Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
Encyclopedia
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (abbreviated to DKC2) is an adventure platform game
developed for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System
(SNES) produced by Rareware and published by Nintendo
. It stars Diddy Kong and his girlfriend Dixie Kong. Donkey Kong Country 2 was released on December 14, 1995 as a sequel to Donkey Kong Country
and later followed by Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!
in 1996
. It was later also released on the Game Boy Advance
in 2004
and is currently available for download on the Wii
's Virtual Console
, having become one of the most popular games of its age.
Donkey Kong Country 2 begins after Donkey Kong has been kidnapped by Kaptain K. Rool, leaving Diddy Kong
and his girlfriend Dixie Kong to rescue him. Together, the two of them travel to various and distinct parts of Crocodile Isle where the game is set. On the island, there are varying worlds. In total, there are eight. Markedly different from the previous game, Donkey Kong Country 2 was praised for having excellent graphics and being much more of a challenge to the player than the previous game. Donkey Kong Country 2 has received much critical and commercial praise, having sold millions of copies worldwide on the SNES, making it the second best selling game of 1995 and the sixth best-selling game on the platform overall.
As well as collectible tokens the player can also collect other items such as bananas and Kong letters. Collecting 100 bananas can gain the player an extra life, and collecting all the Kong letters will similarly give the player another life. Finding objects in (hidden) treasure chests is another feature common to the game. These can contain banana coins, Kong letters, banana bunches, an extra life represented as a balloon, or a DK coin in some instances. However, sometimes these treasure chests contain nothing at all. Chests can also be used to defeat enemies, such as wasps, in an effort to pass certain passages, as wasps cannot be defeated by jumping on them.
The ability to "piggyback" or use various animal companions, called "Animal Buddies", returns from its predecessor, such as Squitter the Spider
, Glimmer the Anglerfish
, Rambi the Rhino
, Rattly the Rattlesnake
, Clapper the Seal
, Enguarde the Swordfish
, and Squawks the Parrot
(Rambi, Enguarde, and Squawks returned from the original Donkey Kong Country), which can boost the gameplay experience, proving advantageous at certain points in a level or the whole level overall. These animals have certain unique abilities that the player can use such as Rambi's ability to charge at enemies and Rattly's ability to jump higher than with the two main characters.
There is also a greater difference between the two characters. Diddy Kong has the ability to run faster than his counterpart and perform an extended jump by cartwheeling off ledges. Dixie Kong can use her hair to glide in the air over long distances, which also proves to be advantageous to the player in some levels. In addition, there are some barrels that can only be activated by a specific character. However, the method of defeating enemies remains the same between the two. Both can jump on an enemy to defeat them or throw one another to hit enemies (in some cases), or throw objects to slay them.
Donkey Kong Country 2 also focuses more on the seaside and pirate
-themed apparel of the enemies whereas in the first game the apparel was themed like the jungle. Many of the Kremlings resemble crocodiles, have wooden legs and eye patches, and are seen with sailor-like tattoos. These Kremlings are not specific to one level but are scattered throughout the game's levels.
While Donkey Kong Country 2 introduced new features, it also abandoned a few from the original game. For example, steel barrels were removed, eliminating the ability to roll on top of them. The ability to find hidden items in the ground was also removed. However, some of these removed features were later brought back in the third game, Donkey Kong Country 3. As a promotion for the game after its release, Nintendo Power
ran a contest for the fastest time to achieve 102% game completion.
, both of whom are trying to defeat Kaptain K. Rool and rescue Donkey Kong from him. Many other non-playable characters can be found throughout the game including Kaptain K. Rool who only appears at the final level of the game. K. Rool appears suited in pirate clothing with a large hand-held blunderbuss
. Dixie Kong makes her first appearance in this game in the succession of the Donkey Kong franchise.
The majority of the enemies are the Kremling Krew, who patrol many areas of the island in hopes of capturing Diddy and Dixie (the game over
screen shows this outcome). The protagonists are supported by their Animal Buddies (some returning from the original Donkey Kong Country), and various other family members belonging to the Kongs. These include Funky Kong who makes his return from the original Donkey Kong Country, as well as Cranky Kong, situated in "Monkey Museum", who is back due to "popular demand" to divulge secrets of the game world, provide comic relief as well as offering paid for advice. Wrinkly Kong, wife of Cranky Kong and mother of Donkey Kong, makes her first appearance in this game. She runs an educational facility called "Kong Kollege" where she gives guidance to the player. Swanky Kong is another character who is common to the game. He runs a gameshow quiz where the player can complete quizzes and earn lives. Funky Kong is the last character the player can view after the first battle with the first boss. Funky Kong services a flying machine that can connect the player to the next world.
Other minor characters include ghosts, wasps and insects which are scattered all over the island. Additionally, the player can meet a large Kremling called "Klubba", at "Klubba's Kiosk", who demands fifteen Kremkoins from the characters if they want to pass onto the "Lost World" and complete the game.
standing on the deck of a pirate ship. In the ship's cabin, he finds a note stating that Donkey Kong has been kidnapped by Kaptain K. Rool, a pirate Kremling, who had demanded the entire Banana Hoard that he stole in the previous game for a ransom from the Kongs. Diddy Kong subsequently attempts to rescue Donkey Kong from the Kaptain, and accompanying him is his girlfriend, Dixie Kong. Together, they travel through Crocodile Isle and are helped on their way by an assortment of animals (called Animal Buddies) in a bid to defeat K. Rool and rescue Donkey Kong.
Donkey Kong Country 2 starts where the first game's final boss was located. The original game
's island can be seen in the background, and the ship that Diddy Kong is on has run ashore. The first world, Gangplank Galleon, involves leaving the ship and moving to Crocodile Isle, where the rest of the game takes place.
In order to progress through the game, players must pass each stage and beat an assortment of bosses, with either or both the characters. Each stage is made up of several levels, which gets more difficult as the player succeeds completing them. There are over forty different levels which make up the several stages. In the final level of each stage, Diddy and Dixie battle a boss. The stages hold a particular theme. In, for example, the Lost World a jungle theme is omnipresent. The bosses of each of the stages relate to the stage's theme design. The player can only move onto the next world if the bosses are defeated, with the player battling K. Rool at the very end, and additionally in the unlockable Lost World.
Donkey Kong Country 2s soundtrack was composed entirely by David Wise and was released in the same year of the games release (1995) on October 1. The soundtrack of the series has been well received critically. Wise has in addition also composed the music for the original game and the third installment of Donkey Kong Country.
The music in the second installment has been described as "majestic" and "serious" by some reviewers, such as Michael Alfera of Soundtrack Central. His praise is, however, short, as he complains about the music sounding "too game-like": "I really don't like the DKC2 soundtrack much at all. I hardly even listen to it, for one simple fact: It sounds *way* too "gamey". It's hard to describe. It just doesn't seem fitting to create a soundtrack out of it...".
Marko Polovina gives the soundtrack 4.5 out of 5 and rates the game highly in his review on the Sputnik Music website. The game track runs for fifty-six minutes and twenty-one seconds.
In addition, the game's soundtrack was the focus of an OverClocked ReMix
collaboration titled Serious Monkey Business. The final track, "Donkey Kong Rescued", was remixed by David Wise himself, featuring Grant Kirkhope
on electric guitar and Robin Beanland
on trumpet.
platform. The total number of copies sold in Japan have been 2.21 million, and in the US 2.16 million.
It has scored an overall 93% on the GameRankings aggregator website based on seven reviews. The Game Boy Advance version has similarly had much success, scoring an overall 80% on aggregator site Metacritic
based on twenty-two critical reviews. Of the entire trilogy this game is the highest rated and praised on the Game Boy Advance platform according to Metacritic. The game has also been highly rated on the Wii, given a rating score of 80% based on one review on GameRankings.
Mark Birnbaum, of IGN
, notes that the game "more than delivers in its ambitious aim of equaling and sometimes exceeding the standard set by its predecessor", referring to the original Donkey Kong Country
and that "players should notice that the levels quickly increase in difficulty, encouraging a "trial by fire" design". He further adds "DKC2 also looks and sounds a lot like its forerunner[...] The atmospheric orchestrated soundtrack returns, providing catchy and eerie tunes alike. Donkey Kong Country boasted some of the most beautiful graphics ever seen on the SNES, and DKC2 does justice to that reputation". Another positive reviewer at GameSpy mentions "the challenges, environments, and cast of baddies are varied enough to prevent this game from ever seeming tedious".
On the subject of graphics Birnbaum also refers to the color scheme as being "highly detailed" with "multi-layered backgrounds, smooth and unique character animations and designs" which are "mixed with a vibrant and varying color palette that provides a feast for the eyes". Jeff Pearson of Nintendojo also agrees and highly praises Rare's achievement at the "improved graphics for this game". Pearson also believes "the graphics look much smoother and more cartoon like as opposed to the computer generated look in DKC". Birnbaum guarantees that the player will feel "rewarded" after playing each level.
Referring to the Game Boy Advance edition GameSpot stated the game was a "diverse platform game with excellent graphics and sound and an impressive list of bonus features", while IGN feels "the Donkey Kong Country series is better known for its graphics than its gameplay, but even still the game's level designs offer up more than the 'routine'". However, on the other hand, the main criticism Birnbaum draws towards is that the game has a few missing features which its predecessor had. Pearson meanwhile lauds the fact that new features have been installed in the game, applauding Rare, who had added "a whole bunch of new features and whatnot into this game to spice it up a little bit and keep you on your toes," while Yahoo! Games
is impressed on "how much variety Rare squeezed into this game, mainly by liberally scattering minigames throughout the world".
UGO
listed Diddy's Kong Quest on their list of the "Top 50 Games That Belong On the 3DS", stating "Climbing the mast of a ship with epic music, 3D fog and backgrounds, and funny enemies deserves a chance on the 3DS."
A sequel, Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!
, was released in 1996
starring Dixie Kong. It was further followed by a succession of more related Donkey Kong video games. The game was released for the Game Boy Advance
on November 15, 2004. It was later released on Nintendo's Wii Virtual console on 21 May 2007 for the cost of 800 Wii points.
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
developed for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
(SNES) produced by Rareware and published by Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
. It stars Diddy Kong and his girlfriend Dixie Kong. Donkey Kong Country 2 was released on December 14, 1995 as a sequel to Donkey Kong Country
Donkey Kong Country
Donkey Kong Country is a side-scrolling platformer video game developed by Rare, featuring the character Donkey Kong. It was released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1994. Following an intense marketing campaign, the original SNES version sold over 8 million copies worldwide, making...
and later followed by Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!
Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!
Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! is a platform game developed by Rare and published by Nintendo and was the third and final installment in the Donkey Kong Country trilogy until Nintendo announced Retro Studios would be developing the next installment, Donkey Kong Country Returns...
in 1996
1996 in video gaming
-Notable releases:*January 29 — Duke Nukem 3D, successor to the simple side-scrolling originals, and a genre-redefining title for first person shooters....
. It was later also released on the Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
in 2004
2004 in video gaming
-Events:*January 20 — Wireds Vaporware Awards gives its first "Lifetime Achievement Award" to recurring winner Duke Nukem Forever.*March 4 — Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hosts 7th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; inducts Peter Molyneux into the AIAS Hall of Fame*March 22-26 — Game...
and is currently available for download on the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
's Virtual Console
Virtual console
A virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...
, having become one of the most popular games of its age.
Donkey Kong Country 2 begins after Donkey Kong has been kidnapped by Kaptain K. Rool, leaving Diddy Kong
Diddy Kong
, originally known as Donkey Diddy, is a fictional character in the Donkey Kong series of video games, first appearing in the 1994 game Donkey Kong Country. He lives on Donkey Kong Island in the Kongo Jungle, and is identified by his red hat, which has a Nintendo logo on it, and shirt...
and his girlfriend Dixie Kong to rescue him. Together, the two of them travel to various and distinct parts of Crocodile Isle where the game is set. On the island, there are varying worlds. In total, there are eight. Markedly different from the previous game, Donkey Kong Country 2 was praised for having excellent graphics and being much more of a challenge to the player than the previous game. Donkey Kong Country 2 has received much critical and commercial praise, having sold millions of copies worldwide on the SNES, making it the second best selling game of 1995 and the sixth best-selling game on the platform overall.
Gameplay
In comparison with the original Donkey Kong Country, the game contains many new features. These include many hidden bonus stages with collectible tokens, called Kremcoins, which are rewarded for completing the level. The player can access these hidden levels by finding barrels with the letter "B" on the front. Kremkoins, once collected at the end of each hidden stage, can be used to unlock the "Lost World" and eventually the final ending. There also exist rare "DK coins" in every standard level that are hidden by Cranky Kong. The placement of these coins gets progressively more cryptic, subsequently providing an extra challenge beyond reaching the end of each level. Level settings are now more diverse, although the staple ice, cave, and jungle settings remain from the first game.As well as collectible tokens the player can also collect other items such as bananas and Kong letters. Collecting 100 bananas can gain the player an extra life, and collecting all the Kong letters will similarly give the player another life. Finding objects in (hidden) treasure chests is another feature common to the game. These can contain banana coins, Kong letters, banana bunches, an extra life represented as a balloon, or a DK coin in some instances. However, sometimes these treasure chests contain nothing at all. Chests can also be used to defeat enemies, such as wasps, in an effort to pass certain passages, as wasps cannot be defeated by jumping on them.
The ability to "piggyback" or use various animal companions, called "Animal Buddies", returns from its predecessor, such as Squitter the Spider
Spider
Spiders are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae with fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms...
, Glimmer the Anglerfish
Anglerfish
Anglerfishes are members of the teleost order Lophiiformes . They are bony fishes named for their characteristic mode of predation, wherein a fleshy growth from the fish's head acts as a lure; this is considered analogous to angling.Some anglerfishes are pelagic , while others are benthic...
, Rambi the Rhino
Rhinoceros
Rhinoceros , also known as rhino, is a group of five extant species of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. Two of these species are native to Africa and three to southern Asia....
, Rattly the Rattlesnake
Rattlesnake
Rattlesnakes are a group of venomous snakes of the genera Crotalus and Sistrurus of the subfamily Crotalinae . There are 32 known species of rattlesnake, with between 65-70 subspecies, all native to the Americas, ranging from southern Alberta and southern British Columbia in Canada to Central...
, Clapper the Seal
Pinniped
Pinnipeds or fin-footed mammals are a widely distributed and diverse group of semiaquatic marine mammals comprising the families Odobenidae , Otariidae , and Phocidae .-Overview: Pinnipeds are typically sleek-bodied and barrel-shaped...
, Enguarde the Swordfish
Swordfish
Swordfish , also known as broadbill in some countries, are large, highly migratory, predatory fish characterized by a long, flat bill. They are a popular sport fish of the billfish category, though elusive. Swordfish are elongated, round-bodied, and lose all teeth and scales by adulthood...
, and Squawks the Parrot
Parrot
Parrots, also known as psittacines , are birds of the roughly 372 species in 86 genera that make up the order Psittaciformes, found in most tropical and subtropical regions. The order is subdivided into three families: the Psittacidae , the Cacatuidae and the Strigopidae...
(Rambi, Enguarde, and Squawks returned from the original Donkey Kong Country), which can boost the gameplay experience, proving advantageous at certain points in a level or the whole level overall. These animals have certain unique abilities that the player can use such as Rambi's ability to charge at enemies and Rattly's ability to jump higher than with the two main characters.
There is also a greater difference between the two characters. Diddy Kong has the ability to run faster than his counterpart and perform an extended jump by cartwheeling off ledges. Dixie Kong can use her hair to glide in the air over long distances, which also proves to be advantageous to the player in some levels. In addition, there are some barrels that can only be activated by a specific character. However, the method of defeating enemies remains the same between the two. Both can jump on an enemy to defeat them or throw one another to hit enemies (in some cases), or throw objects to slay them.
Donkey Kong Country 2 also focuses more on the seaside and pirate
Piracy
Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence at sea. The term can include acts committed on land, in the air, or in other major bodies of water or on a shore. It does not normally include crimes committed against persons traveling on the same vessel as the perpetrator...
-themed apparel of the enemies whereas in the first game the apparel was themed like the jungle. Many of the Kremlings resemble crocodiles, have wooden legs and eye patches, and are seen with sailor-like tattoos. These Kremlings are not specific to one level but are scattered throughout the game's levels.
While Donkey Kong Country 2 introduced new features, it also abandoned a few from the original game. For example, steel barrels were removed, eliminating the ability to roll on top of them. The ability to find hidden items in the ground was also removed. However, some of these removed features were later brought back in the third game, Donkey Kong Country 3. As a promotion for the game after its release, Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
ran a contest for the fastest time to achieve 102% game completion.
Characters
The main characters of Donkey Kong Country 2 are Dixie Kong and Diddy KongDiddy Kong
, originally known as Donkey Diddy, is a fictional character in the Donkey Kong series of video games, first appearing in the 1994 game Donkey Kong Country. He lives on Donkey Kong Island in the Kongo Jungle, and is identified by his red hat, which has a Nintendo logo on it, and shirt...
, both of whom are trying to defeat Kaptain K. Rool and rescue Donkey Kong from him. Many other non-playable characters can be found throughout the game including Kaptain K. Rool who only appears at the final level of the game. K. Rool appears suited in pirate clothing with a large hand-held blunderbuss
Blunderbuss
The blunderbuss is a muzzle-loading firearm with a short, large caliber barrel, which is flared at the muzzle and frequently throughout the entire bore, and used with shot and other projectiles of relevant quantity and/or caliber. The blunderbuss could be considered to be an early form of shotgun,...
. Dixie Kong makes her first appearance in this game in the succession of the Donkey Kong franchise.
The majority of the enemies are the Kremling Krew, who patrol many areas of the island in hopes of capturing Diddy and Dixie (the game over
Game over
Game Over is a message in video games which signals that the game has ended, often due to a negative outcome - although the phrase sometimes follows the end credits after successful completion of a game...
screen shows this outcome). The protagonists are supported by their Animal Buddies (some returning from the original Donkey Kong Country), and various other family members belonging to the Kongs. These include Funky Kong who makes his return from the original Donkey Kong Country, as well as Cranky Kong, situated in "Monkey Museum", who is back due to "popular demand" to divulge secrets of the game world, provide comic relief as well as offering paid for advice. Wrinkly Kong, wife of Cranky Kong and mother of Donkey Kong, makes her first appearance in this game. She runs an educational facility called "Kong Kollege" where she gives guidance to the player. Swanky Kong is another character who is common to the game. He runs a gameshow quiz where the player can complete quizzes and earn lives. Funky Kong is the last character the player can view after the first battle with the first boss. Funky Kong services a flying machine that can connect the player to the next world.
Other minor characters include ghosts, wasps and insects which are scattered all over the island. Additionally, the player can meet a large Kremling called "Klubba", at "Klubba's Kiosk", who demands fifteen Kremkoins from the characters if they want to pass onto the "Lost World" and complete the game.
Story
The game opens with Diddy KongDiddy Kong
, originally known as Donkey Diddy, is a fictional character in the Donkey Kong series of video games, first appearing in the 1994 game Donkey Kong Country. He lives on Donkey Kong Island in the Kongo Jungle, and is identified by his red hat, which has a Nintendo logo on it, and shirt...
standing on the deck of a pirate ship. In the ship's cabin, he finds a note stating that Donkey Kong has been kidnapped by Kaptain K. Rool, a pirate Kremling, who had demanded the entire Banana Hoard that he stole in the previous game for a ransom from the Kongs. Diddy Kong subsequently attempts to rescue Donkey Kong from the Kaptain, and accompanying him is his girlfriend, Dixie Kong. Together, they travel through Crocodile Isle and are helped on their way by an assortment of animals (called Animal Buddies) in a bid to defeat K. Rool and rescue Donkey Kong.
Donkey Kong Country 2 starts where the first game's final boss was located. The original game
Donkey Kong Country
Donkey Kong Country is a side-scrolling platformer video game developed by Rare, featuring the character Donkey Kong. It was released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1994. Following an intense marketing campaign, the original SNES version sold over 8 million copies worldwide, making...
's island can be seen in the background, and the ship that Diddy Kong is on has run ashore. The first world, Gangplank Galleon, involves leaving the ship and moving to Crocodile Isle, where the rest of the game takes place.
In order to progress through the game, players must pass each stage and beat an assortment of bosses, with either or both the characters. Each stage is made up of several levels, which gets more difficult as the player succeeds completing them. There are over forty different levels which make up the several stages. In the final level of each stage, Diddy and Dixie battle a boss. The stages hold a particular theme. In, for example, the Lost World a jungle theme is omnipresent. The bosses of each of the stages relate to the stage's theme design. The player can only move onto the next world if the bosses are defeated, with the player battling K. Rool at the very end, and additionally in the unlockable Lost World.
Music
Donkey Kong Country 2s soundtrack was composed entirely by David Wise and was released in the same year of the games release (1995) on October 1. The soundtrack of the series has been well received critically. Wise has in addition also composed the music for the original game and the third installment of Donkey Kong Country.
The music in the second installment has been described as "majestic" and "serious" by some reviewers, such as Michael Alfera of Soundtrack Central. His praise is, however, short, as he complains about the music sounding "too game-like": "I really don't like the DKC2 soundtrack much at all. I hardly even listen to it, for one simple fact: It sounds *way* too "gamey". It's hard to describe. It just doesn't seem fitting to create a soundtrack out of it...".
Marko Polovina gives the soundtrack 4.5 out of 5 and rates the game highly in his review on the Sputnik Music website. The game track runs for fifty-six minutes and twenty-one seconds.
In addition, the game's soundtrack was the focus of an OverClocked ReMix
OverClocked ReMix
OverClocked ReMix, also known as OC ReMix and OCR, is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and paying tribute to video game music through arranging and re-interpreting the songs with new technology and software, as well as by various traditional means...
collaboration titled Serious Monkey Business. The final track, "Donkey Kong Rescued", was remixed by David Wise himself, featuring Grant Kirkhope
Grant Kirkhope
Grant Kirkhope is a British video game music composer, known for writing the soundtracks for numerous games by Rare, such as Banjo-Kazooie, Perfect Dark and Donkey Kong 64.-Biography:...
on electric guitar and Robin Beanland
Robin Beanland
Robin Beanland , sometimes credited as R. Beanland or simply "The Bean", is a British video game music composer for numerous Rare titles, such as the Killer Instinct franchise, Conker's Bad Fur Day , and many others...
on trumpet.
| The Original Donkey Kong Country 2 Soundtrack listing | |
|---|---|
| 01 | Opening Fanfare (0:15) |
| 02 | K. Rool Returns (0:42) |
| 03 | Welcome to Crocodile Isle (1:12) |
| 04 | Klomp's Romp (2:29) |
| 05 | Lockjaw's Saga (2:04) |
| 06 | Jib Jig (2:00) |
| 07 | Swanky's Swing (0:59) |
| 08 | Snakey Chantey (1:40) |
| 09 | Bayou Boogie (1:40) |
| 10 | School House Harmony (1:48) |
| 11 | Forest Interlude (3:11) |
| 12 | Funky the Main Monkey (1:06) |
| 13 | Flight of the Zinger (2:34) |
| 14 | Kranky's Konga (1:26) |
| 15 | Hot-Head Bop (2:09) |
| 16 | Run, Rambi! Run! (0:51) |
| 17 | Token Tango (1:15) |
| 18 | Stickerbush Symphony (2:23) |
| 19 | Bad Bird Rag (1:05) |
| 20 | Disco Train (2:39) |
| 21 | Boss Bossanova (1:15) |
| 22 | Steel Drum Rhumba (1:07) |
| 23 | Krook's March (2:03) |
| 24 | Klubba's Reveille (1:08) |
| 25 | Haunted Chase (2:23) |
| 26 | In a Snow-Bound Land (3:12) |
| 27 | Lost World Anthem (1:44) |
| 28 | Primal Rave (1:50) |
| 29 | Crocodile Cacophony (1:33) |
| 30 | Donkey Kong Rescued (2:18) |
| 31 | Stronghold Showdown (0:25) |
| 32 | The Flying Krock (0:39) |
| 33 | Kannon's Klaim (3:37) |
| 34 | Bonus Intro (0:56) |
| 35 | Bonus Defeat (0:06) |
| 36 | Bonus Victory (0:06) |
| 37 | Game Over (0:21) |
Reception and legacy
Released in the year 1995 for the SNES platform Donkey Kong Country 2 has received mostly positive reviews from critics and has been well received by the public, selling 4.37 million copies worldwide on the Super Nintendo Entertainment SystemSuper Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
platform. The total number of copies sold in Japan have been 2.21 million, and in the US 2.16 million.
It has scored an overall 93% on the GameRankings aggregator website based on seven reviews. The Game Boy Advance version has similarly had much success, scoring an overall 80% on aggregator site Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
based on twenty-two critical reviews. Of the entire trilogy this game is the highest rated and praised on the Game Boy Advance platform according to Metacritic. The game has also been highly rated on the Wii, given a rating score of 80% based on one review on GameRankings.
Mark Birnbaum, of IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
, notes that the game "more than delivers in its ambitious aim of equaling and sometimes exceeding the standard set by its predecessor", referring to the original Donkey Kong Country
Donkey Kong Country
Donkey Kong Country is a side-scrolling platformer video game developed by Rare, featuring the character Donkey Kong. It was released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1994. Following an intense marketing campaign, the original SNES version sold over 8 million copies worldwide, making...
and that "players should notice that the levels quickly increase in difficulty, encouraging a "trial by fire" design". He further adds "DKC2 also looks and sounds a lot like its forerunner[...] The atmospheric orchestrated soundtrack returns, providing catchy and eerie tunes alike. Donkey Kong Country boasted some of the most beautiful graphics ever seen on the SNES, and DKC2 does justice to that reputation". Another positive reviewer at GameSpy mentions "the challenges, environments, and cast of baddies are varied enough to prevent this game from ever seeming tedious".
On the subject of graphics Birnbaum also refers to the color scheme as being "highly detailed" with "multi-layered backgrounds, smooth and unique character animations and designs" which are "mixed with a vibrant and varying color palette that provides a feast for the eyes". Jeff Pearson of Nintendojo also agrees and highly praises Rare's achievement at the "improved graphics for this game". Pearson also believes "the graphics look much smoother and more cartoon like as opposed to the computer generated look in DKC". Birnbaum guarantees that the player will feel "rewarded" after playing each level.
Referring to the Game Boy Advance edition GameSpot stated the game was a "diverse platform game with excellent graphics and sound and an impressive list of bonus features", while IGN feels "the Donkey Kong Country series is better known for its graphics than its gameplay, but even still the game's level designs offer up more than the 'routine'". However, on the other hand, the main criticism Birnbaum draws towards is that the game has a few missing features which its predecessor had. Pearson meanwhile lauds the fact that new features have been installed in the game, applauding Rare, who had added "a whole bunch of new features and whatnot into this game to spice it up a little bit and keep you on your toes," while Yahoo! Games
Yahoo! Games
Yahoo! Games is the section of the Yahoo! website in which Yahoo! users can play games either with other users or by themselves. The games on the website are typically Java applets or quick Flash games, but there are others which require a download. Many of the games that require a download...
is impressed on "how much variety Rare squeezed into this game, mainly by liberally scattering minigames throughout the world".
UGO
UGO
UGO Entertainment, Inc. is a website providing coverage of online media in entertainment targeting males age 18–34. The company is currently based in New York, New York, United States. On July 24, 2007 it was announced that Hearst Corporation would acquire UGO Entertainment...
listed Diddy's Kong Quest on their list of the "Top 50 Games That Belong On the 3DS", stating "Climbing the mast of a ship with epic music, 3D fog and backgrounds, and funny enemies deserves a chance on the 3DS."
A sequel, Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!
Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!
Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! is a platform game developed by Rare and published by Nintendo and was the third and final installment in the Donkey Kong Country trilogy until Nintendo announced Retro Studios would be developing the next installment, Donkey Kong Country Returns...
, was released in 1996
1996 in video gaming
-Notable releases:*January 29 — Duke Nukem 3D, successor to the simple side-scrolling originals, and a genre-redefining title for first person shooters....
starring Dixie Kong. It was further followed by a succession of more related Donkey Kong video games. The game was released for the Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
on November 15, 2004. It was later released on Nintendo's Wii Virtual console on 21 May 2007 for the cost of 800 Wii points.