It’s fair to say that out of all of the Wii games we’ve reported on over the last few months, none have caught our attention like Donkey Kong Country Returns. A combination of tempting teaser trailers and fond memories of the original game means we have been keeping a close eye on it. You couldn’t blame DKCR for hating its Dad right now though, as the original SNES game has gone down in history as a bit of a classic. Solid levels, a fiendish difficulty level, and visuals that pushed the console to its limit has created a hard act to follow; so is the new kid on the block up to the task?

The answer is a resounding yes! Not only has DKCR smashed the original, but it’s punched Mario in the face, thrown faeces at Sonic, and reduced Mickey to a blubbering wreck of a Mouse.  First up let’s get the paper thin plot out of the way; the jungle’s animals have fallen under the hypnotic spell of the ‘Tiki Tak Tribe’ and stolen Donkey Kong’s stash of bananas (seriously, I don’t know where the heck he’s got all of them from!). Understandably perturbed, Donkey sets off to ‘have words’ with the Tikis…using his fists, and so starts one of 2010s best games.

The game’s hub is an island which has been split into different sectors.  Each sector contains several levels, and you can only progress to the next one by finishing the level you are on. The controls for the game are streamlined, but very effective. You hold the Wiimote sideways so it resembles an old school NES pad; movement is taken care of via the D-Pad, to jump you press 2, and to grab onto vines and the like you press 1. In addition there are a couple of offensive moves, so if you shake the Wiimote whilst running DK will do a forward roll, and if you shake the Wiimote whilst standing Still DK will pound the ground beside him. If you shake the Wiimote whilst ducking DK will exhale a large gust of air, and whilst at first this seems a bit random, it gets integrated nicely into puzzles later on. It’s such a beautifully accessible control scheme, that anyone who has even just sniffed a platform game before will be up to speed within minutes.

This is quite lucky really, as DKCR pulls no punches when it comes to difficulty. Some parts are absolutely brutal and will require you to use every single piece of the control scheme; more often than not one after the other…whilst being chased by something…with a blockade in the way. In every level DK can only take two hits before having to start again, and coupled with very few checkpoints means that you’ll become very familiar with the little ‘death jingle’ that plays every time DK dies.

Luckily coins you collect can be used in Cranky Kong’s shack to buy additional lives – so stock up. During the single player game you can also call on the help of Diddy Kong once you locate the barrel he’s kept in. Diddy is a real life saver as not only does he double your health bar, but he has a jet pack and can carry Donkey over short distances, or correct a jump that has gone wrong. When the going gets tough the game will allow you to take advantage of Nintendo’s ‘Super Guide’ system, so if you die several times in a row a little pig pops up and rather cheekily asks if you want some help (condescending little swine). If you accept then ‘Super Kong’ takes over and plays as much of the level as you want him to. The downside, apart from the severe loss of pride, is that any items Super Kong collects will be lost at the end of the level. It’s actually a great feature, and reduces the feeling of frustration ten-fold as you will never get stuck on a particular level and just give up. What I will say though is that Super Kong does seem to be able to bend the laws of physics with some of the stuff he does, and makes it look far too easy. Oh my pride has taken a battering.

What impresses most though is the fact that every single level is a joy to play.  Every single one. The design is flawless; each level is stuffed with collectibles such as the ‘KONG’ letters, hidden areas to find, and an impressive amount of variety. For example, one level sees a continuous barrage of huge waves coming towards you from the back of the screen. What follows is a tense dash as you have to make it from cover to cover before the next wave hits land…and then your cover starts to disintegrate on impact. Each sector brings something new to the table, leaving you with a tangible sense of excitement when you progress. Boss battles are also very well thought out, and whilst they always boil down to hitting a certain part at a certain time, it’s how you get to that part which is so impressive.

Graphically the game flits between acceptable and beautiful, with some eye popping effects being displayed. Whilst it can’t compare with the latest Kirby game, it really doesn’t matter and if you stand still long enough to admire the graphics you’re more than likely going to die. The audio is suitably catchy, and the little hypnotic Tiki song will have you toe tapping along. On the surface DKCR looks like a reasonable challenge that will last several hours, but completing certain objectives sees the game’s length double. I won’t ruin it for you, but you’ll easily get your money’s worth.

Pros

• Flawless level design
• A fantastic challenge
• Lots of variety
• Great control scheme
• Co-op mode

Cons

• Erm…
• Well…
• It doesn’t come with a free moon?

Without a doubt DKCR has surpassed my wildest expectations. What we have here is a 2D platform game that has been taken to the next level. As hard as it is for me to accept, I can’t actually find a single fault with the game and if you have a Wii then this should be on the top of your list. An absolute classic that has raised the bar for all that follows.

Score: 10/10