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(US Release) Donkey Kong Jungle Beat Thread
- Thread starter AirBrian
- Start date
You don't even have to be going all that fast before reversing. If you reverse correctly, you'll literally see him slide against the ground, resisting. Anytime during that hit both drums to jump, and you'll initiate a backflip and gain an extra combo point (if it's your first during that combo sequence.)
Just be sure to STOP hitting the "forward" drum before hitting the "backward" drum used to initiate the reversal.
Just be sure to STOP hitting the "forward" drum before hitting the "backward" drum used to initiate the reversal.
Mr. Lemming
Member
Things I like about this game:
The flow of the levels. Like many have said, doing a single combo through an entire level is so awesome. Giving the combo system a score and using it to open new levels makes it more than just a neat feature.
The bongos add a lot of intensity to the game. It makes beating the living day lights out of something much more visceral , and just something like running faster is more exciting due to it.
The presentation. Everything flows from one screen to the next, there is hardly any loading, the game doesn't default to a simple "fade to black" to transition between screens, there is that cool leaf curtain thing going. The score screen not being horizontally aligned to the grid, makes that even more visually interesting. Heck even that little camo pattern at the bottom of the level select screen is actually made up of different Donkey Kong poses.
Interactive music, woo! Doing pretty much anything adds and takes away different tracks to the music.
Graphics. Lots of neat special effects, nothing looks out of place, lots of variety.
I <3 DKJB.
The flow of the levels. Like many have said, doing a single combo through an entire level is so awesome. Giving the combo system a score and using it to open new levels makes it more than just a neat feature.
The bongos add a lot of intensity to the game. It makes beating the living day lights out of something much more visceral , and just something like running faster is more exciting due to it.
The presentation. Everything flows from one screen to the next, there is hardly any loading, the game doesn't default to a simple "fade to black" to transition between screens, there is that cool leaf curtain thing going. The score screen not being horizontally aligned to the grid, makes that even more visually interesting. Heck even that little camo pattern at the bottom of the level select screen is actually made up of different Donkey Kong poses.
Interactive music, woo! Doing pretty much anything adds and takes away different tracks to the music.
Graphics. Lots of neat special effects, nothing looks out of place, lots of variety.
I <3 DKJB.
There's some cool songs in the game. I love the one in the swamp area. The graphics are also, IMO, better than the Donkey Kong Country series. Of course that's, in part, due to the art style (no more generic, crudely designed characters), but with 3D backgrounds and lots of effects and depth, it exceeds Rare's prerendered work. Is EAD Tokyo seperate from the EAD headed by Shigeru Miyamoto? I could've swore I remember reading that Nintendo moved from Kyoto to Tokyo.
I've gone back and read reviews for this game because of the 82% score at GameRankings, and they're pretty much shit. That overall score is decent but not acceptible, IMO, especially after reading the reviews. Several reviews call it gimmicky, blast the depth and say it plays like old-school platformers (like DKC). I feel like I'm playing a different game. This bitch is entirely original. You've got slo-mo close-ups, a challenging combo system, Punchout-style boss fights... I actually had a smile on my face throughout my entire first session with the game. It's one of the deepest platformers I've played. I guess Jungle Beat should've made you collect coins and letters.
It really seems like uniqueness and innovation are lost on people anymore, especially when it's from Nintendo. I think it's that people don't care about Donkey Kong or Nintendo anymore, but they should. This game could star a ham sandwich and still be brilliant. Then again, perhaps what Rare has done to DK has damaged his reputation.
I've gone back and read reviews for this game because of the 82% score at GameRankings, and they're pretty much shit. That overall score is decent but not acceptible, IMO, especially after reading the reviews. Several reviews call it gimmicky, blast the depth and say it plays like old-school platformers (like DKC). I feel like I'm playing a different game. This bitch is entirely original. You've got slo-mo close-ups, a challenging combo system, Punchout-style boss fights... I actually had a smile on my face throughout my entire first session with the game. It's one of the deepest platformers I've played. I guess Jungle Beat should've made you collect coins and letters.
It really seems like uniqueness and innovation are lost on people anymore, especially when it's from Nintendo. I think it's that people don't care about Donkey Kong or Nintendo anymore, but they should. This game could star a ham sandwich and still be brilliant. Then again, perhaps what Rare has done to DK has damaged his reputation.
soundwave05
Member
I would score this probably about an 8.5/10, so far.
A very good, original game. I agree it really doesn't feel like an old school platformer at all, it feels totally original. An impressive first effort from EAD Tokyo.
Could use a few more levels though and a bit more variety in terms of enemies/bosses. A 2-player mode would've been insane.
A very good, original game. I agree it really doesn't feel like an old school platformer at all, it feels totally original. An impressive first effort from EAD Tokyo.
Could use a few more levels though and a bit more variety in terms of enemies/bosses. A 2-player mode would've been insane.
Mama Smurf
My penis is still intact.
Dragmire said:
It's physically seperate, but still part of EAD. I believe Nintendo moved to a new building within Kyoto not too long ago, but not to Tokyo.
I'm not even sure if EAD is headed up by Miyamoto anymore. I think I remember hearing Tezuka took over that role, and Miyamoto moved up a bit in some way. I dunno, it's hard to remember and stupidly hard to search for.
Well, I purchased the game today. My 3 year old son is currently playing it beside me (he likes to play the Opening Cermony over and over, as it's the only one he can get through without assistance.)
So far, I've played through the first two kingdoms and I'm digging it. Only scored silver's on them, but I plan on working a kingdom at a time for a platinum before moving on to the next.
The visuals are very vibrant and I enjoy the catchy music in the background. It's certainly a very original game and the bongo controller works admirably in providing a new take on the action platformer. It's obvious the game's value lies in perfecting your technique and completing the levels in the shortest amount of time possible.
I'll reserve final judgement until I've completed the game entirely, but it seems as if the reviews were just a tad bit harsh on the game. It may not be the longest game out, but it's certainly original and a ton of fun.
So far, I've played through the first two kingdoms and I'm digging it. Only scored silver's on them, but I plan on working a kingdom at a time for a platinum before moving on to the next.
The visuals are very vibrant and I enjoy the catchy music in the background. It's certainly a very original game and the bongo controller works admirably in providing a new take on the action platformer. It's obvious the game's value lies in perfecting your technique and completing the levels in the shortest amount of time possible.
I'll reserve final judgement until I've completed the game entirely, but it seems as if the reviews were just a tad bit harsh on the game. It may not be the longest game out, but it's certainly original and a ton of fun.
I'm pissed at the lack of praise this game is getting --- If 'Treasure' made this title, gamers here would be worshoping it --- not to mention how much it would go for on Ebay! 
With a little more challenge, this game could've convince a lot of people -- or made them just blame the 'bongos' for lack of control... obtaining 'platinum' crests is a nice alternative...
but I'll be damned if landing an 8+ combo, never touching the ground on a level doesn't give me that Ikaruga/GunstarHeroes feal...
With a little more challenge, this game could've convince a lot of people -- or made them just blame the 'bongos' for lack of control... obtaining 'platinum' crests is a nice alternative...
but I'll be damned if landing an 8+ combo, never touching the ground on a level doesn't give me that Ikaruga/GunstarHeroes feal...
soundwave05 said:
I think 8.5 is fair and agree with all you're points. Although I really enjoyed fighting the same mini-bosses and bosses multiple times, I also think tad more variety, just a couple more types of bosses and another barrell or so of some of the longer levels, would of catapulted this baby from AA to AAA status. But I'm not complaining... just hoping for a sequel.
TheTurtleTitan
Member
Hey, I've just gotta ask this.
....Does anyone else play like this?
If I bang on the drums with my whole hand, it'll usually get sore afterwards.
....Does anyone else play like this?
If I bang on the drums with my whole hand, it'll usually get sore afterwards.
At first, I sort of pressed the drums with the part of my palm under my knuckles because I wasn't used to pounding it (and it's quieter). But now I've gotten into using my finger tips. I also started with the clapping ,but that's kind of loud, so now I tap the sides. But I think clapping is more fun. It's less controller-like. I have to be quiet because I live in an upstairs duplex with some pretentious neighbors and I've been playing mostly at night.
My review:
Presentation
First and foremost, Donkey Kong Jungle Beat is easy to understand and navigate. Tutorials on this strange game are so straightforward that even my mother was able to understand it with no problems. This is a woman who is scared of Mario Brothers. In terms of the aesthetic "feel" of the game, you're looking at a Donkey Kong adventure all its own. I watched some old movies of Donkey Kong Country and looked at some screens of that game. Despite my best efforts, I could not call this derivative of those titles. To begin with, the world has a very lush, lively, and humor-filled presentation that permeates every second of gameplay. As I mentioned in my impressions, it is as though you are being told to "GO!" by Nintendo and being thrown into a jungle party. Levels are linear in nature, and there are even "hints" given by both the friendly monkeys (see the first image in this thread) and at the end of kingdoms. There is absolutely nothing I could criticize about the game's presentation. It's inviting, straightforward, lively, and above all interesting and unlike other games I've played. You can tell that Nintendo really believes this bongo/platformer premise is worthwhile.
Score 10.0
Graphics
Sometimes it becomes hard to convince someone that there is value in a 2D game. Why? Well, aside from the obvious restriction of gameplay, graphics are almost invariably lacking in impressive technical merit. In Viewtiful Joe we saw that sort of thing being overcome with great art direction. To me at least, Donkey Kong Jungle Beat takes some of the best representations of Cube hardware in 3D and adds it onto great art. For example, Nintendo shows its skill with water as a boss is covered in rain, or a waterfall pours in the background. Dust, smoke, and fog cover this world as objects (and DK himself) are swept about. DK and many of his foes are fur-shaded and beautifully animated. Other enemies feature truly original art and polygon counts that would look brilliant if faithfully translated in 3D. Things like leaves, lava pits, ice caverns are all nicely created in 2D. As for background designs, you get more simple textures, but nothing in this game is unpleasant to look at. In fact it is easily the best looking 2D game of this generation, IMO. But don't take my word for it. Take a look for yourself.
Score 9.0
Gameplay
Before I said that peripherals only work if they enhance the entertainment value or make the game easier to play. And this is one of the factors I took into consideration for DK Jungle Beat. But first, let me explain how the game works. The left bongo moves DK left, and the right bongo moves DK right. It's not a matter of holding down on the drum, but rather the faster you hit it, the faster DK goes. Indeed this holds true in moving through the air, and on the ground. Tapping both bongos at once performs a jump, which is perhaps more important than running along the ground. Jungle Beat is a platformer in which you want to stay on the ground as little as possible. Clapping above the clap sensor or tapping the side of the bongos sends out two waves of energies, one that stuns faraway enemies and the other that allows DK to latch onto closer objects and enemies. (like the monkeys that throw you through the air for example or the back of a boss)
It's all about flying, floating, bouncing, swimming, and riding through the air, because that's how you score. Basically, the brilliantly animated enemies that I just described (with the exception of a handful) are merely obstacles to your high score. They take away "beats", the game's reward for each banana you catch. As you perform more aerial moves like flipping, floating, wall jumping, and spiking your foes like a volleyball, you gain combo orbs. These combo orbs increase the value of your beats. Now, you do not want to simply collect the beats. You want to perform a move called a "clap grab", which is done by clapping above the bongo's clap sensor or tapping the side of the bongo drums. (trust me, this second method will be your preferred option for the sake of your poor hands)
As you might imagine, there are quite a few variations on the theme of bongoing your way through a level. For example, an enemy throws coconuts at you from a tree. Your task is to leap up, catch the coconut with a well-timed clap grab and then hit the right or left bongo (depending on your direction of choice) to spike that coconut into your foe. There's a boss that has you throwing explosive pineapples into an elephant's trunk then attacking its exposed heart. You use the bongos to race turtles and birds, which can be very difficult because slamming into a wall or enemy makes you lose your animal. Other challenges include pulling the tongue out of a rolling fish, riding some sort of horned animal and jumping for distance, and playing a deadly game of lava ping pong with a rather annoying dragonlike creature. These are just some of the things that play second fiddle to your main goal, which is to collect as many beats as possible.
Levels are divided into barrels containing 4 kingdoms, which are themselves divided into 3 areas. Two of the three areas allow you to collect beats, while the third is a boss fight. There are around 8 bosses in total, 4 of which are repeated in different environments, colors, and difficulty settings throughout. As you collect a certain number of beats and beat the 4 kingdoms of your current barrel, a new barrel will become available. Each kingdom has a medal requirement. Medals are achieved for each kingdom completion according to your beat total. 1,200 beats gives you a platinum (darn near impossible, I haven't gotten one yet), 800 beats gives you a gold (hard to do, but achievable with near flawless play, special moves are not really required), around 400 beats gives you a silver (most common), and bronze. (not likely unless you are either on the verge of death or just learning to play) Beats determine your life total, but you will likely become discouraged from losing too many beats before you actually run out of them.
Basically, all of these things and more work to create an incredibly satisfying, if short-lived gameplay experience. In my humble opinion, this is the best 2D platformer this generation has seen, and probably will see. It takes the very root of what makes a platformer enjoyable (like what made the Sonic the Hedgehog games on the Genesis so good) and breathes new life into them. Controls are every bit as responsive as a standard controller and definitely add enjoyment to the experience where a controller would not. Could a controller play this just as easily or moreso? Probably, but Nintendo has executed a wonderful piece of game design here that just needs to be played. The game contains 18 kingdoms, and I've seen all but one of them in a week. That should tell you to be aware of what you are getting into if you choose to buy this game. The content is more than worthwhile. The amount of content may not be up to your standards.
Score 9.3
Sound
A lively collection of beats and some very good original tunes that caught me off guard later in the game. The main theme is memorable, but you're not likely to be humming this stuff. Still, solid sound design.
Score 8.5
Conclusion
Donkey Kong Jungle Beat is a game that simply must be played. If you love originality in game design as much as I do, you should have already bought or rented this game. If you think originality this good is worth owning, you already own it just as I do. Really, it's that simple. Donkey Kong Jungle Beat takes the platformer and breaks it down to its purest, most uncomplicated form. At the same time though, it takes a player of considerable skill to collect golds and platinums on all the levels. Staying in the air through an entire platforming level will require your complete concentration and lends itself to the sort of wacky, changing gameplay that makes this title stand out.
Basically, if you want to play a great Nintendo game, this is it. It's not God of War, Tekken 5, Gran Turismo 4, Brothers in Arms, or Resident Evil 4, but it does exemplify some of Nintendo's greatest strengths in 2D game design.
Final Score 9.2
Presentation
First and foremost, Donkey Kong Jungle Beat is easy to understand and navigate. Tutorials on this strange game are so straightforward that even my mother was able to understand it with no problems. This is a woman who is scared of Mario Brothers. In terms of the aesthetic "feel" of the game, you're looking at a Donkey Kong adventure all its own. I watched some old movies of Donkey Kong Country and looked at some screens of that game. Despite my best efforts, I could not call this derivative of those titles. To begin with, the world has a very lush, lively, and humor-filled presentation that permeates every second of gameplay. As I mentioned in my impressions, it is as though you are being told to "GO!" by Nintendo and being thrown into a jungle party. Levels are linear in nature, and there are even "hints" given by both the friendly monkeys (see the first image in this thread) and at the end of kingdoms. There is absolutely nothing I could criticize about the game's presentation. It's inviting, straightforward, lively, and above all interesting and unlike other games I've played. You can tell that Nintendo really believes this bongo/platformer premise is worthwhile.
Score 10.0
Graphics
Sometimes it becomes hard to convince someone that there is value in a 2D game. Why? Well, aside from the obvious restriction of gameplay, graphics are almost invariably lacking in impressive technical merit. In Viewtiful Joe we saw that sort of thing being overcome with great art direction. To me at least, Donkey Kong Jungle Beat takes some of the best representations of Cube hardware in 3D and adds it onto great art. For example, Nintendo shows its skill with water as a boss is covered in rain, or a waterfall pours in the background. Dust, smoke, and fog cover this world as objects (and DK himself) are swept about. DK and many of his foes are fur-shaded and beautifully animated. Other enemies feature truly original art and polygon counts that would look brilliant if faithfully translated in 3D. Things like leaves, lava pits, ice caverns are all nicely created in 2D. As for background designs, you get more simple textures, but nothing in this game is unpleasant to look at. In fact it is easily the best looking 2D game of this generation, IMO. But don't take my word for it. Take a look for yourself.
Score 9.0
Gameplay
Before I said that peripherals only work if they enhance the entertainment value or make the game easier to play. And this is one of the factors I took into consideration for DK Jungle Beat. But first, let me explain how the game works. The left bongo moves DK left, and the right bongo moves DK right. It's not a matter of holding down on the drum, but rather the faster you hit it, the faster DK goes. Indeed this holds true in moving through the air, and on the ground. Tapping both bongos at once performs a jump, which is perhaps more important than running along the ground. Jungle Beat is a platformer in which you want to stay on the ground as little as possible. Clapping above the clap sensor or tapping the side of the bongos sends out two waves of energies, one that stuns faraway enemies and the other that allows DK to latch onto closer objects and enemies. (like the monkeys that throw you through the air for example or the back of a boss)
It's all about flying, floating, bouncing, swimming, and riding through the air, because that's how you score. Basically, the brilliantly animated enemies that I just described (with the exception of a handful) are merely obstacles to your high score. They take away "beats", the game's reward for each banana you catch. As you perform more aerial moves like flipping, floating, wall jumping, and spiking your foes like a volleyball, you gain combo orbs. These combo orbs increase the value of your beats. Now, you do not want to simply collect the beats. You want to perform a move called a "clap grab", which is done by clapping above the bongo's clap sensor or tapping the side of the bongo drums. (trust me, this second method will be your preferred option for the sake of your poor hands)
As you might imagine, there are quite a few variations on the theme of bongoing your way through a level. For example, an enemy throws coconuts at you from a tree. Your task is to leap up, catch the coconut with a well-timed clap grab and then hit the right or left bongo (depending on your direction of choice) to spike that coconut into your foe. There's a boss that has you throwing explosive pineapples into an elephant's trunk then attacking its exposed heart. You use the bongos to race turtles and birds, which can be very difficult because slamming into a wall or enemy makes you lose your animal. Other challenges include pulling the tongue out of a rolling fish, riding some sort of horned animal and jumping for distance, and playing a deadly game of lava ping pong with a rather annoying dragonlike creature. These are just some of the things that play second fiddle to your main goal, which is to collect as many beats as possible.
Levels are divided into barrels containing 4 kingdoms, which are themselves divided into 3 areas. Two of the three areas allow you to collect beats, while the third is a boss fight. There are around 8 bosses in total, 4 of which are repeated in different environments, colors, and difficulty settings throughout. As you collect a certain number of beats and beat the 4 kingdoms of your current barrel, a new barrel will become available. Each kingdom has a medal requirement. Medals are achieved for each kingdom completion according to your beat total. 1,200 beats gives you a platinum (darn near impossible, I haven't gotten one yet), 800 beats gives you a gold (hard to do, but achievable with near flawless play, special moves are not really required), around 400 beats gives you a silver (most common), and bronze. (not likely unless you are either on the verge of death or just learning to play) Beats determine your life total, but you will likely become discouraged from losing too many beats before you actually run out of them.
Basically, all of these things and more work to create an incredibly satisfying, if short-lived gameplay experience. In my humble opinion, this is the best 2D platformer this generation has seen, and probably will see. It takes the very root of what makes a platformer enjoyable (like what made the Sonic the Hedgehog games on the Genesis so good) and breathes new life into them. Controls are every bit as responsive as a standard controller and definitely add enjoyment to the experience where a controller would not. Could a controller play this just as easily or moreso? Probably, but Nintendo has executed a wonderful piece of game design here that just needs to be played. The game contains 18 kingdoms, and I've seen all but one of them in a week. That should tell you to be aware of what you are getting into if you choose to buy this game. The content is more than worthwhile. The amount of content may not be up to your standards.
Score 9.3
Sound
A lively collection of beats and some very good original tunes that caught me off guard later in the game. The main theme is memorable, but you're not likely to be humming this stuff. Still, solid sound design.
Score 8.5
Conclusion
Donkey Kong Jungle Beat is a game that simply must be played. If you love originality in game design as much as I do, you should have already bought or rented this game. If you think originality this good is worth owning, you already own it just as I do. Really, it's that simple. Donkey Kong Jungle Beat takes the platformer and breaks it down to its purest, most uncomplicated form. At the same time though, it takes a player of considerable skill to collect golds and platinums on all the levels. Staying in the air through an entire platforming level will require your complete concentration and lends itself to the sort of wacky, changing gameplay that makes this title stand out.
Basically, if you want to play a great Nintendo game, this is it. It's not God of War, Tekken 5, Gran Turismo 4, Brothers in Arms, or Resident Evil 4, but it does exemplify some of Nintendo's greatest strengths in 2D game design.
Final Score 9.2
Holy crap, just got this game a few days ago, and this just might be my favourite game EVER. I've always wanted a 2D (Mario) platformer with walljumping, then this comes along and it's got that plus a crapload more. This IS Mario 128! 
If you haven't played this game, BUY IT RIGHT NOW. Seriously, the reviews are fucked up. I can not find a single flaw in this game, besides my hands hurting from playing too much. It's like.. old Sonic mixed with old Mario mixed with tons of brilliant new things that feel like they were awesome games that should have come out ages ago but never did, all wrapped up in graphics as beautiful as Wind Waker.
If you haven't played this game, BUY IT RIGHT NOW. Seriously, the reviews are fucked up. I can not find a single flaw in this game, besides my hands hurting from playing too much. It's like.. old Sonic mixed with old Mario mixed with tons of brilliant new things that feel like they were awesome games that should have come out ages ago but never did, all wrapped up in graphics as beautiful as Wind Waker.
Grubdog said:Holy crap, just got this game a few days ago, and this just might be my favourite game EVER. I've always wanted a 2D (Mario) platformer with walljumping, then this comes along and it's got that plus a crapload more. This IS Mario 128!
If you haven't played this game, BUY IT RIGHT NOW. Seriously, the reviews are fucked up. I can not find a single flaw in this game, besides my hands hurting from playing too much. It's like.. old Sonic mixed with old Mario mixed with tons of brilliant new things that feel like they were awesome games that should have come out ages ago but never did, all wrapped up in graphics as beautiful as Wind Waker.
You might have noticed this already, but it uses the WW graphics engine (or a modified version of it).
Shikamaru Ninja
任天å ã® å¿è
DK: Jungle Beat uses a new engine. The reason why it uses some Wind Wake effects is because the same effects designer Yusuke Akifusa was involved.
Akifusa did some graphic effects on Luigi's Mansion, Wind Waker, Four Swords Adventures, and DK: Jungle Beat.
Akifusa did some graphic effects on Luigi's Mansion, Wind Waker, Four Swords Adventures, and DK: Jungle Beat.
Shikamaru Ninja
任天å ã® å¿è
Someone stated that Nintendo Magazine has an interview with Mr. Koizumi (Jungle Beat Director), where he revealed that Nintendo Tokyo would be working on an original character game using the Bongos.
I am not sure if this relates to the second development team at Nintendo Tokyo, or if Mr. Koizumi was referring to the Jungle Beat team itself. Eitherway, I expect the Bongos to be dropped after Konga 2/3.
I am not sure if this relates to the second development team at Nintendo Tokyo, or if Mr. Koizumi was referring to the Jungle Beat team itself. Eitherway, I expect the Bongos to be dropped after Konga 2/3.
TheTurtleTitan
Member
Alright, I'm a huge DK fan, but really, I have mixed feelings for this one.
I've had it for almost a week now, and it is definitely fun, but overall, I am dissapointed.
Graphics and music-wise, it is outstanding. Donkey Kong and the enemies are animated brilliantly, and the music is very catchy (loved the Jungle Hijinx "party remix" in the 1st level). Good graphics and music have pretty much been a staple for the series since DKC.
The bongos are an interesting way to control it, but at times, it just doesn't work very well. They just aren't as precise as a regular controller. The swimming mechanics in this game are just...a pain. Especially since there is no way to go up except for not bongo-ing. I still can't get used to it. Flying with the bird is also pretty tough, since you can't even stay in a position and the slightest touch of a wall will destroy it. I'd like to use the controller, but I have a feeling it won't feel the same and will make this less fun.
I just beat the final final boss of Jungle Beat, which was the exact same as the other final boss except he had one more attack that I didn't give him a chance to use. The "ending" was the same too (but it's not much of an ending anyway). To get to the boss, though, I had to constantly do the levels over until I got a gold crest for nearly every one of them. I'm not a fan of the "play level over and over to make it longer" stuff developers try to do.
I've got 54 crests (2 being platinum), but I have no real urge to get the rest. I don't like the types of games where you work so hard to complete everything, but get no reward for it (aside from OMG I beat my last score!!) This would've been a good rental for me, but this isn't for rent due to the bongo requirement. But whatever.
It was fun while it lasted I guess. But so far, this is probably the most overrated game of the year, IMHO. Overall I give it 7 out of 10 bananas. A fun innovation with good level design, but the occasional lousy bongo controls, the constantly remixed bosses, and the whole short, underwhelming feeling I'm getting kind of brings it down. Ah well.
I've had it for almost a week now, and it is definitely fun, but overall, I am dissapointed.
Graphics and music-wise, it is outstanding. Donkey Kong and the enemies are animated brilliantly, and the music is very catchy (loved the Jungle Hijinx "party remix" in the 1st level). Good graphics and music have pretty much been a staple for the series since DKC.
The bongos are an interesting way to control it, but at times, it just doesn't work very well. They just aren't as precise as a regular controller. The swimming mechanics in this game are just...a pain. Especially since there is no way to go up except for not bongo-ing. I still can't get used to it. Flying with the bird is also pretty tough, since you can't even stay in a position and the slightest touch of a wall will destroy it. I'd like to use the controller, but I have a feeling it won't feel the same and will make this less fun.
I just beat the final final boss of Jungle Beat, which was the exact same as the other final boss except he had one more attack that I didn't give him a chance to use. The "ending" was the same too (but it's not much of an ending anyway). To get to the boss, though, I had to constantly do the levels over until I got a gold crest for nearly every one of them. I'm not a fan of the "play level over and over to make it longer" stuff developers try to do.
I've got 54 crests (2 being platinum), but I have no real urge to get the rest. I don't like the types of games where you work so hard to complete everything, but get no reward for it (aside from OMG I beat my last score!!) This would've been a good rental for me, but this isn't for rent due to the bongo requirement. But whatever.
It was fun while it lasted I guess. But so far, this is probably the most overrated game of the year, IMHO. Overall I give it 7 out of 10 bananas. A fun innovation with good level design, but the occasional lousy bongo controls, the constantly remixed bosses, and the whole short, underwhelming feeling I'm getting kind of brings it down. Ah well.
TheTurtleTitan
Member
By the way, I think I have 1150 on Banana Kingdom. What's the secret to getting 2000+?!
TheTurtleTitan
Member
I try that, but sometimes I just end up going down instead of up (and from what I remember, I don't alternate - that's down), and I end up hitting a jellyfish or something. I dunno, it's just kind of hard for me. I'll try it again.
TheTurtleTitan
Member
Holding works? I didn't know holding would acquire multiple beats. I'll have to try that.
While I'm at it, what's the best way to make the bird fly up fast? Is it best to hit the bongos at the same time constantly, or hit right multiple times and left multiple times? I can never get 1st place on Helibird Dash.
While I'm at it, what's the best way to make the bird fly up fast? Is it best to hit the bongos at the same time constantly, or hit right multiple times and left multiple times? I can never get 1st place on Helibird Dash.