So I bought a pair of DK Bongos recently, because I needed to prove I'm a true motherfucking Gamecube-head. Three games were released in North America that are compatible with the bongos, this being the first one released. This and Donkey Konga 2 are rhythm in which you hit the left or right drum or clap in time with the music, while the last one is Jungle Beat, a platformer controlled with these three options, and I gotta say I hope Jungle Beat is a lot better than this.
Playing these bongos in tune with the music is really awkward, mostly because slapping the bongos like you would an actual bongo isn't the right way to play this. If you play like that you'll lose once the notes start getting faster, so instead you have to basically "click" on each drum like a big button, which isn't nearly as fun as what I thought it would be like to play them. This game also has a weird idea about how long it takes to go from pressing the bongo to clapping, and it really feels like it expects you to be hovering over the bongos ready to smack them like actual bongos, making it easier to go into a clap, when in reality I have both hands and the bongo ready to "click" them. It's to the point that there were some songs where shouting into the mic that registers the clap is easier than going into a clap. I was completely ready to admit that maybe my setup wasn't great for a rhythm game, and the lag was all my fault, but then I played the game with a controller and did better with the timing than I ever did with the bongos, so I think the bongos might just be bad for a rhythm game.
As for the tracklist, it seems like Nintendo was aiming extremely for family friendly, as it's a lot very boomer-core Oldies But Goodies stuff from the 50's and 60's. I need less of that and a lot more The Impression That I Get and Rock Lobster. Also this game has several tracks that are just a bunch of nursery rhymes in a row and like, you know what keep those, having the nerve to make my play my bongos to Happy Birthday is just funny. The Pokemon anime theme song and Kirby Right Back At Ya theme song are also appreciated.
Overall, this is kind of a not great rhythm game, where the funny peripheral you've been given doesn't really feel that good to play with the music. It's fun to play and laugh at with your friends, but trying to get actual enjoyment out of it is tough. The bongos are just a fun item to own though, I don't regret buying these bongos.
Playing these bongos in tune with the music is really awkward, mostly because slapping the bongos like you would an actual bongo isn't the right way to play this. If you play like that you'll lose once the notes start getting faster, so instead you have to basically "click" on each drum like a big button, which isn't nearly as fun as what I thought it would be like to play them. This game also has a weird idea about how long it takes to go from pressing the bongo to clapping, and it really feels like it expects you to be hovering over the bongos ready to smack them like actual bongos, making it easier to go into a clap, when in reality I have both hands and the bongo ready to "click" them. It's to the point that there were some songs where shouting into the mic that registers the clap is easier than going into a clap. I was completely ready to admit that maybe my setup wasn't great for a rhythm game, and the lag was all my fault, but then I played the game with a controller and did better with the timing than I ever did with the bongos, so I think the bongos might just be bad for a rhythm game.
As for the tracklist, it seems like Nintendo was aiming extremely for family friendly, as it's a lot very boomer-core Oldies But Goodies stuff from the 50's and 60's. I need less of that and a lot more The Impression That I Get and Rock Lobster. Also this game has several tracks that are just a bunch of nursery rhymes in a row and like, you know what keep those, having the nerve to make my play my bongos to Happy Birthday is just funny. The Pokemon anime theme song and Kirby Right Back At Ya theme song are also appreciated.
Overall, this is kind of a not great rhythm game, where the funny peripheral you've been given doesn't really feel that good to play with the music. It's fun to play and laugh at with your friends, but trying to get actual enjoyment out of it is tough. The bongos are just a fun item to own though, I don't regret buying these bongos.