Time to kick a$$ and play drums
Apart from the level design, the controls are also an important part of what makes the game so good. They are really smooth and with techniques like picking up your partner and throw them at enemies or throw them up to reach a high place, it really adds to the experience. You use B to jump, A to pick up your friend or use an animals special technique and Y to pick up and throw stuff, to do a roll attack and to hold down in order to run fast and jump far. It is also used to make Dixie spin like a helicopter, making her able to jump really far. You know, I really favour Dixie out of the two. Not only for her special technique, but for the brilliant el-gitar solo she plays when you complete a level with her. I always have to play air guitar when that happens. The only downside to the controls is that the GC controller doesn't seem to be built for games where Y and B are the most commonly used buttons. Still, it is easy to get used to.
The graphics actually attempts to look realistic, and while at first it might just look weird, that too is something you easily get use to. The music is brilliant, from the solos our Kong friends plays to the background music and sound effects. The sound quality is pretty good, and considering the age of the game amazing even, and the tracks are easily hummable and memorable.
Apart from the regular quest, there are also collectables. There are small bonus levels in the stages - sometimes more than one in each. The bonus levels are divided on "find the token", "beat them all" and "collect the stars", and they are a lot of fun. In addition to the collectable tokens there are also collectables with the letters DK. There is one in each level, and finding them, and actually reaching them is quite challenging.
The game itself is also pretty challenging, and it could easily have been frustratingly hard. Luckily there are save-points called "Kong Kollege". You might have to beat two or three levels in an area to reach them, but at least once you have you can save there again as long as you collect two coins to pay for it. So you can save after each level you finish in the rest of the world, provided you get the coins, which is not really hard - particularly when you consider that you don't lose a coin you collected even if you die right afterwards - you do however lose them all when you get game over.
There aren't many downsides to DKC2:DKQ, but to me a few of the water levels are as lame as water levels tend to be in all 2D platformers. Most of the water levels are fine, but a few of them I don't like. In addition, there are some small annoyances I have in specific levels, like in one level you see bananas, but the spikes below the bananas are not visible on screen until you jump down to take them, which is kindof a lame thing to put in.
Bottom line is still that Diddy Kong's Quest is a great game with about forty fun and challenging levels, and the only effect time has had on this game, is lowering the price.