Donkey Kong 64
Played on: Wii U (Virtual Console)
Originally available on: Nintendo 64
Genre: 3D platformer, collect-a-thon
Developer: Rare
Publisher: Nintendo
The
epic adventures of the Kong family were Nintendo's last trump card for
the 16-bit generation. As such, it was pretty obvious they would
eventually get a 64-bit outing. Rather than rest on its laurels, though,
developer Rare decided to take the series into a bold new direction,
and the result is probably the most hardcore 3D collect-a-thon game
there ever was. Given that collecting stuff in video games is a passion
first instilled in me by the Donkey Kong Country series on the SNES, the
prospect of an open-world, 3D, fully explorable DK Isle with
collectibles galore sounds like heaven. A few significant flaws aside,
that's exactly what it felt like throughout my adventure.
Elliot Quest
Played on: Wii U (e-Shop)
Genre: 2D platformer, open-world adventure
Developer: Ansimuz Games
Publisher: PlayEveryWare
Recently, I decided to give another try to Zelda II: Adventure of Link, the NES game which took the beloved series in an interesting new direction. Sadly, I realized there was a small detail I had forgotten since I played it as a kid: the game is frustratingly, unfairly difficult, even with the advent of save states. I still love its structure, however, so I was quite pleased by the announcement of Elliot Quest, a game directly inspired by Link's second 8-bit outing. After playing it for much longer than I anticipated (over 20 hours), I was left pleasantly surprised by the sheer quality of its design.
Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble
Played on: Wii U (Virtual Console)
Originally available on: SNES
Genre: 2D platformer
Developer: Rare
Publisher: Nintendo
The
third Donkey Kong Country game for the SNES is truly the end of an era.
This is because it's not only the final entry in this beloved series up
until Donkey Kong Country Returns on the Wii, but also the last major
first-party release for the SNES, in an era when Nintendo's (and Rare's)
attention was finally shifting to the N64. It follows in the footsteps
of its predecessors when it comes to pleasant and challenging
platforming, but also introduces neat new ideas to the formula.
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
Played on: Wii U (Virtual Console)
Originally available on: SNES
Genre: 2D platformer
Developer: Rare
Publisher: Nintendo
So, what do you do when you release a game that turns out to be one of the defining killer apps for an entire console generation? For good old Rare of the nineties, you immediately start working on a sequel to improve every single aspect of the original. This is pretty much Donkey Kong Country 2 in a nutshell: a bolder, prettier and significantly better-designed follow-up that is breathtaking in its restlessness to set the standard of unforgettable 2D platforming.
Donkey Kong Country
Played on: Wii U (Virtual Console)
Originally available on: SNES
Genre: 2D platformer
Developer: Rare
Publisher: Nintendo
As impossible as it may have seemed a year ago, the original SNES Donkey Kong Country trilogy was finally released on the Wii U Virtual Console. This should be great news for fans of platforming, as the series is certainly one of the most memorable the genre has ever produced. It all started with this title, which was a very big deal when it was released back in the latter half of the SNES's lifetime, helping that console to establish its ultimate leadership over the Mega Drive (a.k.a. Sega Genesis) in the console wars of the time.
