Donkey Kong Country

There was a lot of hype surrounding Donkey Kong Country when it was first released. The CGI visuals were a cut above what SNES owners were used to at the time and the game seemed to give the Super Nintendo a much needed second wind. Over 15 years later, the graphics are still great but they can't save the game from any criticisms it may receive. It this case the only really complaint I can muster is that, apart from the graphics and despite putting many unique ideas on the table, it still feels like a rather generic platformer. A complaint that I can only really guess comes from my enjoyment of the sequels.

Donkey Kong Country is a side-scrolling platformer like Mario. DK and Diddy can dispatch enemies by rolling through them, pouncing on them, or by tossing barrels at them. Each character has his unique strengths. DK can dispatch larger enemies that Diddy merely bounces off of, while Diddy can jump a little higher. What the game does do differently is that the different things you can do in each level help keep the journey lively. Each stage has its own theme, like swimming underwater, riding in mine carts, or launching your character out of barrel-cannons. There are secret passageways that lead to bonus games where you can earn bananas and balloons(extra lives). In many places, there are crates that contain animals that you can ride and control anything from a rampaging rhino and a bouncing frog to a swimming swordfish and a flying ostrich. Over a decade has passed since this game's original release and although some of the shine has dulled it still manages to be a fun diversion. The first game in the series may not in the same league as Super Mario World, but Donkey Kong Country still ranks as one of the better platformers out there.