SuperGKoopa
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25 year old fella that likes some games.
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The original Donkey Kong Country is an enjoyable SNES 2D platformer but its gameplay wasn’t anything too unique. Luckily, Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest improves on nearly every aspect of the 1st entry to create a truly special experience.
When I played DKC1, I rarely ever chose Donkey Kong due to Diddy having a massive advantage in agility. In DKC2, the characters Diddy and Dixie are given much more distinctive abilities and are well balanced between speed and gliding. I really appreciate the team-up throws in the sequel as well. It’s a risk throwing around the equivalent of your healthbar, but the possibilities for shortcuts and hitting distant enemies make it worth learning how to nail the move. Even the level endings have been enhanced. Instead of simply walking off screen, the barrel strength tester offers one more trial in timing.
About halfway through DKC2’s world, the difficulty increase became one of the most apparent changes. The game has a huge amount of variety in level design, especially when you throw in all the new animal buddies. For every new game mechanic like balloons, wind, or honey, there’s always a gradual learning curve to familiarize the player. However, every level continuously combines the challenges with previous threats in a way that always keeps you prepared yet in suspense for what’s to come. With the addition of the DK and Kremcoins, the player needs to be especially attentive to notice the hidden areas and bonus barrels as well if they want to get 102%. Aside from some unclear hitboxes as a result of the pre-rendered graphics on a 2D plane, everything here is a perfect challenge.
Of course, I have to give a shoutout to David Wise’s soundtrack for this game. The songs here go beyond just setting the ambiance for the levels and overworld, and are incredible to listen to in any setting. Stickerbush Symphony and Snow Bound Land are some of my favorite themes from any game, and the credits music made me want to start playing the game all over again. Even if someone hasn’t touched the first entry or even a platformer in general, I’d recommend Diddy’s Kong Quest to anyone looking for a game that exemplifies satisfaction in skill and creativity.
Part of the Glitchwave Top 100 Project (#88/100)
I’m a huge Metropolis Zone defender in this game, and it might actually be my favorite part of Sonic 2. Every enemy feels like a real threat, placed exactly to test your reflexes and planning. Their fast attacks might toe the line of being cheap, but they all have patterns to efficiently take them out. Just barely brushing past a mechanical starfish’s needle is one of the most satisfying moments of the game. From an aesthetic angle, a completely industrialized theme is always a perfect contrast with Sonic. Everything under Robotnik’s design gives a great deal of urgency to complete your mission. With the best song in the game pushing you on, Metropolis Zone is one of the most challenging but rewarding trials in Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
Maybe my standards were affected by experiencing the original Sonic the Hedgehog on only an iPhone touch screen for many years, but my playthrough on the PS2’s Mega Collection Plus version was pretty enjoyable.
It’s an exceptionally simple platformer, even by 1991 design, but Sonic 1 has moments in every level that really capture a sense of speed from loop-de-loops, bumpers, and springs. During the times that you’re really moving fast, taking damage isn’t actually a huge penalty because you always have a few seconds to regain some of your health after a hit. Holding onto enough rings to enter the special stages at the end of a stage requires a lot of planning and can fall into trial-and-error territory. However, the whole game also has a great soundtrack and level aesthetics, which helps out the slower-paced Marble Zone and Labyrinth Zone a lot. With how short and easy the game (if you’re not focused on getting all the Master Emeralds), it’s an essential experience for those interested in video game history.
I think that Sonic makes much more sense as an armadillo though.