Great Sequel
Picking up right where Donkey Kong Country left off, DKC2 thrusts Diddy Kong and his new female companion Dixie into the spotlight as they embark on a journey through six pirate-themed worlds to rescue the kidnapped DK from the clutches of Kaptain K. Rool. Like the first game, you are presented with an overworld that lets you travel from one area to another, and each area is filled with several levels and a boss battle you must complete before moving on.
While the entire game sticks to a pirate theme which hangs over each area with a dark, brooding mood and atmosphere, there is still a remarkable amount of variety. This atmosphere is only further enhanced by the games lush, cutting-edge (at least at the time) visuals and mood-fitting soundtrack. The selection of music and sound effects also includes a few hold overs from the first DKC, and they combine with brand-new pirate-esque tunes that truly does the game justice.
Donkey Kong Country 2 also really shines in the gameplay department, as with its predecessor. Both Diddy and Dixie have specific moves and attributes which help them overcome the various platforming pitfalls and puzzles that the game offers up. While any level can be completed with both Kongs or just one, these levels have been smartly designed to encourage the player to use the right Kong for the given situation, as there may be times when Dixie's hairspin, for example, will make it easier for the player to advance than anything Diddy Kong can do. As such, players can switch between both Kongs at anytime, and DKC2 also offers up a new option to allow the Kongs to work together with special team-up moves to get through levels and reach special bonus stages and coins.
DKC2 also differs from the first game in the series with respect to difficulty and replay value. The challenge in this sequel is kicked up several notches and even players who breezed through Donkey Kong Country will find themselves quite challenged even early on. This difficulty level is not overly extreme, but certain players may find it frustrating. Nevertheless, it can be a very rewarding task to complete this game from beginning to end.
Even with completion of Diddy's Kong Quest, however, the game is far from over. There are many bonus stages and quite a few hidden items the player can choose to pursue, and doing so helps unlock a final secret world that hosts the game's ultimate challenge. Donkey Kong Country 2 also allows two players to hook up and play through the main quest in a co-op mode that is quite enjoyable on its own merits.
Closing Comments
For $8 and the convenience of playing Donkey Kong Country 2 on the Virtual Console, there is really little reason not to download this SNES classic.. DKC2 is certainly one of the best games to have ever appeared on the system, and is certainly a step above the original Donkey Kong Country in every respect. Perhaps the only disappointment to be found is the lack of an option to play as Donkey Kong himself, but not even that should dissuade gamers from investing this gem. You won't regret it.