Donkey Kong Jungle Beat
- This article is about the Nintendo GameCube game. For the Wii port, see New Play Control! Donkey Kong Jungle Beat. For the lenticular jigsaw puzzle, see Donkey Kong Jungle Beat (lenticular jigsaw puzzle).
| Donkey Kong Jungle Beat | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 For alternate box art, see the related gallery. | |||||||||
| Developer | Nintendo EAD Tokyo | ||||||||
| Publisher | Nintendo | ||||||||
| Platform | Nintendo GameCube | ||||||||
| Release dates |  December 16, 2004[1] February 4, 2005[2] March 14, 2005[1] March 17, 2005[3] | ||||||||
| Languages | English Japanese French (Europe) German Italian Spanish (Europe) | ||||||||
| Genre | Platformer | ||||||||
| Ratings |
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| Mode | Single player | ||||||||
| Format |
 Optical disc | ||||||||
| Input | |||||||||
| Serial code | DOL-GYBJ-JPN | ||||||||
- Everyone 10+
- All ages
- Three years and older
- All ages
- “A DK Adventure with Bongo-Pounding Controls!”
- —Tagline
Donkey Kong Jungle Beat is a 2.5D platformer in the Donkey Kong franchise for the Nintendo GameCube. The game's main gimmick stems from the use of the DK Bongos, previously affiliated with Donkey Konga, as the recommended controller, though a standard Nintendo GameCube Controller can still be used.
Donkey Kong Jungle Beat is the first console Donkey Kong platformer since the release of Donkey Kong Country not to be developed by Rare, since the company was bought out by Microsoft and lost the rights to the Nintendo-trademarked Donkey Kong series. Due to the change in developers, Donkey Kong Jungle Beat was very different from the Donkey Kong Country games in gameplay, characters, and, perhaps most particularly, the personality of Donkey Kong, who is shown to be more aggressive than in past titles. This was also the very first game in history to be given the "E10+" rating by the ESRB due to its cartoon violence.
The game received a re-release port to the Wii in 2008 titled New Play Control! Donkey Kong Jungle Beat.
Story[edit]
Story from the instruction booklet (GameCube):
Pound anything that gets in DK's way as he conquers the kingdoms and becomes the king of the jungle lands!!!
It was stated by game director Yoshiaki Koizumi in an interview in response to the game's minimal story that "The only thing Donkey Kong needs is to be the best, and to become the king of the jungle."[5]
An expanded storyline was added in the Wii re-release.
Story from the instruction booklet (Wii):
One day, the peace of the jungle was disrupted by a rampaging pack of wild baddies who wreaked havoc on the residents of the jungle.
Not only that, but they laid claim to every kingdom and stole each one's precious bananas!
"This calls for the one and only Donkey Kong!"
Join forces with your jungle buddies to face an army of powerful enemies and restore peace to the jungle!
Gameplay[edit]
The main goal throughout most of the game is to get to the end of a stage while also trying to earn as many beats as possible. At the beginning of each kingdom, the player starts with twenty beats (two hundred in the final levels) and may obtain more by collecting the bananas scattered throughout the stage and defeating enemies. These beats act as not only a score but also as the player's health throughout a kingdom. Taking damage after the beat total is reduced to zero results in a Game Over, and the player must restart from the beginning of the kingdom. At the end of each level is a fruit, which Donkey Kong must bite into to complete a level. The player can then play a minigame involving attempting to eat as many bananas as possible in a few seconds, giving them extra beats equal to the number of bananas eaten.
In this game, Donkey Kong is given a new move called the Sound Wave Attack. The Sound Wave Attack consists of an outer green ring mostly used to stun enemies and an inner red ring generally used to defeat enemies and grab beats. The Sound Wave Attack can also be used for various other purposes depending on the situation.
Using the Sound Wave Attack, the player can collect all the bananas in a general area with one move, referred to as a clap grab, which increases the beat count by a greater number than by simply collecting each one individually. In addition, combos, which are obtained by performing special actions (backflips, ground pounds, riding a Jungle Buddy, etc.), also give the player more beats than normal. When one such move is performed, a counter starts at "Combo 2", and performing additional moves increases the counter by one for each action; the counter does not increase, however, for actions performed twice during one combo. Combos increase the amount of beats earned from bananas by the combo number; in the case of banana bunches, this number is also multiplied by three. A combo continues as long as Donkey Kong is airborne and ends when he lands on the ground again; the number of beats collected during the combo is then added to the total. However, if the player is damaged while a combo is active, the player loses all the beats accumulated during the combo.
Crests[edit]
Most of the Kingdoms in the game contain three stages: two standard levels to earn beats, followed by a boss battle in which the player must deplete the boss' health bar to zero. At the end of each kingdom, the player's total remaining beat count is tallied at the Sacred Tree. By earning a certain number of beats, the player can earn up to four crests from the tree. These crests are used to unlock new kingdoms, as each one can only be unlocked when a certain number of crests have been obtained. By default, the player earns a Bronze Crest no matter how many beats they have, though the others can only be earned by collecting the following amounts of beats:
- 400 - Silver Crest
- 800 - Gold Crest
- 1200+ - Platinum Crest
Controls[edit]
Donkey Kong Jungle Beat can be played using either the DK Bongos Controller or a standard Nintendo GameCube Controller. When using the bongos, hitting one of the drums repeatedly sends Donkey Kong running in that direction, while holding down on the bongo causes him to walk. To jump, the player must hit both bongos simultaneously, and can use the bongos to move in midair. To jump diagonally, the player must hit the bongo in the direction they want to jump while using the other bongo to run. Hitting both drums in midair causes Donkey Kong to perform a ground pound. The Sound Wave Attack is used by clapping into the microphone. The Jungle Buddies are also controlled by using the drums.
With a Nintendo GameCube Controller, the actions performed by the bongos are mostly incorporated into the 
. To move, the player must tap the in the desired direction in order to move Donkey Kong; holding it causes Donkey Kong to walk, and repeatedly tapping it causes him to run. To jump, the player must press 
or tap the upwards, and to move in midair, the player must tap the in the desired direction. The Sound Wave Attack is used by tapping the 
. To punch when necessary, the player must tap the back and forth repeatedly. Moving any of the Jungle Buddies is done once again by tapping the .
Kingdoms[edit]
Donkey Kong Jungle Beat contains a total of 16 kingdoms, all of which are named after a fruit. Each kingdom features two normal levels followed by a boss battle, with the only exceptions being Opening Ceremony and the moon barrel levels (all one level each), making 51 total stages and 19 total kingdoms. The settings between the three levels in the main kingdoms rarely have any cohesion with each other, unlike the worlds in most games. Kingdoms are unlocked by clearing each barrel (and in the D Barrel's case, by clearing Opening Ceremony and the Banana Kingdom), but may not be accessed until the number of crests shown on each plaque is obtained.
Each kingdom is contained within one of six "barrels", with each barrel containing four kingdoms, while the moon barrel only has two kingdoms and Opening Ceremony is in its own sun barrel. The four barrels containing the game's sixteen main kingdoms are the "D", "K", "J", and "B" barrels, the letters composing the abbreviation for Donkey Kong Jungle Beat.
Characters[edit]
Main[edit]
| Character | Description |
|---|---|
 Donkey Kong |
The heroic Kong. |
 Monkeys |
Small monkeys who assist Donkey Kong in various ways throughout the game. |
Jungle Buddies[edit]
Like the Donkey Kong Country games, Donkey Kong Jungle Beat features four animals to assist Donkey Kong.
| Animal | Description | First level appearance | Last level appearance |
|---|---|---|---|
 Flurl |
Flurl the squirrel acts like a parachute, causing the player to slowly float downward when encountered. Flurl is controlled by pounding the drums to make him move in that direction; this also causes him to slow down. | Jungle Deeps | Ninjape Rally |
 Hoofer |
Hoofer the wildebeest is only found in ice-based levels. When controlling Hoofer, he continuously moves forward; the player must pound the right drum to run faster, and both to jump, like Donkey Kong. Hoofer is either found at the end of a level, or at the beginning of one, and depending on which determines what minigame is played at the end of the stage. If Hoofer is ridden from the beginning, the player must make as far a jump as possible. If Hoofer is at the end, the minigame involves jumping across as many gaps as possible. Both games earn the player additional beats. | Silver Snow Peak | Asteroid Belt |
 Helibirds |
Helibirds are first encountered in the Strawberry Kingdom and are common afterward. They are controlled by pounding the bongos in either direction to make them fly upward in that direction. | Helibird Nest | VS. Ghastly King |
 Orco |
Orco the killer whale is only encountered in Pristine Sea. Orco moves along a set path, and the player can only use the Sound Wave Attack when riding him; pounding the drums causes Donkey Kong to dismount Orco. | Pristine Sea |
The Evil Kings[edit]
Donkey Kong Jungle Beat features a total of eighteen bosses, together known as the Evil Kings.[2] There are four basic types of bosses, one of each occupying each of the main kingdoms in one barrel, while the other two occupy the last levels. The four different types of bosses are:
- Kongs - New Kongs which fight Donkey Kong one-on-one with different fighting styles.
- Rocs - Birds which carry massive eggs that must be attacked.
- Hogs - Pigs which throw electric coconuts that must be knocked back at them.
- Tusks - Tusked elephant machines that shoot cannonballs which are defeated by throwing Blood Pines at them.
In addition, the bosses in later barrels gain the attacks used by that type of boss in the previous barrel, and depleting a boss's HP to below half causes them to start attacking with their own additional attack.
| Boss | D Barrel | K Barrel | J Barrel | B Barrel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Kongs |
 Dread Kong King of the Banana Kingdom |
 Karate Kong King of the Pineapple Kingdom |
 Ninja Kong King of the Durian Kingdom |
 Sumo Kong King of the Star Fruit Kingdom |
 Rocs |
 Scruff Roc King of the Orange Kingdom |
 Fleet Roc King of the Lemon Kingdom |
 Hard Roc King of the Cherry Kingdom |
 Thunder Roc King of the Lychee Kingdom |
 Hogs |
 Rogue-Hog King of the Watermelon Kingdom |
 Mo-Hog King of the Strawberry Kingdom |
 Bloat-Hog King of the Melon Kingdom |
 Gloat-Hog King of the Pear Kingdom |
 Tusks |
 Turret Tusk King of the Apple Kingdom |
 Grave Tusk King of the Grape Kingdom |
 Torch Tusk King of the Peach Kingdom |
 Double Tusk Kings of the Chili Pepper Kingdom |
| Moon Barrel | ||
|---|---|---|
 Boss Pig Poppo Mount of the final king |
 Cactus King The supreme king |
Ghastly King The supreme king refought |
Other[edit]
| Other | Description | First level appearance | Last level appearance |
|---|---|---|---|
 Bloom Fairy |
Fairies that drop a trail of blooms. | Jungle Deeps | Asteroid Belt |
 Combo fairies |
Fairies that surround Donkey Kong when a combo is active. | All stages | |
 Dragon Pipes |
Two-ended tubes that transport Donkey Kong. | Ice Warren | Asteroid Belt |
 Banana Heli Birds |
Birds that appear in flight-based areas and leave a trail of bananas as they fly away. | Helibird Nest | Banshee Swamp |
 Banana Squids |
Squids that infrequently appear in underwater levels and leave a trail of bananas as they swim away. | Pristine Sea | Arctic Plunge |
Enemies[edit]
| Enemy | Description | First level appearance | Last level appearance |
|---|---|---|---|
 Bakky |
Bat enemies that swoop in to attack. | Massive Canyon | Primeval Ruins |
 Fire Bakky |
Flaming bats that fly down and can burn Donkey Kong. | Grim Volcano | Magma Coliseum |
 Ice Bakky |
Frozen bats that swoop down to attack and freeze Donkey Kong when touched. | Ice Warren | Aurora Glacier |
 Sea Bat |
Aquatic Bakkies that swim toward Donkey Kong. | Pristine Sea | Arctic Plunge |
 Bee |
Bee enemies that can be attacked with the Sound Wave attack, making them smaller. | Sky Garden | Aerie Fortress |
 Big Bee |
Large Bees that take several hits to defeat. | Helibird Nest | Clock Tower |
 Black Fairy |
Fairy projectiles that merge into harmful Black Fairy Attacks. | Grim Volcano | Magma Coliseum |
 Black Fairy Attack |
Horned creatures that can be deflected into their source. | Grim Volcano | Magma Coliseum |
 Blood Pine |
Explosive bouncy pineapples used as projectiles. | VS. Turret Tusk | Asteroid Belt |
 Chopperbird |
A man in a bird costume who races Donkey Kong in Chopperbird Race in the Lemon Kingdom. | Chopperbird Race | |
 Coco Pig |
Bipedal pigs that sit in a tree and throw coconuts at Donkey Kong. | Desert Oasis | Asteroid Belt |
 Dan Spider |
Large spiders that move back and forth and take several hits to defeat. | Cactus Mine | Asteroid Belt |
 Gōrumondo |
Armadillo enemies that take several hits to beat. | Massive Canyon | Magma Coliseum |
 Iguanagon |
A massive lizard that chases Donkey Kong in Hoofer's stages. | Silver Snow Peak | Asteroid Belt |
 Jelly Fish |
Jellyfish that are immune to any attacks. | Pristine Sea | Asteroid Belt |
 Pea Jelly Fish |
Petit jellyfish that can be defeated with the Sound Wave Attack. | Pristine Sea | Arctic Plunge |
 Karikari |
Small rodents that latch on to Donkey Kong. | Dawn Savanna | Spirit Tree |
 Kamikami |
Poisonous rodents that latch on to Donkey Kong and deplete his beat total. | Desert Oasis | Asteroid Belt |
 Kobu Kokko |
Drowsy, large chicken-like plants that take several hits to defeat. | Sky Garden | Ice Warren |
 Kobu Kokko (angry) |
Irate, large chicken-like plants that are more aggressive than their sleepy counterparts. | Cactus Mine | Magma Coliseum |
 Mini Elephant Cannon |
Miniature Tusks that fire singular cannonballs. | Battle for Storm Hill | VS. Ghastly King |
 Mini-Iga |
Round enemies that float toward Donkey Kong. | Jungle Deeps | Cloudy Heights |
 Fire Mini-Iga |
Flaming Mini-Igas that burn Donkey Kong on contact. | Grim Volcano | Magma Coliseum |
 Ice Mini-Iga |
Frozen Mini-Igas that can freeze Donkey Kong. | Ice Warren | Asteroid Belt |
 Mini Panda |
A miniature panda that dances around and has its own Sound Wave Attack. | Grim Volcano | Asteroid Belt |
 Mini Slump Bird (red) |
Red, smaller Rocs that drop Blood Pines and other fruit. | Banshee Swamp | Asteroid Belt |
 Mini Slump Bird (brown) |
Brown, smaller Rocs that fly above in Hoofer levels; in Iguanagon's Realm they sometimes attack by dropping chestnuts. | Iguanagon's Realm | Asteroid Belt |
 Gold Mini Slump Bird |
Gold Rocs that only appear in Iguanagon's Realm and do not attack. | Iguanagon's Realm | |
 Spined Puffer |
Fish that swim around a given area and defend themselves with retractable spikes. | Pristine Sea | Aerie Fortress |
