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Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze |OT| There's always money in the banana stand

chronosic

Member
I got to Amiss Abyss yesterday, and being an ocean and sea creature lover, that stage made the game go from good to great for me. I was surprised to see how many creatures they put in there, from Sea Anemones to Brittle Stars. Retro is always fantastic at level design.
I love the oar fish and brittle stars. So awesome.
 
Did you know Mario's "YIPEEE" from Mario 64 is in Grassland Groove? Listen closely, right at the beginning and then several times through the song.

This game has a soundtrack I haven't enjoyed this much since Mario Galaxy. This game is definitely on my top lists for best music ever. The layers of song, mixes of harmony and melody, the use of sound effects and voices for elements, the timing of the music with visual elements in the game, it's stuff that I haven't seen since the N64 era. Everything about the soundtrack, and actually, the entire game itself, feels like something from the 90s brought to the modern standards. Levels based on cheese and jello. Running a minecart through a sawmill, some of the scenes just felt like they were taken from another era.
I don't know, I just felt like the entire game was Rare at its peak in design, that this was the game that they would have made had they warped 20 years in the future and never changed at all, but knew of modern mechanics. Right down to enemies, who feel like better designed and modern Kremlins (and are so much better than tikis), it's straight from a 90s perspective on side scrollers without the rough around the edges feel.

There's some frustrations about the game I have, but it takes me back to a whole different era of platformers, and I have felt nostalia for a game that was just released. DKCR was a great game, but this just takes it to a whole other level of audio/visual design.
 
So my copy finally arrived. :D

What is the best way to play, or whats the most popular recommendation? I played the original on sideways Wiimote but was hoping to just use my Pro Controller this time.

D-pad? Stick?

If I use stick is there no 'run' button?
 

Danny Dudekisser

I paid good money for this Dynex!
Finished 5-K. That level is so satisfying. When I finished it, I just leaned back and made a sound like "mmmmmm."

Which indicates that it was really good.
 

maxcriden

Member
So my copy finally arrived. :D

What is the best way to play, or whats the most popular recommendation? I played the original on sideways Wiimote but was hoping to just use my Pro Controller this time.

D-pad? Stick?

If I use stick is there no 'run' button?

Personally I love using the d-pad on the GamePad.

Enjoy the game, it's amazing! :)
 
So my copy finally arrived. :D

What is the best way to play, or whats the most popular recommendation? I played the original on sideways Wiimote but was hoping to just use my Pro Controller this time.

D-pad? Stick?

If I use stick is there no 'run' button?

I am using the d-pad on a pro controller. Feels right.
 

Het_Nkik

Member
Ah thanks! Yes, pretty useless, I'm definitely not using that.

It doesn't just clear enemies on screen, it also turns them into objects. If you have Diddy, all the enemies on the screen turn into extra lives. With Dixie they turn into Gold Hearts, which let you extend your life meter beyond 4 hearts up 8 (which helps if you're having trouble with bosses)! With Cranky they all turn into Banana Coins which... okay, that one is useless.

The meter refills with every 100 bananas collected.
 

Danny Dudekisser

I paid good money for this Dynex!
So DongGaf, what's your opinion about the soundtrack of the game? Can it live up to the glorious DKC2 days?

Hmm... well, it's different. I think the soundtrack here is fantastic across the board, but it's not as gloomy as DKC2's... which, depending on your personal tastes, is either a good thing or a bad thing. What I can say for sure, though, is that the music is utilized more effectively. The music changes whenever you dive underwater, or when you enter a new, dramatically different section of the level... it's kinda tough to explain why it works so well, but it does.

Purely speaking about the music itself, though? I'll give it to DKC: TF because the new compositions are great, and the remixes of old music trumps the old stuff.
 

Yuterald

Member
I think Sea Breeze Cove has my least favorite set of levels so far. My two favorite stages were High Tide Ride and Rockin' Relics though. This may come as a surprise (as it seems like a fan favorite), but I didn't think Amiss Abyss was as jaw dropping/mind blowing as people here made it out to be. The "Amiss Abyss" track also didn't really click with me emotionally, for whatever reason. I like it, but not to the same levels as something like Scorch N' Torch (which I haven't moved on from, lol!). I thought Current Capers was a really left-over feeling type of level, to be honest. There was way too much reuse of music (especially Aquatic Ambiance) as well.

Still loving the game and it's probably my favorite game of the year so far, but I'm hoping World 5 and 6 reaches/provides the kind of feelings I got from World 2 and 3.
 

Currygan

at last, for christ's sake
So DongGaf, what's your opinion about the soundtrack of the game? Can it live up to the glorious DKC2 days?

I give the TF soundtrack a Random teen with a banana up his arse gif Award, which is the highest prize in the history of all history
c4NXmxm.gif


hard to compare to DKC2's, but I think TF outclasses it, thus deserving said gif
 

atbigelow

Member
So DongGaf, what's your opinion about the soundtrack of the game? Can it live up to the glorious DKC2 days?

It's one of the best. There's a LOT of variety and the sampling is fantastic. Wise is the master of sax, too.

Compared to the holy grail of DKC2, it's different but equivalent. DKC2 was darker and the music fit that perfectly. TF recycles some of the themes from it in ways that ALSO fit it. I am pleased that the majority of TF's soundtrack is new material. And there's a lot of it.
 

george_us

Member
I just finished 3-3 Frantic Fields... To those not praising this games level design, are we playing the same game? What were your expectations. It feels brilliant to me.
I just finished that level myself and yeah, I'm having a blast myself. At first I wasn't too enamored but everything quickly clicked for me. My one semi-complaint is that the boss battles go on for too long but even I'm not sure how I exactly feel. In the heat of battle it's annoying but once you completely memorize boss patterns and finally beat a boss with no problems, it's a very rewarding feeling.
 

Andrew.

Banned
So I made it to World 6 last night finally. I managed to best the World 5 boss on my first try (though I had equipped two banana juices and a heart beforehand)

Regarding the boss
He was easily my favorite next to World 1's. Not only was the metal music kick ass, but I really dug how everytime he fell into the grape drink, his fur would gradually become more and more purple. Just a really cool and fun fight overall.

I totally agree about the overall more melancholic tone of World 6. Also, from the couple levels Ive played (Seashore War was as epic as expected) they seem to be way shorter than previous worlds.

Crazy how the game gives off this instant vibe of "oh shit, ice worlds everywhere because 'Freeze' is in the title", yet the player only reaches the ice at the bitter end. 25+ hours later in my case. Really, really well done.
 

MrBadger

Member
So I just found the
beehive
level in World 5. Truly a testament to just how good this game looks.
They could have just used the one backdrop, but you keep going in and out of the hive. Fantastic stuff.
But would it have killed them to have
Zingers
appear? Ah well.

So DongGaf, what's your opinion about the soundtrack of the game? Can it live up to the glorious DKC2 days?

Absolutely. There's such a big variety of tracks in this game and just about all of them are fantastic. The only track that let me down was the final boss theme, and even that has grown on me significantly since I first heard it. I love DKC2's music, but stuff like Busted Bayou, Punch Bowl and Wing Ding just can't be beaten. And I think I prefer Amiss Abyss to Aquatic Ambience now.
 

Blues1990

Member
So my copy finally arrived. :D

What is the best way to play, or whats the most popular recommendation? I played the original on sideways Wiimote but was hoping to just use my Pro Controller this time.

D-pad? Stick?

If I use stick is there no 'run' button?

I personally find using the Gamepad or the Pro Controller work best for this game, but it doesn't hurt to try out the different controller options until you find something that's most comfortable for you.
 
Just when I thought I'd gotten all I could get out of this game and that it was time to actually play something else I suddenly got an inexplicable urge to try my hand at that which I avoided in Returns.
That urge being to attempt Rickety Rafters time attack and see if I could at least attain a gold medal. Half an hour later I was a victorious man, through many "aha!" moments and flying by the seat of my pants roll jumps I plotted my course without taking a look at any other runs until after I nabbed my gold which of course blew mine away but that's not the point.
It's like discovering stages in a whole new light, sure I've watched runs for this and returns before and seen how carefully placed enemies are to support the runs but it's truly not until you partake in one yourself that the sheer brilliance of the level design comes to light.
I gave a few other stages a whirl and the moment in Seashore War where I realised that the owls placed above the rolling ship section where in fact also potential cane bouncing fodder to carry you over a large portion of icy water was like platforming enlightenment.
This game man.

This little outing also brings another point to mind, bonus rooms aside Retro really did pay attention to what may have seemed like small complaints coming off of Returns.
Time Trials in general retrying from the start so you don't have to deal with quitting and reloading (which put me off bothering with Returns) is one such fix and another being the greater high bounce timing window with a partner character, small changes that make a load of difference.

So DongGaf, what's your opinion about the soundtrack of the game? Can it live up to the glorious DKC2 days?
DKC2 is still tops I feel but Tropical Freeze is easily a close runner up to it.
 

sonto340

Member
This game is NOT trial and error. I never once felt like I was unprepared for anything the game asked of me. Every time I died was my fault, because I wasn't good enough.
If you really think this is trial and error based you can not have been paying attention to the level.
 

Danny Dudekisser

I paid good money for this Dynex!
Just played through 6-A and 6-B. Holy shit. Every time I think I've seen the best this game has to offer, I'm wrong.

Also, the music that plays in 6-B, Forest Folly, is probably my favorite song in the game. Soooo good.


This whole game is just kinda crazy. I'm one of those "games were better back in the day" people, and really, I guess this is the sort of thing I feel like the industry's been missing for the longest time now.
 

Carlisle

Member
Just got this over the weekend. Funny, it wasn't even on my radar, but once I started pulling my hair out at the post-credits worlds of SM3DW, I decided a game that caused me that much stress couldn't be my main Wii U game... and yeah, there's really nothing on my radar until May, so I went in! Though in retrospect maybe a DKC game wasn't the best choice for a low-stress alternative :/

In any event, I'm having a blast. Still pretty early in the game, but I'm pleasantly surprised at how fun this is. I never played DKCR, and the nostalgia is so good. I decided I'll drive myself insane going for all the K-O-N-Gs and puzzle pieces, so I'm just going to go for completion at least for now. Platformers usually offer less content than other types of games, so going for 100% completion is my way of getting all I can out of it... it's how I play all the Mario games, etc. But so far DKCTP is looking to be a whole different sort of beast.
 

Kouriozan

Member
Just played through 6-A and 6-B. Holy shit. Every time I think I've seen the best this game has to offer, I'm wrong.

Also, the music that plays in 6-B, Forest Folly, is probably my favorite song in the game. Soooo good.


This whole game is just kinda crazy. I'm one of those "games were better back in the day" people, and really, I guess this is the sort of thing I feel like the industry's been missing for the longest time now.
Totally agree with you.
Awesome gameplay, epic music, godly level design, this game has it all!
 

Zing

Banned
D-pad? Stick?

If I use stick is there no 'run' button?
I initially used the d-pad, but then I discovered that the nunchuck stick removes the run button. It is so much better when you can just fine tune your speed with the stick instead of holding a run button 99% of the time.


This game is NOT trial and error. I never once felt like I was unprepared for anything the game asked of me. Every time I died was my fault, because I wasn't good enough.
If you really think this is trial and error based you can not have been paying attention to the level.
Agreed. There have been many times while playing that I think, "I bet some people this this section is meant to be trial-and-error", but I can immediately see how the obstacles are telegraphed. Even on levels such as Bopopolis, a failed bop or out of reach puzzle piece is due to skill, not luck or experience.

The only time I have died and felt frustrated with anyone but myself is when I somehow got hit while jumping on an owl, but still "bopped" it. I'm not sure how both should be able to happen.
 

Haines

Banned
The thing that's really easy to overlook in this game is the world map. So well done. It feels so natural that you take it for granted
 
The thing that's really easy to overlook in this game is the world map. So well done. It feels so natural that you take it for granted

Yeah it's really great. Only thing it's missing is the music changes that were in DKCR, that added a lot of character to the individual worlds.

Created a photo album compiling my favorite screens, taken by myself and others (Robin64, The Xtortionist, EatChildren, etc).

The islands of Tropical Freeze are probably the most smitten I've been with a game's environmental art since BioShock Infinite's Columbia.

Love this, wallpapers ahoy.
 

Danny Dudekisser

I paid good money for this Dynex!
Finished all the levels in the game. Still have to go back and get the puzzle pieces for a number of stages, but yeah, this one's pretty much done. Hell of a ride from start to finish. Toughest level for me, easily, was
7-2
. That was just a gauntlet of "fuck yous." And I loved it.

Anyway, now that I've seen everything, I think I have a better idea of where it stands in my platformer rankings. It's tied with Yoshi's Island for best platformer I've ever played. The whole game was just completely masterful.
 

Oidisco

Member
My only real issue with the game was how under-used the 3D camera stuff was. A couple more stages using creatively, like that World 4 Minecart stage would've been nice.
 
Just beat the final boss! Awesome game! Now to beat the last couple levels and collect all the puzzle pieces and figurines. The figurines are just random right? I just have to keep buying a lot until I get them all?
 

oracrest

Member
Just beat the final boss! Awesome game! Now to beat the last couple levels and collect all the puzzle pieces and figurines. The figurines are just random right? I just have to keep buying a lot until I get them all?

Yes, they are random, but you must have them unlocked to gain access to them. I was missing just one until I
beat all of world 7
, and that unlocked all of them.

I ended up buying 20 at a time, and I ended up getting the last one just a few in, and got just duplicates for the remaining 15 or so. It will give you all you paid for, and then afterwards he will tell you that you have them all when you try to buy more.
 

Gartooth

Member
Finished up worlds 5 and 6 today including all KONG letters. Now I have to go back and scavenger for some secret exits. Overall though this was a fantastic game and I know that as soon as I finish every level to its fullest I will be back for more on hard mode.
 
Yes, they are random, but you must have them unlocked to gain access to them. I was missing just one until I
beat all of world 7
, and that unlocked all of them.

I ended up buying 20 at a time, and I ended up getting the last one just a few in, and got just duplicates for the remaining 15 or so. It will give you all you paid for, and then afterwards he will tell you that you have them all when you try to buy more.

Ok thanks! I was thinking about
beating World 7 first
glad you told me.
 
I just finished Level 3-1 and my god how can anybody not completely fall in love with this after that stage? The incredible design flare, the fun gameplay pieces (like the snake platforms!) and the music just completely won me over. It's amazing what an inspired score will do to give a game a strong identity.
 
I honestly thought David Wise was a bit overrated around here, but listening to some tracks and imagining going through these levels with that music really was the straw that broke the camel's back and compelled me to order it from Newegg. And This finally came in the mail today! I can't wait to go home tonight and play it!
 
I honestly thought David Wise was a bit overrated around here, but listening to some tracks and imagining going through these levels with that music really was the straw that broke the camel's back and compelled me to order it from Newegg. And This finally came in the mail today! I can't wait to go home tonight and play it!

If I have to be honest, it's not the level-for-level consistency of hits that DKC or DKC2 had so far (again, only at level 3-1 so far), but when it's going for the DKC groove, holy crap is it ever great. I've been humming the title screen music alone for days. Some of the themes are so strong they feel like they've always been here simply because they sound like a perfect fit for the vibe of Donkey Kong Country. In my opinion, the music has really etched out a strong identity for this game.
 
Yes, they are random, but you must have them unlocked to gain access to them. I was missing just one until I
beat all of world 7
, and that unlocked all of them.

I ended up buying 20 at a time, and I ended up getting the last one just a few in, and got just duplicates for the remaining 15 or so. It will give you all you paid for, and then afterwards he will tell you that you have them all when you try to buy more.

You wouldn't have an estimate of how many coins you used in all do you? I think I would have had plenty but I found out you could stack partner barrels when playing levels like halfway through lol. I'm glad I found that out though cause I really suck at this game! lol
 

Isotope

Member
I've been listening to Punch Bowl for the last day or two. I thought I loved World One's Boss theme, but this is definitely beats it.

It's just so good, pretty much like this entire soundtrack.
 
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