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[MadOdorMachine]

I started playing the game today and all I tried was the first level. The graphics and gameplay are quite impressive. I like the way the characters are designed as well as all the subtleties in the game. The level I played was very well designed as well. There's just a few problems I have.

1. Controls -

- The controls don't seem as responsive as they should. Ground pounding, blowing and rolling all use the same command. There were times I accidentally died or got hit by a baddie because the game registered the wrong command.

- The game was obviously built with using a single Wii remote in mind. It's a shame Nintendo doesn't include alternative control methods for gamers.

- The GameCube controller or classic controller could have been used in this game and would alleviate a lot of the problems. I think if Nintendo used both, it may also help third parties put more traditional games on their systems.

2. Time Trials -

- It's hard to get your rolls timed right so you can jump and go faster. The problem here are controls which have already been addressed.

- Another issue is the way the level is timed. When you die and start over, your time is not reset to zero, but instead, it's tacked on to what you previously played. Even if you get to a check point this rule applies.
-- Ex: You had a perfect first half of the level and when you made it to the check point, it was your best time. Well, that doesn't matter because anytime you spent playing after hitting that checkpoint will be added on as well if you restart.

- Even if you are starting from the beginning of the level, you have to go to the menu and select to restart the level so the extra time isn't tacked on. This is not only a nuisance, but requires you to sit thru more load times.

Other than these complaints, the game looks to be a lot of fun. It's unfortunate, but if I were reviewing this game, that would definitely knock some points off of the score. The way time is handled in the speed run seems like the biggest offender by far. I don't know how this was missed in development. Maybe there's something I'm missing though. It looks like you can buy items. Perhaps you can use Rambi to get thru the Time Trials quicker.

Regarding time trials, I could use some help in the first level. I'm losing at least 15 seconds just waiting on cannons and back ground levels to load. So far the quickest I've made it the first cannon (you have to ground pound to activate) has been 26 seconds. After that I have to wait around ten seconds just so the level loads and then it takes another 5 seconds to go thru the barrels. That's 15 seconds added on to 26 plus 5 - 6 seconds to get thru that section. Basically, the quickest I got thru the barrel section was 47 seconds which leaves me 10 to get thru the last third of the level. It seems impossible. The quickest I beat the level was 1:03 minutes which means I still have to knock off 6 - 7 seconds. Is there a trick I'm missing or is it just that hard? How do you get a gold medal on the first level?

 

[EatChildren]

- The game was obviously built with using a single Wii remote in mind. It's a shame Nintendo doesn't include alternative control methods for gamers.

Completely disagree. I normally find platformers play best with digital D-pad control, and it was the first control option I chose for DKCR. However, I really feel analogue control works far better, and the waggle to roll works much better when you're holding Nunchuck + Wiimote and not just the Wiimote by itself.

 

[MadOdorMachine]

Completely disagree. I normally find platformers play best with digital D-pad control, and it was the first control option I chose for DKCR. However, I really feel analogue control works far better, and the waggle to roll works much better when you're holding Nunchuck + Wiimote and not just the Wiimote by itself.

I prefer to use the nun chuck as well, but what I'm referring to is all the same moves mapped to the same shaking command. Using the nun chuck proves this since both Z and B grab onto things. It was the same way with NSMB & M:OM. Using the classic controller would have been my first choice for any of these games if the option was available. Sadly and for no good reason, it is not.

 

[Tathanen]

I prefer to use the nun chuck as well, but what I'm referring to is all the same moves mapped to the same shaking command. Using the nun chuck proves this since both Z and B grab onto things. It was the same way with NSMB & M:OM. Using the classic controller would have been my first choice for any of these games if the option was available. Sadly and for no good reason, it is not.

Put blow on C, put roll on B, keep ground-pound on shake. (Or maybe roll on Z, grab on B, as your preference permits.) Perfect nunchuck controls that no one with a sane mind could possibly complain about. The CC is wholly unnecessary. I just wish they had actually built a real Nunchuck scheme instead of limiting it to the restrictions of Remote-only.

 

[MadOdorMachine]

Put blow on C, put roll on B, keep ground-pound on shake. (Or maybe roll on Z, grab on B, as your preference permits.) Perfect nunchuck controls that no one with a sane mind could possibly complain about. The CC is wholly unnecessary. I just wish they had actually built a real Nunchuck scheme instead of limiting it to the restrictions of Remote-only.

How do you remap the controls? I didn't see the option available.

 

[Lathentar]

2. Time Trials -

- Even if you are starting from the beginning of the level, you have to go to the menu and select to restart the level so the extra time isn't tacked on. This is not only a nuisance, but requires you to sit thru more load times.

Other than these complaints, the game looks to be a lot of fun. It's unfortunate, but if I were reviewing this game, that would definitely knock some points off of the score. The way time is handled in the speed run seems like the biggest offender by far. I don't know how this was missed in development. Maybe there's something I'm missing though. It looks like you can buy items. Perhaps you can use Rambi to get thru the Time Trials quicker.

Regarding time trials, I could use some help in the first level. I'm losing at least 15 seconds just waiting on cannons and back ground levels to load. So far the quickest I've made it the first cannon (you have to ground pound to activate) has been 26 seconds. After that I have to wait around ten seconds just so the level loads and then it takes another 5 seconds to go thru the barrels. That's 15 seconds added on to 26 plus 5 - 6 seconds to get thru that section. Basically, the quickest I got thru the barrel section was 47 seconds which leaves me 10 to get thru the last third of the level. It seems impossible. The quickest I beat the level was 1:03 minutes which means I still have to knock off 6 - 7 seconds. Is there a trick I'm missing or is it just that hard? How do you get a gold medal on the first level?

At least when you restart, the load times are quick. You're back at the start within a few seconds. Super Meat Boy is instant, but the amount of scripting and length per level is minuscule compared to DKCR and they do replays in a different way which don't require the game to be deterministic. I can't think of a 2D platformer of DKCR's budget and scope that has a time trial mode this generation to compare load times with.

Also, you should watch some of Joe Fenix's Shiny gold runs on youtube to get an idea of what you need to do. Some hints for Shiny gold involve roll jumping, then doing a bop jump off of creatures. This allows you to keep the roll speed a much further distance.

In stage 1-1, make sure you grab the DK barrel to get Diddy and roll the entire time at the last part of the stage and skip the first bouncy flower as they slow you down. You need to get to the pounding peg for the background barrel around 22-23 seconds to get the shiny gold.

Good luck!

 

[flintstryker]

The only shake command i have a problem with in this game was the shake to blow, really wasn't intuitive. Besides that everything was A-OK.

 

[Tathanen]

How do you remap the controls? I didn't see the option available.

No, sorry, I am saying I wish they had done that, not that you CAN do that. Just to illustrate that a properly-developed 'chuck scheme would have been plenty, and CC support would have been unnecessary.

 

[hyduK]

Got the game for Christmas, huge DKC fan...DKC/2 are two of my favorite games of their gen.

So, impressions:

Good

-The level design is fantastic.
-Graphics/art is amazing. The setpieces are beautiful and the colors are really vibrant throughout. Not quite at SMG level, but damn it's close.
-Pretty decent challenge....NSMB was a cakewalk, this is much better. Not quite on DKC2's level, but much better than the average Wii game.


Meh

-Characters. Donkey and Diddy are fine. But holy shit, the enemies are completely forgettable. They just don't compare to DKC1/2 (3 had horrible enemies too, imo). Example: One of the forest levels have you trying to avoid bats:

These should be:

(sorry, couldn't find a better screen, you get the point)

Every enemy just feels so out of place, a lot of it probably has to do with the nostalgia, but still. Nintendo needs to go back however many years and secure the licensing to the enemies of the original trilogy.

-Not enough variety in levels. I'm only at the end of the World 5 but: no factory levels, no snow levels, lava levels, underwater....a lot of the best locales of the original have been removed, which would be fine, but there's very little variety in what's included.

-Music. The old remixes are amazing but they've overshadowed the new stuff so far.

Bad
-Motion controls. They suck. Get them out.
-I should be able to play as Diddy.

 

[MadOdorMachine]

At least when you restart, the load times are quick. You're back at the start within a few seconds. Super Meat Boy is instant, but the amount of scripting and length per level is minuscule compared to DKCR and they do replays in a different way which don't require the game to be deterministic. I can't think of a 2D platformer of DKCR's budget and scope that has a time trial mode this generation to compare load times with.

Also, you should watch some of Joe Fenix's Shiny gold runs on youtube to get an idea of what you need to do. Some hints for Shiny gold involve roll jumping, then doing a bop jump off of creatures. This allows you to keep the roll speed a much further distance.

In stage 1-1, make sure you grab the DK barrel to get Diddy and roll the entire time at the last part of the stage and skip the first bouncy flower as they slow you down. You need to get to the pounding peg for the background barrel around 22-23 seconds to get the shiny gold.

Good luck!

The load times are quick, but you shouldn't have to restart twice. If you die, it takes you back to the last checkpoint. Why doesn't it reset the time or start your time off where your check point was. It's just annoying and could have easily been fixed.

I checked out some You Tube videos. It's a shame the first speed run is so hard. The learning curve is a bit steep imo and there's no room for error if you're going for gold. Is it worth unlocking 100% of the items? I'm normally a completist, but if every speed run is like the first level I may just skip them.

 

[Haunted]

-Pretty decent challenge....NSMB was a cakewalk, this is much better. Not quite on DKC2's level, but much better than the average Wii game.

Really? I'm finding this one harder to complete or 100% (some of the puzzle pieces are extremely well hidden) than DKC2.

I greatly enjoy the Tiki design of the enemies and like them much better than the Kremlings, but the secondary enemy designs are lacking. The

Spoiler

frogs and skeletons are cool, but the bats and mechanical chickens

are a bit boring.

-Not enough variety in levels. I'm only at the end of the World 5 but: no factory levels, no snow levels, lava levels, underwater....a lot of the best locales of the original have been removed, which would be fine, but there's very little variety in what's included.

Spoiler

Factory and lava are

still coming up. No snow afaik. We knew underwater levels were out and replaced with the beach theme since a couple months back.

 

[MadOdorMachine]

Got the game for Christmas, huge DKC fan...DKC/2 are two of my favorite games of their gen.

So, impressions:

Good

-The level design is fantastic.
-Graphics/art is amazing. The setpieces are beautiful and the colors are really vibrant throughout. Not quite at SMG level, but damn it's close.
-Pretty decent challenge....NSMB was a cakewalk, this is much better. Not quite on DKC2's level, but much better than the average Wii game.


Meh

-Characters. Donkey and Diddy are fine. But holy shit, the enemies are completely forgettable. They just don't compare to DKC1/2 (3 had horrible enemies too, imo).

Every enemy just feels so out of place, a lot of it probably has to do with the nostalgia, but still. Nintendo needs to go back however many years and secure the licensing to the enemies of the original trilogy.

-Not enough variety in levels. I'm only at the end of the World 5 but: no factory levels, no snow levels, lava levels, underwater....a lot of the best locales of the original have been removed, which would be fine, but there's very little variety in what's included.

-Music. The old remixes are amazing but they've overshadowed the new stuff so far.

Bad
-Motion controls. They suck. Get them out.
-I should be able to play as Diddy.

I agree with pretty much everything. I like the new enemies though. The controls are definitely hampered to say the least. My arm is already sore after playing just a few minutes trying to do a speed run. They went a bit overboard on waggling imo. As far as music is concerned, the game is sorely missing the original composer. What was his name, David Wise? They need to contract him out for the next game or hire him permanently at Retro. His absence is sorely missed. I haven't tried anything other than the first level so far. I heard there was no underwater levels, but I thought there would be more variety than what you're hinting at. Maybe it will show up though. Either way, I hope they make a sequel and fix all of these complaints. It seems like Retro was very close to making it perfect.

 

[boiled goose]

Ok. just beat world 7.

The worlds get better every time. World 5 was great, world 6 better, and world 7 was freaking amazing.

As a big skeptic of the game at first, I must say, if you like 2D platformers, you have to find something to love in DKCR. One of the best 2D platformers ever created. I already think that in some ways it is better than NSMBW and in some aspects better than DKC2.

In world 7 the game completely comes alive. The atmosphere feels perfect, the level design is superb, and even the music feels great. Both remixes and original tunes work perfectly and feel completely in place.

While I feel retro should have allowed you to use a button for the roll in addition to the waggle, the controls are completely fine. I was pretty paranoid, but they surprisingly work great. (they should have mapped both B and waggle to roll, letting you use Z for the barrels, no excuses there)

The game has a few issues, but if you don't like DKCR, you don't like 2D platformers. Simple as that.

Also, I have heard posters and reviewers complain about trail and error type gameplay. WTF? There have been at most 2 or 3 times in the entire game when I died because of something I couldnt anticipate quickly enough. I feel there would be less complaints of this type if there were no 1 hit deaths in the cart and rocket levels. That was a mistake by retro IMO, the design is already challenging enough, they should allow for multiple hits. It would not make the game less rewarding and would decrease frustration.

 

[hyduK]

Really? I'm finding this one harder to complete or 100% (some of the puzzle pieces are extremely well hidden) than DKC2.

I greatly enjoy the Tiki design of the enemies and like them much better than the Kremlings, but the secondary enemy designs are lacking. The

Spoiler

frogs and skeletons are cool, but the bats and mechanical chickens

are a bit boring.

Spoiler

Factory and lava are

still coming up. No snow afaik. We knew underwater levels were out and replaced with the beach theme since a couple months back.

100% could very well be harder, haven't really been looking for that stuff on my first playthrough.

And that's very good to here about the levels . I knew there wasn't any underwater stuff...but that didn't ease the disappointment.

 

[[Nintex]]

As a big skeptic of the game at first, I must say, if you like 2D platformers, you have to find something to love in DKCR. One of the best 2D platformers ever created. I already think that in some ways it is better than NSMBW and in some aspects better than DKC2.

Nah, I liked it but for some reason it's quite forgettable. I can't quite put my finger on it but this game just isn't as good as New Super Mario Bros. Wii or other platforming gems. The 'difficulty curve' just isn't there, some levels are way too hard others are a cakewalk. There's a lot of trial and error gameplay and some concepts are played out while others are just bad. The rocket barrel levels are out of place, pounding the ground to find secrets is a great idea, having a second move with the same purpose(blowing) just feels cheap. The same goes for Retro's addiction to collapsing platforms and the design of the enemies which lack variety in both design and gameplay.

The environment art is wonderful, only the 'cliffs' somehow looked boring and stale. Like they didn't have enough time to finish all the art ideas seen in the artwork for the level.

 

[dimb]

As a big skeptic of the game at first, I must say, if you like 2D platformers, you have to find something to love in DKCR. One of the best 2D platformers ever created. I already think that in some ways it is better than NSMBW and in some aspects better than DKC2.

I love 2D platformers, but I really can't stand this game. Really poor checkpoints that often come after the difficult parts, frustratingly inconsistent in terms of it's game logic (this becomes especially apparent during the mine cart boss, where inertia suddenly has no effect on Donkey Kong), horrible physics that the game sometimes relies upon, and some of the worst controls of any game I have ever played. I wish I could reliably roll, but I just can't. It doesn't always do what I want it to, and that is the death sentence for a platformer, particularly for one so unfairly difficult.

This unfairness primarily represents itself in the game's poor tells. The art style simply doesn't lend itself to communicating information to the player, so I found myself constantly guessing just what the game wanted me to do. In the original DKC games if an enemy had a huge toothy mouth that meant don't roll into it. DKCR rarely communicates information on that level, and many of the projectiles and attack animations are just too subtle to really give fair warning to the player.

To me DKCR is just a spectacle platformer. Everything is perfunctory, from the unoriginal (and worse) rehashed music, to the platforming levels that just feel bland and unnecessarily punishing. I really think Retro screwed up here. It is mystifying to me that something like this was released as a landmark Nintendo holiday title, because fuck if anyone but the most hardcore gamer can get through this, and the super guide is a complete cop out.

It's frankly insulting for this game to be compared to DKC2, a game with enormous level variety and each new screen scroll feeling like it presented a new puzzle to the player. DKCR has none of that. The level variety is just embarrassingly uncreative and rushed, and the only things that deviate from the standard levels are a ripoff of those flash helicopter games, and mine cart levels that rely far too heavily on trial and error because it is insanely difficult to judge jump distance.

 

[KevinCow]

Every enemy just feels so out of place, a lot of it probably has to do with the nostalgia, but still. Nintendo needs to go back however many years and secure the licensing to the enemies of the original trilogy.

I agree that the new enemies aren't as interesting as the Kremlings, but it was entirely a design decision, not a licensing issue. Nintendo fully owns all the enemies in the original game.

 

[daakusedo]

Well, I'm going to believe I am a hardcore gamer.

 

[jarosh]

I love 2D platformers, but I really can't stand this game. Really poor checkpoints that often come after the difficult parts, frustratingly inconsistent in terms of it's game logic (this becomes especially apparent during the mine cart boss, where inertia suddenly has no effect on Donkey Kong), horrible physics that the game sometimes relies upon, and some of the worst controls of any game I have ever played. I wish I could reliably roll, but I just can't. It doesn't always do what I want it to, and that is the death sentence for a platformer, particularly for one so unfairly difficult.

This unfairness primarily represents itself in the game's poor tells. The art style simply doesn't lend itself to communicating information to the player, so I found myself constantly guessing just what the game wanted me to do. In the original DKC games if an enemy had a huge toothy mouth that meant don't roll into it. DKCR rarely communicates information on that level, and many of the projectiles and attack animations are just too subtle to really give fair warning to the player.

To me DKCR is just a spectacle platformer. Everything is perfunctory, from the unoriginal (and worse) rehashed music, to the platforming levels that just feel bland and unnecessarily punishing. I really think Retro screwed up here. It is mystifying to me that something like this was released as a landmark Nintendo holiday title, because fuck if anyone but the most hardcore gamer can get through this, and the super guide is a complete cop out.

It's frankly insulting for this game to be compared to DKC2, a game with enormous level variety and each new screen scroll feeling like it presented a new puzzle to the player. DKCR has none of that. The level variety is just embarrassingly uncreative and rushed, and the only things that deviate from the standard levels are a ripoff of those flash helicopter games, and mine cart levels that rely far too heavily on trial and error because it is insanely difficult to judge jump distance.

i can safely say that if i took all your points and turned them into the complete opposite it would be my opinion. there's no use arguing, just turn everything around and that's how i feel. you're like my evil twin.

 

[friskykillface]

finished the game yesterday, a big fuck you to that last boss :lol :lol

i sorta figured that a

Spoiler

rocket barrel to the last master was going to happen, struggled on that the most in the game

was pretty good, holy shit at that lava rocket barrel level, surprised i did it in one life

but yeah, the enemies were really forgettable, not like the enemies of DKC 1,2,3 and overall if i had to rank the "country" games, 2>3>1=DKC returns

*gets flame shield* B^)

i needed a greater incentive other then

Spoiler

one bonus level/temple

then what DKC 2 + 3 had, the lost worlds in those games <3, thats why it was the same as DKC for me

otherwise a fantastic game

more bitching :lol :lol but the lack of

Spoiler

animal buddies to use was :'(, i need the spider with 8 sneakers, loved that guy

 

[Regulus Tera]

The bats are much more entertaining to look at than generic vultures, which make no fucking sense inside a cave.

But I agree that most of the enemies are really forgettable.

 

[Lavpa Jasai]

quick question

im playing through through the entire game with my bro in coop mode

Is there anything special Donkey Kong can do? Diddy can hover/shoot peanuts and what not, is there anything just Donkey can? Is he faster? Can he only defeat certain enemies coming up? I feel like they wouldnt have gimped him like this, so just making sure were not missing anything...

 

[flintstryker]

Since everyone is doing it, after completing this game last night its safe to safe its my favorite of the four and the only problem I have is shake to blow that just completely fuck your tempo up.

 

[Kai Dracon]

It looks like the difficulty of the game is, as suspected, causing some folks fits; though I do think they're unfairly taking out their frustration on the game. (I can't play it = this game sux.)

Level variety complaints are largely bogus though; there's far more variety in level mechanics in DKCR than in almost any 2D platformer; each stage has something new. It does lack the stereotypical "snow" world, but the quality of its factory, dinosaur, and lava worlds more than make up for it and give it a shot of variety. I mean, come on; Donkey Kong Country is set in a jungle. You're gonna see a lot of trees.

Not even going there with the Waggle; Teh Waggle is the whinefest of this entire generation, all hope is lost for some people.

DKCR's only real problems remain: subdued bosses and a poor world 9 / secret world payoff.

 

[loosus]

It looks like the difficulty of the game is, as suspected, causing some folks fits; though I do think they're unfairly taking out their frustration on the game. (I can't play it = this game sux.)

No, the part that sucks is when you want to co-op with someone and the game gets above their heads because they rarely play games, and they eventually give up because -- really and truly -- they are never going to be anywhere nearly good enough to continue.

This could've been alleviated with a more gradual curve in difficulty. Instead, they started the coal dragging by World 3.

 

[Haunted]

quick question

im playing through through the entire game with my bro in coop mode

Is there anything special Donkey Kong can do? Diddy can hover/shoot peanuts and what not, is there anything just Donkey can? Is he faster? Can he only defeat certain enemies coming up? I feel like they wouldnt have gimped him like this, so just making sure were not missing anything...

Nope. Diddy has the hover, Donkey ain't got shit.

Shooting peanuts doesn't actually do stuff, it's just Diddy's way of stomping. Give Donkey to the more advanced player.

 

[Lathentar]

Nope. Diddy has the hover, Donkey ain't got shit.

Shooting peanuts doesn't actually do stuff, it's just Diddy's way of stomping. Give Donkey to the more advanced player.

Peanuts do things!

They kill or stun creatures and in the Mugly battle it'll cause him to stop and munch on them if you shoot enough into his mouth

 

[legend166]

So does the Super Guide only show up if you use 8 lives in a row without a game over? I think that's pretty crappy. My mum and sister have been trying a level in world 3, and have died over 20 times with no super guide in sight.

 

[Pyrokai]

I actually love the motion controls. Not so much with the nunchuck setup though. I only really like playing NES style.

 

[_Alkaline_]

Got the game for Christmas, huge DKC fan...DKC/2 are two of my favorite games of their gen.

So, impressions:

Good

-The level design is fantastic.
-Graphics/art is amazing. The setpieces are beautiful and the colors are really vibrant throughout. Not quite at SMG level, but damn it's close.
-Pretty decent challenge....NSMB was a cakewalk, this is much better. Not quite on DKC2's level, but much better than the average Wii game.


Meh

-Characters. Donkey and Diddy are fine. But holy shit, the enemies are completely forgettable. They just don't compare to DKC1/2 (3 had horrible enemies too, imo). Example: One of the forest levels have you trying to avoid bats:

These should be:

(sorry, couldn't find a better screen, you get the point)

Every enemy just feels so out of place, a lot of it probably has to do with the nostalgia, but still. Nintendo needs to go back however many years and secure the licensing to the enemies of the original trilogy.

-Not enough variety in levels. I'm only at the end of the World 5 but: no factory levels, no snow levels, lava levels, underwater....a lot of the best locales of the original have been removed, which would be fine, but there's very little variety in what's included.

-Music. The old remixes are amazing but they've overshadowed the new stuff so far.

Bad
-Motion controls. They suck. Get them out.
-I should be able to play as Diddy.

Vultures in a cave is more fitting than bats? That's complaining for the sake of complaining.

And why judge the variety in levels when you clearly haven't played the whole game yet? Half the elements you mentioned are covered in later areas.

Seriously, opinions are opinions but sometimes you've gotta think before you think. I ain't even gonna touch Dance's post.

 

[Battersea Power Station]

I don't think the opinion on the game has to be as extreme as some of the ones posted in this thread. I have a feeling some of the really far out opinions (positive and negative) are based either on backlash or surprise after certain expectations.

Those 2 screens posted up there made me think about something, though:

I miss having the enemies stand out from the background. I can appreciate how well they blend in with the environment in DKCR from an artistic point of view, but it doesn't do anything to me from a gameplay point of view. Those vulture sprites (despite all the brown) are much easier to spot and separate from the background than the bats are, for example.

Also, I love that diagonal, "faux depth" view of the hanging bridge in the DKC1 screenshot. It makes the characters' positions much clearer to me. Yes, I grasp the irony of me praising the perspective of a 2D game with what could be considered "cheap" 3D effects over an actually 3D game, but it's just a matter of visual design as relating to function. There are times in DKCR where I've miscalculated my or an enemy's position because of the perspective. There's depth in the environment, but the head-on approach doesn't really let you see it. And while the depth is not really used, having it would've helped with the perception. Something as simple as tilting the camera up 10 or 15 degrees would've been wondrous.

 

[hatchx]

-Not enough variety in levels. I'm only at the end of the World 5 but: no factory levels, no snow levels, lava levels, underwater....a lot of the best locales of the original have been removed, which would be fine, but there's very little variety in what's included.

I missed the snow/water levels too.

 

[KaYotiX]

only thing i disliked about the game was the waggle to roll.....its not even needed, they added it just to have some BS motion crap.

 

[dimb]

It looks like the difficulty of the game is, as suspected, causing some folks fits; though I do think they're unfairly taking out their frustration on the game. (I can't play it = this game sux.)

This is just complete bunk. It isn't that the game is hard, it's that the level design makes demands that are greater than what the controls are capable of.

I've beaten Super Meat Boy and Kid Chameleon. I'm not bad at platforming games, but DKRC makes me want to crush the Wii Remote in my hands because it is just so stupidly frustrating. Donkey Kong just doesn't do what I want him to.

 

[farnham]

the only thing i hated is that there is no dixie kong


wtf she is the best DKC character hands down (copterswing ftw)

 

[JoeFenix]

This is just complete bunk. It isn't that the game is hard, it's that the level design makes demands that are greater than what the controls are capable of.

I've beaten Super Meat Boy and Kid Chameleon. I'm not bad at platforming games, but DKRC makes me want to crush the Wii Remote in my hands because it is just so stupidly frustrating. Donkey Kong just doesn't do what I want him to.

It's factualy incorrect to state the controls are not responsive because there's no way I would have been able to do all the time attacks with shiny gold medals if I couldn't roll consistently.

The rolling works 100% of the time as long as you understand in which state DK needs to be in for a roll to work. Basicaly you need to be moving forward to be able to roll, you can't roll from a standstill or from a quick change of direction.

 

[DragonGirl]

Here's another tidbit about the roll that's probably already been stated but...

Diddy is basically a powerup in the single player game:

he adds lives to DK

he adds hover ability to DK

he adds continuous roll to DK

It seems like a lot of my friends who complain about the roll not being responsive don't realize that it works differently with just DK versus having Diddy along. When you just have DK, he'll somersault once, stop, then somersault again. With Diddy added in there's no pause and DK will roll continuously.

 

[Freezie KO]

Just opened this up and played through the first world, including 1-k. I'm really liking the challenge. I even got the super guide to appear on the first mine cart level. The level design, thus far, has been clever. The art and detail are great, even if the feel is decidedly more Nintendo/happy than Original DKC/grimy.

Now, I want to say that I like motion controls. Red Steel 2 and Wii Sports Resort use them fantastic. Madworld, even without M+, works to enhance the gameplay. And mindless waggle works in both NSMB:Wii and Galaxy.

The motion controls don't work in this. First off, it's a bad idea to have them assigned to both the ground pound and the roll. There's a section where cannonballs are raining down, and you have to ground pound some crates below you before the cannonballs hit you. When I went to ground pound, I rolled because I had some sustained momentum. Accidental death. Next try, I ground pound and destroy the crates, so I hold to the side and try to roll. But instead, I'm sustaining my ground pound and I die.

Second, the roll can only be done with a downward swipe, which isn't explicit. So at first, due to Galaxy, I couldn't quite figure out why a flick of the wrist wouldn't make me roll. Now, I realize that the downward swipe is required because it's meant to mimic the ground pound. However, it's stupid for the roll because the roll is a left-to-right maneuver, yet the motion is up-to-down. So not only is it inaccurate, it's counterintuitive.

Third, the motion controls' imprecision, mostly due to the fact that the game must differentiate between the ground pound and the roll, is made more infuriating because there's no reason to use it. I really don't mind waggle to ground pound or blow on plants or whatever. In those cases, the player is stationary. So keep waggle assigned to those, and assign rolling to the B button. The B button and Z button have the exact same default control. There's literally ZERO reason to keep rolling restricted to waggle when there's free buttons. Very annoying design.

Another thing that I don't love about the controls is the responsiveness of the extra-height bounce that you get off enemies' heads. There have been times that I could swear to have pressed the button again before landing on an enemy and not getting the extra-height. This was pretty frustrating on 1-K with no checkpoints and parts where it's required.

So overall, I'm enjoying the game quite a bit, but some of the control issues are pretty frustrating, and I'd clearly knock points off a review for such an avoidable design flaw.

 

[_Alkaline_]

Switcheroo is one of the greatest things to grace a platformer. A novel concept, brilliantly executed and driven home by outstanding sound and artistic design.

It resembles Stop&Go Station (one of the more creative levels in the original) but takes it to incredible heights. What a stage.

 

[revolverjgw]

only thing i disliked about the game was the waggle to roll.....its not even needed, they added it just to have some BS motion crap.

Waggle to roll pretty much dissuades me from even bothering to roll at all. Thankfully it doesn't seem to be a mechanic required to beat the game, I only really felt pressured to use it at 2 or 3 parts, max... it almost seems like they realize it sucks.

 

[flintstryker]

Waggle to roll pretty much dissuades me from even bothering to roll at all. Thankfully it doesn't seem to be a mechanic required to beat the game, I only really felt pressured to use it at 2 or 3 parts, max... it almost seems like they realize it sucks.

Its pretty much required to beat the final boss though, and like i said constantly its just fine.

 

[boiled goose]

I love 2D platformers, but I really can't stand this game. Really poor checkpoints that often come after the difficult parts, frustratingly inconsistent in terms of it's game logic (this becomes especially apparent during the mine cart boss, where inertia suddenly has no effect on Donkey Kong), horrible physics that the game sometimes relies upon, and some of the worst controls of any game I have ever played. I wish I could reliably roll, but I just can't. It doesn't always do what I want it to, and that is the death sentence for a platformer, particularly for one so unfairly difficult.

Checkpoints after hard parts? boohoo. the issue is that sometimes that checkpoints are badly placed forcing you to do tedious parts that are just a drag and not challenging.
I agree with some inconsistency in the mine cart levels and physics.
Controls are fine. shake down to roll, you need to be running to roll. as a big big complainer of the forced waggle, i can at least say that it works fine.

This unfairness primarily represents itself in the game's poor tells. The art style simply doesn't lend itself to communicating information to the player, so I found myself constantly guessing just what the game wanted me to do. In the original DKC games if an enemy had a huge toothy mouth that meant don't roll into it. DKCR rarely communicates information on that level, and many of the projectiles and attack animations are just too subtle to really give fair warning to the player.

never had an issue with the enemies not hinting how to kill them. what i will give you is that sometimes the screes are very busy or sometimes the background makes the enemies hard to see. I have been hit by things that I did not see very clearly. that is a fair point.

To me DKCR is just a spectacle platformer. Everything is perfunctory, from the unoriginal (and worse) rehashed music, to the platforming levels that just feel bland and unnecessarily punishing. I really think Retro screwed up here. It is mystifying to me that something like this was released as a landmark Nintendo holiday title, because fuck if anyone but the most hardcore gamer can get through this, and the super guide is a complete cop out.

music could be better. no doubt.
sometimes unnecessarily punishing. I have always said cart and rocket levels should not be 1 hit deaths.

It's frankly insulting for this game to be compared to DKC2, a game with enormous level variety and each new screen scroll feeling like it presented a new puzzle to the player. DKCR has none of that. The level variety is just embarrassingly uncreative and rushed, and the only things that deviate from the standard levels are a ripoff of those flash helicopter games, and mine cart levels that rely far too heavily on trial and error because it is insanely difficult to judge jump distance.

Cmon...
DKC2 is one of my favorite games ever. it is a better game overall than DKCR no doubt.
there are times when DKCR shines when I think they are comparable. world 7 had some awesome levels.

I really don't mind waggle to ground pound or blow on plants or whatever. In those cases, the player is stationary. So keep waggle assigned to those, and assign rolling to the B button. The B button and Z button have the exact same default control. There's literally ZERO reason to keep rolling restricted to waggle when there's free buttons. Very annoying design.

Freaking stupid design. B should be roll. Waggle to point. Z to grab. I really cant believe they forced you to waggle to roll when it is not even freaking necessary with the buttons available in the nunchuck. B is perfect, because you can still keep you thumb on the jump button.

Another thing that I don't love about the controls is the responsiveness of the extra-height bounce that you get off enemies' heads.

They should have just used the standard mario mechanic. if you are holding the jump button, you get the extra height.

 

[_Alkaline_]

In no way is DKC2 "no doubt" better than Returns.

And I fucking love DKC2.

 

[apana]

Returns is the best DKC game, and probably better than nsmb wii for the single player part. This game is really hard to play with another person if they are a casual gamer.

 

[Garcia]

Since I beat the game in cooperative mode I never had the opportunity to play single player with Diddy Kong.

Soooo... You actually have unlimited roll with him !

Excuse me, I'm on my way to punch a boxing bag . Shiny golds will be a much easier to get now, you've got no idea how much I've struggled to get them just using Donkey Kong.

 

[Tricky I Shadow]

I love 2D platformers, but I really can't stand this game. Really poor checkpoints that often come after the difficult parts, frustratingly inconsistent in terms of it's game logic (this becomes especially apparent during the mine cart boss, where inertia suddenly has no effect on Donkey Kong), horrible physics that the game sometimes relies upon, and some of the worst controls of any game I have ever played. I wish I could reliably roll, but I just can't. It doesn't always do what I want it to, and that is the death sentence for a platformer, particularly for one so unfairly difficult.

This unfairness primarily represents itself in the game's poor tells. The art style simply doesn't lend itself to communicating information to the player, so I found myself constantly guessing just what the game wanted me to do. In the original DKC games if an enemy had a huge toothy mouth that meant don't roll into it. DKCR rarely communicates information on that level, and many of the projectiles and attack animations are just too subtle to really give fair warning to the player.

To me DKCR is just a spectacle platformer. Everything is perfunctory, from the unoriginal (and worse) rehashed music, to the platforming levels that just feel bland and unnecessarily punishing. I really think Retro screwed up here. It is mystifying to me that something like this was released as a landmark Nintendo holiday title, because fuck if anyone but the most hardcore gamer can get through this, and the super guide is a complete cop out.

It's frankly insulting for this game to be compared to DKC2, a game with enormous level variety and each new screen scroll feeling like it presented a new puzzle to the player. DKCR has none of that. The level variety is just embarrassingly uncreative and rushed, and the only things that deviate from the standard levels are a ripoff of those flash helicopter games, and mine cart levels that rely far too heavily on trial and error because it is insanely difficult to judge jump distance.

"Some of the worst controls of any game I have ever played." Such a ridiculous post! :lol

 

[Joe Shlabotnik]

I got this for Christmas, am near the end of World 2 and have had none of the motion control problems mentioned in the last page or two (and probably the last 40).

The illustrations for all of the nunchuk/wiimote motion controls specify up-and-down action. It is not a picture of a guy spazzing out with the controllers in any direction. It is up and down arrows. This is not unclear or counter-intuitive. I got to the part with the cannonballs and crates, and it was a pain in the ass, but only because it was intended to be a pain in the ass. I didn't have any problems pounding or rolling when I wanted to. As soon as Cranky Kong reminded me of the roll-jump maneuver, I've been able to do it easily.

I dunno, people are going to have different experiences but some of the observations here regarding the aesthetics, controls, and level design are 100% opposite of my impressions so far.

 

[_Alkaline_]

Since I beat the game in cooperative mode I never had the opportunity to play single player with Diddy Kong.

Soooo... You actually have unlimited roll with him !

Excuse me, I'm on my way to punch a boxing bag . Shiny golds will be a much easier to get now, you've got no idea how much I've struggled to get them just using Donkey Kong.

You can do it in co-op mode as well, you just need Diddy on DK's back.

 

[boiled goose]

In no way is DKC2 "no doubt" better than Returns.

And I fucking love DKC2.

I find myself arguing with both people who think DKCR sucks and those who think it is the best in the series.

I think that when DKCR shines it is unmatched, but some issues such as the controls (that are adequate, but not perfect) and some of the strange, yet ultimately not game-breaking, design decisions keep it from being as consistent as DKC2. 2 also had a bit more variety in locals and more animals friends etc. each level had a pretty different mechanic. I dont mind the rocket barrel levels, but there is so many of them and some sections are just a waste.

But hey, rare made their best game with their second effort, im sure retro can do an even more awesome job with a sequel.

 

[flak57]

Now that I've played DKCR a little bit, I can safely say that it is DKC in name only (this was pretty obvious just from looking at vids). Might as well compare this to Yoshi's Island instead of the old DKC games, they share the same amount of similarities.