Memories #25: Donkey Kong Country

1994. The strong winds of change were blowing in the video game industry. Nintendo was holding second place to SEGA during the 16-bit SNES/Genesis console war but the fifth generation of consoles was on the rise and a new player had entered the ring. Sony would release the PlaySation in Japan but the system was already making waves outside of the Land of the Rising Sun despite the fact that it wouldn't hit North America and European shores almost a year later. SEGA also had their own fifth gen console release in '94, the Saturn and like the PS, it also released outside of Japan in 1995. Of course Nintendo had their own supped up, polygonal baby in the works, but the N64 wouldn't hit store shelves anywhere in the world until 1996. Polygons and higher bits were heavy talking points during these times and while the Genesis and SNES had seen a few games boasting polygons, they weren't on the same level as what the PS and Saturn were capable of, the former, which would later become a serious head turner. Even though all of this was going on, one of Nintendo's biggest icons made a huge resurgence this year on hardware that was already available on all sides of the world.

Though he made his debut in same game that Mario did and was very well known, Donkey Kong as a character was pushed aside in favor of the Italian that would become Nintendo's mascot. Other than the home ports of Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong Jr. on the NES in the mid to late 1980s, the Big N wouldn't refocus their sights on Donkey Kong until 1994, which saw the release of not one, but two Donkey Kong titles.

The first Donkey Kong game to release used the same title as the 1981 arcade version, Donkey Kong, though it is often referred to as Donkey Kong GB due to the platform it was released, the Game Boy. Releasing during the summer of 1994, it combined elements with the original Donkey Kong game as well as those from Donkey Kong Jr.and even Super Mario Bros. 2. Much longer than the four levels of the first two Donkey Kong games, this puzzle/platformer stared Mario as he playable character while DK and DK Jr. were the antagonists. Donkey Kong GB would go on to be a million seller for Nintendo but it would be overshadowed by the the second Donkey Kong game to release that same year, one that saw the big ape finally step into a staring role.

Even before Donkey Kong Country released during the fall of 1994, the hype for this game was huge. I remember multi-page previews of the game appearing in issues of GamePro and Nintendo Power and being in awe of the game's jaw dropping visuals. Donkey Kong Country was a 32-meg game running on 16-bit hardware. This was the type of game you'd think you'd would only be possible on the next gen systems but here DKC was, running on a the four year old SNES technology and not the new fangled fifth gen babies gamers were drooling to get their hands on. The fact that DKC could be played on a system that most players owned at the time was even a selling point and Nintendo was none too shy to rub this fact in SEGA's face. SEGA had been known for their aggressive advertising against Nintendo in the western market and after years of just sitting there and taking it, Nintendo struck back both in magazine and TV ads.

A western ad for DKC.

Anyone that owned a SNES wanted DKC. The hype Nintendo drummed up for the game along with the stunning visual presentation attracted buyers in droves and I was one of the many that coveted the game. For Christmas 1994, my dad bought me the game and it is one of the few gifts I remember getting that year. Needless to say, I was one very happy 13 year old on Christmas morning.

I had seen the game on demo displays during trips to Wal-Mart and Meijer but having the game in my own hands made it feel so more more real. I looked over the front and back of the box, marveling, jumping with excitement to play the game. As much as I wanted to dive right in, though, I took some time to read the instruction manual (those things that used to come with physical versions of the game all the time). Inside was more cool 3D renders of DK and company and it was through the manual that I got familiar with my favorite member of the Kong clan, Cranky Kong, whom the manual stated to be the original DK that kidnapped Pauline in the first DK game (which, I believe is no longer cannon). Cranky lived up to his name, always grumpy and always berating the player. He really did a lot to liven up that instruction manual. As if that weren't enough, each world had a location known as Canky's Cabin, where he would go on and on about how games were so much better back in his day. In between going on nostalgia trips and tell me how much I sucked, he would sprinkle in advice before telling me to get off his lawn. Cranky never failed to make me laugh so I would frequently visit him.

The manual also went into detail about the whole reason for DK's latest adventure: retrieving his banana horde from King K. Rool and his army of Kremlings. It was a different reason to go on a platforming quest to be sure. In the past, I was always rescuing princesses or foiling the plans of mad doctors. This time, we had to save the potassium. There was also the matter of Diddy Kong, DK's sidekick, getting stuffed away in a barrel, but saving the bananas was the main thing, so while the reasons for the adventure was different from what I was used to, I was perfectly fine with it.

DKC's striking graphics may have been a major selling point, but there was a really fun platformer beneath it all. Sure, it would be refined and polished in later entries, but for the first in the series, this was really freaking strong start. Enemies could not only be stomped on but rolled into to dispose of them and it always felt gratifying to take out several in one fell swoop. The differences between DK and Diddy were instantly noticeable with DK being stronger, but slower and Diddy being faster but weaker. I loved the switching mechanic between the two of them where they would slap hands to single who would take the lead. I remember doing this over and over at one point because the animation was such a joy to watch. (I was easily amused back then and still am to a degree.)

I recall the huge smile on my face as I went through the game's first few levels, hoping off the top of palm trees, swinging from vine to vine, riding Rambi, hitting a wall with him to unearth a hidden bonus level and being amazed at how stunning the game looked at the time. I had seen these types of levels like this before but never had they looked this good. When I got to the game's first water level, I was slack jawed both by the visuals  and what would become one of my all-time favorite water themes in a video game, Aquatic Ambiance. That level felt like such a pleasure cruise. Taking in the water effects as I used Engarde to slam into sharks and listen to that beautiful, beautiful music.

I couldn't do a Memories post on DKC without gushing about this game's marvelous soundtrack. Composed by David Wise, Eveline Novakovic and Robin Beanland, DKC's music was praised just as highly as the visuals were back when it was released. While DKC may look dated today, the soundtrack has aged beautifully. DKC was one of the few games to get a soundtrack release outside of Japan in the form of DK Jamz album. I couldn't get my hands on that so I help a TV recorder up to my TV and recorded many of the songs that were my favorite like the aforementioned Aquatic Ambiance, Forest Frenzy, Treetop Rock, Bad Boss Boogie, Funky's Fugue and Fear Factory. I'm pretty sure I ended up wearing that tape out.

My trip through DK Isle was tons of fun but not without some serious snags. I had gotten several game overs due to some pretty tough levels. It took me numerous attempts to pass the third world and those mine cart levels were murder (they would get even more insane when the DKC came back on the Wii and Wii U/Switch) but the biggest hurdle to overcome was the first level of the fourth world, Snow Barrel Blast. Holy crap, this level was one nasty difficulty spike. Usually the worst part of snow and ice level is the slippery terrain but that wasn't even a big deal here. Snow Barrel Blast was a level that got worse the further you progressed into it. Things start out simple enough but before you know, it beings to snow, the snow turns into a blizzard, which hampers your visibility, which sucks because this level has some of the trickiest barrel shooting segments in the game.I'm guessing Rare was fuly aware of how insane this level was because they hid a shortcut that lets you bypass the final stretch of the level. I wish I had known that as a teen because I took the normal rout and died so many times on this level. What made it so agonizing is that Candy's Save Point was a few levels after Snow Barrel Blast, so if I got a game over before reaching her, which I think I did, I had to do Snow Barrel Blast all over again.

In spite of those setbacks, I pressed onward and before I knew it, I was at the final area of the game, Gang-Plank Galleon. Not having a strategy guide, this was my first time seeing King K. Rool so I had to learn his patterns on my own. All of the bosses had been easy peasy and the same was true for the Kremling's leader. To my surprise, he dropped fairly quickly. When the credits began to roll, something seemed strange. Why where the developer's names so odd? When "The End?" appeared, I knew for certain something wasn't right. Sure enough, K. Rool go back up and resumed his attack, catching me off guard, making me have to start the fight all over again. It took me a few attempts but King K. Rool ended toppling for real on December 31, 1994. Yes, I spent my Christmas breaking playing and finishing DKC.

DKC did a lot to turn the 16-bit war in Nintendo's favor. Just as Sonic the Hedgehog had helped SEGA steal the number one spot from Nintendo, DKC helped SNES sales catch up to the Genesis. The game would end up selling more than 9 million copies worldwide and helped the SNES stay relevant during the 32-bit console generation. Of course there were tons of great SNES titles in 1994, but few had the impact that DKC did. Yes, it looks archaic today, but back then, it was mind blowing stuff. Fortunately the DKC holds up pretty well, not was well as the 1995 sequel, Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest and other games in the series, but the first DKC is still good, nonetheless. For everything that the game did for the SNES and Nintendo all those years ago, it also made a 13 year old boy very happy and for that, I couldn't be more thankful.