Anyone find it interesting in the trilogy: DKC 1 - You play as Donkey & Diddy (new) DKC 2 - You play as Diddy (returning) & Dixie (new) DKC 3 - You play as Dixie (returning) & Kiddy (new)
I can’t name even one thing in the universe that has a greater soundtrack than the DKC trilogy (especially DKC2) for the Super Nintendo. Which is why it’s impossible to pick a favourite of DKC2 songs over the whole thing!
I love how in the rematch with K. Rool in Lost World his musket is clogged with fish that after fired and flop around he just looks at the player as if he's saying "I did not see that coming." There's a reason why this guy's gonna be my main in Smash Ultimate.
King k rool is awsome not my main in the game I mean Donkey kong is my main but he is on my list of one of the best characters in the game 2 reason 1 he is really strong 2 this guy hasn't been in a game in years so it was a good call on Nintendo to bring this guy and banjo and Kazooie back.
It took +ExoParadigmGamer so many years to notice the "Kong Quest" (Conquest) pun, but it took me until _now_ to realize the pun behind the title of the video series... *make or break.* Man, I'm an idiot.
I know it took me like last year to figure out the title of DKC2 pun and of course we all know that video series remake or re-break is a pun on make or break
ExoParadigmGamer Even though Donkey Kong Country 2 (SNES) has a reputation as the greatest Donkey Kong game, you seem to love it even more than other people. *HELL YES!!!!!!*
I noticed you mentioned the Zinger enemies are the ones humming in "Mining Melancholy". I always said that it's the Zingers humming, but at least one person I know keeps getting mad at me for even suggesting it. Glad to know somebody has a similar opinion.
Oh, thank you for crediting me for the "beat in one sitting" terminology. You didn't have to do that because words and phrases are public domain, but thank you anyways. Loved this video.
The way I've always viewed DKC & DKC2 remakes is this: The perfect version would be the GBA game with the graphics & sound quality of the original SNES versions, it's the best of both games in my opinion but I love both versions a ton. Never did own DKC3 for either version though, at some point I need to get that one.
DKC 3 seems to get a lot more hate than the other 2. 3 is my favorite video game of all time...with 2 and then 1 right behind it. DKC 3 is a masterpiece though and you'll do yourself a favor getting it.
My biggest complain with the GBA version is the fact that you have to pay 10coins if you want to redo the bosses I know this may seem minor but that really bothered me when I first played it especally for the final battle
ExoParadigmGamer Yeah it was honestly mostly for the final battle I found that bothersome since I wanted to watch the ending again wich you can't in the GBA version since you only then obtain your rewards and get sent back to the map. But at the end of the day even though I personally prefer the SNES version mostly because of the advantage of the SNES hardware and nostalgic bias I still think the GBA version is a fantastic game and DKC2 is and will probably always be my favorite platformer of all time right next to Super Mario World and Shovel Knight
Glad to hear I'm not the only one who thinks this game is the cream of the classic platforming crop. I've been learning recently that we were more numerous than I thought.
The mining melancholy is by far one of the best tracks ever made in video game history. It' serious, melancholic and reminds you of how dangerous it can be to work in the mines. As a miner myself, I often think of how how dangerous it would be if the timbers above my head suddenly collapsed. David Wise really captured that feel in this melody.
1. This soundtrack has no business being this good. David Wise was in another dimension while writing it. It's really on another level. 2. Squawk shoots eggs? I thought thems was walnuts. 3. This is a really thoughtful and quality video.
Yeah in the funky helicopter minigame mission if you can look closely at the Sprite going into the helicopter with Dixie you can see tiny Kong from donkey kong 64 she wasn't in the snes version
As an old school fan of the series, I believe Donkey Kong Country is the hardest of all, and also the worst. I don't know why so many people hate Donkey Kong Country 3, it is an amazing game.
Now that I'm an adult, this is the biggest nostalgia trip, 20 years later. I finally get the jokes and puns, and I never even thought about the fact that DK isn't playable. Best SNES game for sure. Nice review.
Finally someone who understands!! This game is my favorite snes game ever ! I had dkc 1 first but then i got dkc2 and instantly fell in love with it. To this day i still cant get over the fact on how great and fun this game is!
I understand life happens, you’ve gone on to college, but I really miss your continent. These were some of the most thought out and best videos about gaming on the entire website. Hope you’re well, EPG!
@@GatorRay Me too. I played this game on GBA and I find surprised that everybody prefers SNES or others over GBA, making me kind of... disappointed. Is liking GBA wrong?
+ExoParadigmGamer DKC 2 was released for the SNES on September 12,1995 not November. The first DKC game came out in July 1994 not November. The November release was a Holiday bundle SKU.(DKC got bundled with the new $99 SNES price drop SKU on November 1,1994). I played DKC2 are the same time Mega Man 7 came out.
David Wise is my favorite video game composer as well. Ever since I heard him do Battletoads I was hooked! I listen to Stickerbrush Symphony at least a few times a month.
Great job on this video man! You are quickly becoming one of my favorite reviewers on RUclips! You go into an amazing amount of detail and we seem to share similar opinions on classic games such as this.
THIS...is the reason why i'm subscribed to you! For your absolutely SUPERB and honest reviews! I think you're the best reviewer i've ever seen and surpassing others greatly. I like that you make 30 minute long reviews and analyse almost everything about a game. You actually convince me to want to get this game and you inspire me to one day make reviews like you. Remember the Sonic reviews? I don't care about Sonic at all and i'm very uninterested in hearing anything about him or his games, but with your great reviews, I was actually listening and had fun while watching them. Good job man!
I really love these videos - I watched them way back when they came out and now I'm revisiting them at the moment. I just wanted to comment on the question of visuals that something that these games get right that a lot of handheld ports didn't is that visually, what might be most impressive might not best serve the game on the format you were playing it on. It's why the Game Boy port of King of Fighters '95 towers over the GB ports of SF2 and Mortal Kombat - rather than follow the lead of Capcom and Acclaim and capture the look of the arcade games to underline the connection, Takara instead reworked the visuals to suit the Game Boy's smaller screen and then worked to better capture the essence of the gameplay instead. The DKC Advance series might not have the visual "wow" of the SNES originals, but it sacrifices that to ensure the gameplay works better on the smaller format system.
I grew up with 1 and didn't get my cartridge of 2 until I was 9. Overall, I love both but strongly prefer 2 over 1.Your coverage definitely gave me reasons to agree with. That said, I think the games as a trilogy are masterpieces, and would have to say 2 > 1 > 3 imo.
21:42 - While I was doing a GBA DKC marathon on my GameCube's Game Boy Player a year ago, Donkey Kong Country 2 was the only DKC game I raged quit from due to difficulty (I was stuck on Krazy Kremland for a while). Haven't progressed until a week later, I think.
DKC2 is one of my favorite Games and also one of the best Jump n Runs of all time. The Gameboy Advance is the first Verison what i played DKC2 since the time, that I was 10 years old and this Game makes still fun. I also like the SNES-Version of this Game, but like I said, I grow up with the GBA-Version. And good Job for the Review.
The -1 life jungle in one of the stages in this game, he DID use as his new channel intro theme, which I find cool. And no, I’ve been watching this channel for years. I just now wanted to comment this as nobody else has.
Thanks for recommending this game! I picked up a copy and thoroughly enjoyed it. I like the added time attack mode quite a bit as a way to practice quick movement.
SMW? Best platformer ever? I think I'm gonna laugh. SMW was alright; nothing more, nothing less. It had average graphics, a solid soundtrack and awkward level design.
This game is my favorite game of all time. That is admittedly due to nostalgia, and I readily admit that DKC2 is the better game. I play all 3 on a regular basis, and 3 is the most difficult to me these days. (especially in hard mode.) I 105 percent it once or twice a year. I guess that's why some of its flaws don't bother me, because I got so used to them. Edit: planning on giving the GBA version a try as well, thanks to this video!
Just started playing this game recently and I must say, DKC2 is really good, better than the first one. Also I think it's me but the environments in the first three worlds remind me very much of Captain Claw (another great, yet criminally underrated platformer, recommend watching Spigazu's review of the game if you are curious).
"wow factor" does _not_ mean nostalgia. That's just not a correct assessment of what Craig was saying about DKC1. "Wow factor" refers to a game that is completely unique upon release in terms of ascetics an game design. These novel games gain popularity based on their design of course, but also based on how they stand out compared to other games. This is very important to understand because even in the case of superior sequels, the "wow factor" will be gone if the designers simply make the older game again with improvements. This is generally why both professional critics and the gaming public at large usually rate similar sequels lower scores by default - they simply lack the same sort of impact the original had because you know what you're getting going into it as opposed to having a completely new experience unlike anything you've played before. There's a ton of examples dating all the way back to the third generation. Super Mario Bros. is one of the most famous "wow factor" games ever, yet the actual Super Mario Bros. 2 released in 1986 on the Famicom Disk System is an obscure game even in Japan largely because it lacked the "wow factor" of the original. The game looked the same, played the same, offered new challenges and stages and such, but in no way captured the "wow factor". Newer examples of this persist too. When Megaman 9 came out, people praised the decision to return to Megaman's 8-bit roots and and forgo all the series baggage that had accumulated throughout the 32-bit games. To release a brand new 8-bit game from a major developer was also something that stood out from the crowd. It had "wow factor". Megaman 10 however, did not, even though Megaman 10 is a better game than 9 in terms of game design and difficulty balance, it lost the wow factor. So getting back to DKC2, Craig was 100% right to say that DLC1 had "wow factor" when DLC2 did not. That's _not_ an opinion or in any way debatable. If you compare the games on other factors is how you can determine for yourself which game is your personal favorite. Having said all this: Donkey Kong Country 2 is one of my personal all time favorite games. I think it's got better variety, music, difficulty balance and I even think it's better looking to boot. But again, Craig was right. Donkey Kong Country 2 wasn't as big of a deal as DKC1 was for the reason that there already was DKC1. I don't know how else to explain this concept to you. When Doom came out on PC, it had "wow factor"because there were no other shooters like it. But then shooters for the next several years were all virtually indistinguishable from Hexen to Raise of the Triad, all of them were called "Doom clones" even when they had newer, better designs. Being first matters when it comes to game design.
honestly, that is just stupid and everyone taking a huge piss on the concept of sequels in general. of course, it can be oversaturating when you have too much of the same(looking at megaman on nes specifically), but the point is to not throw in the previous work in the trash and build upon the foundation to make a better product and continue one specific vision. and well, that is actually what nostalgiablind is defined as. rating something higher than something that is better than it(or rating something unnessesarily low for going a bit off the rails) because it had more(or less) impact on the person themselves or the entire community.
@@doubledenial8178 Please read my entire post, not piece apart an out-of-context statement and look for a nefarious meaning when it is clearly not like that.
I went back through the GBA soundtrack for DKC2 and I can see why a lot of people hate it. It's very high pitched and annoying with some songs but some aren't actually bad. I still like the SNES soundtrack better for DKC2 but GBA for DKC1. I'll see about DKC3 soon.
This was an awesome review, I really wanna try this game out! It looks so charming and colourful, and the music I have heard sounds fantastic! I wanna guess and say that your favourite 3D Mario game is Galaxy 2. Mine is actually Sunshine, I loved the settings, the massive levels, the unique mechanics and the music, holy crap I could listen to Noki Bay all day :3 Keep up the great work, I hear DKC 3 is the weakest of the bunch, I can't wait to hear your impressions of it! (ps that hat is awesome!)
Funny thing; DKC2, A Link To The Past, and Super Metroid all came out on the 3DS Virtual Console, on my 28th birthday! Best birthday presents from Nintendo, ever! I hope we get Kirby: Star Allies or the new Animal Crossing game for the Switch, or even the launch of the Switch Virtual Console for my 30th birthday! That would be really awesome! Please make one of those happen, Nintendo!
What would actually like is a version that gives you all the additions to the GBA version, but keeps the original graphics (or even improves them by using higher res rasters of the models). The over-saturation and faded backgrounds just don't look as good. I know it's just because of the GBA screen, but I'm not going to be playing it on a dark screen like that.
DKC2 is just perfection, a masterpiece. One of the best video games ever made. One of those games i just sit and play occasionally because just playing the game feels so damn good. DKC1 was cool for a first game but it got completely wrecked by the sequel. Even DKC3 is better than DKC1 as it still has tons of improvements introduced in DKC2.
I love how in-depth your reviews are. I often find myself wishing that most other reviews had more "meat" to them. DKC 2 is my favorite of the series, and one of my favorite SNES games of all-time, even though I think DKC 3 is the better game if that makes sense. Even though I disagree with a lot of what you had to say on DKC 3 and Yoshi's Island, I thoroughly enjoyed those reviews as well. I'm definitely gonna check out more! Also, it's awesome to see a "youngster" appreciate the classics, and to get a whole new, fresh perspective from someone who didn't grow up with these games. Super Metroid and DKC BLEW ME AWAY when they were brand new. Video games don't blow me away anymore--even the presentation of bad games these days are pretty impressive. I miss the old days... it's just not the same anymore.
"GBA has a better version of Stickerbrush Symphony" Oh really? (listens to the GBA version for the first time) It is decent, but a bit too sharp for my liking. The magic of the original is the eerie sense of relaxation that it evokes, which is helped by a smoother flow. But I will give it this, both versions do convey the message, "you better be relaxed and focused because one wrong move will get you killed" well.
Good job, the first game I remember playing was mario 3 but I really grew up on SNES. I watched your video of DKC and thought "this guy doesn't get it" then I watched this video and realize you did a better job than most on these games and hopefully you get more people to play either version of these games, keep up the good work.
I can understand preferring the first game out of nostalgia or personal tastes. But DKC2 is objectively a better game, because it addresses most of the first game’s flaws. The level design is better, with far more variety, more and bigger stages, the bosses are far more interesting than the 3 DKC that keep repeating, the graphics are even more detailed and the soundtrack is phenomenal and with even more variety. DKC2 is basically the perfect sequel and what a sequel should do: an improvement to the original formula with addition of new ideas and a more refined game and level design. I assume if you hate the pirate’s theme or if you absolutely HAVE to play as DK, you can prefer the first, aside of nostalgia reasons, but that’s really it I think.
David Wise is a master of sound. Though he's brilliant with the musical elements of harmony and melody, what he's truly the master of is timbre, and that's why his stuff is so incredibly ambient and emotionally evocative. It's also why people crap on the remake's soundtracks. With songs that tick the boxes of "melody" and "harmony", the GBA's limitations wouldn't matter much. But in Wise's case, they severely reduce a large part of his songs' depth, which comes in the form of the sounds themselves. Additionally, when tasked with porting Eveline Fischer's DKC3 soundtrack to the GBA, David Wise decided that the limitations were too great and they wouldn't do her work justice. That's why he re-composed the whole game so he could make something workable within the system's boundaries.
The main reason was that Eveline Fischer's score contained a lot of low pitchtones, which the GBA can't reproduce for shit. David Wise even alluded to this in an interview about the DKC3 port on its website.
Here to gush over DKC games alongside him. Definitely not disappointed! I swear, I got the dumbest smile listening to his analysis of each part of the games: graphics, music, color schemes, gameplay, etc. I'm aware these games aren't perfect, but I've adored them for years, and can get lost in each world.
Wow. I'm impressed that you added that spoiler section here. Newer fan here, you're content is exceptional. I'm aware that this video is old and I don't expect a response. Just felt like ranting fangirlishly into blank space.
I'm forced to admit that DKC2 is a better /game/ than the first one. But I honestly feel like DKC1 has a better overall feel to it, or at least a more ambient one. The first one really feels like a Gorilla and Chimp fucking up some reptiles in the forest, the second one removes them too much, I think. The setting is definitely one of the top reasons I prefer the first game. I also think that DKC2 has overall a better soundtrack, though the best songs from DKC1 are, in my opinion, on par or better than the best songs from DKC2. I love Dixie a lot, but I feel like she kind of breaks the game. There's basically no reason to ever want to play as Diddy when you have Dixie as an option, which is different from DKC1 where both DK and Diddy bring important traits to the table and switching between them is often key to success. I also never particularly loved the bonus room games in the second one, they felt like they removed you from the level to a larger degree, much like what you said about the animal buddy minigames from the DKC1 video (Which I also agree with). In DKC1 I legit feel like the bonus rooms are /part/ of the stage whereas in DKC2 it's like "Here, you went somewhere else but you'll be back." Either way they're both better than the third one lol
When I played when I was a kid I definitely preferred dixie. But after playing the game again recently, I can't say that anymore. I felt like I had better control of diddy, especially going up ropes and such. There's still a few instances where I wish I had dixie for her flying ability, but it was much less than I remembered when I was young.
I have both a New 2DS XL and a GBA SP. So this video is a great help to my decision of whether to get DKC2 on the 3DS eShop or to buy the GBA version from eBay or Amazon. But still I'm quite undecided.
This review convinced me to give the GBA port a fair chance (and it was also one of my first experiences playing this game for real, along with a brief swing with it via Switch Online beforehand to help give context to it), and I ended up really liking it. Yes, the presentation takes a big hit due to the screen crunch and blown-out colors, but the gameplay is just as good--in some ways better than the SNES version due to the quality of life improvements (i.e. saving anywhere, Rattly being much less finicky to control)--and even David Wise's memorable soundtrack still managed to transition into the GBA's infamously crunchy/tinny sound format fairly unscathed. I even liked the new mini-games (especially the ostrich racing) though Kerosene was a really irritating boss until I figured out the trick to beating him (hint: don't be afraid to stand on his fists)! The only issues I have with the game is that some of the later levels are just a chore to navigate thru since they clearly weren't designed with the more cramped screen view in mind, and there are a few levels that are just plain exasperating to get thru in general (i.e. the bird race in the last level). I enjoyed the GBA port overall, but it's only wet my appetite to play the SNES version again as soon as I get my Nintendo Switch with the online subscription this week! Also, a fair warning to anyone else to wants to try the GBA port--DO NOT under any circumstances play it on the Gamecube's Game Boy Player! The input lag it adds completely throws off the rhythm of the game's platforming and makes an already difficult game even MORE frustrating and for the wrong reasons. Some worlds like Bramble Scramble, where your timing has to be FLAWLESS at points, are borderline unplayable this way.
2:28 It's like I like SMW level design better because in World 8 at SMB3, I keep dying because I'm not used to SMB3 physics, I'm used to SMW physics, I feel like SMB3 is too slippery for me, and the raccoon tail or Super Leaf, I'm used to the cape and I still die even with Raccoon tail/Super Leaf. I am more experienced at SMW than in SMB3. BTW, I did use an emulator play SMB3 and SMW.
ExoParadigmGamer I hope you do Donkey Kong Country 3 for SNES & GBA next, followed by The Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse for SNES & GBA, then Super Mario 64 & Super Mario 64 DS.
I know this is almost 10 years old, but I have to appreciate the amount of effort it must have taken to put that intro together. I even noticed you used your head as the transition logo there.
I definitely love the DKC SNES trilogy! Returns and Tropical Freeze, ehhhh are good too. Anyways, DKC2 is probably my second favorite game of all time. It definitely beats the original. One problem I have with the original is that you can clear the bonus rooms without doing anything. You only get lives by going inside them. It's a mess. I like how DKC2 and DKC3 adds a reward for doing them. DKC1 throws too many lives at you. I like the challenging levels DKC2 adds. Anyway, looking forward to your DKC3 review.
Phantom Drags For me it's DKC2>>DKC3>>Tropical Freeze>>DKC1>>Returns I actually thought DKC3 is better than Tropical Freeze. Only because the bonus rooms variety. I dislike Returns, Tropical Freeze, and DKC1 uncreative bonus rooms. Also, DKC3 has more animal buddies than the newer games.
***** While DKC3 used to be my favourite dk game, Tropical Freeze just hit it out of the park for me. I don't really care about the bonus rooms. I don't go for the puzzle pieces in returns or tropical freeze. They don't really unlock anything special. I'm talking about the music, level design, asthetics and gameplay. In terms of those things I just mentioned, Tropical Freeze is my favoutite dk game.
Speaking of that, that's one of the reasons I love the Wii U so much. I can play every dkc game. DKC 1, 2 and 3, dk64, returns and tropical freeze. All on one system.
because of this review i decided to download diddys kong quest from the eshop as my first donkey kong county game i was convince enough to give it a shot and ive got to say what a fantastic game i actually find it better than sonic 3 and knuckles while i found the game to be quite challenging id argue that dkc1 is just as difficult but not impossible thank you exo paradim gamer you have introduced m to one ov my new favorite game franchises :)
Dkc feels very focused. Like you're making your way across DK Island. 2 is similar in its overworld design, but a lot of the individual levels feel adjacent to that. Then DKC3 feels focused again. Diddy's Kongquest has more atmosphere though! It vibes the most outta the og trilogy!
I think I will give this game another try. But I will argue why I think that DKC1 is the best out of the three. It not because of the animations nor the scope of the game's variation, for those have improved with the technology that they have. It has more to do with the ambiance that the soundtrack had, as well as the strong jungle-/unindustrialized-themes prior to Kremkroc Industries. Much like Sonic, it feels like DK was sending an environmental message and it was a western way of delivering that message: techno-organic relationships are not at balance, as King K. Rool is trying to run the inhabitants of DK Isle out and use it as a base for his operations. The pirate theme is a stronger overall theme, for sure though. The DKC1 boss battles have nothing on other boss battles within the series, but for me the real tests of mettle were the stages themselves. Furthermore, the return of certain stage elements meant that you could see visible improvement after completing them. I am not trying to persuade you, but I wanted to perhaps open up (polite) discussion from those of us that do prefer DKC1 over DKC2. For me, DKC2 didn't quite click the same way that DKC1 did and while I do concede that I have a bias, as I have not had significant exposure to DKC2 post-Crocodile Cauldron, I wanted to post my reasons for loving the first game so much and not thinking so much about the games that came after it. As stated before, I shall give another go at DKC2 and should I find fault in this post afterwards, I'll edit accordingly. Thank you for the great review.
+Mark James (Black Hole Lash) I personally found DKC to be a linear,unbalanced, and tedious platformer that only looked great back in 1994, Sonic The Hedgehog 3 when it was finally released completed in the Fall, was the SUPERIOR game and masterpiece. DKC 2 was better designed. Better level designed, better balanced, easier learning curver and much more rewarding than DKC.
+Tornado1994 I don't personally think that the curve is too steep in DKC1, as there was: secret spotting and obtaining, running, rolling/cartwheeling, animal buddies, dark environments, water physics, and shifting environment conditions, all of which are introduced in the first world. Those are the most skills to master, so they put them in first. However, I do feel like there are definite difficulty spikes in the game (Minecart Carnage, Temple Tempest, and Ice Age Alley for example) As for linearity, I believe that could be forgiven, since they did optimize paths to be challenging for players, much like Castlevania only had one path, but the goal is enemy avoidance/baddy clearing. I feel like that was the goal with DKC and much like how SotN widened the scope of limitation, DKC2 did that for the DKC series.
Mark James DKC's biggest problem to me was the same issue that Sonic 2 suffered: the hit detection feels off and there's alot of bad enemy placement. I also wasn't a fan of the save feature, where you had to endure monotonous hell in order to save your progress halfway into a hub world. I also recall the unlimited continue being an unlockable feature that you get from Cranky Kong later in the game, until then there's no continues at all whatsoever. I guess Rare figured, "You got a save feature, so suck it up you'll earn the continue feature later".
+Mark James (Black Hole Lash) im with you, couldn't enjoy the sequels as much as the original, they lacked atmosphere and focused on too many gimmicks in the levels in my honest opinion, doesn't make them bad games but they are not as good as DKC1 to me
I just want to say that I disagree so much with you about the soundtrack. Like I said in a previous comment, it isn't bad, but it's much worse than the SNES soundtrack. It's poorly sequenced with a lot of inaccuries, lacks many effects, and many of the instruments are annoying for the ears. It also lacks the emotion the SNES soundtrack had which was one of the best things about it. I even disagree that they did a better job on it than on the first remake. I think they did a much worse job. I honestly think the music of the remake of the first game was pretty good. Many of the songs were accurate to the originals, and if they weren't, they still had good instrumentation and some of the songs were even remixed. There are still some songs I find myself listening to from DKC2GBA's soundtrack, like In a Snow-Bound Land, Primal Rave, Cranky's Conga, Crocodile Cacophony, Lockjaw's Saga and a few others, but overall I highly prefer SNES's soundtrack.
***** That's fine, but I don't think the songs have to sound exactly like the originals in order to be good. I actually like the GBA's version of Forest Interlude more precisely because of it's different instrumentation. I can't help but feel that some people are just biased toward the SNES version and unwilling to acknowledge the relative strengths of each version. At the end of the day, though, musical taste is subjective, so I'll respect your opinion, sir.
ExoParadigmGamer I agree they don't have to sound like the originals to be good (or I wouldn't like the soundtrack of DKC1 GBA), but most of DKC2 GBA's soundtrack isn't good either, in my opinion. Only song in the remake I'd say is better than the original is the world map theme, because it sounds more dramatic. Forest Interlude is pretty good as well, and I prefer its percussion in the GBA remake over the SNES version. I honestly feel like most people who prefer the GBA version's soundtrack are kinda biased as well since they probably grew up with it. Most people I've showed DKC2 songs for and compared them to the GBA versions have said the GBA versions are terrible, and most haven't even played DKC2. But eh, opinions are opinions after all. I played the GBA version of DKC2 shortly after I played the SNES version, so I'm not really biased. Other than the music, it's a pretty good remake.
Holy crap man I went and thought about the snes to gba conversion and went to listen to tracks on youtube, and you were in the comments section, I find this and here you are again! Small world 😆
Hell no Stickerbrush Symphony is NOT better in the gba version, the original SNES is much better! Btw I agree Gangplank Galleon, Arctic Abyss, Hornet Hole, Forest Interlude and Castle Crush sounds better in the GBA version.
I agree the 2nd game is a lot better than the first. Your reasons for 2 being better are spot on. The first one was good yes but it lacks so much after playing the next 2.
I notice your taste in Gaming Soundtrack Remixes are of good quality. Loved that DKC2 remix soundtrack as it has so many good songs remixed to almost be good and sometimes even better as the original soundtrack.
These videos are due for a remake themselves I think! You need to give Eveline Novakovic (nee Fischer) her dues, as she was just as of a composer as David Wise was on the original DKC trilogy! She took on the role of main composer for the third game, but she contributed quite a bit to the first game for sure (Simian Segue, Candy's Love Song, Voices of the Temple, Forest Frenzy, Treetop Rock, Northern Hemispheres, and Ice Chant) and David Wise confirmed in a 2017 tweet that she composed the underrated gem "In A Snowbound Land" for DKC2. The lady absolutely deserves her flowers! 💐💐💐
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
Anyone find it interesting in the trilogy:
DKC 1 - You play as Donkey & Diddy (new)
DKC 2 - You play as Diddy (returning) & Dixie (new)
DKC 3 - You play as Dixie (returning) & Kiddy (new)
+Dbzlotrfan M Illumikongy
not interesting. it was intentional. it was a means of keeping the fans involved while including a new face.
and the name is after the returning kong too haha
I mean... you never noticed before? ^^
@Pyro Flare looks like kiddy is like the ice age baby of the dkc, people just seems to hate him.
"Diddy's Kong Quest"
"Diddy's Conquest"
Ohhhh....
OMG! I never noticed that until now! xD
lobsteros (Channel Lobster's Alt) Me neither!
Oh diddy's conquest😶
The Smash 4 meta game in a nutshell.
+BigBossMan538 in a peanut shell
That awkward moment where Donkey Kong is only playable in one of the three games.
Well, technically 3 out of 5
I feel that to...
Yeah but you are in Donkey Kong's Country.
Maverick Hunter K That awkward moment when you forget about two of the games 😂
Matt Ayres The awkward moment when I didn't. Nothing wrong with the newer games, they just came out nearly twenty years later.
Stickerbrush Symphony is an extremely relaxing tune. Good that it is because the levels are bloody hard!
I can’t name even one thing in the universe that has a greater soundtrack than the DKC trilogy (especially DKC2) for the Super Nintendo. Which is why it’s impossible to pick a favourite of DKC2 songs over the whole thing!
IMO I think Megaman X and Super Metroid have better soundtracks but DKC has a phenomenal soundtrack All 3 of them
the senate The Super Nintendo is known for making soundtracks that are beyond masterful with its 16/bit sound chip!
True I also can’t believe I neglected to mention StarFox
the senate Oh hell yeah, that game is ANOTHER classic!
"Damn, K. Rool's not fucking around!"
Sounds like something James Rolfe/The Angry Video Game Nerd would say.
I love how in the rematch with K. Rool in Lost World his musket is clogged with fish that after fired and flop around he just looks at the player as if he's saying "I did not see that coming."
There's a reason why this guy's gonna be my main in Smash Ultimate.
I hope your looking some advance combo guides I recommend it as a K. Rool main myself its useful brother
King k rool is awsome not my main in the game I mean Donkey kong is my main but he is on my list of one of the best characters in the game 2 reason 1 he is really strong 2 this guy hasn't been in a game in years so it was a good call on Nintendo to bring this guy and banjo and Kazooie back.
It took +ExoParadigmGamer so many years to notice the "Kong Quest" (Conquest) pun, but it took me until _now_ to realize the pun behind the title of the video series... *make or break.* Man, I'm an idiot.
WAIT WHAT
It took me even longer to find out that the game was called Diddy’s Kong Quest and not Diddy *Kong’s* Quest.
I know it took me like last year to figure out the title of DKC2 pun and of course we all know that video series remake or re-break is a pun on make or break
Frick
Okay, you have thoroughly convinced me to buy DKC 2. I already have, but if I didn't, this would have done it. Great video bb
Yus sur
Haedox hello.
ExoParadigmGamer can you do a Donkey Kong Country Returns Remake or Rebreak now because it’s been 3 years man.
ExoParadigmGamer Even though Donkey Kong Country 2 (SNES) has a reputation as the greatest Donkey Kong game, you seem to love it even more than other people.
*HELL YES!!!!!!*
did you get gba or snes?
I noticed you mentioned the Zinger enemies are the ones humming in "Mining Melancholy". I always said that it's the Zingers humming, but at least one person I know keeps getting mad at me for even suggesting it. Glad to know somebody has a similar opinion.
This is by far one of the best video game sequels of all time. I mean, how do you improve near perfection?
Oh, thank you for crediting me for the "beat in one sitting" terminology. You didn't have to do that because words and phrases are public domain, but thank you anyways. Loved this video.
The Side Quest Gamer Review Show Put
Sonic in
The Side Quest Gamer Review Show you treat it like a big big buuuuuuuulllllllyyyy
The Side Quest Gamer Review Show BY BEING MORE PERFECT!!!
Some of my favorite sequels are dkc 2, sonic 2, Link to the past, Super Metroid, and Super Castlevania 4
Hey, a guy who gives so much respect to DKC2, I just found a new friend. DKC2 is in my games TOP-5.
Same. This game ranks 4th plac in my personal top 5 Snes titles, just behind Final fight 3, Yoshi's island, and Megaman X3.
The way I've always viewed DKC & DKC2 remakes is this:
The perfect version would be the GBA game with the graphics & sound quality of the original SNES versions, it's the best of both games in my opinion but I love both versions a ton.
Never did own DKC3 for either version though, at some point I need to get that one.
StupidMarioBros1Fan study it first
It's the toughest of them ALL
DKC 3 seems to get a lot more hate than the other 2. 3 is my favorite video game of all time...with 2 and then 1 right behind it. DKC 3 is a masterpiece though and you'll do yourself a favor getting it.
I'd love to see an update using the visuals of the SNES versions with the improvements of the GBA versions.
I wish it were that way, and when I saw someone do a proof of concept of bramble blast people were THANKFUL nothing GBA was in it... talk about harsh
Get it. You will not regret it. It will piss you off at times but it's a great game.
The Kongs' eyes bugging out before a boss battle is a small nod to Battletoads, where the same thing happened.
My biggest complain with the GBA version is the fact that you have to pay 10coins if you want to redo the bosses I know this may seem minor but that really bothered me when I first played it especally for the final battle
VGPorage That is true. Generally, though, I'll just replay DKC2 from the beginning rather than selecting a level from a completed save.
ExoParadigmGamer Yeah it was honestly mostly for the final battle I found that bothersome since I wanted to watch the ending again wich you can't in the GBA version since you only then obtain your rewards and get sent back to the map.
But at the end of the day even though I personally prefer the SNES version mostly because of the advantage of the SNES hardware and nostalgic bias I still think the GBA version is a fantastic game and DKC2 is and will probably always be my favorite platformer of all time right next to Super Mario World and Shovel Knight
Glad to hear I'm not the only one who thinks this game is the cream of the classic platforming crop. I've been learning recently that we were more numerous than I thought.
The mining melancholy is by far one of the best tracks ever made in video game history. It' serious, melancholic and reminds you of how dangerous it can be to work in the mines. As a miner myself, I often think of how how dangerous it would be if the timbers above my head suddenly collapsed. David Wise really captured that feel in this melody.
Never really looked at the title properly when first playing this and always thought it was called Diddy Kong's Quest.
1. This soundtrack has no business being this good. David Wise was in another dimension while writing it. It's really on another level.
2. Squawk shoots eggs? I thought thems was walnuts.
3. This is a really thoughtful and quality video.
As a kid, I thought Squawk was shooting coconuts.
lol you started that bonus room music and i had to remind myself for a moment this wasnt an episode of "the Completionist" XD
Little nitpick you forgot to mention the cameo from tiny Kong
You're right. I even had the footage, too.
That's why I noticed still good review you convinced me to do the whole trilogy I just started dkc3 that I bought on the eshop
Cameo?
Yeah in the funky helicopter minigame mission if you can look closely at the Sprite going into the helicopter with Dixie you can see tiny Kong from donkey kong 64 she wasn't in the snes version
Lord Kirby Huh, cool.
As an old school fan of the series, I believe Donkey Kong Country is the hardest of all, and also the worst. I don't know why so many people hate Donkey Kong Country 3, it is an amazing game.
As great a game DKC3 is, a lot of the level gimmicks, especially toward the end of the game, are inherently annoying and comparatively not fun.
I respect your opinion but I think that DKC1 and 3 are equal. DKC2 is best though.
@@metalliholisti3728 dkc 3 isn't horrible bit it's the worst in my opinion
I mean I dont hate dkc3 I just dont enjoy it as much as the others, but I do very much prefer the gba version cause the new soundtrack
Definitely not. DKC is the easiest of them all
Great review. DKC2 is awesome.
It certainly is.
Me in the 1990s-2020s: Donkey Kong Country 2 is one of the greatest video games of all time and nobody can convince otherwise.
Nicely done.
I always wondered, if they'd make a DKC 4, what they would have teamed Kiddy Kong up with.
DarthBobCat - That probably would have happened on the GameCube Nintendo, Nintendo DS, or Nintendo 3DS.
Somebody's actually making an unofficial 4th DKC game.
@Alexander Tipton yes.
Do returns and tropical freeze not exist anymore or something?
And as I am guilty of this...forgot that Donkey Kong 64 is the 4th DKC game.
Now that I'm an adult, this is the biggest nostalgia trip, 20 years later. I finally get the jokes and puns, and I never even thought about the fact that DK isn't playable. Best SNES game for sure. Nice review.
11:37 I agree but the gba soundtrack still sounds good
The only negative the GBA version has is that it doesn't have the animation I'd Dixie licking the honey in zinger nest levels
Finally someone who understands!! This game is my favorite snes game ever ! I had dkc 1 first but then i got dkc2 and instantly fell in love with it. To this day i still cant get over the fact on how great and fun this game is!
exoparadigmgamer .. You just got yourself a subscriber x)
Can you also do Kirby Adventure NES vs Kirby nightmare in dreamland GBA as request
John Luke Corpus May be 1 year late, but the review came out a few months ago. lol
I understand life happens, you’ve gone on to college, but I really miss your continent. These were some of the most thought out and best videos about gaming on the entire website.
Hope you’re well, EPG!
your review is completely thorough and completely amazing good job
I love DKC2's OST!! I like its variation from jazzy to psychedelicly atmospheric
Gba version was the game that introduced me to the world of gaming
+Charlie's Channel the GBA version is the only one of the three remakes I played as a kid. So I've a nostalgic bias for the GBA version.
I played this game when I was moving to Washington
Same for me
@@GatorRay Me too. I played this game on GBA and I find surprised that everybody prefers SNES or others over GBA, making me kind of... disappointed. Is liking GBA wrong?
As a kid, I used to think that the island in the GBA version during the startup was a dead K.Rool who began decaying.
I remember that I used to think crocodile isle was actually dk island, but transformed into a dark world by kaptain k. Rool
Funny that you mentioned that it took you so long to recognize the conquest pun. I only realized it this week!
Adrian Solfjell Thanks. By the way, you should consider turning on replies so I can reach you without using G+.
How do I do that? I thought I already had replies on...
***** Huh. Weird.
Adrian Solfjell You do now, I guess.
ExoParadigmGamer 7:31 nice shrek cameo
+ExoParadigmGamer DKC 2 was released for the SNES on September 12,1995 not November. The first DKC game came out in July 1994 not November. The November release was a Holiday bundle SKU.(DKC got bundled with the new $99 SNES price drop SKU on November 1,1994).
I played DKC2 are the same time Mega Man 7 came out.
You are Jesus.
FINALLY, someone who actually sees the good in this remake!
Hay i think this a good remake too i had this game as a kid and i still love it
Cacklettabean2003 _ Same here.
You are amazing Exo :), i cant believe how much detail you go into about one of my favourite games of all time :)
One of my favourite gba games when I was younger
David Wise is my favorite video game composer as well. Ever since I heard him do Battletoads I was hooked! I listen to Stickerbrush Symphony at least a few times a month.
Great job on this video man! You are quickly becoming one of my favorite reviewers on RUclips! You go into an amazing amount of detail and we seem to share similar opinions on classic games such as this.
Yeah, same.
Forest Interlude is my favorite. Absolutely love it
THIS...is the reason why i'm subscribed to you! For your absolutely SUPERB and honest reviews! I think you're the best reviewer i've ever seen and surpassing others greatly. I like that you make 30 minute long reviews and analyse almost everything about a game. You actually convince me to want to get this game and you inspire me to one day make reviews like you. Remember the Sonic reviews? I don't care about Sonic at all and i'm very uninterested in hearing anything about him or his games, but with your great reviews, I was actually listening and had fun while watching them. Good job man!
100% agree ive been watching him ever since he started uploading.
I really love these videos - I watched them way back when they came out and now I'm revisiting them at the moment. I just wanted to comment on the question of visuals that something that these games get right that a lot of handheld ports didn't is that visually, what might be most impressive might not best serve the game on the format you were playing it on. It's why the Game Boy port of King of Fighters '95 towers over the GB ports of SF2 and Mortal Kombat - rather than follow the lead of Capcom and Acclaim and capture the look of the arcade games to underline the connection, Takara instead reworked the visuals to suit the Game Boy's smaller screen and then worked to better capture the essence of the gameplay instead. The DKC Advance series might not have the visual "wow" of the SNES originals, but it sacrifices that to ensure the gameplay works better on the smaller format system.
I grew up with 1 and didn't get my cartridge of 2 until I was 9. Overall, I love both but strongly prefer 2 over 1.Your coverage definitely gave me reasons to agree with. That said, I think the games as a trilogy are masterpieces, and would have to say 2 > 1 > 3 imo.
MagitekOmega I agree
2 > 3 = 1
This was my favorite game for a long time and still remains the favorite for SNES.
Great review! Glad you did all three DKCs, thanks very much:)
I love everything you have to say about this game, it's easily my favorite platforming game to exist. I've ALWAYS preferred DKC to the Mario series.
21:42 - While I was doing a GBA DKC marathon on my GameCube's Game Boy Player a year ago, Donkey Kong Country 2 was the only DKC game I raged quit from due to difficulty (I was stuck on Krazy Kremland for a while). Haven't progressed until a week later, I think.
Nah dkc 2 is the easiest of the trilogy I beat it 3 times on 102 on SNES and gba
DKC2 is one of my favorite Games and also one of the best Jump n Runs of all time.
The Gameboy Advance is the first Verison what i played DKC2 since the time, that I was 10 years old and this Game makes still fun.
I also like the SNES-Version of this Game, but like I said, I grow up with the GBA-Version.
And good Job for the Review.
The -1 life jungle in one of the stages in this game, he DID use as his new channel intro theme, which I find cool.
And no, I’ve been watching this channel for years. I just now wanted to comment this as nobody else has.
Thanks for recommending this game! I picked up a copy and thoroughly enjoyed it. I like the added time attack mode quite a bit as a way to practice quick movement.
7:30 shrek watermark with the swamp level!
I love how you recreated the openings to the GBA games. Top notch stuff here!
best platform game ever. subbed
stezo2k Super Mario World and sonic 3 and knuckles SONIC MANIA
SMW? Best platformer ever? I think I'm gonna laugh. SMW was alright; nothing more, nothing less. It had average graphics, a solid soundtrack and awkward level design.
stezo2k best agree ever my dude.😀
It's a fucking opinion
Poudink Agreed. I don't understand why people praise SMW's level design when SMB3, Yoshi's Island and Rare's DKC Trilogy exists.
This game is my favorite game of all time. That is admittedly due to nostalgia, and I readily admit that DKC2 is the better game. I play all 3 on a regular basis, and 3 is the most difficult to me these days. (especially in hard mode.) I 105 percent it once or twice a year. I guess that's why some of its flaws don't bother me, because I got so used to them.
Edit: planning on giving the GBA version a try as well, thanks to this video!
27:25 Lmao That Part Was Always Hilarious To Me
Just started playing this game recently and I must say, DKC2 is really good, better than the first one.
Also I think it's me but the environments in the first three worlds remind me very much of Captain Claw (another great, yet criminally underrated platformer, recommend watching Spigazu's review of the game if you are curious).
Dkc2 has the perfect difficulty.
"wow factor" does _not_ mean nostalgia. That's just not a correct assessment of what Craig was saying about DKC1. "Wow factor" refers to a game that is completely unique upon release in terms of ascetics an game design. These novel games gain popularity based on their design of course, but also based on how they stand out compared to other games. This is very important to understand because even in the case of superior sequels, the "wow factor" will be gone if the designers simply make the older game again with improvements.
This is generally why both professional critics and the gaming public at large usually rate similar sequels lower scores by default - they simply lack the same sort of impact the original had because you know what you're getting going into it as opposed to having a completely new experience unlike anything you've played before.
There's a ton of examples dating all the way back to the third generation. Super Mario Bros. is one of the most famous "wow factor" games ever, yet the actual Super Mario Bros. 2 released in 1986 on the Famicom Disk System is an obscure game even in Japan largely because it lacked the "wow factor" of the original. The game looked the same, played the same, offered new challenges and stages and such, but in no way captured the "wow factor".
Newer examples of this persist too. When Megaman 9 came out, people praised the decision to return to Megaman's 8-bit roots and and forgo all the series baggage that had accumulated throughout the 32-bit games. To release a brand new 8-bit game from a major developer was also something that stood out from the crowd. It had "wow factor". Megaman 10 however, did not, even though Megaman 10 is a better game than 9 in terms of game design and difficulty balance, it lost the wow factor.
So getting back to DKC2, Craig was 100% right to say that DLC1 had "wow factor" when DLC2 did not. That's _not_ an opinion or in any way debatable. If you compare the games on other factors is how you can determine for yourself which game is your personal favorite.
Having said all this: Donkey Kong Country 2 is one of my personal all time favorite games. I think it's got better variety, music, difficulty balance and I even think it's better looking to boot. But again, Craig was right. Donkey Kong Country 2 wasn't as big of a deal as DKC1 was for the reason that there already was DKC1. I don't know how else to explain this concept to you. When Doom came out on PC, it had "wow factor"because there were no other shooters like it. But then shooters for the next several years were all virtually indistinguishable from Hexen to Raise of the Triad, all of them were called "Doom clones" even when they had newer, better designs. Being first matters when it comes to game design.
honestly, that is just stupid and everyone taking a huge piss on the concept of sequels in general. of course, it can be oversaturating when you have too much of the same(looking at megaman on nes specifically), but the point is to not throw in the previous work in the trash and build upon the foundation to make a better product and continue one specific vision.
and well, that is actually what nostalgiablind is defined as. rating something higher than something that is better than it(or rating something unnessesarily low for going a bit off the rails) because it had more(or less) impact on the person themselves or the entire community.
"is not an opinion and not in any way debatable" what??? So anyone who claims to enjoy a similar sequel is lying?
@@doubledenial8178 Please read my entire post, not piece apart an out-of-context statement and look for a nefarious meaning when it is clearly not like that.
Favourite out of the three.
I went back through the GBA soundtrack for DKC2 and I can see why a lot of people hate it. It's very high pitched and annoying with some songs but some aren't actually bad. I still like the SNES soundtrack better for DKC2 but GBA for DKC1. I'll see about DKC3 soon.
This was an awesome review, I really wanna try this game out! It looks so charming and colourful, and the music I have heard sounds fantastic! I wanna guess and say that your favourite 3D Mario game is Galaxy 2. Mine is actually Sunshine, I loved the settings, the massive levels, the unique mechanics and the music, holy crap I could listen to Noki Bay all day :3 Keep up the great work, I hear DKC 3 is the weakest of the bunch, I can't wait to hear your impressions of it! (ps that hat is awesome!)
TWIP sunshine was my fave too!
sunshines the absolute best
Funny thing; DKC2, A Link To The Past, and Super Metroid all came out on the 3DS Virtual Console, on my 28th birthday! Best birthday presents from Nintendo, ever! I hope we get Kirby: Star Allies or the new Animal Crossing game for the Switch, or even the launch of the Switch Virtual Console for my 30th birthday! That would be really awesome! Please make one of those happen, Nintendo!
Buy only for the New 3ds and New 2ds,regular 3ds can't get SNES games on the eShop
TWIP = ForcesTuber
1:48 I would never had known! diddy's CONQUEST! like because he has a gf now??
How can he like Disco Train music more on the GBA? That's crazy, it sounds way worse to me.
What would actually like is a version that gives you all the additions to the GBA version, but keeps the original graphics (or even improves them by using higher res rasters of the models).
The over-saturation and faded backgrounds just don't look as good. I know it's just because of the GBA screen, but I'm not going to be playing it on a dark screen like that.
7:29 "Swamps" I see what you did there.
DKC2 is just perfection, a masterpiece. One of the best video games ever made. One of those games i just sit and play occasionally because just playing the game feels so damn good.
DKC1 was cool for a first game but it got completely wrecked by the sequel. Even DKC3 is better than DKC1 as it still has tons of improvements introduced in DKC2.
I think the 2nd installment in the Donkey Kong Country series is the best out of all of them.
DirtySlutBehind10UsedTampons it is
I love how in-depth your reviews are. I often find myself wishing that most other reviews had more "meat" to them. DKC 2 is my favorite of the series, and one of my favorite SNES games of all-time, even though I think DKC 3 is the better game if that makes sense. Even though I disagree with a lot of what you had to say on DKC 3 and Yoshi's Island, I thoroughly enjoyed those reviews as well. I'm definitely gonna check out more! Also, it's awesome to see a "youngster" appreciate the classics, and to get a whole new, fresh perspective from someone who didn't grow up with these games. Super Metroid and DKC BLEW ME AWAY when they were brand new. Video games don't blow me away anymore--even the presentation of bad games these days are pretty impressive. I miss the old days... it's just not the same anymore.
"GBA has a better version of Stickerbrush Symphony" Oh really? (listens to the GBA version for the first time)
It is decent, but a bit too sharp for my liking. The magic of the original is the eerie sense of relaxation that it evokes, which is helped by a smoother flow. But I will give it this, both versions do convey the message, "you better be relaxed and focused because one wrong move will get you killed" well.
Good job, the first game I remember playing was mario 3 but I really grew up on SNES. I watched your video of DKC and thought "this guy doesn't get it" then I watched this video and realize you did a better job than most on these games and hopefully you get more people to play either version of these games, keep up the good work.
Will you ever review Tropical Freeze? It's my favorite one!
SteveDoidoUltimate He already has :P
+TWIP It was a mini review.
I can understand preferring the first game out of nostalgia or personal tastes. But DKC2 is objectively a better game, because it addresses most of the first game’s flaws. The level design is better, with far more variety, more and bigger stages, the bosses are far more interesting than the 3 DKC that keep repeating, the graphics are even more detailed and the soundtrack is phenomenal and with even more variety.
DKC2 is basically the perfect sequel and what a sequel should do: an improvement to the original formula with addition of new ideas and a more refined game and level design.
I assume if you hate the pirate’s theme or if you absolutely HAVE to play as DK, you can prefer the first, aside of nostalgia reasons, but that’s really it I think.
Coming from a fan of all the games of the Donkey Kong Country trilogy (especially the SNES versions), this comment needs more likes.
@@kieranstark7213 thanks! I love all three games, but I think the second one is the best of them all
David Wise is a master of sound. Though he's brilliant with the musical elements of harmony and melody, what he's truly the master of is timbre, and that's why his stuff is so incredibly ambient and emotionally evocative. It's also why people crap on the remake's soundtracks. With songs that tick the boxes of "melody" and "harmony", the GBA's limitations wouldn't matter much.
But in Wise's case, they severely reduce a large part of his songs' depth, which comes in the form of the sounds themselves.
Additionally, when tasked with porting Eveline Fischer's DKC3 soundtrack to the GBA, David Wise decided that the limitations were too great and they wouldn't do her work justice. That's why he re-composed the whole game so he could make something workable within the system's boundaries.
The main reason was that Eveline Fischer's score contained a lot of low pitchtones, which the GBA can't reproduce for shit. David Wise even alluded to this in an interview about the DKC3 port on its website.
Here to gush over DKC games alongside him. Definitely not disappointed! I swear, I got the dumbest smile listening to his analysis of each part of the games: graphics, music, color schemes, gameplay, etc. I'm aware these games aren't perfect, but I've adored them for years, and can get lost in each world.
Wow. I'm impressed that you added that spoiler section here. Newer fan here, you're content is exceptional. I'm aware that this video is old and I don't expect a response. Just felt like ranting fangirlishly into blank space.
I only ever played the SNES version once. I actually owned the GBA version and, like most others, DKC2 is my favorite of the original trilogy.
The part where Diddy and Dixie have those shocked eyes and facial expressions also came from Battle Toads.
That was another RARE reference.
I'm forced to admit that DKC2 is a better /game/ than the first one. But I honestly feel like DKC1 has a better overall feel to it, or at least a more ambient one. The first one really feels like a Gorilla and Chimp fucking up some reptiles in the forest, the second one removes them too much, I think. The setting is definitely one of the top reasons I prefer the first game.
I also think that DKC2 has overall a better soundtrack, though the best songs from DKC1 are, in my opinion, on par or better than the best songs from DKC2. I
love Dixie a lot, but I feel like she kind of breaks the game. There's basically no reason to ever want to play as Diddy when you have Dixie as an option, which is different from DKC1 where both DK and Diddy bring important traits to the table and switching between them is often key to success.
I also never particularly loved the bonus room games in the second one, they felt like they removed you from the level to a larger degree, much like what you said about the animal buddy minigames from the DKC1 video (Which I also agree with). In DKC1 I legit feel like the bonus rooms are /part/ of the stage whereas in DKC2 it's like "Here, you went somewhere else but you'll be back."
Either way they're both better than the third one lol
Ever try to attack enemies with Dixie? Diddy's cartwheel is much, much better than Dixie's attack...
When I played when I was a kid I definitely preferred dixie. But after playing the game again recently, I can't say that anymore. I felt like I had better control of diddy, especially going up ropes and such. There's still a few instances where I wish I had dixie for her flying ability, but it was much less than I remembered when I was young.
I knew it, DKC2 hands-down the best of the franchise!
+ExoParadigmGamer can you do Final Fantasy VI (SNES vs. GBA) Remake or Rebreak
my favourite DKC game is DKC 1 but I think that DKC 2 is better designed
a shame rare replay cant feature these games...theyre probably the best games rare has made...
Cuz while Rare are with Microsoft now, Donkey Kong is still with Nintendo.
I have both a New 2DS XL and a GBA SP. So this video is a great help to my decision of whether to get DKC2 on the 3DS eShop or to buy the GBA version from eBay or Amazon. But still I'm quite undecided.
Dkc2 is ine of my fav games of all time :)
This review convinced me to give the GBA port a fair chance (and it was also one of my first experiences playing this game for real, along with a brief swing with it via Switch Online beforehand to help give context to it), and I ended up really liking it. Yes, the presentation takes a big hit due to the screen crunch and blown-out colors, but the gameplay is just as good--in some ways better than the SNES version due to the quality of life improvements (i.e. saving anywhere, Rattly being much less finicky to control)--and even David Wise's memorable soundtrack still managed to transition into the GBA's infamously crunchy/tinny sound format fairly unscathed. I even liked the new mini-games (especially the ostrich racing) though Kerosene was a really irritating boss until I figured out the trick to beating him (hint: don't be afraid to stand on his fists)! The only issues I have with the game is that some of the later levels are just a chore to navigate thru since they clearly weren't designed with the more cramped screen view in mind, and there are a few levels that are just plain exasperating to get thru in general (i.e. the bird race in the last level). I enjoyed the GBA port overall, but it's only wet my appetite to play the SNES version again as soon as I get my Nintendo Switch with the online subscription this week!
Also, a fair warning to anyone else to wants to try the GBA port--DO NOT under any circumstances play it on the Gamecube's Game Boy Player! The input lag it adds completely throws off the rhythm of the game's platforming and makes an already difficult game even MORE frustrating and for the wrong reasons. Some worlds like Bramble Scramble, where your timing has to be FLAWLESS at points, are borderline unplayable this way.
What's your favorite video of game of all time? you gave a hint which was a Mario 3D game. Just curious
RUclips people are having a love affair with Galaxy 2, that's probably what it is.
+Kevin Thompson that game was sick
May be 3D World
6 years: but I can confirm it seems to be galaxy 2. Even post odyssey that hasn’t changed
2:28
It's like I like SMW level design better because in World 8 at SMB3, I keep dying because I'm not used to SMB3 physics, I'm used to SMW physics, I feel like SMB3 is too slippery for me, and the raccoon tail or Super Leaf, I'm used to the cape and I still die even with Raccoon tail/Super Leaf. I am more experienced at SMW than in SMB3. BTW, I did use an emulator play SMB3 and SMW.
7:30
Is...
Is that Shrek?
Trioct :^)
ExoParadigmGamer I hope you do Donkey Kong Country 3 for SNES & GBA next, followed by The Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse for SNES & GBA, then Super Mario 64 & Super Mario 64 DS.
I know this is almost 10 years old, but I have to appreciate the amount of effort it must have taken to put that intro together. I even noticed you used your head as the transition logo there.
I definitely love the DKC SNES trilogy! Returns and Tropical Freeze, ehhhh are good too.
Anyways, DKC2 is probably my second favorite game of all time. It definitely beats the original. One problem I have with the original is that you can clear the bonus rooms without doing anything. You only get lives by going inside them. It's a mess. I like how DKC2 and DKC3 adds a reward for doing them. DKC1 throws too many lives at you. I like the challenging levels DKC2 adds. Anyway, looking forward to your DKC3 review.
Daniel Hunter Paper Mario TTYD
Tropical freeze it great! Imo it's better than the original dkc and 3. 2 is just perfect imo.
Phantom Drags For me it's
DKC2>>DKC3>>Tropical Freeze>>DKC1>>Returns
I actually thought DKC3 is better than Tropical Freeze. Only because the bonus rooms variety. I dislike Returns, Tropical Freeze, and DKC1 uncreative bonus rooms. Also, DKC3 has more animal buddies than the newer games.
***** While DKC3 used to be my favourite dk game, Tropical Freeze just hit it out of the park for me. I don't really care about the bonus rooms. I don't go for the puzzle pieces in returns or tropical freeze. They don't really unlock anything special. I'm talking about the music, level design, asthetics and gameplay. In terms of those things I just mentioned, Tropical Freeze is my favoutite dk game.
Speaking of that, that's one of the reasons I love the Wii U so much. I can play every dkc game. DKC 1, 2 and 3, dk64, returns and tropical freeze. All on one system.
because of this review i decided to download diddys kong quest from the eshop as my first donkey kong county game i was convince enough to give it a shot and ive got to say what a fantastic game i actually find it better than sonic 3 and knuckles while i found the game to be quite challenging id argue that dkc1 is just as difficult but not impossible thank you exo paradim gamer you have introduced m to one ov my new favorite game franchises :)
I still like your beard.
Dkc feels very focused. Like you're making your way across DK Island. 2 is similar in its overworld design, but a lot of the individual levels feel adjacent to that.
Then DKC3 feels focused again.
Diddy's Kongquest has more atmosphere though! It vibes the most outta the og trilogy!
I think I will give this game another try. But I will argue why I think that DKC1 is the best out of the three. It not because of the animations nor the scope of the game's variation, for those have improved with the technology that they have. It has more to do with the ambiance that the soundtrack had, as well as the strong jungle-/unindustrialized-themes prior to Kremkroc Industries. Much like Sonic, it feels like DK was sending an environmental message and it was a western way of delivering that message: techno-organic relationships are not at balance, as King K. Rool is trying to run the inhabitants of DK Isle out and use it as a base for his operations. The pirate theme is a stronger overall theme, for sure though. The DKC1 boss battles have nothing on other boss battles within the series, but for me the real tests of mettle were the stages themselves. Furthermore, the return of certain stage elements meant that you could see visible improvement after completing them.
I am not trying to persuade you, but I wanted to perhaps open up (polite) discussion from those of us that do prefer DKC1 over DKC2. For me, DKC2 didn't quite click the same way that DKC1 did and while I do concede that I have a bias, as I have not had significant exposure to DKC2 post-Crocodile Cauldron, I wanted to post my reasons for loving the first game so much and not thinking so much about the games that came after it. As stated before, I shall give another go at DKC2 and should I find fault in this post afterwards, I'll edit accordingly. Thank you for the great review.
Mark James You're welcome, mister.
+Mark James (Black Hole Lash) I personally found DKC to be a linear,unbalanced, and tedious platformer that only looked great back in 1994, Sonic The Hedgehog 3 when it was finally released completed in the Fall, was the SUPERIOR game and masterpiece.
DKC 2 was better designed. Better level designed, better balanced, easier learning curver and much more rewarding than DKC.
+Tornado1994
I don't personally think that the curve is too steep in DKC1, as there was: secret spotting and obtaining, running, rolling/cartwheeling, animal buddies, dark environments, water physics, and shifting environment conditions, all of which are introduced in the first world. Those are the most skills to master, so they put them in first. However, I do feel like there are definite difficulty spikes in the game (Minecart Carnage, Temple Tempest, and Ice Age Alley for example)
As for linearity, I believe that could be forgiven, since they did optimize paths to be challenging for players, much like Castlevania only had one path, but the goal is enemy avoidance/baddy clearing. I feel like that was the goal with DKC and much like how SotN widened the scope of limitation, DKC2 did that for the DKC series.
Mark James DKC's biggest problem to me was the same issue that Sonic 2 suffered: the hit detection feels off and there's alot of bad enemy placement.
I also wasn't a fan of the save feature, where you had to endure monotonous hell in order to save your progress halfway into a hub world.
I also recall the unlimited continue being an unlockable feature that you get from Cranky Kong later in the game, until then there's no continues at all whatsoever. I guess Rare figured, "You got a save feature, so suck it up you'll earn the continue feature later".
+Mark James (Black Hole Lash) im with you, couldn't enjoy the sequels as much as the original, they lacked atmosphere and focused on too many gimmicks in the levels in my honest opinion, doesn't make them bad games but they are not as good as DKC1 to me
great video EPG, keep em coming!
I just want to say that I disagree so much with you about the soundtrack. Like I said in a previous comment, it isn't bad, but it's much worse than the SNES soundtrack. It's poorly sequenced with a lot of inaccuries, lacks many effects, and many of the instruments are annoying for the ears. It also lacks the emotion the SNES soundtrack had which was one of the best things about it. I even disagree that they did a better job on it than on the first remake. I think they did a much worse job. I honestly think the music of the remake of the first game was pretty good. Many of the songs were accurate to the originals, and if they weren't, they still had good instrumentation and some of the songs were even remixed. There are still some songs I find myself listening to from DKC2GBA's soundtrack, like In a Snow-Bound Land, Primal Rave, Cranky's Conga, Crocodile Cacophony, Lockjaw's Saga and a few others, but overall I highly prefer SNES's soundtrack.
***** That's fine, but I don't think the songs have to sound exactly like the originals in order to be good. I actually like the GBA's version of Forest Interlude more precisely because of it's different instrumentation. I can't help but feel that some people are just biased toward the SNES version and unwilling to acknowledge the relative strengths of each version. At the end of the day, though, musical taste is subjective, so I'll respect your opinion, sir.
ExoParadigmGamer I agree they don't have to sound like the originals to be good (or I wouldn't like the soundtrack of DKC1 GBA), but most of DKC2 GBA's soundtrack isn't good either, in my opinion. Only song in the remake I'd say is better than the original is the world map theme, because it sounds more dramatic. Forest Interlude is pretty good as well, and I prefer its percussion in the GBA remake over the SNES version.
I honestly feel like most people who prefer the GBA version's soundtrack are kinda biased as well since they probably grew up with it. Most people I've showed DKC2 songs for and compared them to the GBA versions have said the GBA versions are terrible, and most haven't even played DKC2. But eh, opinions are opinions after all. I played the GBA version of DKC2 shortly after I played the SNES version, so I'm not really biased. Other than the music, it's a pretty good remake.
Holy crap man I went and thought about the snes to gba conversion and went to listen to tracks on youtube, and you were in the comments section, I find this and here you are again! Small world 😆
27:20 the hilarious part of that is that (according to gamexplain's know your enemy) kremlings were originally going to be in battletoads
Hell no Stickerbrush Symphony is NOT better in the gba version, the original SNES is much better! Btw I agree Gangplank Galleon, Arctic Abyss, Hornet Hole, Forest Interlude and Castle Crush sounds better in the GBA version.
I personally agree with him. I think its better. But hey thats you opinion
Man this channel is underrated, u deserve more subs!
I agree the 2nd game is a lot better than the first. Your reasons for 2 being better are spot on. The first one was good yes but it lacks so much after playing the next 2.
blake7741 same here . I played more donkey kong country's 2 then 1 . Donkey country 2 is Better then 1 in my opinion.
blake7741 DKC2>DKC1>DKC3
I notice your taste in Gaming Soundtrack Remixes are of good quality.
Loved that DKC2 remix soundtrack as it has so many good songs remixed to almost be good and sometimes even better as the original soundtrack.
These videos are due for a remake themselves I think! You need to give Eveline Novakovic (nee Fischer) her dues, as she was just as of a composer as David Wise was on the original DKC trilogy! She took on the role of main composer for the third game, but she contributed quite a bit to the first game for sure (Simian Segue, Candy's Love Song, Voices of the Temple, Forest Frenzy, Treetop Rock, Northern Hemispheres, and Ice Chant) and David Wise confirmed in a 2017 tweet that she composed the underrated gem "In A Snowbound Land" for DKC2.
The lady absolutely deserves her flowers! 💐💐💐