LTTP: Donkey Kong Country Returns

is this game pretty much identical across the two versions?

also, are the bosses really that unforgettable?

remember reading that somewhere
 
The rocket levels were amongst my favorites. It's a simple matter of managing momentum with the button, and kind of relaxing to one-hand it with a drink in the other.
 
elohel said:
is this game pretty much identical across the two versions?

also, are the bosses really that unforgettable?

remember reading that somewhere
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Bosses are pretty meh actually. 3DS version is 30 fps instead of 60, doesnt have motion controls and has an extra world.
hachi said:
The rocket levels were amongst my favorites. It's a simple matter of managing momentum with the button, and kind of relaxing to one-hand it with a drink in the other.
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loved them too, never understood the hate.
 
I am currently playing this on the 3DS. It is magnificent. Makes NSMB2 look like a piece of shit. And the 3D looks great.

And it's not terribly difficult. I did come to it right after playing a bunch of Super Meat Boy, though.
 
Best of the strict level design platformers (like Rayman, MeatBoy, really nearly all of them beside Mario).

Tertullian said:
I am currently playing this on the 3DS. It is magnificent. Makes NSMB2 look like a piece of shit. And the 3D looks great.
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Eh, as much as GAF likes to piss on the NSMB games and New2 in particular, I'd put New2's platforming a step above even DKCR.
 
elohel said:
is this game pretty much identical across the two versions?

also, are the bosses really that unforgettable?

remember reading that somewhere
Click to expand...

They're definitely better than DKC1's and probably DKC3's. Stu the definitely not a Breegull was badass!

jVtzhCll.jpg


But yeah, as a whole they were nothing to write home about I suppose. Tropical Freeze already looks like a big improvement in the boss department based on Big Top the sea lion alone.

Dat Scandinavian Metal.
 
hachi said:
You shouldn't use the analog stick in a 2D platformer that has fundamentally digital controls and then go on to complain about precision. The best way to play this game is still sideways wiimote. But you will be told otherwise by those who awkwardly shake the controller to roll instead of using a single, sharp flick of one wrist.
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I can't even imagine what your hands must look like if you think shaking the Wiimote while holding it sideways with both hands is better than shaking the Wiimote with one hand and the Nunchuk with the other. And no, the controls were not fundamentally digital and were not designed to be played with a d-pad. Quite the opposite, really.
 
the series was always hard as nails

returns is actually rather easy. however the jump controls (flicking your mote) is unresponsive sometimes and if that happens it gets really hard.
 
SuperSah said:
Not sure on the hate for rocket/cart levels.

They were challenging but took no more than 5-10 tries to master.
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Half of these games are memorization. Every level happens the same way every single time. The other half is execution. You have problems with either one (or both!) and you're not going to do well.

You could probably program a robot that learns to play 2D platformers perfectly.
 
Amazing game indeed. I didn't think it was all that difficult, except some of the bonus stages and also the final boss which I hate hate hate. The funny thing with DKCR though, is that unlike mario platformers, I can't bring myself to replay it. Which is weird because I liked it so much.
 
dude life in dkcr are "different" from most platform, you're supposed to stockpile..
some levels are trial and error, other if you want to go for KONG are HELL AND FRIGGING BACK..
to get KONG on 4-3 (infamous rocket level... jeez... 8-2 was the other rocket level that was i pain for me iirc) i spat blood and bile and threw about 40-45 life...
so yeah....
platform level are cake... but rocket level... ffs!
 
I'm playing the 3DS version and I feel I am fighting the controls occasionally. Most of my deaths are legitimately my own fault, but sometimes I'll try move and roll from a standstill and end up falling off a ledge or something. It could be 30 FPS vs. 60 FPS responsiveness.

I really like the challenge of the game but I feel the checkpoints are too sparse in many places. The #-K levels have none at all, but I guess it's somewhat forgivable there considering they are optional. I'm playing the original mode for what it's worth - not sure if that's one of the changes in the new mode. Retro did an excellent job with the game though. Lots of different mechanics and variance to the levels.

I'm at world 8 currently and am trying to finish 8-K before trying the boss.
 
"You can still get hit even if you’re coming out of an animation, like a jump or a roll."

Um... yeah. You're just really bad at this game. Which is nothing to be ashamed of; it's quite difficult. What you're wrong about is your contention that the game is poorly designed. Sounds like you're too used to modern hand-holding game design.
 
I actually prefer the new roll. Taking leaps of faith with that thing and landing unscathed is one of the most satisfying feelings in video-games.
 
I enjoyed reading about your impressions from what is my platformer of the generation, at least if disregarding indie titles.

Tip: if you enable homebrew you can play with classic controller and no waggle. That is really helpful.

And for the love of God: Don't use the analogue controller in a 2D platformer OP! For shame..

Also: The game is not really that hard, but then again I 100%d Super Meat Boy and play lots of 2D platformers in general.

You will die some times on some levels before you memorize the sequences though.. But that is as it should be. I'm really grateful that Nintendo has kept the difficulty level pretty high in this series as opposed to the NSMB entries..
 
Many of us around here grew up playing 2D platformers on the NES and/or SNES and like DCKR because it's a throwback to the difficulty of that era with a bit of modern polish, in many ways it's the flip side of people finding modern Mario games too easy.

So it's interesting to read the perspective of somebody relatively new to the genre, you've pretty much gone straight into the deep end with one of the more difficult titles so it's no wonder you struggled in places.
I find the rocket barrel levels too hard too, I even had to use the super guide on one of them (I think it was the aforementioned bat cave) which isn't something I ever thought I'd do after getting annoyed by them in NSMB Wii, the mine carts are better but I agree there's a few instances where they can be a little unfair.
 
The rocket level in the bat cave was insane. I died so much there (probably about 30 lives).

In any case, I loved the difficulty in the game. Nice throwback to the SNES games. I recently replayed them and DKC1 and 2 are brutal, especially snow and bramble levels. DKC3 is by far the easiest one.
 
Gameplay wise I just LOVED every single stage of DKCR. It's just perfect!
I don't like the blow up mechanic because it slow too much the pace, while I don't mind with the waggle controller, actually I think it's pretty IMMERSIVE.

My only problem with DKCR is the atmosphere, I think I've played too much DKC2 and I was expecting that again. The enemies are too bland, and I'm happy to say that I'm liking what I've saw so far about DKCTF =)

I'm very experient with platformer games, I just LOVE the genre and I must say this: there is NO PROBLEM in lose lives/die/try it again. It's actually exciting to have some real challenge! The real problem is that we are so used to finish games without any difficult that when we play a game like DKCR we think that the game is unfair. It isn't, it just requires you that learn the stages and dominates its mechanics. ;-)
 
I also have big love for this game.

Every single level has some mechanic or novel feature than makes it stand out. The inventiveness on display is just fantastic!

I also found the game's difficulty set quite high but loved every minute. The game seemed fair to me.

The rolling mechanic wasn't comfortable for me, but I've never got on with motion controls. However, I've watched speedruns of the game and seen the runner using the controller and it's apparent the controls are precise in skilled hands.

Easily my favourite game on the Wii and probably my favourite platformer since Yoshi's Island.
 
quetz67 said:
How hard is it? Iread something about Ocarina, do you need that game too?
Click to expand...

No, there are several options. You need a SD card and readervfor PC though. The "Letterbomb" is probably the easiest, and requires no game. You'll have no problem googling it I think.
 
Calamari41 said:
"You can still get hit even if you’re coming out of an animation, like a jump or a roll."

Um... yeah. You're just really bad at this game. Which is nothing to be ashamed of; it's quite difficult. What you're wrong about is your contention that the game is poorly designed. Sounds like you're too used to modern hand-holding game design.
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Hold on here. I'm wrong that the motion controls are poorly implemented and that a subtle push with the thumbstick puts you in a roll when you wanted to blow?

Also, I don't how you can say I'm used to "modern hand-holding game design" when you don't know what games I play. I said in the OP that this was one of my first 2D platformers and I don't play them that much. Why can't it just be that I'm just new 2D platformers? Why does it have to be me being used to games holding my hand? You guys could be right on the money in that the game design is superb all through out and it's just me having a hard time. As I haven't played many 2D platformers, I can't really say what's poorly designed and whatnot, but that's the impression I was getting. I could be wrong! I've already said that.
Duster said:
Many of us around here grew up playing 2D platformers on the NES and/or SNES and like DCKR because it's a throwback to the difficulty of that era with a bit of modern polish, in many ways it's the flip side of people finding modern Mario games too easy.

So it's interesting to read the perspective of somebody relatively new to the genre, you've pretty much gone straight into the deep end with one of the more difficult titles so it's no wonder you struggled in places.
I find the rocket barrel levels too hard too, I even had to use the super guide on one of them (I think it was the aforementioned bat cave) which isn't something I ever thought I'd do after getting annoyed by them in NSMB Wii, the mine carts are better but I agree there's a few instances where they can be a little unfair.
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Yeah. The last 2D platformer I played was Super Paper Mario on the Wii back in 2007. I had no idea how hard DKCR would be when I popped it into my Wii U to play. I was really surprised. I'm replaying the game right now and I am having a much easier time than my first run.
 
ViewtifulJC said:
15 deaths...on the first level....

dax pls
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Is this for real? I didnt read her book because shes a salty chick, but seriously?

LOL

Also, this game is hard as fuck and I never beat it. I still have it, but Im being vagineous about completion.

And also, you brought Super Paper Fucking Borio into this for comparison Dax? Are you kidding?

Brush up on 2D platformers kid, because SPM aint one.
 
Pressing down when you're trying to hold forward is an execution error. If the analog stick isn't improperly calibrated or malfunctioning and the game is reading the controller's inputs correctly then you can't really blame the game.

I far preferred the dpad to the stick for this game, personally.
 
Mzo said:
Pressing down when you're trying to hold forward is an execution error. If the analog stick isn't improperly calibrated or malfunctioning and the game is reading the controller's inputs correctly then you can't really blame the game.
Click to expand...
If people are having problems doing one action instead of another, as others in this thread have mentioned – as well as some reviewers from what I read – then yes, in that area the game isn't designed well.
 
Wasn't really a fan of the game when I played it on the Wii, and coming back to it recently on Dolphin didn't really leave a more flattering impression. I really dislike the way Diddy Kong is implemented. He completely changes the feel of the game and makes some sections much easier than they would be otherwise. It would be one thing if there were enough DK barrels placed throughout the levels, but those are inexplicably missing at the beginning of many levels and are also absent after many checkpoints. Diddy is also one of the factors that makes the controls feel so cumbersome. Because of the continuous roll the series moved away from roll/run being on the same button, and the jet pack's hover on the same button as jump you need to use whenever you bounce off an enemy further complicates the timing in a way that feels unnecessary. There are times when it is more beneficial to quit out and restart a level with Diddy than it is to continue from a checkpoint.

Returns itself is actually kind of on the easy side when you push aside its awkward control scheme. I kind of just find the game to be extremely boring on every level. The bonus worlds are super dull and repetitive, the worlds are all thematically super plain, the bosses monotonous and overly simplistic, dragging out far longer than they should, and the levels themselves just never feel super creative and tend to be very straightforward. The game lacks its own identity. With the dry interpretations of very general world ideas from the previous games, and the misused and lousy music from older games in the series Returns winds up not really feeling like a very creative title.

If you're not familiar with 2D platformers or the series I would really recommend checking out Donkey Kong Country 2 at some point. It is still a completely outstanding title, and it does so much more with level variety than Returns thanks to its eccentric animal cast and underwater levels. Even the standard platforming sections seem to have more deviation than something like Returns though.
 
I got all the KONG letters and all the puzzles pieces for World 1 and I just unlocked a secret level. This game is awesome.

Can't wait to do this all again in Tropical Freeze. I am so hyped for that game.
 
I don't consider DKCR particularly unfair in its difficulty outside of a select few situations, for the most part it's just difficult while being a bit too punishing in Mine Cart and Rocket Barrel stages due to the one hit=death setup.
And as far as the genre goes I wouldn't consider it to have short levels nor are there too few checkpoints, why back in the day with the original trilogy they only gave you one checkpoint per stage and that was your lot /Cranky Kong.
I don't know Dax, a lot of those control issues like the variance in jump height and careful movement sound more like you're just not that used to the genre at all, if the undemanding RPG/platforming hybrid that is SPM was indeed your last game that even approached being a 2D platformer then you might have been better served by trying a NSMB game first before jumping into DKCR.
Still you enjoyed it and finished it so there's certainly that. Bosses are one of the few things in the game that i'd consider being pretty weak, Mangoruby being the only one actually enjoyed.

Andrew. said:
Dax you're playing this with the fucking analog stick?

There's your problem right there.
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Analog Stick is the way to play, the movement control is so damn tight that relegating back down to the tiny d-pad and run button combo complete with uncomfortable sideways wii remote waggle feels crippling.
 
Nocturnowl said:
Analog Stick is the way to play, the movement control is so damn tight that relegating back down to the tiny d-pad and run button combo complete with uncomfortable sideways wii remote waggle feels crippling.
Click to expand...

As someone that grew up with the entire series and mastering it on SNES I wholeheartedly disagree with you, but to each their own.
 
As someone who loves DKC2 more than 99.9% of all video games, analog stick is the way to play DKCR. I can't imagine how terrible the shaking must've been if you had that little sideways wiimote.
 
ViewtifulJC said:
As someone who loves DKC2 more than 99.9% of all video games, analog stick is the way to play DKCR. I can't imagine how terrible the shaking must've been if you had that little sideways wiimote.
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I never had any issues with it. Granted Im at the end of the game (I suddenly stopped playing for whatever reason) but the roll control never bugged me. It was weird for the first couple of levels but I adjusted.

this should now be a thread about the DKC2 Hornet Hole music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v2WJi6RHj4
 
I played through the game using the nunchuk and I had no (well, some) problems. Didn't know using the thumbstick was so hated.

Obviously I'd prefer using the D-Pad, but I'd rather waggle one hand than both hands.
 
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