Everybody gets nostalgic, and it seems that nostalgia is the only thing the Game Boy Advance release of Donkey Kong Country is good for.
If you've ever played the Super Nintendo version of DKC, then you might remember the thrill of punching buttons until your fingers went limp.
When DKC came out for SNES, everything about it was exciting; unraveling hidden levels and stumbling on secret shortcuts, staring at the then-amazing graphics quality and playing for hours on end because the game was so darn hard to beat (swinging from rope-to-rope or shooting out of a barrel at the right angle wasn't as easy as it seemed).
The GBA re-release of this game is fun for about an hour. I didn't get excited about uncovering bonus levels because I remembered where they were. The graphics didn't do much for me because I have been spoiled by GameCube, Xbox and even Nintendo 64 (I suppose the visuals aren't dreadful considering it is for GBA). And let's face it, I remember investing days trying to finish the original DKC to 100 percent. I was not motivated to invest the time again ten years later. There are bigger bananas to fry like playing Monkey Ball or Metroid Fusion. DKC will excite hardcore fans and those who never really played the SNES version.
The game's extras aren't anything to swoon over either:
Candy's Dance Studio: This handheld version of Dance Dance Revolution is challenging, but doesn't compare to the real thing. The game doesn't let you choose the character you want to dance as, and Candy Kong looks a little scary - reminiscent of a guy in drag.
The music isn't bad the first couple times, but after a while, the squeaks you hear when you miss a button and the incessant compliments of, "That's great," when you hit the correct button turn you off.
The game has a novel air to it in the beginning, however. And, the higher levels are fast-paced and more difficult, requiring you to utilize even the L and R buttons, which could cause you to tangle your fingers in a knot.
DK Attack: This extra allows players to choose a level they've played in order to race and see how fast they can reach the exit. If you beat the original time it took you to unlock the next level then wahoo for you. Other than that, don't expect anything phenomenal.
Funky's Fishing: Funky's Fishing puts in or takes out the "fun" in funky - depending on how you look at it. The first couple times I played the game, I was baffled: how could anyone find this entertaining? Diddy Kong sits in a boat, while Donkey Kong swims around to wrangle some fish into the boat.
There is no visible line from Donkey Kong's pole to the hook, so it took me about an hour to figure out the oversized snake-looking thing in the water was supposed to catch the fish (I suppose I could have read the instructions, but I wanted to see what it was like to be a guy).
When I did finally figure it out, I managed to get into the groove of the game. Each level is timed and you have to catch a certain amount before the clock runs out to advance to the next level. The best part is trying to chuck the largest number of fish into the boat with one hook and scoring some "kombos."
The fishing extra had the longest lasting entertainment value for me in the whole game, however, I don't think that alone, or even coupled with the other extras, would justify the re-release.
The sounds and music are just there and the visuals aren't earth-shattering. If you are really hankerin' for some good old Donkey Kong, bust out the SNES, dust it off and have at it. Or better yet, find the old-school Donkey Kong where you have to jump over the barrels to save the princess.
Ah, memories.
Reach the reporter at lynh.bui@asu.edu.
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