Difficulty:

Just Right

Time Spent:

20 to 40 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Amazing"

Retro Studios did wonders with the Metroid series, coming out of nowhere to create one of the greatest games of all time in Metroid Prime. They've barely missed a step since then, creating gems that will be remembered by fans for a very long time. With rumors abound about a possible move to The Legend of Zelda franchise, it looks like Retro may very well have received the promotion they deserve. That is, assuming that they accomplished with the Donkey Kong franchise what they did with Metroid. In this case, Retro is not moving a series from 2D to 3D, which has already been superbly achieved with Donkey Kong 64, but attempting to revitalize 2D Donkey Kong Country to its former glory. Considering that all of their previous work was in 3D with the four Metroid Prime games appearing on the GameCube, Wii, and DS, one would wonder how difficult this new challenge would be. Inevitably, however, the conclusion to this experiment was Retro Studios displaying their admirable flexibility by forging an outstanding 2D Donkey Kong in the same fashion that they first illustrated their developmental prowess with 3D Metroid Prime. Give Retro Studios a shot at Zelda, because Donkey Kong Country Returns is an incredible 2D platforming experience that returns the franchise to its peak and maybe even a bit further.

Animals, under hypnotization from a tribe of tikis, have stolen Donkey Kong's scrumptious bananas, and it's time for Donkey and Diddy to traverse Donkey Kong Island and retrieve their stolen treasure. That is the event that kicks off DKCR, and there is no looking back after that point. Returns offers some of the quickest, most entertaining platforming of the series, and it'll be easy to find yourself a dozen hours in before you even know it. The expert level design, loaded with a large variety of platforming elements renowned in the Donkey Kong series like barrel flying, mine cart riding, vine swinging, and stepping on various blocks to open the next area, will always keep you guessing and is rarely anything less than exhilararting. As I've said, Diddy joins Donkey in this adventure and holds a critical, if slightly underwhelming role. When he's on Donkey's back during single-player, his booster pack allows Donkey jumping distance and floating time in the air. But Returns also features a slightly disappointing two-player campaign (that would be better with online capabilities, and, also, is the same as the single-player with no additional levels) that allows a friend to control Diddy in the same fashion as Donkey and work with player one to reach the end of each level.

There are eight main worlds in DKCR, each with seven to ten levels, including a level that can be unlocked using a key purchased from Cranky Kong's shop. There's also an additional, much more difficult level in each world that can only be unlocked by collecting all the K-O-N-G letters in each of the previous levels of the world. A ninth world can also be unlocked with every other level (including bonuses) completed. This guarantees gamers a massive quantity of challenges and hours of gameplay. And I don't throw around the word "challenges" without cause. Returns is a fairly difficult game. Not quite frustrating, but you'll certainly feel as if you accomplished something. The only thing that brings it down a peg is that after you lose eight lives at one checkpoint, then the game gives you the option to skip the level and see how to accomplish it. Also, the final boss is exciting and will definitely cost you a share of lives, but defeating him is completely timing based with a handful of moves that are easy to figure out once you've seen them enough, so you might find him to be an underwhelming final battle. But, for the most part, bosses in DKCR are an excellent change of pace, a good challenge, and highly satisfying. The motion controls sometimes have issues, but are well-implemented throughout, especially pushing down to pound the ground, and the quick pull to bulldoze enemies out of the way.

While few people will be blown away by the graphics from a technical standpoint, Returns is far from an ugly game. Fortunately, 2D Platformers aren't exactly expected to give us visuals on par with Crysis, so many of the more unimpressive aspects of this game's graphics can mostly be brushed aside, like the almost inexistent textures in many areas, constant jagged edges on many environmental objects like trees and rocks, and muddy backgrounds. But there are still good effects to be found: the water looks very nice, the models for Donkey, Diddy, and enemies stick out as very smooth, and the smoke effects are very well-done (in contrast to dull lighting). But slight technical disappointment aside, the artistic element of the visuals are incredible. The constantly changing environments, from a beautiful beach, to a forest, an industrial complex, a volcano, and more, DKCR is the newest in a long line of Nintendo games to illustrate varying scenes at gorgeous locals. As you fly through levels, it'll be hard not to stare admirably at the beautifully sculpted atmosphere of yet another Nintendo game. But most stunning of all took place in the industrial complex, with almost an entire level playing out in shades of red and black. It was breathtaking: one of those moments you look back on when speaking of the greatest games of all time and say, "That was the key level that made Donkey Kong Country Returns unforgettable."

As would absolutely be expected of Nintendo and Retro, the music is very good, though at the same time, it could've been a lot better. There are quite a few catchy tunes (like the main tune when the tikis hypnotize the animals), and most of them fit the environments very well. But unfortunately, somebody didn't give Retro the memo about Super Mario Galaxy and Skyward Sword, because Returns has no orchestrated music whatsoever. It's not a deal-breaker by any means, but orchestrated music would've made the game that much more enjoyable. The environmental sound effects also work to ameliorate the lack of an orchestrated soundtrack, the same grunts of Donkey and Diddy as they fight mixed in with the waves rolling to the beach in the beach world, lava gurgling in the mountain world, rocks falling in the cave world, and so on. The game sounds beautiful, matches the atmosphere well enough, and with many of the superb, time-tested tunes made famous by the Donkey Kong brand, it will definitely make the many hours you put into it better.

There is little else to be said about this game. Donkey Kong Country Returns is one of the greatest 2D platformers in years, maybe the best full-retail game in the genre this generation. It's packed with highly entertaining platforming, some that forces you to think, and some that tests your reflexes to their absolute limit. There are many hours to be thrown into this game, and once you're done with completing the levels, why not go back and find all the puzzles pieces in each level to earn every collectible? There's so much fun to be had that anyone who cares for the genre at all is missing out dearly if this one isn't in their library. So please do yourself a favor and run down to GameStop to pick it up. The huge variety of atmospheric levels, the interesting boss fights, and the considerably high difficulty… I believe I have made my case. Donkey Kong Country returns with a bang, delivering some of the finest platforming in years.