Introduction

Donkey Kong Country is a neat platformer game made by rare, released in 1994. The advertising for it revolved around some revolutionary technology, at the time at least, where 3d characters were put in 2D planes. Luckily, the good people who made the game were sure to give the soundtrack, level design, and overall charm of the game as much love as they did to the graphics. Despite this, Miyamoto got mad, criticising the game for having americans care more about visuals, and as a result yoshi's island was made. But we're not playing Yoshi's Island! we're playing donkey kong. This'll be 101 percent, and I'll have rotating guests (although it's almost certain that some will come back). Overall, this LP is both for those who have and have not played the game, just a nice relaxing ride through, I hope you enjoy it!

you missed a thing!

I have owned this game for a long, long time. That being said it is still of full of easy to miss secrets that aren't bonus rooms. If I miss these, it can be cool if you tell me! As I say in the first video, I will cover (hopefully, maybe, possibly) all those things I missed in a bonus video by the end. I'm referring to stuff like extra life baloons, level shortcuts, hidden banana bunches, animal buddies, stuff like that.

I would also like to say that I realize my big explanation in the first level doesn't cover everything. Don't worry about it! I'll get to talking about it when it feels right. If it's like the second to final world and I haven't said anything yet? Then you can yell at me.

Videos

Kongo Jungle youtube

This is the first world, so it's nothing too complicated. There are secrets and extra lives EVERYWHERE, meant to give the new kids a chance to not game over during the trickier parts later on in the game. It has a tropical theme, which suits the generally laidback tone of the introduction. The only real notable and unique stages in here are jungle hijinx and Ropey Rampage. The former because it is the first level which introduces us to the well known Donkey Kong theme song, as well as having two unique screens; DK's house and banana stash. Ropey Rumble gets a mention because it's the only stage where you're playing in the middle of a storm. No doubt meant to convince the 90s kids that their purchase of a SNES was worth it.

Music

As I've said in the video, the Donkey Kong Country games are well known for their music (composed by David Wise until the 3rd game), so each update whenever there's a new track I'll post it under.

Jungle Groove : Like any good nintendo theme song, you've probably heard this song tons of times throughout different games. I really like the drums, but to be fair I can't say I'm too fond of the main melody (the part from 1:00 to 1:23). Sure, it has that nostalgic value for me, but I much prefer the ambient part that plays afterward. Very calming, and it works since in most of the jungle levels the background slowly darkens to night time, giving it that atmospheric quality. That being said, man this doesn't loop that well.

Cave Dweller Concert : Very simple track, I never thought much of it. I like the use of water droplets as instruments. The ominous synth gives off a feeling that something in the caves is waiting to getcha, which would be creepy, but DKC isn't really a creepy game...

Aquatic Ambience : Here we go! The favorite track of the first game for many, and for good reason. It's a really beautiful track that shows off what the SNES soundcard can do. A wide variety of instruments from light cymbols to sad harps, simply listening to it gives off the feeling as if you were hanging out by the beach in the middle of the night. It's probably the most emotional song in this game, which is damn silly to say about a game that stars monkeys trying to get their bananas back from a croc king but goddamnit David Wise is good at what he does.


02: Monkey Mines Youtube

It's winkie's world! Excellent. Monkey Mines is still easy as long as you don't take silly risks like I do. I want to say that it's the shortest world, even though it has the same amount of levels as the first world, it always seems to go by the fastest. It has the oh so popular Minecart Carnage level that most folks seem to love, as well as the most levels you could skip over. It's also the only world where you'll see those spastic dudes in the Stop and Go station.

Music:

Life in the Mines: This is another nice melody that has the same tone as aquatic ambience. It's nowhere near as complicated, but it works really well since most of these mine levels will involve more patience than simple running through. As a result, the song works well as something to keep calm to as you wait for the next obstacle to roll through.

Mine Cart Madness: Ugh... I think I've said what I have to say in the video. I never thought much about this song. I realize it's supposed to be all tense to emulate the feeling of riding in a superfast minecart, so if the level clicks for you (which it probably does) then I can see it working as a really good track! I will say that after recording the commentary, I decided to take a look at a random mine cart level in DKCR and they look much more fun.

Misty Menace: Okay, so I tried saying this in the video and I got distracted. This song is really interesting because personally, I never really stopped to listen to it until only recently. In other words, years. So once I gave it a good runthrough, I was pretty surprised on how GOOD this track is. It's probably the "darkest" track out of all of them, it has all these otherwordly noises, and uses tools as instruments (which i am a complete sucker for), and tops it all off with those long drawn out synths. Man, it's a shame this so easy to not notice, but I guess that means it does it's job right, to blend in with the stage.

Voices of the Temple: Pretty ambivalent to this one! Nothing bad, but nothing great, just kinda does what it needs to do to sound like a temple.

Kong music (that I forgot to do in the last video)

Funky Fugue: let's go surfing, I'm quite fond of the hiii-ya! This is another song that's pretty easy to miss out because the best part doesn't kick in until like 50 seconds in. By then you'd have already picked a new world!

Cranky's theme: It's the classic Donkey Kong theme! What else can I say. Cranky is old.

Candy's Love Song: While I question the decision of putting a character like Candy into the game, I WILL say I enjoy her theme. Just like Funky's theme, the catchy part doesn't even kick until a ways in when you're already saved and gone!


03: Vine Valley Youtube
Cool tricks in world 3

Vine Valley is a pretty nice world I think, despite having one of the most... bonus central levels with that animal buddy, I forgive it simply because the rest are a lot of fun. This is the only world that has forest levels, so enjoy them while you can because they're pretty relaxing. The boss is nothing to write about gameplay wise, although interesting if you look at it from a trilogy standpoint and see the effect it has on the zinger population by DKC3. There's also a glitch (At least it's called a glitch by most people, I think it's intentional) where you can warp straight to vine valley by mashing A and B right after you beat the very first level of the game. I've tried doing it but it never works, there are videos of it! I guess one last thing to note is that clam city is the only underwater level that does not have enguarde. I'm probably wrong about that though, he is no doubt hidden in some ridiculous place I could have never thought about looking myself.

Music:

Forest Frenzy: How.... Foresty! This is just a simple melody repeated two more times or so with more complexity added over each run through. It's not much too think about, you'll probably need to spend your concentration on avoiding all the neckies and zingers anyway. This song was actually remixed in DKC returns which surprised me (out of all the tracks from the original game??) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuV5pl2vqlo#t=0m29s

Treetop rock: Groovy as hell, that's all I can say.


04: Gorilla Glacier youtube

I sure hope you saved your game before tackling this beast! This world is, in my opinion, the hardest in the game. You have 5 levels to tackle through before you get a chance to save. On the way you have the hardest barrel section in the game, nasty weather effects, epileptic screen flashes, kirby like obstacles, chasing cephalopods, DKC is not fucking around anymore. Let's take a look at some levels. Snow Barrel Blast, as I said in the video it is probably the hardest stage in the game. Personally I'm no good at timing barrels in general, and the video does NOT do justice over how hard it is. If I had the foresight to save my failed takes (which there were a lot of) I would have put up a little bonus videos showing how many times I died. Seriously, this shit is rough.... Unless you cheat it out using the secret barrel! Secondly, Slipside Ride, the only level of its kind in the game (it does come back in DKC2, however). This level is just great. The music sets the tone perfect, if you're having a shitty day then you can always play through this not so hard stage to cheer up. I wish there were more of these but as Freezinginferno said, it's probably for the best that there isn't. Finally we got Torchlight Trouble. We meet up with squawks who has a really bright flashlight, and are also introduced to the perpetual energy spiked tires. One of them stays with us for the rest of the game, one never shows up again... guess which one.

Music:

Northern Hemisphere: I think this track was all designed with Snow Barrel Blast in mind. The way it starts of really low and ominous... Then as you go through the level the weather becomes worse, and the music becomes progressively chaotic. It's the perfect atmospheric experience. Great tune for that stage, doesn't really work for Ice Age Alley though!

Ice Cave Chant: Such an uplifting song! How can you not feel a little better after not listening to it. Unless you suck at ropes, then maybe you got some repressed memories going on. I dunno.


I gave this a quick look on Amazon, a new copy is 80 dollars . There's also a book for the second game.... which is 750 dollars!!


05: Kremkroc Industries Inc. Youtube

Kremkroc is brown, but thankfully not as brown as the next world. It switches things up with cool factories that have cool tunes as well as a pond that has dangerous water to drink. That pond by the way is the last water level in the game and is also, as is hopefully obvious by the video, the hardest. Jumping around spiked tires (Actually they're called mincers!) is one thing, but swimming?? A whole different ballgame buddy. Other than that, we got the other minecart level which I actually kinda like, as well as the tricky elevator antics. Hope you got your roll jump reflex ready! There's also a place where the lights go out or something I dunno people think it's cool.

Music

FEAR FACTORY: This tune's got all the beeps and boops you want. So much beeping you'd think there was a beep inflation. Anyway I never really thought much of this track but I've talked to some people while doing this and a lot wanted to guest in this world just to talk about how cool the factory music was. I am pretty fond of the quick slow part that happens at a minute in, and the kick snare is always good times for boppin.

Ok so I dont know what meccaprime is saying about me having a glitch video but i'm not doing that. Also you people need to learn some patience!!


06: Chimp Caverns Youtube

There is nothing to say about Chimp Caverns. As stated in the video, it's got boring colors, the levels are mostly uninspired, and in general it all just feels thrown in at the last second. I mean, I guess it does its job in being kinda difficult, but for god's sake give us some more variation in color! I stand by my statement that Rare only made Chimp Caverns because they needed 6 worlds, cause 5 worlds in an SNES platformer would just be weird. Everyone sucks at platform peril which is something I guess

We don't even have any new music tracks!!!


Also yes I sound really weird I had to get a new headset. Sorry for the delay folks

Who is this chufty dude???? looks like he wants to fight.....


07: Gangplank Galleon Youtube


Gangplank Galleon is just King K. Rool, King K. Rool is, despite what you may have seen on video, a pretty tough fight. At least compared to the other bosses he's a nasty surprise in my opinion. The toughest part, as I said in the video, is the cannonballs. I HATE the cannonballs, and if I had the time I would have went on a full minute on how much I hate the cannonballs. Also, this may be just my ineptitude, but Donkey Kong is really bad for these fight. He's just all.... Slow and burly, use diddy to take K. Rool down, it's only appropriate anyway.

Music

MOTHERFUCKING GANGPLANK GALLEON: DAMN this song owns. In terms of being badass, this is right up there with the baby bowser fight in Yoshi's Island. After a whole game of ambience and light instrumentals, this just HITS you in the face and as a proper kid of the 90s, you can't help but love it. It really works too, especially when the cannonballs come in! lets get king k rockin.,.....

Credits: You know, I never really gave much thought about the credits music until recording this. It makes me really nostalgic, a moody tune that takes me back to that day when I beat this for the very first time. A good day, I think I had ice cream that night. At this point, I think I may have gushed about synths too much, but I just love my synths, and this track gives me my synth. The main melody is nice too, just a nice song to listen to when I need to think about the decade in which the pinnacle of human achievement was formed.






Thanks for watching folks! Hope you had a good time, sorry if these last 2 vids took a while to make, but I hope it was worth the wait. I decided to just say screw me headset and decide to use the built in laptop mic which I THINK ended up being much better so that'll be nicer to listen to. A lot of people have been asking me about DKC2, and I'm sure that typing this down won't stop people from asking but what the hell. DKC2 is up in the air right now, those of you that have played DKC2 should know that it is a MUCH harder game, and A LOT MORE HARD when you're trying to 100 percent it. With the DKC vids taking as long as they have right when I got to college, I want to say I can do it, but realistically....... well, only time can tell. Until then, thanks for watching, and whatever I do next I hope you enjoy that too.