Game:

Donkey Kong Country (1994)

Category:

Let's Play

Duration: 17:10

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2

It's time for another Let's Play! I've now finished school, so maybe I'll be able to keep a better schedule this time (or not...the house might not be quiet enough most of the time, not to mention this round of videos is already a few days late). This time, I'm playing Donkey Kong Country, a game that could well be considered legendary. It was released in 1994 for the SNES, obviously, and it spawned two sequels, three Game Boy remakes, Game Boy Advance versions of the original trilogy, and the Wii game, Donkey Kong Country Returns, which I consider to be my favorite game of all time. The original Donkey Kong Country is actually my *least* favorite in the series (not counting the Game Boy games because I haven't played them enough), but that's not saying much. It was a game with absolutely spectacular graphics and music and a variety of fun, reasonably challenging levels. (Though I have to say, this game felt a heck of a lot harder as a kid...it's pretty easy for me now.) If you've been watching my other LPs, you may have already seen my playthroughs of Donkey Kong Country 2 and 3; I did them in reverse order, but whatever.

We start off in Kongo Jungle, Donkey Kong's home and the location of his banana hoard, which has apparently been stolen by the Kremlings. (You know, they never do explain just what those reptilian creatures were planning to do with all those bananas...at least Donkey Kong Country Returns had some explanation for them, however implausible.) So, naturally, we have to go get them back. Well, it's a 2D platformer...nobody was expecting a plot to contend with a Final Fantasy game or anything. The first level is Jungle Hijinxs (pretty sure that's not how that word is spelled), or 1-1 if you prefer, which is a jungle level that contains DK's house and the cave where he keeps his bananas and introduces various things, such as many common enemies, barrels, a few different types of bonuses, and Rambi, the first animal buddy of the game. If you're new to these games, animal buddies are animals that you can find in boxes and release by breaking open the box; you can ride on them once they're free. (And if you played DKC2 or 3 first, I should mention that two aspects of the animal buddies that were in those are notably absent from this game: No Animal signs and transformation barrels. In DKC1, you never transform into the animals, but you can ride them for as long as you can keep them or until the end of the level, whichever comes first.) Extra lives can be obtained by finding balloons, collecting 100 bananas, collecting all four letter icons (K, O, N, G) in a level, or getting at least 100 mini animal tokens in the special bonuses that you get when you collect three golden animal tokens of the same animal. (I guess that would sort of count as transforming into the animal...maybe?) Jungle Hijinxs, in any case, is a short, easy level, a good introduction to the game.

Then we have the second level, Ropey Rampage or 1-2. Still in the jungle, but during a thunderstorm, this one kicks things up a notch or two, with new, tougher enemies, a LOT more bottomless pits, and ropes that you can swing on. (They start out in fairly safe locations and then get more and more dangerous as you progress through the level....) The Zinger and Army enemies make their first appearances here, as do more types of animal tokens and bonuses. The rain clears up at the very end of the level...and in case you were wondering, I *have* actually died on that last enemy right before the exit. Not this time, though. The music is the same, Jungle Groove. The third level, Reptile Rumble, which would be 1-3, is set in a cave and contains more new enemies, bouncy tires, and very ambient music. Other than that, though, there isn't too much to say about it. After that, we visit Cranky's Cabin, where Cranky, Donkey Kong's old, crochety grandfather, resides. He has appeared in every Donkey Kong Country game so far (though I guess only in the manuals for the Game Boy ones?), and I can't say I'm necessarily pleased with that. He loves to complain about how much better games were in his day, just like any annoying old person would do. He does give you a few hints about the game, though, two per visit (and you can skip directly to them by pressing A). Oddly enough, all the level-specific hints are for Kongo Jungle only, despite there apparently being text in the game for the other worlds.

In any case, the next project is officially underway, so let us rejoice and enjoy ourselves!...or something.

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