This isn't a port of the SNES hit, it's an amazing portable sequel that's almost as good as its cousin
One similarity to DKC that DKL has is its story. Like DKC, it all starts when the big ape leaves his nephew to guard his banana hoard while he's off on an errand. Out of nowhere, Kremlings jump up on Diddy, stuff him in a barrel, and steal all of the bananas from the horde. When DK comes back, he finds an empty cave, a trail of bananas, and Diddy trapped in a barrel labeled DK. After some chatting, the two set off on an adventure to get the bananas back. While the story covers familiar ground, there's a funny twist at the beginning. Cranky Kong rambles on about how DKC sold so well because of its "fancy" graphics, prompting DK and Diddy to continue the adventure 8-bit style. Even with this twist, the story's still corny.
Another similarity to DKC is DKL's gameplay. All of it is the same run-jump formula you learned to love in DKC. The controls are very simple: the A button's used to jump, the B's used to roll and run, and the control pad maneuvers your character. There's also a lot of level variety, too. Some levels are very similar to ones on DKC, but there are plenty of things that make the game stand out on its own. For example, there are a few new environments that are more unique than some levels in DKC. There are also new enemies and bosses, and levels that's almost more fun than those found on DKC.
To beat each level you have to reach the goal in the end. This may sound generic, but this has a twist. First of all, the goal is a portal, and that's pretty cool. Secondly, reaching the end is the only way to save the game, in which you need to find all four KONG letters to gain access to the portal's save area. This is actually quite easy and clever. Finally, each level is different, so you never know what's coming. As is, there are plenty of things to do in each level. You can collect bananas (get 100 for an extra life), find KONG letters, bounce on bunches of enemies, find bonus levels, and ride rhinos and ostriches (Sorry, Winky, Enguarde, and Squawks fans, no sign of them in here). Nothing's really changed in the core gameplay; the controls, platforming, and goodies are much of the same as DKC, and that's a good thing. Why is that a good thing? Well, the platforming is a little imprecise, but there are new hooks that'll keep you happy. The game is also complemented by excellent level design and some fun boss battles.
DKL uses the same pre-rendered graphics as its big brother, except they're in black & white. For a Gameboy game, I thought these graphics were very impressive. The dark visuals messed with the platforming a bit, but the game looks great with nice animation and large environments. As for the sound, the remixes of old DKC tunes are pretty catchy, and the new singles are just as funky. Impressive how Rare could fit in those many sound bites with the system's slightly limited musical palette. The rest of the sound is decent, but the sound effects are dull and tinny.
The game takes about five hours to beat, unless you go for 100%, which should take about another hour or two. There's no multiplayer, but that didn't bother me. I didn't like the two-player in DKC, so I don't mind if there isn't any in here. It's also a lot of fun, and much more forgiving than DKC. As a whole, DKL is almost as good as DKC. Why isn't it is the question. Everything in here could've beaten the 16-bit brother, so why the lower score? I don't know. Maybe it's not as groundbreaking as its cousin, or maybe I prefer colorful graphics over black & white ones. Well, it all comes down to the player. I liked it, so should you. Hopefully, this'll be on the 3DS very soon.
Gameplay: 8.5/10
Graphics: 8.5/10
Story: 7.5/10
Sound/Music: 8/10
Replay Value: 8/10
Fun: 8.5/10
Overall: 8.5/10
+ New gimmicks make the game concept fresh again.
+ Impressive graphics for a Gameboy game.
+ Excellent level design.
+ Cool tunes and decent sound.
+ Much more forgiving than DKC.
- Sound effects are weak.
- Story is still corny.
FINAL WORDS: Believers! Our theories have become true! Pigs can fly!