Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy Kong's Quest Review

Summary:

Back in the day when you didn't have any of this fancy-pants "3D" business!

Pros:

+ Overall has great level design; diverse and polished

+ New concepts introduced all of the time and never get overused

+ Awesome SNES soundtrack

Cons:

- Bosses are a bit too easy

- Some graphical aspects have lost their edge over the years

Review:

[Originally written for Zentendo in August of 2008.]

The SNES was a console where platformers were a dime a dozen, and only a select handful managed to eke out a meaningful existence at the top. The likes of Super Mario World, Super Metroid, Megaman X, and Yoshi's Island are all regarded as some of the best action/platformers on the system (if not some of the best ever), but the Donkey Kong Country series has been looked back on with mixed reception. Some enjoyed it while others found it to be a bit on the mediocre side, solidifying Rare's role as a creator of "cartoony mascot collect-a-thon" games which was followed up on the N64. Three entries were released in the Donkey Kong Country series, which was the big ape's re-boot into gaming (very much like the recent Ninja Gaiden and Prince of Persia rebirths), and ironically, many seem to agree that the second entry in the series was its best, where the gorilla of honor only makes a brief appearance at the end as a captive.

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (a pun on "conquest," no doubt) stars DK's now famous sidekick Diddy Kong and his girlfriend Dixie, who set off to become "True Video Game Heroes" and rescue the burly monkey who thwarted King K. Rool's plans in the last game. Oh, but he's Kaptain K. Rool now. Apparently, having a pirate ship showdown at the end of the first game inspired the obese crocodile to own the pirate lifestyle. Diddy and Dixie start their journey on the humongous ship and make their way across the island home of the Kremlings, encountering a wide variety of environments along the way.

All that really matters is that Diddy's the leading man now, and Cranky Kong makes a clear point to remind him of this at every passing. For a platformer, DKC2 features some underlying humor in the form of the self-referential Cranky Kong, who makes all sorts of snide remarks as he did in the last game (there's even a jab at "archrival" mascots Sonic and Earthworm Jim at one point) and even the art style lends itself to a comical tone amidst the darker pirate theme this time around. In the end, though, what really matters is the gameplay, and in every sense, Diddy's Kong Quest overcomes its predecessor.

A linear 2D platformer, Diddy's Kong Quest takes players on a whirlwind tour through a wide array of locales, from a pirate ship to a swamp, a volcano, an amusement park, a castle, and more. This variety is quite welcome for the genre, as one never knows what to expect next and it's simply refreshing to have a change of scenery. Some of the more memorable environments are a giant beehive (which manages to feel as intimidating as it should) and a bizarre area in the sky full of brambly vines. The controls are tight and mostly precise -- sometimes throwing objects can feel a little off due to the delay -- with running, jumping, rolling, climbing, and swimming all fluid and fast. DIddy Kong tends to be quicker on his feet, but Dixie can glide in the air using her hair. Players can also ride piggy back in order to throw the apes at enemies or toss them onto higher ledges.

What really sets Donkey Kong Country 2 apart from its predecessor (and what separates the men from the boys as far as platformers are concerned) is that it features such a diverse array of challenges and mechanics as the game progresses. Especially towards the end, every level offers something different: some are more subtle, some extremely diverse, but all that require a different style of play in order to get through. There are many ideas that are used exclusively for one level -- long enough to make things interesting but short enough to not wear out their welcome. Sometimes they are based on environmental factors, other times they involve riding on or becoming animal partners who control very differently and have different abilities than the chimp protagonists, and other times, it is simply done by excellent level design that really tests ones timing, reflexes, and precision. In any case, so many levels in this game ramp up their difficulty as the level goes on, taking any new element that gets thrown in and really forcing the player to quickly adapt to it and master how to work through it. In a rare case of a game that seems to get more fresh the further one progresses through it, Donkey Kong Country 2 is worth playing simply because the last half/third of the game features such well-executed game design.

Diddy's Kong Quest to become a "True Video Game Hero" includes a fair amount of replayability, as each level contains a special medallion that represents one's skill as a "Video Game Hero" in Cranky's eyes, as well as giant gold coins which are won through finding and beating special bonus rooms (which are a lot more satisfying this time around). To top this off, the reward for finding these coins is that they unlock extra challenging levels in a "Lost World." Speaking of challenge, Diddy's Kong Quest definitely packs a punch. Some levels toward the end are downright mean but are never unfair -- true challenge that will really test the nimbleness of one's thumbs in comparison to many other platformers out there.

While the original Donkey Kong Country had "groundbreaking" graphics for its day, DKC2 continues the same general art style but keeps things lively with some more detailed animation. More importantly, however, is the aforementioned mass of locations. There's simply much more variety going on here than in the previous title, including some occasional 3D effects through the use of 2D, especially with water in the background. For a SNES title, it looks pretty solid all around. That said, sometimes the backgrounds can feel a bit "plasticy" or lacking of life, but as a whole there's a lot to see and it looks pretty good. A cast of thirty or so different enemies keeps things lively, including some adequate boss battles that at least manage to feel different each time (another flaw of the original DKC).

From a sound standpoint, Diddy's Kong Quest features some comical sound effects, from canon blasts to waves crashing to "arghs!" upon enemy deaths. More memorable, however, is its soundtrack. DKC2 features a delightfully moody and well-orchestrated soundtrack. Almost every track in the game is a treat, including the melodious mineshaft music and most especially the now-famous "Bramble Blast" (also known as "Stickerbrush Symphony"). Definitely a worthwhile soundtrack to accompany the deep platforming design.

Bottom Line:

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest is, in my opinion, the only one of the Donkey Kong Country trilogy that is still worth seeking out beyond nostalgia's sake -- it's just a plain good game. Its darker atmosphere, distinct variety of locations, and incredibly diverse and polished level designs culminate in a very good platforming experience that corrects the flaws inherent in the original Donkey Kong Country game without needlessly weighing itself down like the third one. While a few brief parts of the game are a bit of the letdown (the final showdown and ending is a tad anticlimactic, even if you collect everything), there are plenty of secrets to find, and the amount of different gameplay mechanics that were squished into this game's stage design is commendable considering the overall level of polish and execution throughout. Diddy's Kong Quest is a quality title that any platforming fan should check out if they haven't or re-experience if they have.