Donkey Kong Country: Difference between revisions

'''''Donkey Kong Country''''' is a side-scrolling [[Genre#Platform|platform]] game for the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]] released in November 1994. It was developed by [[Rare Ltd.|Rareware]] and published by [[Nintendo]]. The game stars [[Donkey Kong]] and his sidekick [[Diddy Kong]], as the two travel across [[Donkey Kong Island]] to recover their [[banana hoard]], stolen by the [[Kremling]]s and their leader, [[King K. Rool]].

The game reintroduced the ''[[Donkey Kong (franchise)|Donkey Kong]]'' series (alongside the [[Donkey Kong (Game Boy)|1994 Game Boy game]] released a few months prior) after a nearly decade-long hiatus, and in doing also introduced Donkey Kong's modern design, his supporting cast and enemies, setting, musical motifs, and the gameplay mechanics that most of the following ''Donkey Kong'' games as well as Donkey Kong's appearances in ''[[Super Mario (franchise)|Super Mario]]'' spin-off titles would build upon. The game's success spawned multiple sequels and spin-offs, a [[Donkey Kong Country (television series)|40-episode 3D animated series]], a [[Donkey Kong Country (novel)|chapter book adaptation]], manga adaptations in ''Super Mario''-related publications such as [[Super Mario (Kodansha manga)|Kodansha's ''Super Mario'' manga]] and ''[[Super Mario-kun]]'', and other merchandise. ''Donkey Kong Country'' was notable because of its pre-rendered sprites that were converted from 3D CGI models on {{wp|Silicon Graphics}} workstations<ref>''Donkey Kong Country'' instruction booklet, page 32</ref>, inspiring future video games to do the same. ''Donkey Kong Country'' was followed by two sequels: ''[[Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest]]'' and ''[[Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!]]'' in 1995 and 1996.

|style="text-align:center"|[[File:Rambi DKC sprite.png]]

|style="text-align:center"|[[Rambi]]

|align="center"|[[Jungle Hijinxs (Donkey Kong Country)|Jungle Hijinxs]]

|align="center"|[[Manic Mincers]]

|style="text-align:center"|[[File:Winky DKC sprite.png]]

|style="text-align:center"|[[Winky]]

|align="center"|[[Winky's Walkway]]

|align="center"|[[Rope Bridge Rumble]]

|style="text-align:center"|[[File:Banana Bunch DKC SNES.png]]

|style="text-align:center"|[[Banana Bunch]]es

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|style="text-align:center"|[[File:DKC Giant Banana.png]]

|style="text-align:center"|[[File:Letter K DKC.png]] [[File:Letter O DKC.png]] [[File:Letter N DKC.png]] [[File:Letter G DKC.png]]

|style="text-align:center"|[[KONG Letters|K-O-N-G Letters]]

|}

|style="text-align:center"|[[File:TNT Barrel DKC.png]]

|style="text-align:center"|[[TNT Barrel|TNT Drum]]s

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!colspan=5 style="background:saddlebrown;color:white"align=center|'''Enterable barrels'''

|style="text-align:center"|[[File:Barrel DKC.png]]

|style="text-align:center"|{{conjectural|[[Roulette Barrel]]s}}

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|style="text-align:center"|[[File:Stop Barrel.png]] [[File:Go Barrel.png]]

A head of either Donkey Kong or Diddy Kong appear on the location of every world and level that either Kong has completed. A Kritter head appears only on the next level or world that the Kongs have not yet completed. In the Super Nintendo version, there is a glitch in single player mode where if Diddy completes a level and then Donkey Kong completes it afterward, his head does not appear on that level.

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A team of 12 people were assembled for the project, which was the most Rare had assigned for a single game at the time. [[Gregg Mayles]] cited ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]'' as his chief inspiration<ref name="Retrogamer"/>, saying that he wanted to imitate its structure while also providing smooth and flowing level designs that skilled players could navigate quickly. A team of developers were sent to the nearby Twycross Zoo to observe the movements of real gorillas, but found that it would not suited to the fast-paced platformer that they wanted to make.<ref name="Retrogamer"/> The team created around fifteen different styles of movement for Donkey Kong, including ones based on rabbits and frogs, before arriving at the current animations, based loosely on the movements of horses.<ref name="Retrogamer"/> The [[Kremling]]s originated from another project Rare was developing at the same time (which, according to Rareware employee Gregg Mayles was from a canceled adventure game named ''Jonny Blastoff and the Kremling Armada''.<ref>Ayden_ (July 5 2017) .[http://www.jeuxvideo.com/news/651885/les-coulisses-de-donkey-kong-country-des-gorilles-et-des-hommes.htm Les coulisses de ''Donkey Kong Country'' : Des gorilles et des hommes]. ''Jeuxvidéo.com''. Retrieved July 31, 2017)</ref><ref>Gregg Mayles (@Ghoulyboy). [https://twitter.com/Ghoulyboy/status/639226685213265924 Twitter post on September 2, 2015]. ''Twitter''. Retrieved July 31, 2017)</ref>), but were transplanted into the game as Rare found that they were a good fit for ''Donkey Kong Country''{{'}}s aesthetic.<ref name="Nintendo Power"/> The developers also wanted the screen to be as "clutter-free" as possible, which lead to the creation of a "buddy" character so that the player could take more than one hit, inspired by the "big Mario returns to little Mario" system of the ''[[Super Mario (series)|Super Mario]]'' games.<ref name="Retrogamer"/> [[Donkey Kong Jr.]] was first considered for the role, but he was changed into [[Diddy Kong|a separate character]] as Nintendo felt Rare's redesign looked too different.<ref name="Retrogamer"/>

Rare demoed an early version of the game at Nintendo's headquarters in Kyoto. Reception of the demo was mixed, with [[Gunpei Yokoi]] remarking that the game looked "too 3D".<ref name="Retrogamer"/> However, Shigeru Miyamoto approved of what was done with the project. He and his staff gave advice to Rare on how to improve the game, with one of the results being the implementation of the [[Hand Slap]] move a few weeks before completion.<ref name="Retrogamer"/>

*''[[Donkey Kong Country Returns]]'': Many elements from the original version return in this game, including arrangements of the main theme, and characters such as Rambi and Squawks. Some of Cranky Kong's quotes are also reused.

*''[[Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze]]'': In the level Canopy Chaos, Cranky's record player can be found, which plays the original title theme when the player ground pounds in front of it.

*''[[WarioWare Gold]]'': [[Donkey Kong Country (microgame)|A microgame]] in [[5-Volt]]'s stage based on ''Donkey Kong Country'' appears in this game.

*''[[Super Mario Party]]'': When Diddy Kong gets Donkey Kong as an ally, the latter says, "Diddy! We're on another adventure together!" referencing this game.