For the
past few years, Nintendo has been taking many risks when it comes to its most
beloved franchises. Whether it’s incorporating cel-shaded graphics in Zelda,
strapping a water cannon to Mario’s back, or controlling Donkey Kong with a pair
of bongos, Nintendo has gotten into the habit of changing up their first-party
menu. Their latest Donkey Kong title for the GBA keeps with this theme and
presents gamers with a completely new gameplay formula and a unique experience.
However, whether the innovation is enough to hold players’ attention for a long
amount of time is another question on its own.
DK: King
of Swing plays more like a puzzle game that an all-out action platformer like
its brethren. You control Donkey Kong almost completely with the L and R
shoulder buttons, using them to grab onto pegs and swing around, shooting Donkey
Kong into the air to other pegs or into enemies.
As the
game continues, the challenge grows, and the stages grow more and more complex.
There’s a boss at the end of each area, and defeating them involves a mastery of
the games controls and great reflexes.
Aside
from the main quest, you can play a bunch of fun mini games in the Jungle Jam
mode. You can link up with a friend in this mode or simply play against the
computer. In this mode you can race four other characters up a course, fight
through obstacles, or play attack battles where you have to take on your
opponents and score more hits. As you play through this mode and the main game,
you can unlock extra features, including new Jungle Jam courses and so on.
Unfortunately, despite the increasing challenge level and cool boss fights, DK
King of Swing feels old after just a few plays. The overall feel of the gameplay
doesn’t feature a whole lot of variety, and gets quite redundant.
Graphically, King of Swing has a lot going for it, with bright and vibrant
graphics that add to the atmosphere of the game. The characters sport an all-new
cartoony look, foregoing the “computer-rendered” look of the Donkey Kong Country
series, and the results are great.
The
sound effects are also pretty good, and most of the music comes from the Donkey
Kong Country games, which had some of the best soundtracks from the 16-bit era.
All
things considered, DK King of Swing is a solid effort by the Big N to try
something new. The game takes an innovative concept and control scheme and puts
them in a familiar universe. While the gameplay gets very repetitive, the game
still offers a refreshingly original take on the platforming genre.
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Gameplay: 7.0
Using the L and R
buttons to swing Donkey Kong around takes some getting used to, but it can be
quite fun and challenging as the game goes. Unfortunately, the game does grow
very redundant, and many players will wish for more diversity.
Graphics: 8.5
DK King of Swing’s graphics are very bright and colorful, perfect for the
franchise and the Game Boy Advance. The character models don’t have the
pronounced CGI look of the Donkey Kong Country games, and instead have a very
cartoony feel to them, which gives the game a unique look that separates it from
the rest.
Sound: 8.0
The sound effects
are pretty good, and most of the music is taken directly from the DKC games and
is appropriately pleasant and happy.
Difficulty: Medium
Concept: 8.5
DK King of Swing
is an interesting action-puzzler with a great concept behind it and some great
challenging elements, even if it does get repetitive.
Overall: 7.5
King of Swing is an interesting experience, and continues with Nintendo’s legacy
of innovation in its established catalog of popular franchises. Even though the
action does get a little repetitive, DK King of Swing is a worthy play if you’re
looking for something a little different.
