Rare - Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie's Double Trouble
Rare - Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie's Double Trouble is an interview with Andrew Collard and Paul Weaver available from the official Nintendo website. The interview is predominantly about Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, though questions ten to nineteen are on different topics.
Interview[edit]
- Description
Two Rare guys in charge of Donkey Kong Country 3 talk to us about Kremling College, Ellie the Elephant and tricycles built for two.
- Andrew Collard and Paul Weaver led the Donkey Kong Country 3 development team at Rare. Just after finishing the game, Andy gave us an insider's view of the latest Rarity.
- 1. What's the basic story line of DKC3 ?[sic] And where the heck are Donkey Kong and Diddy?
The story-line of the game revolves around Dixie Kong, who wakes up one morning to find that Diddy and Dixie have gone exploring.' After a few days waiting for them to return, she decides to go and find them instead. During the course of her travels she gets to explore a whole new world which is structured so that the further she gets into the game, the more areas she gets to explore which will eventually lead her to the mysterious Kastle KAOS.
She does this by using Funky's boats which are available at the rental shack. (If the players can find special items for Funky, he will reward them with an even better vehicle.) She can also save her game at any point by visiting one of Wrinkly's Save Caves, which are dotted around the world for easy access.
- 2. Who's Kiddy Kong? What are his special abilities?
Dixie's new partner in this adventure is a cheeky toddler who likes to get up to no good. He does this fairly easily as he's as agile as any of the previous Kongs and he's pretty powerful to boot. As a special ability, if Kiddy rolls off an edge next to a stretch of water and presses jump as he hits the surface, he can skim along the top of it.
We also put a lot of effort into the teamwork so that now the results differ, depending on which character is being thrown. If Kiddy Kong throws Dixie straight up into the air she can reach items that are high up, as in DKC2 .[sic] However, if Dixie throws Kiddy Kong up into the air, he won't go as high, but if steered onto a fragile hole in the floor he will smash it open using his tremendous weight.
- Finally, if Dixie throws her buddy against a wall he will bounce off it and roll for a short time, during which, if she jumps on him, she can roll on him as if he were a keg along the level.
- 3. The bears hanging out in Kong Country play a big part in the game. Where did you get the idea for them?
We wanted to introduce an RPG-like element to the Donkey Kong series, so that the Kongs actually get to interact with the characters they meet on the world map and sub-maps. For this to work, we needed a new type of animal friend that would be easily distinguishable. Bears seemed a perfect choice for this as they all have their own distinct personality and look in the game.
- 4. Both DKC and DKC2 were packed with great characters. Do you have a favorite friend and a favorite Kremling in DKC3 ?[sic]
Without a doubt, Ellie the elephant is the favorite friend in the game. With her multitude of special abilities along with her great looks, she's the best. Koin is our favorite Kremling as he introduces a puzzle element into each of the levels in the game and reacts intelligently when attacked.
- 5. The overworld seems much more interactive than overworlds in the earlier games. How did that come about?
We felt the previous maps were disappointing as they were basically just attractive images that marked your progress. With the intention of increasing interactivity, it was obvious that the maps would have to be improved. As you will find, the maps open up as you progress by way of Funky's Rentals. This will allow you to travel to the far reaches of the game with Funky's assorted vehicles.
- 6. Is it possible to improve ACM? If so, how did you do it?
- In DKC3 , we believe that both the Super Nintendo and ACM have been pushed pretty close to their limits. But we thought that after finishing the other two DKC games, so who knows what else can be done!
- The most noticeable improvement in the software has been the improved use of particles in the game to enhance the animation and give the characters a more realistic look.
- 7. The foes are bigger and smarter than ever. Did they go to Kremling College?
- They certainly did! Unfortunately for Wrinkly, on their graduation they trashed it, forcing her into early retirement in the Northern Kremisphere.
- 8. Funky Kong now rents boats instead of airplanes. What prompted this sudden career change?
The terrain in the Northern Kremisphere made it impossible to set up an airstrip. Funky decided to utilize the waterways for his next business, setting up Funky's Rentals to rent boats. Since Dixie's a relation, she gets to use them for free!
- Due to the lack of available parts, Funky has become a bit of a beachcomber and uses what he can find to make new vehicles. If you can find anything on your travels, maybe he can put it to some use....
- 9. I understand that most of the members of the development team are new to the DKC series, but there are a few veterans. How did the newcomers and the vets get along?
The veteran programmers used their great experience to make the structure of the code super-solid and created several new code-editors to speed up the game's development. The newcomers brought a different perspective to the outlook of the game. Due to this, the team was able to work closely together to get this massive project completed on time.
- 10. First video game played
- The first game I played was Super Mario Brothers on the Nintendo Entertainment System. Paul's first game played was the original Space Invaders in the arcades.
- 11. First computer you owned
- My first computer was the Nintendo Entertainment System. Paul's first computer was a Sinclair ZX81.
- 12. How did you get into the video game business?
I was very keen to get involved in video games and so I sent my game ideas to Rare. After a short time they contacted me and set me the task of designing a hypothetical level for the Mario World game. After this I was taken on as a designer and started with Donkey Kong Land on the Game Boy. Paul took a slightly different route, beginning as a writer for some of the British game magazines. He wrote Player's Guides for many of Nintendo's games, including Zelda 3 and 4 ,[sic] Super Metroid and, ironically, Donkey Kong Country .[sic]
- 13. Next big project that you can talk about
- We can't tell you exactly what it is, but it will definitely be on the N64 system.
- 14. Favorite snack when you're working past midnight
- The number one snack feast for the late hours for all the team was Wispa Gold, washed down with a refreshing can of Lucozade.
- 15. An underrated Web site
- Our personal favorite is Carlos' Coloring Book -- http://www.ravenna.com/coloring/.
- 16. Technology you most look forward to
- It's here! The Nintendo 64!
- 17. Favorite toy
- Andy: Balls (juggling)
- Paul: Balls (stress relief)
- 18. Favorite movie
- Andy: Twelve Angry Men (or maybe 14)
- Paul: Apocalypse Now (the deadline!)
- 19. Favorite legal activity that doesn't involve pixels
- Both: Touring the pubs of Wales (our home country) on a tricycle made for two.
- 20. How you're going to relax after finishing DKC3
- Both: Sssssssssssssssssssllllllllllllleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeppppppppppppp!
External link[edit]
- Interview (archived)
