the game is stiff compared to modern games, but it is one of the best SNES platformers out there.

You know how when you remember your perception of videogames as a child and you think of the really good ones where you were amazed to see something that looked as good as that be interactive as well but figured that you’d never get the chance to experience something so spectacular until one day you somehow found yourself playing it and it was everything you imagined (if only because you wanted it to be)?

That was Donkey Kong Country for me.

The only game better, to me, than DKC is Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest, which I believe to be the greatest game. People complain that the story for the DKC games was weak, when they always forget to realize that “Monkey gets his bananas stolen” is no different than “Plumber gets his Princess stolen”. And of course the graphics were, and still are, top notch. I never understood any negativity with this game other than the one quote by Miyamoto. DKC for life.

I dunno why, but I was never able to get into the series… I didn’t think the graphics were all that special and the gameplay was pretty unremarkable; I lumped this game into the same category as Aero the Acro-Bat & Bubsy. I don’t think it was a bad game, it just wasn’t as good as it was made out to be.

I don’t remember being too impressed with it at the time, but what drew me in was 1, the fact that I can’t turn down a side-scolling platformer, and 2, the music as like nothing I had heard up to that point. It really set the mood of something fresh, adventurous and imaginative. The things that kept me playing, were the really smooth controls, and the innovative 2-player system. To this day, I still think that’s one of the best second player system made; it was casual before casual got big. Plus I like the graphic more today then I did at the time- there’s something nostagic about 90′s CG and how uncomplicated it was.

Yeah, the music was pretty rad. It made me feel like I really was in the jungle. And I agree, 90s CG like that from DKC is pretty cool in retrospect — so very simple.

Dreadful game, absolutely appalling.

The game is an exercise in frustration. Not the nice, just-one-more-go frustration that Miyamoto games are made of, but the I-hate-not-being-able-to-do-what-I-want type of frustration that so many cheap game consist of.

The pre-rendered sprites looked impressive back then, but these days when replaying old games, you need more than flashy graphics and I am afraid DKC has nothing else besides gthe graphics.

I played it at the time, hated it, sold it. No regrets.

Love the game

I for one loved the game back in the day, and still love it now… But I always liked it for more than just good graphics. It had a lot of cool things in it, mounts, barrels, secret levels Imo one of the best Snes games, and this is coming from someone who owned Super Metroid and bought Super Mario kart new in the store >_>
I’d have to say the list should go #1Metroid #2Mario World #3Mario Kart #4DKC if there was a list anyway.
Also… the music was great too, it just seemed to be perfect for every level (high quality stuff to for the Snes)

I think the one thing everyone can agree on in regards to DKC, is that it had an awesome soundtrack.

@Takam: It INDEED had one of the most amazing soundtracks.

I remember this game clearly. It was one of the firsts, actually.

Dates are a bit cloudy, but at some point before my family ever got me any video games, we were in awe of Donkey Kong Country. My uncle, a single 38 year old dude would bring his SNES to allow me to play it every now and then. When he got Donkey Kong Country, he gathered everyone around so we could take in how amazing those graphics were. The music was extremely notable too.

I think that’s when my parents started wanting to spend money on videogames. That’s when I got my first console, the SNES, and eventually, Donkey Kong Country.

It’s one of the greatest games ever, I believe. It was the pinnacle of sidescrolling adventure. Secrets were numerous, levels were unique, bosses were hard. I keep coming back to it and its sequels every Christmas when I visit my grandparents — all on my uncle’s abandoned SNES.

DKC was an awesome game, especially because by the time it came out i was old enough to appreciate how hard the game was and how much stuff there was to do in it. i’m in agreement with the music as well, some of the more memorable music from the system.

There was an undeniable coolness about this game. It created the archetypal mine-cart level! I was too young, but my older brother competed in Blockbuster’s DKC tournament. He lost. The game also kept me entertained when I was stuck in the hospital for three days with asthma. The nurses wheeled in a cart with a SNES and TV and games cartridges chained to the cart. It was kind of like the ones they had at Toys R’ Us. As for the game being frustrating, it was, but that didn’t ruin it.

One of the best snes platformers, I think. I can’t believe “Story” enters into the discussion of this or any snes platformers above. Platformers are all about gameplay!
Anyway, I found the controls and co-op play excellent, I recall beating the game multiple times.Ｉloved the animals, secrets, and collectibles. It was pretty hard at times but most of the best games are.

people who dont appreciate DKC are probably NSMB fans. Whoever has replied saying it sucks, do you like NSMB? If yes, then its you who’s in the wrong. lol

And yes it could take 20+ times to manage a level but thats why it was so amazing. as others have mentioned the music was simply orgasmic

I’ve loved this game since I was little, but still play this with my friends today. No matter what Miyamoto thinks, this is a great game and did give people a reason to love Donkey Kong. I love Donkey Kong Country, but have never actually been a fan of the sequels though, they don’t seem to capture that same vibe.

DKC was the reason I got an SNES. I love that game.

I was never a big fan of DKC. The controls always felt clumsy to me. But the production values were certainly something to be admired. I could watch someone else play those games all day (and have, in the past).

I love DKC whole heartedly and I have to repeat this quote;

“like living claymation”

This pretty much sums up how I saw the DKC series… I love all the rendered art from those games… I loved the era of CG art that resembled clay sculptures. I have a large collection currently of archived DKC official art which is all as engrossing as ever.

DKC 2 was by far my favorite in the series. Diddy was the star (oddly I think he’s much cooler then DK) and Dixie provided great balance to Diddy (in terms of style and gameplay mechanics). The atmosphere as well was wonderful… from the pirate theme, to the carnival world, to the haunted forest… it was full of diverse environments that still didn’t fall into the stereotypical game levels. I still remember discovering the Lost World which was amazing as well.

I know Miyamoto criticized the game at the time, but I think a portion of it was jealousy in seeing a 3rd party company succeed with a character he had created. I mean if it was me I’d be a tad jaded myself. Mind you I think his attitude towards the graphics was just, something I’ve come to understand more and more over time. Which is that graphics and 3D effects do not automatically make a better game.

DKC to me could get away with it though, cause to me Rareware was like Pixar. They pioneered something with DKC. Once others were doing it, and the eventual lead up to 3D consoles and current gen consoles, 3D is passe. 3D is expected… where as 3D in DKC was a part of the charm. If any of that makes sense at all.

That makes complete and total sense, Maverickk. Great response! You know, Rare did have something going for them… they worked so hard to make things look 3D on a 2D plane… and it payed off by looking extremely nice. They didn’t try to be gimmicky, nor cheesy with it. The had a formula for the graphics and stuck to it to the very end.

Thanks, for the approval Zaxcg2,

Personally I think that’s my issue with the Donkey Kong games of late. Even if they have some great gameplay concepts (like DK King of Swing or even Jungle Beat)… I mean just look at the character designs and you know it lacks the same charm DKC had. Heck… there aren’t enough Kremlins for that matter. I loved their industrialism ways.

I played DKC after I’ve bought a PSX and a N64, and I really was shocked by the game. It reminded me that 2D games are 100 times more playable than 3D ones and it has great graphics, wonderful music and a great 2-player mode. It’s really an instant classic !!!

The graphics were amazing, colourful, and groundbreaking back in the day.

The game itself… nothing special.

Of course, we ignored that fact, and played it because, damn, it looked so good.

DKC is one of my favorite games of all time. The atmosphere created by the visuals and music is one of the most appealing game asthetics I’ve ever come across.

I can understand where people are coming from when they knock the gameplay, but it really is very solid despite a few short-comings. That rhythmic, run-bounce-swing level progression is great fun (really makes you feel like you’re controlling a monkey) and the variety provided by animal buddies, barrels and mine karts keeps things interesting. That gameplay formula is unique to the DKC series, and it only got better (to the point of perfection in my opinion) in DKC2.

That part of me that isn’t drowning in synical disappointment after Jungle Beat is still hoping for a proper sequel.