Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D Review

Posted By Yousif A. about 10 hours, 50 mins ago

Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D Review

Donkey Kong Country Returns was a great surprise when it came out on Wii. Not only did I never expect to see another Donkey Kong Country game due to licensing problems with the now Microsoft-owned Rare, but I was certain that any attempt to emulate one of the greatest platformer series of all time would end in failure. Thankfully, this was not the case. While the game fell short of the brilliance of the SNES classics, it did recapture the general feel of the experience and prove itself worthy of the DK: Country legacy.

Now the critically acclaimed return of DK is available on the 3DS with a couple of new features to boot, but is it worth your money?

If you played the Wii version of this game, don’t expect to be surprised by what’s on offer here. The game is nigh identical to the original version in terms of level progression and mechanics, however a new mode and control upgrades have been implemented for the handheld version.

While the new mode is aimed at providing a more accessible portable mode for the gamer on the go, it’s really just an Easy Mode. The challenge level is drastically reduced, players have an extra heart, and a larger selection of items are available for purchase from the shop. Considering that the initial complaint leveled at DKCR by fans was the drastic drop in difficulty from the original titles, this new easy mode will hardly be a hit with long time Donkey Kong followers. The new levels found at the end of the game are reminiscent of the ball-breakingly hard levels found in the SNES classics, but they are limited in number.

However, no one can justifiably complain at the changes made to the control scheme. Gone is the horrendous shake control to roll, with that function blessedly now mapped to the face buttons. Grabbing and picking up barrels has moved to both the shoulder buttons, which is far more comfortable than the Z button on a Wii controller. With these changes in place, sections of the game which were difficult to traverse due to the limitations of a Wii remote are a thing of the past, making for a much less frustrating adventure.

This is bananas.

Unfortunately, frustration now comes in a different package. If you happen to own an original 3DS rather than the XL model, DKCR 3D can be a little difficult to play. At times, Donkey Kong will be thrust into the background, making him rather small on the screen. This is fine on a 3DS XL, as the large display is more than ample enough to show players the action, but on a normal 3DS model, players are not so lucky. Squinting at a 3D image is hardly a pleasant experience and sadly this is exactly what players will have to do. I found this so frustrating that I had to play most of the game on a 3DS XL just to get to the bonus levels for this review, as background sequences occur quite frequently.

Aside from the above issues, DKCR 3D is a very good port. While some levels have taken a knock for the sake of transferring the title onto a handheld machine, all of them still look decent. The colors are vibrant, the design is rich, and the 3D mode functional. It must be said though that while the game is above and beyond many titles one the 3DS, this is visually the weakest of all the first-party Nintendo games.

For me, the soundtrack fails to stand up on the 3DS though. The fantastic remastering of many of the amazing tunes from the SNES games that appeared in the Wii release sound flat coming through the 3DS’s humble speakers. While no changes have been made to the superb musical accompaniment to the game, the 3DS simple cannot produce the same depth of quality as found playing the Wii version through a TV.

Play it on a 3ds xl or not at all.

It is also disappointing that a second 3DS and an additional copy of the game are necessary in order to play multiplayer. Sadly, if you do manage to find a partner to team up with, the play-through will only be saved on game owned by the player hosting the session. Furthermore, multiplayer is local co-op only, with no option for an online experience.

Despite everything, players do get a lot for the price of admission. The main game is a respectable length and once that is completed you have plenty to collect, followed by the whole game again in a mirror mode, which is more entertaining than it sounds. Add in the new levels on top of everything else and you should be kept busy for a long time.

It must always be kept in mind that DKCR 3D is still a great game, and those who didn’t get the opportunity to play it on the Wii should certainly take advantage of the chance to play it now. The main gripe I have with the game is that unlike the SNES games, DKCR has been surpassed since it came out. While the game may have been a show that mainstream developers can make kickass 2D platformers too, Ubisoft released Rayman Origins just a year later, which is still shockingly good and puts DKCR to shame. Donkey Kong Country may once have been king of the jungle, but his legacy just doesn’t hold up to the current competition in terms of design or fun.

A copy of the game was provided by the publisher for review purposes and completed in about 10 hours. The title was played on 3DS, but is also available for the Wii.

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