Donkey Kong Country Returns! FINALLY

[Keegan]

Jump over?

[Mandolin]

You... you can do that? Without hitting the upper rail?

Well, I'll be.

[DementedSun]

Been out all day, gonna pop it in after dinner :3. Is this going to stay semi spoiler free, o.o?

[Esteban Colberto]

HE IMPREGNANTS WOMEN
AT SUCH A RAPID RATE
BUT HE'S A GENTLMaN
HE'LL NEVER RAP YOU ON A DATE

DK, DONKEY KONG
DK

DONKEY KONG IS HERE

WAT

DK


DONKEY KONG IS HERE

[DementedSun]

Originally Posted by Stephen Colbert

HE IMPREGNANTS WOMEN
AT SUCH A RAPID RATE
BUT HE'S A GENTLMaN
HE'LL NEVER RAP YOU ON A DATE

DK, DONKEY KONG
DK

DONKEY KONG IS HERE

WAT

DK


DONKEY KONG IS HERE

I have been spoiled already, .

[Esteban Colberto]

HE CAN GET REAL HIGH
AND DO LOTS OF DRUGS


BUT IF YOU CROSS HIM
HE WONT GREET U WITH HUGS

HE WILL PUNCH YOU
RIGHT IN THE FACE
AND HE WILL RAPE YOU
RIGHT IN THE FACE



DK


DONKIE KONG


DK


DONKEY KONG IS HERE



WHAT

[Keegan]

Originally Posted by Mandolin

You... you can do that? Without hitting the upper rail?

Well, I'll be.

Lightly tap the button.

ALSO, THE CRAB BOSS BATTLE WAS TOO STUPID.

[Zondekel]

Gamestop ships it today... argh.

This YouTube channel has started uploading the music.

[Gruntling]

I picked up Donkey Kong Country Returns yesterday at Best Buy. I was lucky they had the game out right away!

I haven't played too far into the game yet. I'm only halfway through the second world, but so far I'm enjoying the game. It's not exactly the same Donkey Kong Country I remember from when I was little... This game is more more cartoony and doesn't quite have the same atmosphere or feel to it. The controls are a bit different too. However, that aside, the game is most certainly challenging so far, which is a very welcome thing. Grabbing all the KONG letters and jiggies has been difficult as well. And the music, although not by David Wise, is pretty top notch too. Remixes like Jungle Hijinxs and Mine Cart Madness have been presented faithfully and well done. Level 1-4 has a sort of smooth jazz tone to it. My favorite new song so far! All in all, for no Kremlings or K. Rool, I think Retro Studios has done a great job so far.

[Zondekel]

Argh. Got confirmation from GameStop today that they shipped it, so that'll be a few more days for me.

If anyone finds where the music in this trailer during the gameplay part plays, can they say where it's found? Regardless of what others (like the author of that article and Mandolin, for example), I happen to like the upbeat, "carnival" like-ness of it and when the soundtrack gets completely ripped, I want to listen to it in its entirety first.

[Kain Horward]

Just picked it up today, made it up to World 4. All I can say so far is holy shit. Actually I can say more:

As someone who was on media blackout on this game for the most part, I am in shock at how awesome this game is! I was never really a big fan of the SNES DKC games (Sorry Mando) but DKCR is among the best 2D platformers I've ever played, if not the best. The level design is PERFECT; enemy/hazard placement, platforms, secret areas, and collectible items are all pitch perfect. And the difficulty, oh man! This is not an easy game at all. But unlike the SNES games, it never felt cheap when I died. It makes you want to keep playing until you finally get that final jigsaw piece or KONG letter. The visuals are simply stunning too; one of the Wii's best looking games I think. Every level is just brimming with color and life (and then there's the silhouette levels, which are just plain gorgeous, you seriously need to see them in-game).

About the only negatives I can think of are the shake-to-roll mechanic (the only motion control action that doesn't work well), the lack of animal buddies (I've only seen Rambi once), and....the soundtrack. It's a shame, but the music so far (apart from the DK Island Swing remix) is pretty bland, and the Aquatic Ambiance remix is just terrible. It's also very different in tone from DKC 1-2, with a more wacky "carnival"-like sound. Not that that's necessarily bad, just different. And I can't really complain about the sheer amount of tracks in the game, most levels have 2-3 different songs that play in them at different times.

Regardless, this is the best 2D platformer I've played in years, and it completely and utterly blows NSMBWii away. Tied with Galaxy 2 for my game of the year, and it might end up topping it if the level design stays as amazing as it has been. It's just a shame about the soundtrack....

[Jinjo Chao]

Soundtrack:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/unlwq8

[Gruntling]

Originally Posted by Kain Horward

About the only negatives I can think of are the shake-to-roll mechanic (the only motion control action that doesn't work well), the lack of animal buddies (I've only seen Rambi once), and....the soundtrack. It's a shame, but the music so far (apart from the DK Island Swing remix) is pretty bland, and the Aquatic Ambiance remix is just terrible. It's also very different in tone from DKC 1-2, with a more wacky "carnival"-like sound. Not that that's necessarily bad, just different. And I can't really complain about the sheer amount of tracks in the game, most levels have 2-3 different songs that play in them at different times.

I'm up to level 6-1 and I have to agree about the controls. I would have to say at this point that is my biggest gripe about this game. It's just that waggle controls are not very well suited to a game like this. I've made many a mistake due to the convolutedness of rolling. The Wiimote-Nunchuck combo feels more comfortable and I prefer that method, but the Wiimote solo is perhaps more natural. Although I've become used to both control schemes, neither really feels right for a DKC game in my opinion. I think the game would have really benefited from Classic Controller input.

As for music, upon getting farther in the game I've found it sometimes blends too much into the background. In the original trilogy I found myself actively engaged with the music as much as the gameplay. Not to say the music is bad in DKC Returns... Quite the contrary, but it's sometimes undistinctive. I also thought there was too much dependence on remixes and not enough variation. Don't get me wrong, I love hearing classic DKC songs remastered, but for example a variant of Mine Cart Madness is used in nearly all of the mine-type levels. Mine Cart Madness is dramatic, so it shouldn't be overused like it is. Where's Winky's Walkway, Reptile Rumble, the eerie Stop 'N Go music, or an original song that's truly different? I digress, I'm nitpicking, but more variation in music would have been nice.

[Zondekel]

Originally Posted by Jinjo Chao

Soundtrack:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/unlwq8

It's all untagged, but it's still good enough until someone tags them.

"Barrel(01L) 32kBPM214," and all the following "Barrel" songs are variations of that "carnival" theme in that trailer, so I'm guessing it's the theme to the Rocket Barrel segments.

[Timic83]

Originally Posted by Mandolin

The game got a 9.5 /10 and named the best of the Donkey Kong Country series

It's not anywhere near as good as the first 3 masterpieces. (well maybe not 3)