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Much, much better than the GBA predecessor

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 7
Date: January 04, 2005
Author: Amazon User

The Donkey Kong Country trilogy proved to be one of the most successful ones ever crafted for the SNES, and one of the top few of the 90's. Although the port of the original DKC was faithful in its reproduction of the levels, graphics, and music, I was somewhat underwhelmed by it due to its dumbed-down difficulty level and ridiculously simple bonus games. However, it seems as though someone had either read my review or clearly taken my prayers and pleas to heart while making the DKC2 port, because many of the previous problems have now been dealt with in a satisfactory fashion.

The levels of DKC2 themselves are not harder than before in this version. They remain generally unchanged, and along with all the original challenges, they still retain all of their charming music and graphics. Although a hidden ostrich feather is tucked away in each level and photographs in certain others, the level layouts are the same, and there are no big surprises in any level--just the same fun you'll remember from 1995. (Except for *one* level in particular...you'll see when you get there.)

This was true of the GBA port of the original DKC also, but it was way too easy to get tons of lives in that game. But now, while you can still save the game anywhere with the number of lives picked up thus far, it is overall much more difficult to get lives. This is primarily because the bonus games themselves are much more difficult to play: instead of Funky's fishing game and Candy's dance game, Funky now has a flying game, and Cranky trains an ostrich that you can race. In the GBA version of the original DKC, the games required no skill other than simple timing, and would offer huge rewards (i.e. 3 extra lives) with every win. Now Funky requires you to navigate a rickety plane through craggy levels while fulfilling certain mission objective, and Cranky's Expresso races can prove to be as frustrating as the Chocobo races of Final Fantasy VII unless you play through the levels enough to find the hidden ostrich feathers. Plus, the reward for winning each of these games the first time is a Hero Coin (one step closer to beating the game 100%) and you won't get anything for winning again.

Wrinkly, Swanky, and Klubba also have new challenges of their own, but they put the game's Banana Coins to more use than the SNES version of DKC2 ever did. Swanky has his original challenges that take coins to play for lives and cannot be replayed, but now he also challenges you to pay 10 coins every time you want to re-fight a boss, with a promised prize of 6 extra lives if you win--ultimately, it's a quick but very challenging and expensive way to win lives that is far superior to the overly easy Animal Bonuses of DKC. Wrinkly offers the same advice as before, but now she has a new challenge of finding the hidden photos in the levels to fully complete the game, and each hint at the locations will cost you 10 coins. Klubba's game, however, is the most fun addition; for 5 coins, you get to run around his swamp picking up little red flying bugs, while also dancing around and hiding in little alcoves to avoid getting "clubbed". The game can prove to be hard on your fingers, and you'd need to pick up 10 bugs just to get 3 extra lives, but the rewards are much more fitting when compared to the simple timing of Candy's dance game, and the gameplay is much more complicated and fun.

Even the level gameplay not part of the actual game is superior to that of the previous GBA port, which was playing through the levels to get the highest score possible; now, you have to race through the levels as quickly as possible to get the quickest time. It was remarkably easy to get an "S" rank before; now, the only limits set are your own best times.

And finally, the most important fix of all; the Bonus Barrels are much better hidden than before. They were so easy to see before that they were no longer secrets; now, extra care has been taken to hide them off the screen and out of plain view. Overall, there are many reasons to buy this game and forget that the GBA version of the original DKC ever existed. Now I have high hopes for DKC3 for the Game Boy Advance!

An Incredible Adventure on the GBA

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 7 / 7
Date: September 18, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Donkey Kong Country became one of the best selling games on the SNES. When DKC2 first arrived, it was a pretty hard game to come by! It was popular. Of all the DKC games, Diddy's Kong Quest has remained my favorite. I'm happy to see it finally released as a portable, but there are some moments where I can't help but express my disappointment in some ares.

Donkey Kong as been kidnapped by that bloodthirsty pirate, Kaptain K. Rool. It's up to Diddy Kong, with his newfound friend, Dixie Kong to save him, and stop Kaptain K. Rool from stealing all the bananas!

As Diddy and Dixie, you'll travel through the land of DKC2 thwarting your enemies. Each level plays like your basic Mario adventure. The difference is that instead of just jumping on enemies, you can grab barrels, crates, and other things to throw at your enemies. Some enemies, such as bees, you'll have to throw something at them in order to get them out of your way.

Each level also has many bonuses. Every level has anywhere from one to three bonus barrels. Whenever you jump into a bonus barrel you'll be taken to a bonus round where you'll either defeat all the enemies, find the token or collect the stars. Each one presents its own unique challenge. For every fifteen of these bonus coins you find you can play a subsequent level in "The Lost World". There are five lost levels in all, including a boss that will ultimately lead to an alternate ending to the game.

In addition to the games bonus coins, you'll also find "hero" coins. These coins are often referred to as "DK" coins because of the giant "DK" inside. Every level (save for bosses) has a DK coin to unearth. See if you can find all 40, that is a true challenge to the game.

There are eight worlds (if you include the lost world) in DKC2. The game should keep you busy for about four or five hours. The levels aren't very long, and at the end of each level you'll have to hit a target that will give you a bonus. The bonus is random, but you can usually time it right to get the one you want as it cycles through.

Graphically, DKC2 looks very good on the GBA. Not only that but the game sounds really good coming from the one speaker. Although it gets annoying hearing Diddy and Dixie, it's a real treat to hear this kind of sound coming from a handheld.

There are a few problems with the game however. Big ones that really do stick out. As with the first Donkey Kong Country ported to the GBA, if you have a GBA SP (or DS) then you'll find that some parts the backlight makes some things look terrible. Mix that with the GBA's pixel problem and you'll soon find that some levels are near impossible because you can't see clearly. Also, there are moments where you need to land on a platform. The screen is not to scale so you sometimes CAN'T see the platform you're supposed to land on. This is also VERY annoying in one level (Parrot Chute Panic) where you're descending but you can't see what's below you until you actually hit it. The graphics, with the GBA's pixel problem, also don't look all that great. It looks better on the Super Nintendo.

The sound. As I said, it's good, but when compared to its Super Nintendo Counterpart, it's a drag to listen to. It just isn't as good as it used to be. Some tunes just sound a step above "Donkey Kong Land 2" on your old paperweight gameboy.

Also, there in lies the biggest problem. If you already have this on the Super Nintendo, do you really want to buy what is virtually the same game? If your SNES no longer works, that's one thing, but if you already own the SNES version and you still play your SNES, it may not be worth forking over the cash for a game that you could easily find for ten bucks at your used game store. The choice is yours.

The Good:
+Good Graphics
+Good Sound... for the most part
+Classic game
+A good challenge
+Lots of secrets
+Interesting and complex level, not so repetative
+Some of the most fun gameplay you can imagine

The Bad
-The graphics are a little blurry
-Screen isn't to scale
-The sound just isn't as good as it used to be on the SNES
-If your Super Nintendo is still working, is it really worth paying the money for this game? You could easily play it over and over on your Super Nintendo.

well worth your money

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: February 13, 2005
Author: Amazon User

this game is so much fun it will keep you entertained for hours. your options are almost endless. another thing is you cant beat it in one day. there are bounes games also. the graphics are great and it has good music that doesnt get on your nerves in about 30 min. you can also hook up your GBA cable link and play multiplayer. there is so many great things about this game i cant name them all and i dont want to spoil it for all you gamers that dont have the game yet. but if you do have the game then you know how awsome it is! its well worth your money to have a good time. so take my advise and go buy it!

DKC2 rocks!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: April 23, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Any experienced gamer that thinks Donkey Kong Country is awesome is sure to like Donkey Kong Country 2!There are cheat codes for it,(such as Level Select,Music Player and other things)Cool levels,and more!Plus,you can do multiplayer and new bonus games,and Diddy's Dash!What are you waiting for? Get(or rent)your copy of DKC2 today!

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: June 23, 2005
Author: Amazon User

THIS IS THE BEST GAME EVER!!!!!!!!! I used to love the SNES version so I was dying to play the GBA one. I don't have a GBA, but a friend of mine does, so when I started playing, I was instantly hooked!!!! It has all the graphics and levels of the SNES version, but shrunk down to GBA size!!!!!!!!!! YOU MUST BUY THIS GAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This going to be awesome!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 16
Date: October 05, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I first played this game when it came out on the SNES. When they released the first Donkey Kong Country on the GBA, I knew this coming soon. This is a great game and passing it up will be a mistake.

One of the best classics of the SNES era

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: June 16, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Before anything, I'd like to say that I have been an avid Nintendo fan since watching my brother play before I could even write and since playing Super Mario Bros. for the very first time. Nintendo and it's second party games have never failed to let me down, and Donkey Kong Country 2 was no exception. I'm very happy to see this game ported to the GBA for both a new generation and for the old, and it brings a very heart-warming feeling to see someone younger enjoying it.... But uh, I'll get to the point -- actually reviewing the game.

This game was by far one of the best classics for the SNES, and there is really no major loss here. It boasts one of the best video game soundtracks of all time by David Wise (yup, MIDI can top orchestrated), incredible character and level design, tight controls, and overall excellent gameplay with a nice level of difficulty. The GBA port retains this all almost entirely, hindered only by the limitations of the GBA itself.

First, the music. As I said, the music for the SNES was friggin' amazing, and it is great to hear these songs again. However, since the GBA uses only one speaker and is not as musically capable as the SNES, it's lower quality than the original SNES version... Nothing that hinders the experience at all, though, it's still great music, and head phones can help as well.

The characters and levels are all so well designed, it makes me miss Rare now that it has been sold to Microsoft. The character visuals have been saturated due to GBA screen limitations, but again, it's still the same fluid sprites of 3D models that made DKC look amazing back in the day. The levels have also had their palettes either lightened or saturated, so that they can be easier seen on the lower detail GBA screen. Not too much to worry about however, still the same levels I've come to love.

The controls are as tight as they were back then, and it certainly is a relief playing this game after playing the incredibly loose-controlled New Super Mario Bros... Nothing to worry about in this department.

So, this all shapes together to form a solid port of an unforgettable game, and is definatley a must buy for any GBA owner out there. Any of the alterations made due to GBA limitations are nothing devestating, and the game still retains all that made it teh ownage. 5 out of 5

WOW! 10/10

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 16
Date: November 25, 2004
Author: Amazon User

All I have to say is that DONKEY KONG COUNTRY 2: DIDDY KONG'S QUEST is the best game ever on the SNES. Now it's handheld! Donkey Kong kicks all the other games arses.

Donkey Kong Country 2

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 4
Date: February 13, 2005
Author: Amazon User

WHAT HAPPENED ? . That monkey is on the loose again...This is one of the most intense and enjoyable games ever. My hat`s off to the monkey, Hours of FUN....Eric

Well, im a casulal gamer..........

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 8
Date: April 14, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Well, im a casulal gamer and you might not want to listen to me but if you do theres a couple things i have to say.First off the game is great, but not educational. you can go to all sorts of lands and find the "krem coins" and feathers and such, i do think they should charge less money for theese "gameboy" games, but i have grat fun overall.

happy gaming, Ziggy

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