Donkey Kong Country was an instant classic, and the sequel takes the franchise up a notch.
Donkey Kong Country 2 is probably the hardest game in the trilogy, especially when you reach some of the last worlds in the game which are full of obstacles and lots of kremlings (the bad guys). To add to the difficulty is that most of the save points in the world map aren’t until after you beat 2 or 3 levels into that world, so it can lead into many frustrating moments because you are unable to save your progress because you haven’t been able to beat the next level. Finally when you do reach a save point, it will cost you banana coins each time. It sounds easy, but in the last few worlds the coins become scarce and you will have to go out of your way to collect them. Also, every time you load your game you start out with 0 coins regardless of how many you had when you saved your game. Again, this can to lead into many frustrating moments.
A good addition to the difficulty is the bonus barrels and hidden DK coins. Every single level has 1 to 3 bonus barrels which are partially hidden in the level. Each one of these bonus levels are about 30 second mini games which reward you with a special coin if you are successful in completing it. There are 3 different types of bonus games to play: Find the Token, Destroy Them All, and Collect the Stars. In order to fully beat the game you will have to complete all of the bonus levels in the game. Every single level also has 1 hidden DK coin which is harder to find and serves a similar function as the bonus coins in the game.
Donkey Kong Country 2’s sound is the strongest aspect of the game. It’s not so much of the sound effects of when you are playing like when you bash an enemy with a barrel (which sounds great by the way) it is the music that is so great about this game. Every single beat and melody catches your ear, and the music in all of the levels has their own unique feeling and atmosphere of their own. For example in the world map the music gives you a strong feeling that you are in enemy territory. The swamp levels in the game have a slow-paced tune to it that kind of gives a creepy atmosphere in the level. Probably the most popular levels in the game were the “bramble” levels, mostly known for being extremely difficult to beat and also the music to that level had a catchy tune to your ears which was nicknamed “bramble sympathy.”
The technical graphics of this game were already proven to what they could be in Donkey Kong Country, so the graphics in Donkey Kong Country 2 are about the same as they were in the first game. What makes the graphics stand out the most in this game, as opposed to the other 2, is how artistic everything is. All of the levels and worlds are all uniquely different, and are great to look at while playing. Add in the terrific sound in the game, Donkey Kong Country 2 delivers an amazing experience. The artistic graphics and sound blend in together to give every level, every world their own atmosphere. If somebody had never played any of the Donkey Kong Country games, this game would be the one to recommend. Even though it is a hard game to play, it is still the most fun of the trilogy. It took what was great about the first game and improved upon it, making it a truly classic game.