Best Donkey Kong Country title?

[Xeogred]

I just remember the huge marketing blitz for the very first game in the series, the video that all the NP subscribers got with the MTV Sports-style presentation (and the KI spoiler at the very end) that claimed it was NOT. ON. SEGA! Xmas 1994 was very good for me -- got a Tshirt as it was a preorder too!

Same here. And those graphics were mindblowing at the time, completely rocked my world. Definitely a memorable Christmas.

[Incognito D]

Asking for the best DKC title is like asking for the best way to get punched in the nuts.


Full disclosure: here is my "review".

find hidden rooms with mini-games that give you bananas or balloons for extra lives

These hidden rooms actually have a further purpose - your overall completion percentage. A bit shit though I know, but the sequels improved on this immensely by making it so that the bonus rooms were located in more logical (but not necessarily obvious - so the challenge remained) locations.

One thing that does have me stumped are the items hovering over pits. A few times now I have seen letters or animal icons at the bottom of the screen, right over a pit, with no obvious way to get the item without falling into the pit. I thought maybe it would be like Yoshi's Island, and I could throw a barrel to hit the item, but this does nothing. I try jumping down in the pit anyway, only to die after grabbing the item.

bitches don't know 'bout mah roll-jump.
but yeah, you need to be a pro to pull this off. I can though, just saying..

(basically, you roll into the hole and then jump in mid-air. It makes no sense in terms of physics, but when do video games ever need to!? )

[Ziggy]

There seems to be no object to the game other than get through the levels as fast and safely as possible.

I don't get it. If that's a reason not to like a game, then you must not like many games of that era. Including Mario. You basically just described every 8 and 16-bit Mario game right there, as well as many other platformers of the time.

It also seems odd that Rare implemented the "Funky Flights" system of moving between sections.

Funky Flights is awesome. You said you think it's an excessive feature. If you beat a boss and journey into the next area with out saving, you're forced to play through the next few levels until you reach a save point or a Funky Flights. It adds a little more challenge into the game, unlike say, SMW. This was further improved upon in the next game, where you needed to make sure you had money to save the game (though some times you'd get a free save).

DKC2 also improved upon your complaint of "just running through levels." Bonus stages now have more importance (other than just a save file percentage). Completed a bonus level gives you a coin, all of which you need to unlock all the levels in the Lost World. After beating said levels, you can fight the final boss, for a second time, and get the second ending. There's also other hidden stuff, like the DK coins you can find in each level. Giving it excellent replay value. Neither which gives you extra lives.

I skipped through that thread you linked. It seemed like toward the end you were just looking for the smallest most insignificant things to complain about the game. If you don't think it's fun, that's cool. But saying the series sucks because of "inappropriate sound effects" and small bits like that sounds more like a troll post than anything else. It also seems like most of your complaints are about the first game, where those complaints can't even be made in the sequels. And you didn't say you played DKC3 or Returns, so how can you comment on the entire series?

[darthmunky]

I can't really decide. It's between DCK1 and DCK2 for sure. They're both fantastic games in their own rights and my favourite platformers of all time. The differences between them is what makes each one great. I might have to pick the first one though because of the higher nostalgia value it has for me. Plus I never beat DCK2.

[GameMasterGuy]

Hard to decide between DKC2 and DKC3... both are absolutely spectacular, and while DKC3 doesn't deserve half the hate it gets, I went with DKC2 due to the better soundtrack.

[ZeroAX]

Ok, I understand liking DKC2 more than DKC3 but why the fuck does DKCR have more votes than 3? Please don't tell me that waggle to roll is better than button to roll....


also... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEhGs40V ... ure=relmfu

[Gamerforlife]

I don't think anyone has mentioned it, but you can roll without using the waggle as I recall. It's a different control option. Not that I'm jumping to the game's defense as I really didn't love DKCR.

[Ziggy]

I don't think anyone has mentioned it, but you can roll without using the waggle as I recall. It's a different control option. Not that I'm jumping to the game's defense as I really didn't love DKCR.

Huh, I never knew that.

[alienjesus]

I think the physics are the bigger problem than the waggle roll tbh. In DKC 1-3, when you rolled, and hit an enemy, you would speed up and your roll would extend slightly, and would do so for every enemy you hit after, meaning you could roll through a line of enemys and blast across the screen. When you jumped on an enemy, you would always bounce off at a set height. When you rolled, you would move forward, but if you didnt hold the direction, you would barely move at all - you could control the distance of the attack somewhat.

In DKCR, the roll moves at a set speed and a set distance. bouncing off enemies heads at the right height requires timing a button press as you land on them. The roll doesnt extend when you use it on an enemy, so you have to judge it so it finishes up somewhere safe. These aren't inherently bad mechanics (although im sure some disagree) but they arent Donkey Kong Country mechanics - it'slike Sonic 4's dodgy physics not feeling right compared to the originals.

From all I've heard and the very little I've played, Donkey Kong Country Returns is a good game, a good Donkey Kong game, but not a good Donkey Kong Country game.

[ZeroAX]

I think the physics are the bigger problem than the waggle roll tbh. In DKC 1-3, when you rolled, and hit an enemy, you would speed up and your roll would extend slightly, and would do so for every enemy you hit after, meaning you could roll through a line of enemys and blast across the screen. When you jumped on an enemy, you would always bounce off at a set height. When you rolled, you would move forward, but if you didnt hold the direction, you would barely move at all - you could control the distance of the attack somewhat.

In DKCR, the roll moves at a set speed and a set distance. bouncing off enemies heads at the right height requires timing a button press as you land on them. The roll doesnt extend when you use it on an enemy, so you have to judge it so it finishes up somewhere safe. These aren't inherently bad mechanics (although im sure some disagree) but they arent Donkey Kong Country mechanics - it'slike Sonic 4's dodgy physics not feeling right compared to the originals.

From all I've heard and the very little I've played, Donkey Kong Country Returns is a good game, a good Donkey Kong game, but not a good Donkey Kong Country game.

Good post .

Gamerforlife are you sure? I have the game, and I looked it up everywhere. You can't change the roll to a button press. And of course no classic controller (WTF)