REVIEW: Donkey Kong Country 1994 SNES
	By: Nintendo Type: Plattform Players: 1 Difficulty: Normal

Story/Depth: Ok, I'm gonna be honest with you. The story in this game is not the deepest thing you'll ever see. It's a bunch of monkeys trying to get back their bananas. One must keep in mind, however, it is an action game, not an RPG. Action games don't usually have a very deep story.

Despite the lacking story, however, the characters are well-done and given genuine personalities. Cranky Kong (whom I assume is supposed to be the original Donkey Kong) is the most entertaining, with his comments on the state of video games in the 90's and his constant complaining.

Challenge: This can be incredibly challenging. Even the early levels have you rushing through the thick of bad guys and doing barrel gymnastics across the jungle. It rarely gets challenging to the point of frustration, however, and keeps you going. To top it off, there are bonus areas everywhere. Even if you've beaten the game, you can play all the levels again and look for hidden barrels or pathways. Have a blast.

Control: Excellent. The moves that Donkey and Diddy Kong have are so simple yet so smooth, that it makes one feel a part of the game. I don't think I've ever played an action game in which I've felt more in control. Don't expect any odd button combos or fantastic moves, just simple, smooth, elegant, play.

Graphics: Beyond belief. These are by far the best graphics I have ever seen on the Super Nintendo system. Every detail is so well rendered and every move is so well executed that I think I'm playing on a CD system.

Sound: Great. The music is almost as well done as the graphics. It flows really well and gives an authentic mood to each level. The sound effects are also very pleasing to the ear and add to the flow of the game. Mario would be jealous.

Innovation: This game was innovative in that it went back to the basics. It took away all the fancy moves, showy bosses, and ridiculous weapons and just gave you a simple, yet elegant, side-scroller, the likes of which we haven't seen since Mario. Many that I've talked to have said that the sequels to this game (DKC2 and DKC3) got progressively worse. This is likely because they lost some of their simplicity, trying to improve on perfection. I couldn't write a review of either of the sequels yet, though, because my playing time on each totals only about 15 minutes. Feel free to send us your opinions.

Overall Rating: I generally don't even like action games, but this one had me hooked. Everything was just done so superbly that it would be a sin to give it any less. - Nick Bond 95%
 
Second Opinion (Donkey Kong Country - King of the Jungle or King of the Console?):
 

Stunning graphics and superb sound make Donkey Kong Country a first class competitor for the best game ever. From the moment that you switch the on button and the red light appears you know you're in for some good old fashion fun.

However we cannot forget the much-debated topic of game play and the smoothness that each character has. Certainly this game provides all that and more. If you want a game that has everything (gameplay, longetivity, perfect sound and graphics,) then search for this little beauty. Never has a system released a game as spectacular as this one. When you pick up the control and begin your destiny to retrieve a large banana hoard you never want to stop. Soaring in mining carts and swimming with monster shark's make this game all the more exciting. Bonus level upon bonus level keep you glued to the box. Swinging from vine to vine over dark depths and the dreaded roar of DK dying or Diddy's squeal for mercy provoke you to play on, for their sake if not for yours. You'll be back for more long after you've beaten King K. Rool and the sheer enjoyment of rolling through every exit will bring a smile to even the youngest critic.

Truly this game was a winner for the Nintendo. Sega had never released anything even close to the unparalleled graphics and sound that DK Country had to offer and in my opinion no system has released a game as beautiful as this one ever. You'll think your playing a Nintendo 64, believe me I'm still hooked on this game and I play it more than my Nintendo 64. Forget Mario and Pokemon, DK or Diddy should be the given the spotlight. No Mario game even comes close to this (except in the area of gameplay.) Buy it Buy it Buy it or if you own it already start playing it again. You'll love it. - Juzzy B 97%

[Key to the reviewing system]

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