Graphics

Believe it or not, this Gamecube port has held up very well in the graphics department. The visuals are probably the second best in my Wii collection, just behind Super Smash Bros. Brawl. The game may be very unlike its DKC predecessors in many ways, but it does continue in the tradition of beautiful graphics. The background environments are top notch, while the animation is very seamless and natural looking. If there is anything that will disappoint you about this game, it will not be the visuals.

9

Sound

The music is very atmospheric. It does a good job of immersing you into your environment. While I wouldn't listen to the soundtrack on my own time as I would some of Rare's classic scores, I still think that the music performs its job well. It fits nicely in the background of the game, and that's all it's really meant to do.

6

Play Control

The control method for this game may be surprising to some: they've taken one of Nintendo's first gimmick-controlled games, and brought it to Nintendo's biggest gimmick controlled system, removing the gimmick somewhere in the process. The game strangely has a very normal control system. A is to jump and the control stick operates movement. Of course, being a Wii game, there had to be some motion controls in there somewhere, but I don't feel any of the controls have been tacked on. When the Wii Remote's motion functionality is used, it feels both natural and fun. The game has adapted a traditional control scheme with some minimal motion technology added in while not being forced, essentially being the perfect model for how a Wii platformer should be done. The only complaint that can be had is that there is no support for either previous control schemes introduced in the Gamecube version. Though, the new controls are very simple and easy to get used to.

10

Originality

As far as the gameplay goes, this is a very unique platformer because of its combo system. The quick jumps and tricks that must be performed often to keep your combo climbing is both difficult and rewarding. It adds a new element to a game that, quite frankly, would have been rather bland without it. Of course, you probably know by now that the game has essentially disregarded any respect for continuity and representation. Fortunately, as much as this game originally stood for Nintendo's discontent for Rare's contributions, the remake symbolize's Nintendo's apology. Although it's definitely no DKC4, they have added multiple elements from the DKC series to please the fans, perhaps by, most notably, an actual story.

9

Final Word

Arriving only shortly after the life-shattering news that Rare was leaving Nintendo, when the fans were still uncertain of what the future would hold for our favorite ape, Jungle Beat certainly sent many DKC fans into suicidal rages. After five years, we got this. I cannot say that the changes to the game necessarily justify the "bongo era", but I will tell you that this is a good game. Unfortunately, not even Nuts and Bolts split up the DKU as much as this game did, and adding Barrel Cannons cannot change that. But it certainly is a step in the right direction.

7

Final Score: 8/10