[Mandolin]

Well, hey! DKC again! Who'da thunk it? And to think that just a few weeks back, we were all fretting about how they'd never revisit this series again... actually, the fretting was mostly on my part. But, still. What a gift from Video Game Heaven. As soon as I heard about this, it became my single most anticipated game since Twilight Princess. And it's coming out this year! I do have some mild reservations, though...

First, the Kremlings. I don't see them. I guess K. Rool's tribal outfit in the baseball game might be foreshadowing, but part of me thinks that's a rather weak omen. There seem to be either evil apes or mole-men in the mine cart stages. It'll be odd to see anything other than Kremling mooks riding on there. Secondly, I didn't see any animal buddies. I'd have expected Rambi to be among the first things they churn out, were this a true return to the series. As it is, it looks like a hybrid between the first DKC and DKJB. Not a bad thing in and of itself, but I'm still a little wary. In any case, I can forget about seeing Rattly again (or as I like to call him, Quadruple Amputee Yoshi).

Then there are the Tikimen. Well, they're OK, I guess. That little tribal chief guy riding on that airship looks pretty funny, it'll be fun to bash his face in at the end of the stage (game?). My main complaint about them is that, up until now, there had been no magic in the DKC world... Inca Dinca Doo is not pleased. On the upside, Donkey and Diddy fight the Reek from Attack of the Clones! Honestly, I never thought I'd see the day. And they have that "Canadian barrel roll" attack Dixie and Kiddy did in DKC3. As far as throwbacks go, that's a pretty epic one.

Can't wait, can't wait, can't wait!