Extremely challenging but a joy to play
User Rating: 10 | Donkey Kong Country Returns WII
Donkey Kong Country Returns is a new platformer in the Country series and is split up into multiple levels spanning the multiple worlds; Jungle, Beach, Ruins, Cave, Forest, Cliff, Factory, and Volcano. The levels are crammed full of danger, with moving platforms, crumbling platforms, swinging vines, rising lava, and plenty of enemies. Despite looking like a child friendly game, it is fiendishly tough, and even though its frustrating at times, it is very addictive and you come back for more. With a bit of practice and patience, levels can be completed and will provide a huge sense of achievement. Throughout the levels, there is plenty to collect and many secret areas to look out for. Bananas are the basic item and 100 of them gives an extra life. Coins are mainly in hidden locations and allow you to purchase items such as extra life balloons from Cranky Kong. Jigsaw pieces and the letters K-O-N-G are usually placed in hidden or slightly out of reach areas. To collect these, you will have to carefully look out for them and potentially risk your life to attain them. In addition to the platform levels, there Mine Cart and Jet Barrel levels. In the mine cart levels; you ride along a set track, jumping over broken tracks and dodging enemies until you reach the end. In the Jet Barrel levels you have control moving upwards and have to let gravity bring you down. Trouble is, there are plenty of hazards to dodge and often requires trial and error to find the correct path through the dangers. The levels are very busy and wonderfully designed and the game has some of the best graphics on the Wii. An amazing feature is how the levels change dynamically as you play. Objects from the background fall into the foreground, platforms crumble, barrels fire you into the background which creates a marvellous experience. You play as Donkey Kong throughout, although Diddy Kong will hang on once collected from the DK barrel found at certain parts of the levels. Diddy adds extra health and a bit more control. If Diddy is in play, you can use his jet pack to hover in the air adding extra distance to your jumps, or allowing you to stall mid-air and avoid danger. When rolling to attack, having Diddy adds extra length to the rolling process. Both DK and Diddy have 2 health icons and so being hit twice will lose Diddy, and a life will be lost once DK is defeated. Falling off the screen is instant death though, and you will be returned to the start of the level, or to the last checkpoint if applicable. The game can be controlled with the remote on its own or by the nunchuk and remote. Most people favour the latter but I felt both control schemes worked well. By shaking the remote, you will perform a ground pound, will roll if holding a horizontal direction, or blow if holding down. These moves are sometimes necessary to interact with the environment, and there are plenty of objects to interact with to collect extra bananas, coins and to find the jigsaw pieces. If you have enough patience and want a challenge, Donkey Kong Country is a must own because it probably is the best game on the Wii. The graphics are superb, it is challenging, fun, and has a high replay value because there is a lot to collect, and time trial challenges to complete.
