Say what you
want about Rare’s recent efforts. No matter how many Grabbed by the Ghoulies are
released, the studio’s contributions to the SNES and Nintendo 64 will never be
forgotten. That’s why the announcement of Rare’s move from Nintendo was
bittersweet. The future could be golden – with Banjo-Kazooie 3 (presumably
titled “Banjo-Threeo”) on its way to Xbox 360, Microsoft could have a killer
action/adventure in 2008. But with Rare no longer working on Nintendo products,
we aren’t likely to see another Donkey Kong Country game – even though Nintendo
is the one who owns that license.
The loss is
huge for DK fans, but they shouldn’t be sad much longer. When Nintendo launched
the DS, it repeatedly announced that the machine was made for developers to
create unique gameplay experiences. This led to the launch of new franchises
like Trauma Center and Cooking Mama, as well as a surprising batch of touch
screen sequels, most notably Kirby: Canvas Curse and the forthcoming Legend of
Zelda: Phantom Hourglass.
When it came
time to bring Donkey Kong to the DS, Nintendo could have made another
touch-enabled game. Theoretically, that would have sounded like the best way for
the series to evolve. However, the developers of DK: Jungle Climber had other
plans. Their idea was to create a new kind of Donkey Kong series with new
gameplay that’s centered on conventional game controls: buttons and a D-pad.
King of the
Jungle
DK: Jungle
Climber employs original control mechanics in which the player swings – and
thus, plays most of the game – using the L and R buttons. Each button acts as
one of DK’s arms. Stages are filled with floating objects, most of which contain
small circular areas for DK to climb on. When hanging on with one hand, DK
swings around (clockwise) and will launch himself into the air when the button
is released. He’ll hold still if you grab onto something with both hands. In
either case, tap the A or B button to make DK lunge forward with a spinning
attack. When gravity takes its toll during a fall or after a jump, the L and R
buttons can be used to lightly push DK left or right.
Donkey Kong
Country fans will be thrilled to see Diddy Kong return as a playable character,
but the new moves are much different from his 16-bit days. Diddy, who rides on
DK’s back while climbing, acts as a support and influence character. When
performing the spin attack, players can tap the A button a second time to make
DK throw Diddy into the air. This allows you to hit enemies, barrels, and items
that DK could not reach on his own. Diddy can also be thrown up onto special
platforms where, through the control of DK, Diddy will climb and automatically
jump over gaps.
These mechanics
are the base of the game. It sounds interesting but looks unorthodox and might
even appear difficult. Like the other Nintendo greats, there’s a learning curve
involved. You won’t be a pro the instant the quest begins. That’s good. You
will, however, quickly notice that every level has new mechanics that are tied
to DK’s shoulder button swinging. That’s even better. By the third or fourth
stage, players will be enamored with this control style (even if they’ve yet to
master any of the mechanics). And that’s fantastic.
In this fantasy stage, Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong must swing
across
the corn (which spins and can knock them off),
bash the watermelon, and
climb the seeds to reach the top.
Worldly
Developments
Most of Jungle
Climber’s levels are side-scrolling, but you’ll spend a lot of time climbing.
Both screens are used simultaneously to show as much of each level as possible.
This effect is done better than in any other DS game. As you reach the top of
the bottom screen, DK seamlessly meshes into the top screen. The two screens are
perfectly aligned – there are no flaws or graphical discrepancies to be found.
The thing about
action/adventures is that, no matter how efficiently the DS’s screens are
implemented, it’s the quality of the levels that matter most. This is where
Jungle Climber really excels, not just in the layout but also in the objects,
puzzles, and the solutions surrounding them. You will use DK’s weight and swing
capabilities to steer an enormous boulder. You’ll grab onto giant flowers and
thrust yourself into the air like a catapult. Boss battles require specific hits
using various swing and climb tactics – doing so effectively will reveal their
weak spots.
Catch the bananas in this mini-game.
Levels come in
many different flavors, including a ghost town where you must stay completely
still to avoid getting hit by a ghost. The ghosts can’t hurt you but will scare
DK and prevent him from hanging on. DK and banana coins are dispersed through
each stage, and you’ll have to pull out every trick – whether it’s a Diddy
throw, barrel bash, or looking at every area for hidden paths – to find them.
The game also
cleverly uses the top and bottom screens to manipulate what it is you’re looking
at. I don’t want to go into spoilers, but just know that you will see things in
this game that you’ve never seen before.
Jungle Climber
isn’t any more challenging than the DKC series. You will, however, spend more
time thinking (and looking) to find every item. Like NEW Super Mario Bros., this
is as much an item collection game as it is an action/adventure. But you don’t
have to find the items to have a good time. If getting from point A to point B
is all you desire, the game will comply. Regardless of your play style, this
game is a blast and a must-own.
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Gameplay: 8.6
DK: Jungle Climber
is an instant classic – a game you’ll love today, and love again when it’s
ported to the Wii Virtual Console in 10 years (you know that’s going to
happen!). The new control style is not only unique for Donkey Kong but is also
extremely unique for the genre. The levels are great, and there are surprises
around every turn – some involving brand-new mechanics, and others involving a
piece of the series’ past.
Graphics:
6.9
Decent cartoon
graphics. But it isn’t as visually impressive as the 10-year-old DKC series.
Sound: 4.0
Nintendo is
typically known for composing the best, most memorable music (Zelda, Mario,
etc.). This game, however, could very well be one of the studio’s worst
composition. I can’t tell you how annoying the music is, nor can I describe how
badly I wanted to bust the speaker just to make it go away. Thankfully, there’s
an off switch for that.
Difficulty: Easy/Medium
A decent challenge
that will make you think, examine, and often say, “Wow, that’s cool.”
Concept: 8.0
Top-notch controls
that are unlike any other action/adventure you’ve ever played. The levels and
interactive objects are simply amazing.
Multiplayer: 6.0
Basic, climb and
race-based multiplayer games that can be played using just one game card. It’s
too bad they’re not very exciting.
Overall: 8.5
One of the year’s
best. The DS hasn’t had an action/adventure game this good since Mario. A
must-own for anyone who loves great Nintendo-style gaming.
