After stepping out of the first area, you make your first steps onto Crocodile Island, and a landscape of lava unfolds. Bubbles sprout from the lake of fire, and rivers of magma fall from mountains in the background while David Wise's Hot Head Bop sounds in the background. You can hear everything happening around you.

I wouldn't fixate so much in the presentation but Rare did achieve something quite singular beyond realistic-looking scenery. It is a combination of both aesthetically inspired work and sound design that makes the levels have a breathing presence, almost a world-like feeling even, that still resonates to this day.

It's clearly where the efforts went though because once you pick the controller you remember you are playing yet another video game sequel. More to collect to make the player explore, new vertical levels to add variety, new obstacles to face to justify making another game. Yet at the end, more distractions from the main action, more haphazardly introduced content.

Note: If you decide to play this game, you really should do it on an old TV (or the closest you can find to that). It really isn't the same on emulation. The TV blur dissipates the two-dimensional layers to add more texture to the landscape, and the game was designed that way. This is lost in emulation and feels very awkward instead.

An absolutely excellent 2D platformer in every conceivable way. It's definitely weird that Donkey Kong isn't playable but it's for the better. Dixie Kong's "helicopter" hair is so useful for longer leaps but she is definitely not overpowered, Diddy Kong is still the most agile Kong and his agility is also useful in the brilliant level design this game offers. Like, seriously, this is one of the most expertly designed platformers I've ever played. I don't think there is a single level that feels like a letdown, all of them are intricately designed with the characters' special abilities in mind. The levels make use of their abilities not only to reach the end of the level, but also to find bonuses throughout the levels, rewarding those who master the controls and abilities, which is pretty genius.
Also the levels and overall world in Donkey Kong Country 2 have much more interesting set pieces compared to the first and the third. It not only makes the pirate theme super effective and memorable but also makes locations like amusement parks and beehives feel oddly natural for Donkey Kong, which usually has a bigger focus on jungle themed stages.
This game's presentation is absolutely superb for SNES standards. The first Donkey Kong Country already looked impressive but, I'm not gonna lie, there were instances where it didn't look very great. Donkey Kong Country 2 is a big improvement in visual and sound quality and it's very easy to see. It's a gorgeous SNES game with one of the greatest soundtracks in video game history.
Yeah, I don't know what to say anymore. DKC2 slaps and if you haven't played it, do yourself a favor and go play it, it's one of the best 2D platformers ever made.

This is one of those games I've beat many times, but still thoroughly enjoyed each time. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest is one of the best SNES games out there and does its job as the sequel to Donkey Kong Country masterfully. It takes all the good parts of its predecessor and throws in new things of its own to spice up the experience, from new animal buddies to a revamped bonus system and more. It feels connected but still separate from the first game, which I feel it does the best through its overall theme; Donkey Kong Country sought to be more realistic with its environments and overall style, but Donkey Kong Country 2 goes for a pirate theme and isn't afraid to get more goofy (though there are some levels that carry a similar feeling to the first game's nature theme).

As for flaws, I personally don't have major gripes with the game, but I know other people would (especially if they're going in with a modern gaming mind set). The main problem this game has that could turn players away is the limited saving. Although that was also in the first game, it was actually made worse here. In this game, it costs Banana Coins to save more than once and the Banana Coins you collect disappear when you load your save back up. If you're someone that doesn't try to beat games in one sitting, that'll surely get irritating. While I never struggle much with this nowadays, it definitely is the biggest flaw about this game and something you'll likely worry about any time you get to the next world as a new player.

While DKC 1 may be objectively more important, I personally prefer DKC2. The original already had TONS of personality, but 2 really takes it to another level. The music is unreal, the levels are gorgeous, I love the pirate theme, and the concept of Diddy and Dixie having to save Donkey Kong is so cool. Obviously, a lot of games since (Super Princess Peach, Luigis Mansion, others spin offs that I just cant think of right now) have done this concept of a sidekick needing to save the main character. And I’m sure some games have done it before DKC2. But the tone of DKC2 is really what sells it. The music and atmosphere of Diddy and Dixie traveling together on there quest is so unmatched. The Donkey Kong Country series always has this weird thing about it where it seemingly unintentionally, has very emotional games. They aren't trying to be emotional, like there isn't any dialogue or real story elements that suggest stakes or drama. It’s just through its ascetics that make it feel that way. All from a game series about monkeys angry whenever anyone takes there bannanas.

All time great level design (except for moments like Gusty Glade's baffling required leap of faith or that part in Castle Crush with the FOUR hedgehogs, which I didn't know at the time you could roll into--they're literally covered in spikes!--yes, I'm still mad), all time garbage lives system. Maybe I'm not great at the game (I'm not), but consider that some of my favorite levels were still some of the most challenging ones; they just happened to also give you access to a save point before playing them, which made the challenge exciting rather than exhausting. Replaying a level you've already thoroughly mastered just to get to the one you haven't is rarely, if ever, fun. Unless you're willing to compromise the developer's "intended experience" by using save states if you're playing on a modern platform (which you should, seriously), this severely bogs down what should be some of the most thrilling and engaging parts of the game. I appreciate a good challenge, but the tedious save system in conjunction with levels which demand either trial-and-error repetition or more precision than this game's sometimes-sketchy hitboxes and tight camera allow make it a more tiring, frustrating experience than its streamlined predecessor.

Still, most of the early worlds, before the stingy save system gets so brutal as to be frustrating, and the last few levels, where you rarely need to play many in a row without saving, are truly intense and massively rewarding in a way that few platformers ever accomplish. Rare was even kind enough to include the surprisingly easy Toxic Tower right near the end as a token of gratitude for making it that far. When it's at its best, Diddy's Kong Quest promises to be an even better game than DKC1. It doesn't quite see that through, but I appreciate it all the more for trying.

Donkey Kong Country turned out to be one of my favorite games on the SNES, and while I was excited to check out its first sequel, I wasn’t sure if it was going to be on the same level as its predecessor. Now that I’ve actually beaten it, though, Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest took everything that made Donkey Kong Country good and made it even better. The levels are even more atmospheric and well designed than they were in the first game, and David Wise’s score is twice as terrific as the first one. Not only that, but giving Dixie Kong an advantage over Diddy Kong rather than just being a walking shield was a great idea, and it also led to some incredible levels designed around her hover ability.

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest is also far more difficult than its predecessor, which was a hard game on its own, and although I found myself losing a lot more lives throughout this game, I also found myself having a lot more fun. Donkey Kong Country was challenging, but fair, and while that still kind of applies to Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest, I saw the game as the perfect balance between a fair challenge and a rage inducer, and that balance was what kept me going, in a way.

Although I still need to play more games on the SNES, especially more story driven ones, I have no problem calling Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest my favorite SNES game, and although I’m still very excited to play Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong’s Double Trouble!, I’m not sure if it can get any better than this.