Click here to view our list of the Definitive 50 SNES games. Links to each video and write-up are included.
This week on the Definitive 50 SNES games, I present to you Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest. This second entry in the classic Country franchise debuted with much fanfare in December of 1995. It was later released on the GameBoy Advance and is now available on Wii’s Virtual Console.
Donkey Kong Country 2 takes 14th place on the list of Definitive 50 SNES games.
DKC 2 is a perfect sequel. It takes what worked from an original title, dials up everything that was awesome, and blends it all with a healthy dose of new ideas to keep things fresh.
This time around, the nimble Diddy is joined by his even more adept girlfriend, Dixie Kong. Wait, why does his girlfriend have the same last name as him? Nevermind. Dixie brings the added ability of hovering through the air using her helicopter hair. The two are on a mission to rescue Donkey Kong himself from kidnapper Kaptain K. Rool. That’s Kaptain, with a captial K.
Like its predecessor, Country 2 features some of the finest music ever composed for a video game. The catchy piratical tunes and foreboding nature-inspired tracks come from renowned video game composer David Wise himself.
Gameplay begins where the highest-highs of DKC left off, then sends it hurtling through space in an exploding rocket train of wonder.
The platforming is rough and tumble. Timing is unforgiving, secrets are obscure, the road long and laborious. The game is also stacked with collectables. Some unlock extra (even more difficult) areas of the game, others just prove your worth as an exploratory genius.
The Kongs must navigate past swarms of enemy Kremlings, this time armed to the teeth with the meanest pirate gear on the market. Environments include the inside of a volcano, the thickest of bee-infested brambles, and even one frightening looking carnival.
Any self-respecting platformer fan already owns this game, but if you’ve somehow managed to miss out on it, pick it up today.
