As far as accessibility in games go, Nintendo have always been something of a pioneering company. With the Wii and DS leading the way, making games more accessible to people who'd never even picked up a game before was the priority - something which had led them to becoming solid market leaders. Now, all of a sudden, whole new generations of players are ready to be exposed to Nintendo's gaming mascots, and while everyone's familiar with Mario, for some, Donkey Kong may not be as instantly recognisable.
Donkey Kong Country Returns is something of a rebirth for Donkey Kong, who'd long been resigned to being a playable character in things like Mario Kart, without being the star of his own game. A side-scrolling platformer, like New Super Mario Bros., Donkey Kong Country Returns was a perfect chance for Nintendo to cement DK's reputation as a second superstar mascot, thanks to a well programmed, balanced, and, above all else, accessible game.
The sun rises on a new adventure...
The problem is, Donkey Kong hasn't been adjusted all that well for new players. While it's been branded as something of a reboot, and is definitely the next big Nintendo game, it's also really, really hard. The difficulty level isn't adjustable, and is somewhat unrelenting, making Donkey Kong something of a challenge for new players, as it's obviously been designed with veterans of the original, 17 year old Donkey Kong in mind.
That's not to say, of course, that it doesn't try. It seems clear from the offset that the game's been designed to be played by two people, with an experienced player taking the reigns of Donkey Kong, while the newcomer plays as Diddy. It's a great setup for parents and couples, too, as Diddy can clamber up on the larger Donkey Kong's back whenever you come across an awkward section, whether it's a jump, an enemy, or a boss fight.
The problem is, when you're playing in co-op, you'll find yourself practically haemorrhaging the balloons which make up the game's life system. Starting off with four balloons, in single player, you'd have four attempts at finishing a level - but in co-op, you end up only being able to have two, as you use a balloon each when you die. All this means is you'll end up finding the game a lot harder to progress through in co-op, while everything else in the game suggests that's the way it's been designed to be played!
Donkey and Diddy - annoyed by the daft design decisions that hold their game back.
But that's not to say there's nothing to Donkey Kong Country Returns but frustration. While we may have been being harsh so far, it's because the rest of the game is so utterly brilliant, it makes those flaws that much harder to swallow. What could have been a perfect game ends up becoming merely "good approaching great", simply because of some daft design decisions.
Donkey Kong Country Returns gets underway in a typical daft Nintendo manner. When a group of evil Tikis invade the jungle, and hypnotise the animals into stealing - you guessed it - Donkey Kong's horde of bananas, the ape's spurred into action, as he and his little pal, Diddy, set off an adventure around DK Island. And what an adventure it is. Bouncing on enemy's heads, collecting bananas, swinging from vines, and pounding the ground by shaking the Wii Remote to destroy boxes and barrels, as you make your way through a huge amount of immensely varied levels, Donkey Kong Country Returns is, in many ways, as good as platforming gets. It's not just jumping on an enemy's head for forty levels - it's a game with genuine variety, and a lot of interesting ideas.
One such level we couldn't help admiring saw Diddy and Donkey running across a beach, as a storm whipped up the waves in the distance. Every few seconds, a huge wave would rise up from the ocean, and break across the beach, wiping out everything - bananas, coins, enemies, and, if they were in the wrong place, our simian heroes. Luckily for them, there were regular stones, slates, and even shipwrecks jutting up out of the ground, which provided at least temporary shelter from the seas. Far from simply legging it from one end to the other, this was a level that required timing, precision, and a lot of teamwork.
Quick, here comes a wave - RUN!
But even the more regular levels are a step above the average platformer. Packed with hidden routes, amazing scenery, and more collectibles than you can shake a tiki at, it's almost impossible to see everything there is in a level in one sitting, as far too many times have we destroyed a barrel, or jumped on an enemy's head, only to realise that we could have used to to reach a collectible, or grab hold of the moss that clings to some of the walls and ceilings in the levels.
There are four main collectibles to be found. Bananas, which serve little purpose, bar increasing your lives when you collect 100; coins, which, mercifully, can be spent on extra balloons, or other single use power-ups for the levels when you visit Kranky Kong's shop; the KONG letters, which we're sure will solve some purpose when you collect them all, and Jigsaw pieces, of which there's a varying amount to find.
You'll need to make Donkey Kong blow on that enemy to put it out, pound the ground near the flower to steal its spoils, before leaping back to the moss again to avoid the spike pit. How's that for level design?
Other than for completion's sake, we're not sure what purpose the collectibles serve, as we haven't quite managed to find them all yet, but seeing as we're a bit nutty when it comes to finding things like this, you can bet we'll be trying. The only problem is, there's so many places they can hide them. Whether it's in blades of thick grass, which you have to blow by holding down on the +Control Pad, and shaking the Wii Remote, hiding in a treasure chest, a barrel, or in one of the bonus levels, hidden under secret panels that flip over when you pound them, there's a huge amount of things to see and do, and one level could easily keep you occupied for half an hour if you hunt out every last thing.
Whether you're jumping on a crab, flying from barrel to barrel as you get blown around a giant statue, or rolling out of the way of a collapsing pillar, Donkey Kong Country Returns is full of moments that'll have your heart in your mouth. How good a feeling that is depends a lot on you, but if you have the reactions, and a lot of patience (or, you've played the originals), Donkey Kong Country Returns is a great game. If you're new to the series, however, you may find this a bit tricky to get into - but we'd advise you sit with it for the long run. You won't regret it.
Format Reviewed: Nintendo Wii
