Graphics

Donkey Kong Country’s graphics were vastly superior to most other games on the SNES and Sega Genesis, mainly because it sported cutting edge pre-rendered 3D graphics (using SGI). The sprites and backgrounds are all very rich in detail. Donkey Kong Country’s graphics may not be so stunning when compared to today's standards, but back in 1994, there was nothing else like it. Donkey Kong Country was the first videogame to have used these pre-rendered graphics. So, for their time, the graphics were revolutionary. Especially for a SNES game.

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Sound

This is where Donkey Kong Country shines. Despite being 16-bit, the songs in this game are very atmospheric. Each and every track fits perfectly with the levels that they play on and creates a distinct mood. It's quite an experience playing through the levels while listening to these songs (even if you’re not listening to them in-game). Donkey Kong Country has some of the most renowned tracks in videogame history (King K. Rool's theme, Cranky's theme, and DK Island Swing to name a few). Again, this is an impressive feat for an SNES title.

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Play Control

The controls for 2D platformers are usually very simple, and Donkey Kong Country's is no exception. The B button is used for jumping and holds the Y button to run (much akin to SMB). The main buttons are easily attainable. Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong control differently (DK is stronger and heavier, while Diddy is lighter and faster). The playable characters respond just fine to the buttons that you press. My only nitpick is that there were instances where I launch myself out of a barrel cannon and the camera can't keep up. This can be a bit irksome (especially when there is an enemy waiting up ahead). However, this is only a minor problem, as it doesn't occur frequently. Overall though, the controls are a-okay.

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Originality

Admittedly, when it comes to originality Donkey Kong Country shares a few similarities with the SMB series. Such things like holding a button to speed up, collecting 100 of "X" gives you a free life, rideable allies, etc. On the flipside, Donkey Kong Country takes what Mario did and expands on it. For example, there is a wider variety of animal buddies, each with their own unique abilities. There are also different types of barrels which can be put to use. This game also introduced the mine cart stage to the platformer genre. This made it stand out among other sidescrollers. There are also levels like the "Stop & Go station" (with the "Stop" and "Go" barrels), "Blackout Basement" (where the lights are constantly flickering on and off) and of course, the Barrel Cannon stages (which are truly unique to Donkey Kong Country). Despite these similarities, this game does introduce some of its own original elements.

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Final Word

Donkey Kong Country was considered to be somewhat of a video game revolution back in the SNES days, and it still is. Rare really hit the nail on the head with the graphics. Donkey Kong Country is undoubtedly one of the biggest graphical leaps in videogame history. It may have borrowed some elements from the SMB series, but it is no clone. As previously mentioned it expanded upon them and created some its own distinctive gameplay elements. Due to its thunderous success back in 1994, Donkey Kong Country spawned two sequels, as well as the Donkey Kong Land trilogy. In conclusion, Donkey Kong Country is a must for all SNES owners. If you don't own an SNES, buy a Wii Points card and get your ass to the Wii Shop Channel.

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Final Score: 8/10