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Even with these generosities, DKCR3D still offers a formidable test of one’s coordination skills, though the harder scenario is where true platforming mastery should be routinely hunted by those who seek it. In this kindly forgiving setup, the Kongs are both allowed an extra hit before being dispatched, helpful items like the fall-saving Green Balloon are available for purchase in Cranky Kong’s boutique, and the DK barrels now replenish HP in addition to switching off partners.
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However, Monster Games has wisely opted to widen the game’s accessibility to the younger, more-likely-to-own-a-3DS crowd by introducing an easier mode of play. The first DKCR is known for its massive difficulty spike, and that same degree of challenge is still present in the 3DS version. Local co-op adds another layer of strategy to the proceedings, but, much like its successful blueprint, the plurality of DKCR is best, and most rewardingly, tackled unassisted. Moving about the dual-planed landscapes, shooting in and out of barrel cannons, dodging hoards of immovable hazards, piloting mine carts, etc.-every action feels natural and deeply responsive throughout. The handheld’s button layout more closely resembles that of the Donkey Kong Country franchise’s SNES entries. Verdant jungles, sunset-soaked shores, maniacally mechanized factories, and even a secret unlockable cloud-themed world, which is just as imaginative as any of the aboriginal areas, are all consummately realized on the 3DS’s smaller screens. The jocular yarn of a tribe of kooky Tikis burglarizing Donkey and Diddy Kong’s ‘nanner stockpile and hypnotizing friendly forest dwellers once again sends the able-bodied apes on an adventure through an array of colorful and dangerous locales. Though the constant shaky-shakes of the Wiimote are long gone, the 3DS control scheme is actually more suitable to the content at hand, and the amount of bonus material specific to this fresh take on a current genre standard warrants a purchase, even if the elder DKCR still sits in your gaming library, absent dust.ĭKCR3D’s story is unchanged from its source. Then, like a giant golden banana piercing through variable treetops, Donkey Kong Country Returns hit the market, satisfying both new- and old-school quotas in terms of refreshingly amalgamated nostalgia-inducing gameplay with a modern spin.ĭonkey Kong Country Returns 3D is a convenient port of Retro Studios’ late-era Wii magnum opus, handled with extreme care and equanimity by Monster Games, a developer that clearly understands the importance of not tinkering too much with something approaching flawlessness. Indeed, there was Super Mario Galaxy 2, but even a bona fide first-party masterpiece such as that couldn’t fully feed the ravenous appetites of Wii owners itching for another Nintendo classic of the side-scrolling variety. The opinions expressed above are my own and any claims should be verified on the sponsor’s site.By the end of 2010, the then-four-year-old Wii’s significance was trending downward with haste the enthusiasm with which consumers sought out its integrated motion-controlled gaming had quickly faded into a faint murmur. I was not compensated in any other manner.
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This is a new feature for the Donkey Kong games but doesn’t change the feel of the game at all and the game still holds true to the greatness that it has always been!ĭonkey Kong Country Returns recently dropped in price down to just $29.99! You can find this game at your favorite local retailer as well as on Amazon!ĭisclosure: I received a copy of Donkey Kong Country Returns in exchange for my honest review. It was fun playing co-op with two players so my 3 year old can even play along with either me or my 5 year old and enjoy some game time too. We also have loved collecting “K” “O” “N” and “G” letter pieces and the puzzle pieces that are hidden throughout the level making the levels a bit more challenging if you work to try to find all the hidden pieces. Donkey Kong Country Returns has brought back everything I loved from the games I remember way back in the day including special animal characters you can become to storm through bonus parts of the levels. I remember playing Donkey Kong games when I was a kid and was excited to get to share a game I have enjoyed and loved with my son. You’ll also find a variety of landscapes from jungle, silhouetted levels, ocean and beach themed, and more. Plus, now you can enjoy the game in 3D environments and with 2-player co-op abilities. By combining familiar actions, levels, and characters you will feel like you’ve stepped into games of the past, only with updated controls and graphics.
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Donkey Kong Country Returns brings back traditional gameplay that fans will recall from earlier Donkey Kong titles.
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