Despite the allure of fancier graphics and higher-quality games than my all-too-respectable NEXTSTEP offers, I swore never to waste money (not to mention time) on a Nintendo or Sega entertainment system. Then I caught a glimpse of Nintendo's Donkey Kong Country. Within days my will broke, and I headed over to Toys 'R' Us. Donkey Kong Country is the first fully rendered videogame: the 3-D graphics were all superbly crafted on Silicon Graphics computers, then translated into a format for Super NES. Although Donkey Kong Country would have been great fun had it been designed with conventional methods, Nintendo's rich and detailed graphics make it a "must have" for gamers.
Fans of the original Donkey Kong are in for a few surprises. This time around, you play Donkey Kong (and his new sidekick, Diddy Kong) while Mario is nowhere to be found. Instead of tackling harrowing construction sites, Donkey Kong and Diddy must traverse the insidious terrain of Donkey Kong Island in search of the missing banana hoard. Along the way, they cross snow-covered mountains, swim the seas, take a harrowing ride through an abandoned mine (à la Indiana Jones), and fight a giant bumblebee. Luckily, they have a few friends who help them out along the way, including a frog, an ostrich, and the voluptuous Candy Kong.
One nice thing about Donkey Kong Country is that it doesn't keep score. Players simply try to see how far they can get in the adventure. And if they're running out of steam, they can always go back to an earlier level to collect more lives (one life for every 100 bananas gathered). Also, the Donkey Kong Country cartridge sports enough battery-powered RAM to save three games in mid-play.
With its wide appeal, outstanding graphics, and mesmerizing soundtrack, Donkey Kong Country is a smash hit. Parents will no doubt appreciate its lack of violence and bloodshed. This is a classic game with a number of subtle modern twists, making it enjoyable for children and adults. With so much dreck out there, it's great to see a company like Nintendo turn its back on sensationalism and realize that, above all, good games sell entertainment systems.
Donkey Kong Country: US$69.95. Nintendo of America Inc.: (800) 255 3700, +1 (206) 885 7529.
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