I can understand backlash, but not against DKC

Having just read the EGM "review" of the GBA Donkey Kong Country, I can understand the lack of overall enthusiam for the game at this point in time, but not in taking cheap shots at one the most memorable platformers on any console (SNES), period. Funny, how technology is pumping and chomping at the bit, grinding out some of the most beautiful games ever, and yet in truth I would take DKC on the SNES over 99% of anything on the market today. Just about the only thing negative they said that had any merit was that the bosses weren't all that great... but overall, at least the SNES version, was so wonderfully varied that to bash it now is pretty much an insult to gaming in general.

I can see the backlash to Tomb Raider, Crash Bandicoot, and even Resident Evil, but is nothing sacred to this era that ISN'T an RPG or Mario?

And yes, I have played Donkey Kong Country "recently" and still hold this opinion. In truth, I would rather READ the manual for DKC than play 50% of the games on the market today, it is a riot:)

DKC was competent and enjoyable but entirely straightforward and derivative. Had it not looked so good, it would have been forgotten, or have a cult following at best.

The GBA rev doesn't have this visual advantage - plus it doesn't look or sound as good as the original. Hence the shitty ratings.

Other than the beautiful graphics and sound (the music was fantastic), I thought it was a fairly average platformer.

See, I remember being like, what, 14 or something when DKC came out. The graphics blew my mind. This was at the height of my ill-advised "Sega Sucks" phase. But I went back to it about two years later and realized something: I did not like this "game." Or, rather, I was super unimpressed with the core game. It was a rather mediocre platformer with fancy graphics. Once the hype died, I realize what it was and Super Mario World instead (which I still play).

I wholeheartedly agree with CJ's review.

*edit* Holy shit. 2 minutes and like 2 replies that are almost exactly like mine.

I think DKC still looks amazing to this day, and the game is quite a bit of fun. Is it a brilliant platformer? No, but it's a very fun one.

My mind collapses every time someone uses DKC, or any of its sequels, as an example of a good SNES platformer.

i still play it a lot. for some reason the music sucks me in. ive never finished the 2nd and 3rd games but have gotten 100% MANY times in the first. this game, starfox, super mario world and mario cart couldve burned a hole in my SNES i played them so much.

Derivative? I guess. The barrel, character switching and animal riding mechanics were enough to somewhat set it apart, but really I thought it stood out because it had rock-solid controls. I don't think it deserves criticism at all.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Dragonmaster Dyne
for some reason the music sucks me in.

---

Yeah, I actually have the DKC soundtrack CD that Nintendo put out at the time. Great stuff.

DKC is stone cold awesome and one of my favourite platformers. The controls are fucking tight, its fast and the flow of the game is amazing. Smooth as silk.