Jesus, the world 3 boss is a son of a bitch. Only beat him because I got lucky on the last hit, and was down to one heart myself. I was about to start tearing my hair out. The only other stage that gave me that much trouble was the Tidal Wave level, but that was more timing than anything. This guy was just sadistic.
Honestly, the roll isn't as useful anymore as it was in the SNES DKC games.
So there's no "roll under this platform then jump back up just to get the 'G?'"
Oh no. There is stuff like that. I'm talking about more as getting through stages and how you could clear areas rolling around like no ones business. Maybe it's something veteran DKC players will only notice, but you no longer gain momentum from rolling into enemies. Sure, you can roll around forever if you have Diddy, but the hover ability is way more useful than rolling around. Plus, the whole idea was that any Kong could do it.
Oh man I'd love them to just do a straight up, no-bullshit Zelda without any gimmicks like the wind, music, twilight/wolf stuff, etc. Just beat the dungeons and rescue the Princess and recover the Triforce. Basically just like the first one.
Also does anyone know if there's a Fear Factory remix in this game? Because they remixed so many DKC songs and aside from the obvious brambles and underwater music Fear Factory is my favorite.
I haven't heard Fear Factory yet, but really the only one I would expect to not be in there somewhere would be Gang Plank Galleon, what with the lack of Kremlings.
Aside from the unavoidable waggle, this sounds like a good game, but after only spending $10 and getting a fantastic platformer by the name of Super Meat Boy, I'm definitely going to be waiting until this game hits the $10-$20 bargain bin before buying it.
Which will be years.
Eh, it didn't take that long for Wario Land: Shake it to drop in price. Besides which, I'm in no hurry.
Wario Land: Shake It also sold horribly.
Which is about how I'm expecting this game to do. Even if it's a pretty good game, I can't imagine that there's enough nostalgia for the old DKC games for this to do all that well. It'll probably sell better than Wario Land, but not by a whole lot.
Just beat World 4. I really, REALLY don't like the rocket barrel. Like at all. The controls for it are awful. If you tap it you have better control, but it sucks to have to do that the whole level. If you hold the button..... well quite frankly I don't even know why they let you do that. You'll rocket up and most likely hit the ceiling because all the dangerous areas have ceilings.
Minecart nightmares are back in full force though. I just feel so awesome when I beat them however that I can't get enough of them.
Just beat World 4. I really, REALLY don't like the rocket barrel. Like at all. The controls for it are awful. If you tap it you have better control, but it sucks to have to do that the whole level. If you hold the button..... well quite frankly I don't even know why they let you do that. You'll rocket up and most likely hit the ceiling because all the dangerous areas have ceilings.
Minecart nightmares are back in full force though. I just feel so awesome when I beat them however that I can't get enough of them.
If I could move up and down normally I'd like them. But almost all of my deaths come from me hitting the ceiling even though I let go of A a second earlier. Or dropping down too fast because I had to get down quickly. So there's definitely skill and timing involved which I'm fine with, but sometimes the difficulty just comes from the controls. That's what I don't like.
Aside from the unavoidable waggle, this sounds like a good game, but after only spending $10 and getting a fantastic platformer by the name of Super Meat Boy, I'm definitely going to be waiting until this game hits the $10-$20 bargain bin before buying it.
Which will be years.
Eh, it didn't take that long for Wario Land: Shake it to drop in price. Besides which, I'm in no hurry.
Wario Land: Shake It also sold horribly.
Which is about how I'm expecting this game to do. Even if it's a pretty good game, I can't imagine that there's enough nostalgia for the old DKC games for this to do all that well. It'll probably sell better than Wario Land, but not by a whole lot.
I haven't heard Fear Factory yet, but really the only one I would expect to not be in there somewhere would be Gang Plank Galleon, what with the lack of Kremlings.
Fear Factory is in there. It is good.
List of gripes so far, coming from a man who ranks DKC2 as his favorite game:
And for reference, I've made it to 7-4.
-Boss fights are kinda meh. Not memorable at all; some border on annoying.
-Controls, as has been mentioned, could be better. Not at all a deal breaker. I've found playing sideways wii-mote is much better for waggle than nunchuk.
-There's a level of charm, I guess is the right word, missing from it. It's like it's struggling to find identity after what Donkey Kong's been through in the past 14 years. As far as style goes, it doesn't know if it wants to be a Country game or something like Jungle Beat, King of Swing, Konga, or what-have-you. Trying to mash up pre-DK64 Donkey Kong with DK64 and beyond just kind of, I don't know, doesn't really feel right. This might be nostalgia talking. I understand it's trying to carve its own little chunk of DK history out and isn't trying to be a Rare game, but it still feels like it's trying, if that makes any sense.
-Rocket Barrel levels aren't that great. I never was a fan of the Helicopter game though, so that's up to preference I guess.
-Bonus stages are boring. Gone are the little mini mazes and kill all the baddies. Just collect all the shit within the time limit.
-On the subject of identity, the baddies are kind of bland. They don't really have much character.
-I understand they were going for a NSMBwii feel with the world map and the unlockable level per world, but it doesn't really feel right for a DKC game. Unlocking the Lost World levels or the Krematoa levels was awesome because you were working towards a bigger goal. The unlocked levels really just are another level you have to pay 20 banana coins to play.
That said, this is definitely one of, if not the, game(s) of the year for me. I'm loving basically every minute of it and find myself just wanting to play more. I can safely say I'll be playing through it a couple times.
Gotta love people hoping games will do bad just so they can pick them up from bargain bins on the cheap.
I think this game should do pretty good though. Its Donkey Kong Country! That and its getting out right before the black Friday sales rush rolls around and is one of the better new Wii games during the holiday rush. Its pretty much this, Epic Mickey when that hits, and people getting GoldenEye 007, Kirby, and other games late. There are probably going to be a ton of 25th anniversary bundles sold and I could see this being a frequent add-on purchase with that. Not to mention all the people who love the SNES games or Donkey Kong in general. All things considered, this game should do very good!
I haven't heard Fear Factory yet, but really the only one I would expect to not be in there somewhere would be Gang Plank Galleon, what with the lack of Kremlings.
Gotta love people hoping games will do bad just so they can pick them up from bargain bins on the cheap.
Like I said, I don't really care when it hits the bargain bins. I've got enough great games to play that I probably wouldn't buy DKCR this year in any case short of seeing it for something ridiculous like $10. Chances are that I'll pick it up for around $20 sometime in the middle of next year when new good games are scarce.
I just don't think it has much of a case for being a good seller? Why did DKC1-3 sell so well? A) They had amazing visuals for the time and 2D platformers were pretty much the most popular genre back then. DKCR looks good, but it doesn't look amazing and 2D platformers are niche now.
DKCR seems to be relying primarily on nostalgia, but there it's competing against Nintendo's own NSMB Wii and a TON more people are nostalgic about Mario than are nostalgic about DKC. People who aren't nostalgic about DKC and who just want a fun and unique 2D platformer would probably be better off getting Kirby's Epic Yarn instead. People who just want a new Wii game will probably get Epic Mickey (which looks like it'll have a drastically bigger marketing budget than DKCR) And people who own another system (or at least a mediocre PC) and like hardcore platformers would probably be better off getting Super Meat Boy.
I mean, there's nothing inherently wrong with creating a love letter to fans of an old game series, but when you target a niche like that, you're probably not going to have blockbuster sales. Hopefully Retro & Nintendo realize this and didn't overproduce.
I'm not sure that another entry in a long running series for Nintendo starring one of its most famous mascots and pieces of intellectual property is exactly "niche." Certainly I hope you aren't suggesting that DCKR is niche but that Super Meat Boy isn't because I doubt many people even know what the hell that is, let alone that it exists. New Super Mario Bros Wii did so well because people remember the old Super Mario games fondly and want another experience like that, I don't see why that can't be the case with Donkey Kong Country Returns.
And are 2D platformers relegated to mediocre sales now? I think that they the two recent sidescrolling Mario games have done pretty well, in addition to the multiple side scrolling Castlevania and Sonic games that have graced numerous sytems. They seems to be alive and well on XBLA too. Also, if you haven't noticed, this has been doing pretty favorably with reviews:
89.47% Overall Rank: 433
Wii Rank: 16
2010 Games Rank: 32
2010 Wii Rank: 5
Score based on 15 reviews
GameSpot - 8.5 out of 10 - 85.00%
Cheat Code Central - 4.9 out of 5 - 98.00%
Edge Magazine UK - 7 out of 10 - 70.00%
Gaming Age - A - 95.00%
GameFocus - 9.3 out of 10 - 93.00%
Game Boyz - 9 out of 10 - 90.00%
GamePro - 4 out of 5 - 80.00%
Gametrailers - 9 out of 10 - 90.00%
Giant Bomb - 4 out of 5 - 80.00%
Digital Chumps - 9.6 out of 10 - 96.00%
Nintendo Life - 10 out of 10 - 100.00%
NintendoWorldReport - 9.5 out of 10 - 95.00%
IGN - 9 out of 10 - 90.00%
1UP - A - 95.00%
Game Revolution - A- - 90.00%
GameSpy - 3.5 out of 5 - 70.00%
Computer & Video Games UK - 8.8 out of 10 - 88.00%
Eurogamer - 9 out of 10 - 90.00%
Game Informer - 9.5 out of 10 - 95.00%
This isn't some obscure 2D fighter being released with no advertising campaign, its a game from an acclaimed series that from what I've seen has been getting a decent advertising push and will undoubedly be promoted a lot in stores. This is certainly going to do much better than Wario Land: Shake it. I'm willing to bet it becomes the best selling title for Retro Studios at the very least.
NSMB Wii has actually done insanely well. I'm pretty sure its devastated the numbers for Galaxy 2 and maybe even Galaxy. 2D platforming isn't dead or niche, it's just that nobody has been making any of them because they've been focusing on 3D. Whenever a good 2D platformer comes out though everybody goes crazy for it.
NSMB Wii has actually done insanely well. I'm pretty sure its devastated the numbers for Galaxy 2 and maybe even Galaxy. 2D platforming isn't dead or niche, it's just that nobody has been making any of them because they've been focusing on 3D. Whenever a good 2D platformer comes out though everybody goes crazy for it.
About 17 million in one year.
Galaxy did about 9 million, Galaxy 2 has done a couple million world wide so far.
I'm not sure that another entry in a long running series for Nintendo starring one of its most famous mascots and pieces of intellectual property is exactly "niche."
Donkey Kong is very famous. Donkey Kong Country? Not very famous except for people who grew up on the SNES.
Certainly I hope you aren't suggesting that DCKR is niche but that Super Meat Boy isn't because I doubt many people even know what the hell that is, let alone that it exists.
No, Super Meat Boy is plenty niche. But hey, it's an indie game made by a handful of people on a minimal budget. If they sell 100,000 copies, they're probably ecstatic. If DKCR sold 100k, it would be a huge bomb.
This isn't some obscure 2D fighter being released with no advertising campaign, its a game from an acclaimed series that from what I've seen has been getting a decent advertising push and will undoubedly be promoted a lot in stores.
I think it'll get drowned out by marketing for Epic Mickey (and to a lesser extent, Nintendo's other 2D platformers - NSMBW & Kirby).
This is certainly going to do much better than Wario Land: Shake it.
That, I can agree with. DKC is much better known than Wario Land and DKCR is getting good reviews, whereas WL:SI got a mixed reaction.
I'm willing to bet it becomes the best selling title for Retro Studios at the very least.
Metroid Prime sold over 10 million copies. If DKCR breaks 1 million, I'll be surprised.
Oh and saying that 2D platforming isn't niche just because NSMB Wii sold well is silly. It's Mario, of course, it'll sell great. The only 2D platformer I can think of that has sold exceptional well in recent times that didn't have the backing of a huge name like Mario or Sonic is Limbo and that's a bit of an odd case (being as it is, an artsy horror platformer).
Dammit! Shut up about (hypothetical) sales talk. We have a thread for that. This one is supposed to be about us bitching that this game can eat a dick.
1. This game is really really hard. The bonus level in world 1 was the hardest 2D platforming level I've played since Poochie Ain't Stupid.
2. This game kicks absolute ass.
Oh, and a third thing: I get to go see Retro Studios on Wednesday. I'm sure it's a ghost town right about now, but still, that's pretty damned awesome if you ask me, and I'll get my copies of Metroid Prime Trilogy and DKC Returns signed by the lead devs.
how do you get the bonus level? getting "KONG" in all levels or do you also need all puzzle pieces too?
Shady you will love the world 4 boss. It's so easy, fair, and doesn't make you panic that you're going to walk off or jump too early or screw up at the very end or anything. It totally doesn't do that, and I know how calm you are when playing platformers.
That boss reminded me that DKC has some pretty long boss fights at times. Most 2D platforming bosses can be defeated in a minute or if they take a while, like in Mario Galaxy, they aren't really threatening while you wait for an opening. That one just wanted to kill you for like 3 minutes straight.
I'm not sure that another entry in a long running series for Nintendo starring one of its most famous mascots and pieces of intellectual property is exactly "niche."
Donkey Kong is very famous. Donkey Kong Country? Not very famous except for people who grew up on the SNES.
Certainly I hope you aren't suggesting that DCKR is niche but that Super Meat Boy isn't because I doubt many people even know what the hell that is, let alone that it exists.
No, Super Meat Boy is plenty niche. But hey, it's an indie game made by a handful of people on a minimal budget. If they sell 100,000 copies, they're probably ecstatic. If DKCR sold 100k, it would be a huge bomb.
True, but odds of that happening are rather astronmically low given the huge Wii userbase, the acclaim its getting, and the existing fanbase. Not to mention the possibility of reaching plenty of potential new players through sheer word of mouth alone.
This isn't some obscure 2D fighter being released with no advertising campaign, its a game from an acclaimed series that from what I've seen has been getting a decent advertising push and will undoubedly be promoted a lot in stores.
I think it'll get drowned out by marketing for Epic Mickey (and to a lesser extent, Nintendo's other 2D platformers - NSMBW & Kirby).
It might get drowned out by Epic Mickey in the ad space towards the end of the month, sure, but I think that both can and will do well simultaneously.
I'm willing to bet it becomes the best selling title for Retro Studios at the very least.
Metroid Prime sold over 10 million copies. If DKCR breaks 1 million, I'll be surprised.
Okay so . . . maybe I should have said second best there! I had no idea that Metroid Prime did that well, although I shouldn't be too surprised as that game was amazing. But it will almost certainly beat out Echoes and Corruption and I think come relatively close to what Metroid Prime did in the long run if it proves to have good staying power in the sales charts. Between November and December I could see DCKR selling nearly as well, if not better, than Microsoft's Kinect without it causing a whole lot of shock.
NSMB Wii has actually done insanely well. I'm pretty sure its devastated the numbers for Galaxy 2 and maybe even Galaxy. 2D platforming isn't dead or niche, it's just that nobody has been making any of them because they've been focusing on 3D. Whenever a good 2D platformer comes out though everybody goes crazy for it.
Oh yeah, I was using (or attempting to use) that as a sarcastic understatement when saying they did "pretty well" there. According to Nintendo's financial statements its sold about 16.73 million copies worldwide.
Anyway . . . I thought that I would post some highlights from the reviews I've read so far:
Game Revolution: A-
2010 has proven to be a year for the resurgence of 2D platformers, and there have been plenty of good ones, even great, so far. But it’s only fitting that the last big title to come out, with a name like Donkey Kong Country behind it, would be the one to trump them all.
Much like Kirby’s Epic Yarn, [these] elements give playing DKCR a sense that every level will bring something new that you haven’t seen before, and that’s a rare quality in a platformer.
DKCR also has a ton of replay value for completists. Every level has the good old K-O-N-G letters and a varying number of puzzle pieces, which are either tucked away in tricky hiding spots or rewards for finding very familiar bonus areas. Add to that a time trial mode for each level, which gives you a medal based on your speed (and gold is incredibly tough, trust me). And once you beat all the bonus levels you unlock mirror mode, which makes the game even more difficult by taking Diddy away and cutting your health to one for each level. There are dozens of hours and hundreds of lives to be sunk into all the stuff to collect.
+ Gameplay is amazingly true to DKC
+ Visually charming world
+ New elements mesh with old
+ Tough as nails, like it should be
+ Completists will be busy for a while
+ Cool co-op
- …but no Diddy control in solo
- Where my Kremlings at?
IGN: 9.0 overall - Outstanding
Retro Studios didn't set out to expand on the classic in the same way it did with the Metroid Prime series. Instead, it looks like the team applied the same design process Nintendo did with New Super Mario Bros. Wii: old school values using new school techniques. And even with its more modest production values compared to Retro's last three products, Donkey Kong Country Returns comes out a better 2D platformer than Mario's own Wii revisit a year ago.
Closing Comments
Understand there are times where you'll want to throw your controller against a wall -- Donkey Kong Country Returns is not a cakewalk. It's a hardcore challenge for the hardcore gamer, and because of its difficulty, it offers an amazing sense of satisfaction when you've completed a level that's kicked your butt five ways to Sunday. Retro Studios may have dialed back its Metroid Prime-style innovation in favor of a more traditional platformer for its latest experience, but Retro's modesty is still more impressive than another developer's A game. Rare should be proud that its design is in the right hands. Or just insanely jealous. Either works.
Donkey Kong Country Returns hits all the right spots; it's filled with childhood nostalgia, stunning visuals, and mentally taxing challenges. The game offers a wealth of inventive, wild fun and works even for those with no inherent emotional attachment to the cartoon gorilla on the cover. By all means, it's a pretty tough game, but it's not always about collecting every single item or beating a boss with lives to spare.
If they're going to make this for seasoned gamers why not at least give us the option for the CC instead of forcing the much reviled pointless waggle on us? I'm not even mad about it, just saddened. It's like they made the most delicious chocolate cake and then used poop for icing. Horizontal Wiimote just feels awkward too, I would never ever use it given an alternative (I use the CC even for VC NES games).
Pointer controls are great. So is tilt. Shaking is just imprecise and tedious especially in a game like this.
I should just figure out where you live so I can come play this damn game already!
blaze_zero on
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Zxerolfor the smaller pieces, my shovel wouldn't doso i took off my boot and used my shoeRegistered Userregular
edited November 2010
Yeah for reals. Some Wii games gets motion control right (stuff like MadWorld or No More Heroes, where the motion is intuitive and not forced all the time). Some go half-and-half (NSMB Wii -- platform tilting is cool, shake to pick up and spin jump is not). With DKCR, there's waggle everywhere and I'm not even seeing a freaking benefit to it all. It doesn't pull me in any better, the game doesn't control better, and it's frankly a hindrance to my enjoyment of the game
For me, it's a little worse because the available controls range from uncomfortable to downright painful. The sideways Wiimote hurts after a few minutes and the nunchuck combo fairs a little better. The killer with the latter is that holding the B trigger (which you do always in this game) gets very straining after a while. Apparently, my malformed right hand just can't handle this sort of shit.
But I keep at it after all these things because in the end, this is seriously one of the most inventive platformers I've played this side of Super Mario Galaxy. Retro Studios is a top-shelf act and their namesake is more than earned by this point.
(I admit it, when I heard the Fear Factory remix, I squealed like a girl a little.)
Posts
:?
That's unfortunate.
like, after Metroid and now this I want Retro making all of Nintendo's games
ALL OF THEM
I really want to play a Retro Mario or Zelda
PSN/Steam/NNID: SyphonBlue | BNet: SyphonBlue#1126
This man is wise.
Also does anyone know if there's a Fear Factory remix in this game? Because they remixed so many DKC songs and aside from the obvious brambles and underwater music Fear Factory is my favorite.
I haven't heard Fear Factory yet, but really the only one I would expect to not be in there somewhere would be Gang Plank Galleon, what with the lack of Kremlings.
Which is about how I'm expecting this game to do. Even if it's a pretty good game, I can't imagine that there's enough nostalgia for the old DKC games for this to do all that well. It'll probably sell better than Wario Land, but not by a whole lot.
Zeboyd Games Development Blog
Steam ID : rwb36, Twitter : Werezompire, Facebook : Zeboyd Games
Minecart nightmares are back in full force though. I just feel so awesome when I beat them however that I can't get enough of them.
PSN/Steam/NNID: SyphonBlue | BNet: SyphonBlue#1126
Wow.
So you missed Banjo-Kazooie and Mario 64?
Because honestly DK64 is a bloated mess.
Banjo-Tooie for sure.
Banjo Kazooie is pretty much perfect in terms of size and level variety.
I loved how the different worlds were all connected in Banjo-Tooie (although the worlds taken individually were a bit too large).
Do you post in these Wii threads just be a troll?
Fear Factory is in there. It is good.
List of gripes so far, coming from a man who ranks DKC2 as his favorite game:
And for reference, I've made it to 7-4.
-Controls, as has been mentioned, could be better. Not at all a deal breaker. I've found playing sideways wii-mote is much better for waggle than nunchuk.
-There's a level of charm, I guess is the right word, missing from it. It's like it's struggling to find identity after what Donkey Kong's been through in the past 14 years. As far as style goes, it doesn't know if it wants to be a Country game or something like Jungle Beat, King of Swing, Konga, or what-have-you. Trying to mash up pre-DK64 Donkey Kong with DK64 and beyond just kind of, I don't know, doesn't really feel right. This might be nostalgia talking. I understand it's trying to carve its own little chunk of DK history out and isn't trying to be a Rare game, but it still feels like it's trying, if that makes any sense.
-Rocket Barrel levels aren't that great. I never was a fan of the Helicopter game though, so that's up to preference I guess.
-Bonus stages are boring. Gone are the little mini mazes and kill all the baddies. Just collect all the shit within the time limit.
-On the subject of identity, the baddies are kind of bland. They don't really have much character.
-I understand they were going for a NSMBwii feel with the world map and the unlockable level per world, but it doesn't really feel right for a DKC game. Unlocking the Lost World levels or the Krematoa levels was awesome because you were working towards a bigger goal. The unlocked levels really just are another level you have to pay 20 banana coins to play.
That said, this is definitely one of, if not the, game(s) of the year for me. I'm loving basically every minute of it and find myself just wanting to play more. I can safely say I'll be playing through it a couple times.
I think this game should do pretty good though. Its Donkey Kong Country! That and its getting out right before the black Friday sales rush rolls around and is one of the better new Wii games during the holiday rush. Its pretty much this, Epic Mickey when that hits, and people getting GoldenEye 007, Kirby, and other games late. There are probably going to be a ton of 25th anniversary bundles sold and I could see this being a frequent add-on purchase with that. Not to mention all the people who love the SNES games or Donkey Kong in general. All things considered, this game should do very good!
Yes.
Like I said, I don't really care when it hits the bargain bins. I've got enough great games to play that I probably wouldn't buy DKCR this year in any case short of seeing it for something ridiculous like $10. Chances are that I'll pick it up for around $20 sometime in the middle of next year when new good games are scarce.
I just don't think it has much of a case for being a good seller? Why did DKC1-3 sell so well? A) They had amazing visuals for the time and
DKCR seems to be relying primarily on nostalgia, but there it's competing against Nintendo's own NSMB Wii and a TON more people are nostalgic about Mario than are nostalgic about DKC. People who aren't nostalgic about DKC and who just want a fun and unique 2D platformer would probably be better off getting Kirby's Epic Yarn instead. People who just want a new Wii game will probably get Epic Mickey (which looks like it'll have a drastically bigger marketing budget than DKCR) And people who own another system (or at least a mediocre PC) and like hardcore platformers would probably be better off getting Super Meat Boy.
I mean, there's nothing inherently wrong with creating a love letter to fans of an old game series, but when you target a niche like that, you're probably not going to have blockbuster sales. Hopefully Retro & Nintendo realize this and didn't overproduce.
Zeboyd Games Development Blog
Steam ID : rwb36, Twitter : Werezompire, Facebook : Zeboyd Games
And are 2D platformers relegated to mediocre sales now? I think that they the two recent sidescrolling Mario games have done pretty well, in addition to the multiple side scrolling Castlevania and Sonic games that have graced numerous sytems. They seems to be alive and well on XBLA too. Also, if you haven't noticed, this has been doing pretty favorably with reviews:
Wii Rank: 16
2010 Games Rank: 32
2010 Wii Rank: 5
Score based on 15 reviews
GameSpot - 8.5 out of 10 - 85.00%
Cheat Code Central - 4.9 out of 5 - 98.00%
Edge Magazine UK - 7 out of 10 - 70.00%
Gaming Age - A - 95.00%
GameFocus - 9.3 out of 10 - 93.00%
Game Boyz - 9 out of 10 - 90.00%
GamePro - 4 out of 5 - 80.00%
Gametrailers - 9 out of 10 - 90.00%
Giant Bomb - 4 out of 5 - 80.00%
Digital Chumps - 9.6 out of 10 - 96.00%
Nintendo Life - 10 out of 10 - 100.00%
NintendoWorldReport - 9.5 out of 10 - 95.00%
IGN - 9 out of 10 - 90.00%
1UP - A - 95.00%
Game Revolution - A- - 90.00%
GameSpy - 3.5 out of 5 - 70.00%
Computer & Video Games UK - 8.8 out of 10 - 88.00%
Eurogamer - 9 out of 10 - 90.00%
Game Informer - 9.5 out of 10 - 95.00%
About 17 million in one year.
Galaxy did about 9 million, Galaxy 2 has done a couple million world wide so far.
Donkey Kong is very famous. Donkey Kong Country? Not very famous except for people who grew up on the SNES.
No, Super Meat Boy is plenty niche. But hey, it's an indie game made by a handful of people on a minimal budget. If they sell 100,000 copies, they're probably ecstatic. If DKCR sold 100k, it would be a huge bomb.
I think it'll get drowned out by marketing for Epic Mickey (and to a lesser extent, Nintendo's other 2D platformers - NSMBW & Kirby).
That, I can agree with. DKC is much better known than Wario Land and DKCR is getting good reviews, whereas WL:SI got a mixed reaction.
Metroid Prime sold over 10 million copies. If DKCR breaks 1 million, I'll be surprised.
Oh and saying that 2D platforming isn't niche just because NSMB Wii sold well is silly. It's Mario, of course, it'll sell great. The only 2D platformer I can think of that has sold exceptional well in recent times that didn't have the backing of a huge name like Mario or Sonic is Limbo and that's a bit of an odd case (being as it is, an artsy horror platformer).
Zeboyd Games Development Blog
Steam ID : rwb36, Twitter : Werezompire, Facebook : Zeboyd Games
how do you get the bonus level? getting "KONG" in all levels or do you also need all puzzle pieces too?
Tap 2 NOT hold 2.
Following an intense marketing campaign, the original SNES version sold over 8 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling non-bundled SNES game of all time.
True, but odds of that happening are rather astronmically low given the huge Wii userbase, the acclaim its getting, and the existing fanbase. Not to mention the possibility of reaching plenty of potential new players through sheer word of mouth alone.
It might get drowned out by Epic Mickey in the ad space towards the end of the month, sure, but I think that both can and will do well simultaneously.
Okay so . . . maybe I should have said second best there! I had no idea that Metroid Prime did that well, although I shouldn't be too surprised as that game was amazing. But it will almost certainly beat out Echoes and Corruption and I think come relatively close to what Metroid Prime did in the long run if it proves to have good staying power in the sales charts. Between November and December I could see DCKR selling nearly as well, if not better, than Microsoft's Kinect without it causing a whole lot of shock.
Oh yeah, I was using (or attempting to use) that as a sarcastic understatement when saying they did "pretty well" there. According to Nintendo's financial statements its sold about 16.73 million copies worldwide.
Game Revolution: A-
2010 has proven to be a year for the resurgence of 2D platformers, and there have been plenty of good ones, even great, so far. But it’s only fitting that the last big title to come out, with a name like Donkey Kong Country behind it, would be the one to trump them all.
Much like Kirby’s Epic Yarn, [these] elements give playing DKCR a sense that every level will bring something new that you haven’t seen before, and that’s a rare quality in a platformer.
DKCR also has a ton of replay value for completists. Every level has the good old K-O-N-G letters and a varying number of puzzle pieces, which are either tucked away in tricky hiding spots or rewards for finding very familiar bonus areas. Add to that a time trial mode for each level, which gives you a medal based on your speed (and gold is incredibly tough, trust me). And once you beat all the bonus levels you unlock mirror mode, which makes the game even more difficult by taking Diddy away and cutting your health to one for each level. There are dozens of hours and hundreds of lives to be sunk into all the stuff to collect.
+ Gameplay is amazingly true to DKC
+ Visually charming world
+ New elements mesh with old
+ Tough as nails, like it should be
+ Completists will be busy for a while
+ Cool co-op
- …but no Diddy control in solo
- Where my Kremlings at?
IGN: 9.0 overall - Outstanding
Retro Studios didn't set out to expand on the classic in the same way it did with the Metroid Prime series. Instead, it looks like the team applied the same design process Nintendo did with New Super Mario Bros. Wii: old school values using new school techniques. And even with its more modest production values compared to Retro's last three products, Donkey Kong Country Returns comes out a better 2D platformer than Mario's own Wii revisit a year ago.
Closing Comments
Understand there are times where you'll want to throw your controller against a wall -- Donkey Kong Country Returns is not a cakewalk. It's a hardcore challenge for the hardcore gamer, and because of its difficulty, it offers an amazing sense of satisfaction when you've completed a level that's kicked your butt five ways to Sunday. Retro Studios may have dialed back its Metroid Prime-style innovation in favor of a more traditional platformer for its latest experience, but Retro's modesty is still more impressive than another developer's A game. Rare should be proud that its design is in the right hands. Or just insanely jealous. Either works.
1UP: A
Donkey Kong Country Returns hits all the right spots; it's filled with childhood nostalgia, stunning visuals, and mentally taxing challenges. The game offers a wealth of inventive, wild fun and works even for those with no inherent emotional attachment to the cartoon gorilla on the cover. By all means, it's a pretty tough game, but it's not always about collecting every single item or beating a boss with lives to spare.
Pointer controls are great. So is tilt. Shaking is just imprecise and tedious especially in a game like this.
I should just figure out where you live so I can come play this damn game already!
For me, it's a little worse because the available controls range from uncomfortable to downright painful. The sideways Wiimote hurts after a few minutes and the nunchuck combo fairs a little better. The killer with the latter is that holding the B trigger (which you do always in this game) gets very straining after a while. Apparently, my malformed right hand just can't handle this sort of shit.
But I keep at it after all these things because in the end, this is seriously one of the most inventive platformers I've played this side of Super Mario Galaxy. Retro Studios is a top-shelf act and their namesake is more than earned by this point.
(I admit it, when I heard the Fear Factory remix, I squealed like a girl a little.)
Don't you live on the other side of the US (hint hint)?