It's fun while it lasts.
User Rating: 7.5 | Donkey Kong Jungle Beat GC
Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat is the 3-D successor to Donkey Kong 64 for the N64. Unlike previous DK titles, which were developed by Rare, Jungle Beat is the first console DK title to be developed by Nintendo's in-house studio. The game makes use of the DK Bongos. You use them to move, jump, and even attack (clap). The best use of the bongos comes out of combos: as long as you don't hit the ground or get hurt, you can keep on collecting bananas and get bonus points (called beats in this game). The game consists of 16 main kingdoms, one beginning level, and two final boss levels. The kingdoms each have two levels followed by a boss level. As big as this sounds, getting through a single kingdom will only take about 10 minutes. There is some replayability in going back to previous levels to get more metals, but once you get to the gold or platinum metals, there is little reason to go back. Also, the boss battles seem to repeat, albeit with certain twists added on. You will always fight either a warthog, a large bird, a mechanical elephant, or another kong. Finally, there is only one save file for this game, so unless you have a separate memory card, you will have to share a file with others. If you're looking for an exciting game and don't mind the short length, then DK: Jungle Beat should hold you over until the next 3-D DK game is released on the Wii.
