Retro Studios does a great job of capturing the magic of the original, despite some control issues.
The levels are imaginative and fun, with a great new set of enemies. New gameplay mechanics meld seamlessly with the old ones creating an inviting experience with lots to do. Overall the levels feel easier than the original Donkey Kong Country, though sections with the mining cart or the rocket barrel can be quite difficult.
Now for the few things about the game that bug me:
First, I've been disappointed with the frequency of animal companions (so far). I've only found one in 2 levels out of the first 3 worlds, which is disappointing. The companions also seem to make the levels way too easy when you do get ahold of them.
Second, the game makes excessive use of shaking the Wiimote. You have 3 different moves that require shaking which I find quite clumsy and there is no control scheme that will let you use a button press instead. It does detract from the game experience, but not enough to be frustrating.
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Overall, Retro Studios did an excellent job modernizing Donkey Kong. The game may be a bit on the difficult side for less experienced gamers and a bit easy for the more experienced, but there's the additional challenge of locating all the secrets and getting gold medals on all the time trials (which is very difficult.)
I highly recommend this game! I've been waiting a long time and I'm glad to say I'm not disappointed. 8.5/10