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Donkey Kong Country Returns |OT| Retro Studios Has Done It Again!
- Thread starter Tricky I Shadow
- Start date
Anticitizen One
Banned
hatchx said:
you seriously think the beach is better than the DKC2 pirate ship levels and the underwater levels? It's so basic looking and the enemy designs look like left overs from the original Mario Bros and Sonic the Hedgehog.
EatChildren
Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
Anticitizen One said:
The beach is a bit flat compared to the rest of the game, I agree, but I still think its great. As you mentioned, the tsunami level is particularly amazing.
Few games have the atmosphere of DKC2 though, not just counting platformers.
Anticitizen One said:
I'm not comparing it to a classic, but calling it terrible or bland is just a lie.
I remember in DKC2, every world would basically have repeat levels. Like the drowned ship level, repeated by the drowned lava ship level. As a whole, the level design in the original DKC series was much more repetitive.
DKCR kept things fresh CONSTANTLY. Exploding boat here, tidal waves there, a crazy octopus, whale rides, the works.
I love the direction the enemies took in DKCR because they too backseat to the platforming. They were not as big or serious a threat to DK as the Kremlins, and I think the platforming and level design gained from it.
Also, as the return to a series, you have to give them some slack for sticking to the ropes. Jungle levels, throw-back songs, lava worlds.....wait until they do DKC2. It will be full of all those crazy ideas and far-out places. Hell, take them to space for all I care.
I am on the side of the fence that thinks DKCR is a far better game than the original trilogy. The only thing the original three trumps it on is music (and perhaps control method, not offering a classic mode). Other than that DKCR destroys the original. It's my GOTY.
AsylumBlue
Member
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_Alkaline_
Member
As far as design goes, DKCR is head and shoulders above the SNES games, and that includes Diddy's Kong Quest. And I love Diddy's Kong Quest.
Tricky I Shadow
Banned
Anticitizen One said:
Heh....and here I was thinking that the Beach was probably the most beautiful location!
Terrible? Don't be ridiculous. I can't think of one thing that's terrible in the whole game!
I'm honestly anxious to see what Retro does if they do DKCR2. With MP: Echoes, I personally think they refined the Prime formula brilliantly, but most people don't feel that way. If that series is any indication of how Nintendo lets them work, though, it seems like they'll have a lot more freedom to put their own stamps on the franchise and really make it their own.
_Alkaline_
Member
scitek said:
A man after my own heart.
Echoes was Retro's baby and it showed. Fantastic game.
EatChildren
Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
_Alkaline_ said:
Amen. Prime was to Echoes what Ocarina was to Majora's. The first was built on the basis of taking franchise staples and mechanics and rebuilding them for a new perspective. The second was new ideas from the ground up.
Sadly I can't comment on DKCR because I won't be able to play it until Christmas, but you are mistaken about DKC2. Aside from two similar pirate ship levels that are basically tutorials in the beginning of the game, there were no repeat levels. The sunken ship lava level you are referring to was based entirely on hitting a seal at certain points to change the lava into swimmable water for brief periods of time. This was a unique gimmick seen nowhere else in the game.hatchx said:
Tricky I Shadow
Banned
I just killed the last boss....which was perfect in terms of difficulty! It was so satisfying when I finished him off! 
The K stages so far have been pretty much perfect and is what platforming is all about! Retro Studios take a bow!
Im going back to get all the collectables I missed. The more I play it the more I realize how well designed this is!
This one absolutely crushes the original trilogy when it comes to level design, but it has worse atmosphere/music.
Coming from a big Donkey Kong Country fan, I'd currently rank them: DKCR = DKC 2 >> DKC >>>>>> DKC 3.
The K stages so far have been pretty much perfect and is what platforming is all about! Retro Studios take a bow!
Im going back to get all the collectables I missed. The more I play it the more I realize how well designed this is!
This one absolutely crushes the original trilogy when it comes to level design, but it has worse atmosphere/music.
Coming from a big Donkey Kong Country fan, I'd currently rank them: DKCR = DKC 2 >> DKC >>>>>> DKC 3.
I remember way back when people used to talk about how games were going to look like you're are playing a cartoon, to me that is the vibe I get when playing this game. Especially when there are big ships or creatures moving around in the background it feels like I'm part of a cartoon.
I agree that the Beach levels are quite bland. Particularly when compared to the other locales. Certain Cave levels are beautifully detailed, though, so I can't agree there.
The scale is what gets really wows me, when the camera pans out and the screen is full of activity (especially with massive objects). The original trilogy cannot compare in that respect.
Tricky I Shadow, glad you like the game, but your opinion is worthless. It was perfect according to you before you'd even played it.
The scale is what gets really wows me, when the camera pans out and the screen is full of activity (especially with massive objects). The original trilogy cannot compare in that respect.
Tricky I Shadow, glad you like the game, but your opinion is worthless. It was perfect according to you before you'd even played it.
Tricky I Shadow
Banned
Socreges said:Tricky I Shadow, glad you like the game, but your opinion is worthless. It was perfect according to you before you'd even played it.
HEY! I think that should mean my opinion is important! I said it was perfect before I played it, and now that I have I was 100% correct!
flak57 said:
I was moreso referring to the visuals. Visually, DKC2 reuses a lot of assets. DKCR does too, but a lot less.
For gameplay, fresh challenges and unique level gimmicks are some of the staples of the DKC series and on of the reasons I love it.
TrickyIshadow, how you liking (loving) the game. Lived up to your hype?
HylianScribe
Member
grkazan12 said:
I've been having trouble for the past 2 hours trying to get this to work on USB Loader. I tried using CodeManager, and whenever I tried to load the .txt file in the Ocarina option of USB Loader, it would give me some syntax/format error, 1: yb (with that sideways : above the y).
So I just opened a text file and manually formatted the codes. That shows the option I named Classic Support show up, but when I toggle it and save the .gct in USB loader, it does not work (title screen says remove god tier controller option).
So, I made a .gct file manually with Codemanager and dumped it into usb-loader/codes on the SD card. That didn't work.
Edit: Okay, so creating the .gct in Codemarker and exporting it locally first and then copying it over worked. However the .txt file is still reading as an error in USB-Loader. So just don't even bother with the .txt file. Exporting the .gct to the SD card first would make it blank for some reason.
Mega Man's Electric Sheep
Member
World 4 is the worst world in the game. The game really picks up in world 5, and each world from that point on is even better than the one before.
_Alkaline_
Member
Just noticed the Ani's IGN pics in this thread and the Colours one. :lol
Tricky I Shadow
Banned
hatchx said:
It sure did live up to my hype! It's officially my favourite game on the Wii!
And I'm so accustomed to the types that say "I don't need to play it to know it's amazing" ultimately being severely disappointed...Tricky I Shadow said:HEY! I think that should mean my opinion is important! I said it was perfect before I played it, and now that I have I was 100% correct!
D
Deleted member 30609
Unconfirmed Member
I was loving the game from the word go. There's no need to marginalise so many good levels!Mega Man's Electric Sheep said:
DieNgamers
Member
First thoughts, reaching world 3: great game, very creative parts in some levels and really tough! I make so many mistakes. I still need to get used to the flow and the controls. They're quite different to the trilogy! As others have noted it doesn't match the atmosphere of the first games. Could be the music that's only kind of "there", not more...Or the slightly cartoony style of the game. It's very bright and happy but that's not a bad thing, of course. Going back to play
I still need to get used to the flow and the controls. They're quite different to the trilogy! As others have noted it doesn't match the atmosphere of the first games. Could be the music that's only kind of "there", not more...Or the slightly cartoony style of the game. It's very bright and happy but that's not a bad thing, of course. Going back to play_Alkaline_
Member
It doesn't match the atmosphere of the original trilogy because it doesn't attempt to match them. It's going for a much brighter, cartoonish tone and as much as I love the atmosphere of Bramble Scramble, Hornet Hole and Fear Factory, I think the change is a good one. There is a real 'flow' to the Donkey Kong Country games (Jungle Beat as well) and I feel it's emphasised and composed better with the atmosphere and art design that Returns brings.
DieNgamers
Member
Of course it's an experience of its own. I'm having great fun here! I only think that DKC:R feels much more "gamey" than DKC2, where I felt immersed in the world, environment and music. As fresh as the new DK feels, it always has a certain puzzle/game feel so far. It's a different approach but I have to compare the games because of the name. There are some very neat references to the old games, though.
There are some very neat references to the old games, though. _Alkaline_
Member
DieNgamers said:Of course it's an experience of its own. I'm having great fun here! I only think that DKC:R feels much more "gamey" than DKC2, where I felt immersed in the world, environment and music. As fresh as the new DK feels, it always has a certain puzzle/game feel so far. It's a different approach but I have to compare the games because of the name.
Oh don't get me wrong, comparisons are only natural here since it is a huge homage to the original trilogy. I do think the game should still be judged on its own merits though - this isn't making excuses for the game but rather giving credit to just how well Retro achieved their artistic vision. It's certainly a different one but who can complain when the results are so good.
Windom Earle
Member
Never really liked the enemies and the overall "feel" of the old games. DKCR does everything better IMO.
Me and my girlfriend played thru the whole thing (well, not world 8 yet) in 2 player mode and loved it. I was pretty skeptical of it at first, seeing as I don't like the original DKC games so much. But the more we played this one, the better it got. I don't mean that the levels got better later on in the game, but that the better I got at playing it, the more fun I could have in the levels. Going back to the start to gather all the KONG letters, and having more fun the second time thru is proof of the great level design and controls.
We have played thru NSMB Wii, Kirby's Epic Yarn and DKCR in multiplayer now. Loving the multiplayer platform stuff going on lately.
We have played thru NSMB Wii, Kirby's Epic Yarn and DKCR in multiplayer now. Loving the multiplayer platform stuff going on lately.
AniHawk said:
May as well edit this post now to read, "well I just finished this game". If you aren't feeling the level design and gameplay by now, chances are you never will. Its like someone telling you, "no no no just wait until you get to the garden area in bioshock, THAT'S when it really picks up!"
SpacePirate Ridley
Member
Is the level 4 the minecarts and rocket stuff?
I liked it, but im going to hate the giant bat for all my life.
I liked it, but im going to hate the giant bat for all my life.
POWERSPHERE
Member
I'm just happy that side scrollers are well and trulely here to stAy and not just a flippant retro throwback.
The Technomancer
card-carrying scientician
And apparently http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=24729334&postcount=1585kinggroin said:
DieNgamers
Member
World 4 was awesome! Good old minecart racing! I loved it, the game is really picking up now!
Good old minecart racing! I loved it, the game is really picking up now!Mega Man's Electric Sheep
Member
Rez said:
I'm only marginalizing world 4, and that style of levels in general. I felt an entire world of minecart/rocketbarrel focus was a bit much, and I didn't enjoy any of those levels in the entire game. I lost less lives on the K levels than I did on the various minecart levels, because the K levels are about platforming skill and challenge. The minecart/rocketbarrel levels are die/memorize. Didn't like them in the original trilogy either.
slaughterking
Member
The lava world is truly beautiful.
Kyleripman
Member
Mega Man's Electric Sheep said:
No way, so far it's my favorite (up to world 5 atm).
Mr. Wonderful
Member
I actually like this about DKC2. Rather than making each level a poppable candy gimmick like in NSMB Wii, level types are repeated with a fresh take that more fully explores the possibilities of each level type. Like, when I play DKC2, I'll get to a certain level and be like, "YES! Another swamp level! I love the swamp levels!" Or, "YES! They're bringing back a boat level from World 1!"hatchx said:
I played this at a friends' house last night. Generally it's pretty damn good. I think Retro had a pretty big budget here and they were able to put out a really polished product. It feels like a proper update to Donkey Kong Country and feels as high quality as NSMB.
The downside is the controls. I gotta side myself with the anti-waggle brigade on this one. I essentially agree with Amirox here on the fact that in a platformer it's best to have as tight of controls as possible, and in this game there does seem to be some situations where it's a bit loose. Sometimes it seems like the waggle is the cause. On the other hand, going from the drawing in the OP, it could simply be that I was using my old DKC muscle memory and trying to roll from zero velocity in a few situations. I'd have to play a bit more to figure it out, but the controls were an issue that was causing us some unnecessary frustration.
I'm definitely going to buy this one when I clear off a few games from my pile.
The downside is the controls. I gotta side myself with the anti-waggle brigade on this one. I essentially agree with Amirox here on the fact that in a platformer it's best to have as tight of controls as possible, and in this game there does seem to be some situations where it's a bit loose. Sometimes it seems like the waggle is the cause. On the other hand, going from the drawing in the OP, it could simply be that I was using my old DKC muscle memory and trying to roll from zero velocity in a few situations. I'd have to play a bit more to figure it out, but the controls were an issue that was causing us some unnecessary frustration.
I'm definitely going to buy this one when I clear off a few games from my pile.
I have decided based on Stallion Free's hudless HD shots of this game that it's really a shame the health didn't disappear after a second along with the rest of the HUD. It's a small change, but it makes a pretty big difference.