Surprise, surprise! It is I, Ninja-Z, bringing you yet another game Review (gotta hand it to the rhymes, people). Last time I reviewed the magnificent Tales of Symphonia, which I am close to defeating now, and might post a full Review later, and before that I reviewed the GBA masterpiece Fire Emblem.

Taking a break from RPGs, I am moving on to the monkey that sorta started it all. That’s right, it’s Donkey Kong…

… or is it…

I am reviewing today Donkey Kong Country 2 for the SNES, with Donkey Kong’s little buddy Diddy and his girlfriend with the pony tails, Dixie.

As you might expect from a game like this, this is rated E. I will be reviewing this game on a scale of 0-4, with 4 being the best and 0 being the worst, because that’s how many lives you start with (actually, you start with 5, but I’m excluding the number 0 as a life).

Without further ado, here’s the Review (managed to squeeze in another rhyme before the Review).
 

Story: 2 1/2

Of course, this is back when gameplay was more of the focus than storyline, but this is an ok storyline. Better than most of that time (Bowser kidnaps Peach, Bowser kidnaps Peach, AUGH).

The whole storyline is this: King K. Rool has become Kaptain K. Rool through some unknown method and gets his revenge on Donkey Kong by kidnapping him, Diddy, and Dixie.

Diddy starts off in the back of Kaptain K. Rool’s ship (at least I think it’s Kaptain K. Rool’s ship) and gets Dixie soon enough. The two then set off to reach the top of Crocodile Isle (Kaptain K. Rool’s base) and free Donkey Kong.

While it isn’t something you’ll get out of a Final Fantasy game, it’s still an A-OK story. Remember, Shigeru focuses more on gameplay than storyline.
 

Graphics: 4

All I can say is, wow. We’ve seen Super Mario RPG as a 3D Super Nintendo game, and now we got this. Actually, you can’t call this 3D. This is more of a ‘clay’ graphic feel. All the characters look like they were molded out of clay, but made by a master artist.

The details are clear, Dixie’s ponytails move in the wind. If you stand in one place for a while, the characters will entertain themselves by doing stuff like taking out balls and juggling, taking out a bottle of juice and drinking, and other stuff.

All in all, these are some of the best graphics of their time and maybe the best on the SNES.
 

Characters: 3 ½

Well, there are only two heroes, and those are Dixie and Diddy. However, the other Kongs show up to help out, including the funk-ay… Funky, the gameshow host Swanky, the game-criticizing Cranky, and the educational Wrinkly. These Kongs have their own personalities and are really entertaining.

Klubba really is as pirate-like as a pirate can get. I really enjoyed his personality. The villains, though most are emotionless, are good and Kaptain K. Rool is a good boss.

Though some characters lack personality, this is another strong point of the game.
 

Theme: 4

Donkey Kong’s world gets a new pirate theme in this game. Though not of “Pirates of the Caribbean” caliber, hands down, this is one of the best pirate themes in a game.

The game starts out on a pirate ship. You can enter the cabin and see the background filled with pirate objects. Continue and you will battle enemies upon the masts of ships, ship decks, swamps, and more. Even the amusement park you enter has a pirate theme.

The enemies all have their pirate themes in them. You’ll battle peg-legged Kremlings, midget Kremlings with huge swords, Kremlings with cannons, and others. They’re not all Kremlings, and the others are animals, like the Zinger bee, porcupines, and underwater creatures, which still seem to fit in the pirate atmosphere.

Even the credits have a pirate-theme (Ye scurvy Kong-Krew) and many people will feel as if this pirate theme is the best.

After jumping from hook to hook, climbing masts, and all that, you will definitely feel this is the best pirate theme out there.
 

Sound: 3 1/2

Don’t think I’m abusing the 4 and 3 1/2 rating here; this is some pretty good sound. The Zinger makes the bzzzzz sound all bees are known for. Every time you jump on an enemy, they will let out a grunt as they fall. Diddy and Dixie make monkey noises. The only downfall here is that all the animals you can use with Diddy and Dixie make the same noise when they’re hit with just a different pitched tone.

Really, you can hear bubbles from lava, you can hear the sea, you can hear the peg-legs of the Kremlings hitting the deck, and much more. This is truly amazing besides the repetitive animal buddy noise when hit.
 

Music: 4

Lo and behold! A perfect score for the music. Congrats to the person who did the music. If you thought the pirate theme couldn’t get any better…

It just got better.

The music here fits the theme well. When you turn on the game, don’t touch any button. Watch the logos as the fanfare plays, and then you’re at the title screen…

The title screen music is of Pirates of the Caribbean caliber. You feel as if you’re a pirate yourself. The music that plays when you have to pay Klubba 15 Kremling Coins is also of that caliber. Step aside, Mario, and give us ya money, cuz we be pirates! Arrrr…

When you’re in the mines, you hear something that resembles the sound of crystals being hacked at, and the mining process being underway. Then, this music starts that makes you feel that the mines are coming to YOU!

The forest has some of the best music in the game. The soothing music is a nice break from the jamming, fast-paced, electronic, and WAY LOUD music of F-Zero GX at full volume. Trust me, this fits the forest well.

Don’t think all the music is slow and steady. The music at the amusement park roller coaster ride, the ghostly chase, the race against Screech, and the run from King Zing is the kind that urges you to go faster, as if danger is right behind you. This effect really works.

All in all, the music, in my opinion, is the strong point of this game.
 

Scare Factor: 2.75

Now I’m going to be adding a scare factor to every Review from now on. If there isn’t much fright, you won’t have much delight :)

Okay, many of you might be asking, why did I give it 2.75 for Scare? There’s no scare in a Donkey Kong game, right? Alright, here’s a challenge. Try playing Haunted Hall (World 5, Lvl 2) or Grave Grove (World 5, Lvl 1) at midnight, and you’ll see what I mean.

Lvl 1, Grave Grove, is a forest level, and the forest music will show you what I mean. Added with the fact that there are blurs in the background, giving the thought there are ghosts watching you, and that the ghastly ropes that disappear and reappear make this creepy noise, you will be thinking somebody is watching you in real life.

Lvl 2, Haunted Hall, is even scarier. Grave Grove was scary because it was slow and made you shiver because someone may be watching you. Haunted Hall is scary because it makes you feel like somebody is following you, trying to grab at you. I actually looked out my patio window (it’s right next to my couch where I play games) to see if some specter was going to come right in. Lvl 2 is where you are on a rollercoaster-like ride from World 4, but this time, you’re in a haunted library.

When you go through the double-door entrances on the rollercoaster, a timer will appear at the top, and a see-through, spooky pirate ghost will be chasing you. You have to go through these barrels with + signs to increase the timer so it won’t reach 0 and avoid the barrels with – signs to avoid decreasing the timer and increasing the chance of the ghost striking. You have to fend off the ghost until you go through another door, leaving you safe… until you reach the next door.

Another point which will leave you begging for daylight at midnight is Rambi Rampage, the second-to-last level in World 4. When you get the ability to transform into Rambi the Rhino, you’ll be cruisin’ through the hive, horning bees silly, going down holes, when suddenly-

OH MY DAD!!!

The biggest Zinger in the game is right in your face, chasing you down, as if you are honey with feet in its eyes. It is totally unexpected, making your heart skip a beat. I actually almost dropped the controller here, but instead, my finger pushed down against the control pad with extreme force, trying to get Rambi outta there. Thank goodness my finger didn’t move from the run button.

Trust me, this left me turning in bed that night, and I couldn’t go to sleep for a while. After going through the slow, creepy speed of Grave Grove, and the fast-paced fright-fest of Haunted Hall, you’ll agree with me.

Though those are the only three frightful places, I really thought this was an excellent way to grip your attention.
 

Hankie Factor: Zippo, zilch, nada, nothing.

Lo and behold, another newly-added section. Sometimes you have some strange feeling in your stomach when playing a game, and, if done right, that can evolve into full-fledged tears.

Was there any crying moments in this game? Nope! Not at all. You won’t find even the strange stomach-feel. You won’t cry at all. Unless you cry when you are scared (Grave Grove and Haunted Hall), you won’t shed a single cry. Don’t cry about losing, Dixie, it could be much worse. They could replace you with a look-alike girl named Tiny! Oh wait… they already did that…
 

Bosses: 3

Well, the bosses are mostly pirate themed, which I like. In World 1, when you get to the Crow’s nest, who do ya fight? Krow, a pirate crow with a K instead of a C. Also, the Klubba look-alike in World 3 who you fight on a giant bridge is pirate themed. Same for Kreepy Krow of World 5. There’s also the non-pirate themed King Zing of World 4. He’s the giant Zinger that chased you in Rambi Rampage and scared the bajeebas outta ya!

My two most favorite bosses are the living fire sword from World 2 and Kaptain K. Rool himself! I liked the living fire sword because of his death. I personally enjoyed the great special affects used to portray the blade breaking into many pieces as the skull handle is spewing flames and spinning out of control before it lands in the lava.

Kaptain K. Rool is the most humorous boss. You just gotta enjoy tossing the cannonballs into his rifle, and watching it blow up in his face as ash covers him from head to toe until all you can see is his eyes, blinking like an idiot. Another reason the bosses are so entertaining is the fact that as soon as you enter a boss battle, you’ll see Diddy and Dixie’s eyes bulging out like idiots. It’s so funny!

I took a point off for some personality vagueness. Other than that, good job Rare!
 

Difficulty: 3.75

Wow, and you’d think that this game would be ALL perfect. Nope. Look here, and see that this game can be so DARN HURT!!!

When I played through this game, I saved, and at that time, I had 46, you count them, 46 lives, and 60, you count them, 60 Kong coins. Sounds like a lotta hard work to get all that, right? Right? Yep, it was a lotta hard work…

I turned off the game, came to write some more of Crime Wave, ate some food, watched TV, and came back to the game and turned it on. I resumed my game…

I felt like tearing all my hair out then…

I only had the default 4 lives, and I had the feared ‘0’ Kong coins. It drove me NUTS!!! I sometimes couldn’t save until I found more coins, and sometimes I couldn't. I could die easier, it was so painful!

Oh, then there’s the second-to-last level in the game...

You’re in the bramble level, and you MUST, I repeat, you MUST have Dixie with you to finish the first part. With insanely wide gaps, you will not get through, I repeat, you will not get through without Dixie’s floating twirl.

Then, you have to race against Screech while you control Squawk the parrot. The problem is not beating Screech. No, he takes his time and goes slow. You’ll probably be speeding ahead of him. The problem is, your speed.

This is a bramble level. If you go too fast, you will go full-speed into the bramble-covered vines, and that would not be a pretty picture. You’ll find yourself running into Zingers, brambles, Screech if you’re insanely slow, and dead ends. This is a matter of survival, and besides, you don’t have to win to continue. You just get an awesome prize. And anyway, you'd better be watching what you’re doing, or you’ll end up in a restaurant as ‘Spiked Parrot’.

This can get pretty darn difficult if you’re unprepared, and the fact it doesn’t save your number of lives and Kong coins and just the Videogame Hero coins and Kremling Coins is a major downer to the game. Plus, if you really need help against Kaptain K. Rool in the last fight, you’ll have to pay 3 Kong coins to get this advice from Wrinkly:

“Make sure you have a lot of lives.”

No duh, you need a lot of lives. Come on, give better advice than that, three coins ain’t worth that lousy advice. There is also an advice tab entitled “Wrinkly Kong” and it is free. I think, hey, this is the last world, this should help...

“Only one of my lessons is not helpful in your quest.”

At first, I’m thinking, hey, which lesson wouldn’t help” I was frantically searching for an answer, until finally, two days later, it dawned on me…

THAT was the unhelpful lesson…

Even though that was free, it was a total waste of TIME! ARGH! It left me stranded.

This can get very difficult if you’re not prepared. Be careful.
 

Humor: 3

Though this game is not entirely humorous, it could make you laugh when Kaptain K. Rool is launched into the ocean and attacked by a bunch of sharks. Also, the other Kongs have some funny personalities.

I really liked the two quotes from Wrinkly which were “When you meet Kaptain K. Rool, can you ask him if he did his homework?” and “Those Kremlings are a bunch of troublemakers. I caught one sharpening his sword in class.” It left me laughing.

Cranky Kong is always criticizing the game, saying “I’m back due to popular demand for this unnecessary sequel” and “What sort of name is Dixie? Back in my days, you were lucky if you even got a name in a game.”

Klubba’s quotes were something you’d expect from a pirate. Though his quotes are too long to remember by heart, I still remember how he put them. Excellent way.

The quotes were really what made the humor rating go up. Excellent.
 

Gameplay: 4

This is truly exciting. Leaping upon dragonflies to reach the Bonus barrel, using the Team Toss to reach unreachable places and get extra items, leaping upon Clapper the Seal’s back to unleash water to either turn lava into water or turn water into ice, spitting coconuts from Squawk’s beak to defeat enemies, scaling walls with the spider’s webs; all of this is exciting.

Bosses require strategy to defeat. There is only one way to defeat the boss. You can’t just hack and slash at them even if you had a sword. You have to use strategy. A very important tool.

The rollercoaster level is pretty exciting when you’re hitting switches to open the gate and leaping to jump on Kremlings to knock them off their vehicle. The Haunted Hall level is creepy and exciting upon your trip on the rollercoaster vehicle.

You can climb the beehives by jumping on the honey on the wall and scaling that. You can “Parrot chute” down the beehive with a parrot that slowly descends through a bee-infested hive.

Never have I had so much fun doing this. It is truly amazing. Spectacular. It ranks up with Mario. Maybe even better. Loved it!
 

Fun Factor: 3.75

My, my, are there a lot of perfect scores here. Truly amazing how many 4’s and 3.75’s we have. Seriously, you’ll have a lot of fun through this game, even if it is sometimes difficult and a little bit short. You’ll have fun through all of the levels. Truly great level design. Great!
 

Overall: 3.75

Now don’t think I’m going to review these great games all the time. I’ll toss in some suckers to show you some examples of bad games, but seriously. This... is great.

Who knows if a game will be better than this in my next Reviews? Will the full Review of Tales of Symphonia have me giving it a perfect score? Will a Mario game take out this game and get a perfect score? Will the least-expected game come out and beat the living-daylights out of Donkey Kong Country 2 and go perfect? A few words for ya: We won’t know until the time comes.

Seriously, I enjoyed this game a lot. Great music, graphics, theme, gameplay, you name it, Donkey Kong Country 2 has it. I bet you’ll be awaiting the game that gets a drop-dead low score or the game that beats this in rating.

Well, next time I’ll be reviewing Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back for the SNES. Until next time, adieu!

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