Review: Donkey Kong Country Returns

Donkey Kong Country Returns

Developed by Retro Studios

Published by Nintendo
for the Nintendo Wii

Released November 21st, 2010

Vintage difficulty replicated at its finest:

After 15 years, the world finally returns to Donkey Kong Country. Back in the 90's, Rare created one of the most influential and widely remembered video games with Donkey Kong Country for the Super Nintendo. The DKC games would go down as the defining series of the 90's in the minds of most gamers. Three generations later, Nintendo along with Retro Studios decided to try and bring Donkey Kong and his fans back to the glory days. While Donkey Kong Country Returns may not feel like the Donkey Kong Country 4 fans had hoped for, it does bring a solid platforming experience all unto its own.

DKCR begins with an erupting volcano releasing an evil group of creatures known as the Tiki Tak Tribe. The Tikis use a serene melody to hypnotize the animals of DK Isle and force them to steal away Donkey Kong's hoard of bananas. DK and Diddy, immune to the Tikis hypnotic power, set off to rid the island of the Tikis and restore DK's precious bananas. Unfortunately, both King K.Rool and the Kremlins are absent from this story which is an omission that definitely lowers the nostalgic value.  While the Tikis do bring some character to the game, it just doesn't feel the same.

When looking for the nostalgia factor, it'd be wise to open your ears. The music is a blast of nostalgic bliss. The songs are remixed versions of mostly DKC1 songs. Remixes of old classics such as Jungle Hyjinx and Minecart Carnage sound great while the remix of Forest Frenzy with its arrangement of instruments actually sounds better than the original. It really is a shame that David Wise wasn't on board for the game but the title seems to hold up well with both classic and original tunes. I'd bet that Wise would be extremely satisfied with the renditions made to his masterpieces. When it comes to the sound effects, the new grunts that DK makes sound awkward while Diddy sounds too whiny, although it's not like you'll be paying attention to the sounds the monkeys make after those beautiful melodies hit your ears.

While failing to bring forth any nostalgic emotions as the music was able to do, the graphics are beautiful. The graphics have that cartoony look that only Nintendo can achieve. The silhouette levels, that take place during a setting sun and portray DK, Diddy, and the entire foreground in black with the exception of the glowing red of DK's tie and Diddy's hat, look absolutely stunning. It once again proves how Nintendo can compensate graphical power for pure creativity.  The jungles and oceans in the background are vibrant and feel just as alive as everything else in the game.  In my opinion, it would have been neat if they focused on old-school pre-rendered background visuals that the first three games achieved so well. The visuals remind me nothing of the first DKCs but they are still pleasing to the eye.

The controls take a while to get used to. There are two ways to play; with a nunchuck or with a sideways Wiimote. The nunchuck feels more appropriate as there is no way of getting out of shaking the controller in order to roll. With the sideways Wiimote, you'll just end up pressing 1 in hopes of rolling only to run right into an enemy or off a cliff not to mention how awkward it feels. The implementing of motion controls in this area seems very unnecessary. If Nintendo wanted to achieve the nostalgic feel that they had hoped for then they should have incorporated the use of the Classic Controller. I guess I just have it programmed in my mind to press B to roll, not to waggle a stick around.

New to the series are climbing on grass-covered walls and blowing wind. Blowing wind (holding down and shaking the Wiimote) is an unnecessary addition to the game as it just feels weird to slow down the flow of the game in order to blow a dandelion or a candle to get a puzzle piece. Climbing on walls is simple and adds a lot to the gameplay as it is pulled off so well. Looking back at the older games, I wish they would have implemented this technique back then. Ground pounding with the motion controls seems more appropriate and feels really satisfying flailing your arms as DK smashes down a stone block.

Multiplayer allows both DK and Diddy to play together simultaneously. If one player gets lost behind, he will teleport back to the other player. If one player dies, he can either press a button and come back to life immediately at the cost of a balloon or he can wait until the other person grabs a barrel and releases him. When riding Rambi or controlling a barrel, both players have the option to control so it comes down to either losing control and dying or to allow one player to sit back and watch.

It's a shame that Diddy cannot be played in single player. In single player, Diddy helps out by giving DK two extra hearts and by using his signature jet-pack to stay afloat for a short period of time. In multiplayer, player 2 takes control of Diddy. Diddy is a blast to play as. He's quick and nimble when he needs to be and not only can he use his jet-pack but he can also use his peanut shooter while ground pounding. It really is unfortunate that the game does not allow you to switch between the two in single player just like the good ol' days

Those who shun the Wii for its plethora of casual games be warned; this game is tough! The difficulty isn't a result of bad controls or poor game design, it's sheer ruthless gameplay that tries incredibly hard to prove that the player is no match to the games superior level design. You'll be surprised how many times you'll go to Cranky Kong to replenish your stock of life-giving balloons. You'll be needing them more than you'd ever imagine. Beating the game is tough enough, but achieving 100% (including collecting all of the K-O-N-G letters and puzzle pieces) is a true challenge. The levels are designed brilliantly to provoke split-second thinking and strategy. Despite no familiar faces like Gnawty the beaver, the bosses are unique and require more than just the normal 3-Hit-Pattern to stop these beasts in their tracks. DKCR is a great throwback to the old SNES games that took you many days, many tantrums, and many headaches to beat.

In the end, Donkey Kong Country Returns doesn't rely on bringing the players back to the SNES days but instead gives us a brand new adventure with familiar faces that is of the same caliber as the first three games of the series. DKCR gives us a must-have experience tied together with tightly woven platforming along with cheerful graphics and groovin' music. If you want a game that will really put your gaming skills to the test look no further than Donkey Kong Country Returns.

Fun:  4/5

Playability: 3/5

Camera:  3/3

Lasting Appeal:  3/3

Graphics:   2/2

Sound:  2/2

Difficulty:  2/2

Variety: 1/1

Flow:  1/1

RANK:  A-

Review: Sonic Colors (Wii)

Sonic Colors


Developed by Sonic Team
Published by Sega
for the Wii
Released November 16th, 2010

Reaching for the Stars:

When it comes to the Sonic franchise, speed means everything.  The reason why the Genesis games were so revered was because it gave gamers a sense of speed never felt before.  When converting from its 2D origin into 3D, this vital element was lost among all the new gameplay gimmicks implemented, cheesy character additions, and try-hard story-telling.  Now, in Sonic's odyssey through space, he has finally regained what was lost to him almost a decade ago.  Sonic Colors revives the long dead franchise and sends it in a glorious new direction that devoted fans will appreciate and admire.

If you take the best parts of Sonic Unleashed, fine-tune them, and add a bunch of colorful alien abilities then you'll end up with Sonic Colors.  When you begin the first level, you'll instantly gain a sense of haste, something that Sonic Team has attempted to find for over a decade. The capability to boost by collecting Wisp bubbles adds even more agility to the already supersonic experience.  Not only did they find that perfect level of heart-pounding speed, they created a game that flows incredibly well and has enough variety in its Wisp abilities to never allow room for a dull moment.

In every level, Sonic has the option to use different Wisp abilities that alter the gameplay dramatically.  Amidst the thrilling rush of each level,  Sonic will be able to shoot faster than light with the White Wisp's Laser, burrow underground with the Orange Wisp's Drill, and shoot up to the stars with the Red Wisp's Rocket, among many others.  With each new Wisp unlocked, the game offers more and more ways to blaze passed a level.  Although, the game is painfully short (you'll beat it in under 5 hours), Sonic Colors offers a stunning amount of replay value.  You'll spend hours going through each world again and again trying to figure out the right Wisp combination in order to obtain the five hidden red rings or to achieve S rank.

There were a few controlling quirks that had me thinking they could have done a better job with the control scheme.  There are forced sections in certain levels that has Sonic running straight forward making the player move him left or right to avoid enemies or objects.  They designated the analog stick for this maneuver but because you'll already be holding the stick up to run, it makes dashing right and left a little tricky as Sonic will either refuse to move or will move twice in one direction.  Another forced section has you braking while turning in order to drift.  This actually feels great it's just a shame that you aren't able to do this any time you'd like.  Drifting would have really come in handy during some sections that don't designate it.  The option to use the Gamecube controller along with the Classic controller gives some leeway to players who aren't comfortable with the default Wiimote controls.

Even boss levels in Colors give the player a sense of speed as Sonic is must chase after warping Space Ships and take them out with homing attacks or Wisp abilities.  The bosses, although entertaining, are interesting at first but they begin to feel rehashed and overused.  There are three different boss styles that are slightly altered to be played in all six major worlds.  It would have felt more complete if each world had a boss unique to every planet.  I won't gripe too much about it as the final boss more than makes up for this flaw and instantly made the list for one of my favorite boss battles of all time.

Sonic Colors gives longtime fans of the Blue Blur a charming story full of humor and spot-on voice acting.  With beautiful, vibrant and (needless to say) colorful environments that perfectly blends with the high levels of breakneck camera blur mixed with another amazing soundtrack, this installment gives everybody a reason to love Sonic once again.  Sonic Colors plays like a Sonic game should; fast-paced, intuitive, and exhilarating.


Graphics:  2/2


Sound:  2/2


Playability:  5/5


Lasting Appeal:  2/3

Fun:  4/5


RANK:  B+ 

Review: Xenoblade Chronicles

Xenoblade Chronicles


The masterpiece that almost never was . . . 


Developed by Monolith Soft
Published by Nintendo
for the Wii
Released April 6, 2012




After the announcement of the Wii U at e3 2011, the Wii became a footnote in Nintendo's agenda with only The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword to look forward to in 2011 and absolutely nothing in 2012.  This made the story behind Xenoblade Chronicles' localization all the more gratifying.  Nintendo had no plans of bringing Xenoblade to North America which would have meant an absolute drought for Wii owners.  Fortunately, with the dedication of devoted fans through petitions and communities such as Operation Rainfall, Americans and Europeans finally have a chance to get their hands on one of the greatest JRPGs of all time.

The world that Xenogears/Xenosaga mastermind Tetsuya Takahashi created for Xenoblade is a grandiose and almost exaggerated take on science fiction story-telling.  You live on the eons-old corpse of a god that died fighting another god in a battle as old as time itself.  And that's just the backstory. The main story has you lead Shulk, the wielder of the Monado Blade, and his friends as they set off on a journey across the Bionis (the big dead god they live on) in order to destroy an army of living, talking mechs all while saving a princess from giant mind-reading birds called Telethia.  As insane as it sounds in summary, Xenoblade is actually full of endearing characters placed in a story enveloped in emotion and suspense.  It’s a story with intertwining twists and dilemmas that keeps the player captivated.

Being made solely for the Wii, Xenoblade looks great for a game developed on last-gen hardware. Textures and character models look horrendous even during cutscenes. Objects look bland and jagged while animations such as jumping look awkward. This game certainly does not lack in aesthetic beauty, just don’t expect to find much detail in anything up close.  The real beauty comes from the world and the environments themselves.  I have found myself staring in awe at the game’s natural ambiance blended with its beautiful colors and lighting effects.  Walking through Satorl Marsh at night or looking up at Eryth Sea from the Frontier Village gives a sense of appreciation for a world designed to balance and infuse life and nature into one living entity through its art style and music.

Xenoblade is one of those rare games that have a flawless soundtrack.  JRPG composing veterans Yoko Shimomura (Kingdom Hearts, Mario & Luigi) and Yasunori Matsuda (Xenogears, Chrono Trigger) lend their expertise to create another exquisite score.  Every area of the Bionis has a tune that changes to adapt to the day-to-night cycle, much like how the visuals change depending on the current time.  During the day, songs are livelier whereas night evokes a more solemn take.  It requires true mastery to fully comprehend an environment in order to create not one but two complimenting interpretations of a single composition.

There would be no point in creating such an immersive world if the developers thought you’d only be in it for ten or fifteen hours.  The creators knew that with the amount of quests, leveling, upgrades, and exploring they embedded into Xenoblade , players would easily reach the 80 hour mark. The combat alone has so much implemented that the game never stops introducing you to new battle concepts.

The combat gets its gameplay cues from MMOs and classic JRPGs.  The player battles enemies in real-time and can move the main character around the battlefield during combat.  The characters will auto-attack every few seconds but Arts can be deployed at any time from the player’s battle palette.  Your two partners will attack independently although I was surprised to see how well the A.I. follows your pattern of attack.  If you inflict Break on an opponent, they will follow up with Topple causing the foes to fall over.  The need for A.I. cues such as Gambits in Final Fantasy XII is rendered unnecessary when the A.I. performs this intelligently.  “Visions” will also stop the battle to show the player a powerful attack an enemy will use on a character in order to give the player enough time to defend themselves against it.  There’s nothing quite as satisfying as guarding against an ultra-powerful attack thus “changing the future”.  Classic RPG effects like buffs and debuffs remain, however, the ability to heal using items is not available, making all healing only possible through Arts or auto-healing after a battle.  All this makes combat addictive, fast-paced, and fluid.  The battles can become pretty intense with multiple or overpowered enemies all on the screen at once and although there can be slow-down at times, it in no way takes away from the overall gameplay.

Every character’s Arts can be leveled up to increase damage, effects, or decrease cool down time.  Every weapon or piece of clothing has the potential to hold gems which offer the player boosted attributes.  Gems can be crafted using crystals and cylinders in sort of a fun team-building minigame. Relationships between team members and NPCs can be improved by quests and battle cues which help in seeing special character development scenes called Heart-to-hearts.  With all this and the countless quests and collectibles not to mention the story, Xenoblade definitely offers a life-consuming experience.

 

The player must be warned; before you decide to pick up this incredible game, do yourself a favor and buy a Classic Controller Pro.  Playing with the Wiimote and Nunchuk will become frustrating in its odd button placing and camera adjusting and can ultimately put a damper on the flow of the game.  Playing with the Classic Pro offered no hindrances or problems and felt appropriate with Xenoblade’s combat style.

Without hesitation, I can place Xenoblade Chronicles on the same tier as JRPG classics like Final Fantasy VII and Chrono Trigger.  Xenoblade is the prime example of how a game can successfully evolve and reshape a genre all while staying true to devoted fans.  And to think, if it wasn't for these fans, everyone outside of Japan would be stowing away their Wiis instead of experiencing this gem.


RANK: A+


Fun:  5/5
Lasting Appeal:  3/3
Controls:  5/5
Graphics:  1/2
Sound:  2/2