After a VERY long wait, it's just what Donkey Kong Country fans have been wishing for.

User Rating: 9 | Donkey Kong Country Returns WII
Truly, this was the only game I saw at Nintendo's E3 Press Conference that I squeaked with excitement for. The original Donkey Kong Country remains one of my favourite games to this day, and the features that made that game so special are happily in abundant supply in this new installment.

To begin with, it's stunningly beautiful. Absolutely gorgeous. The visuals had far more of an impact on me than the first time I laid eyes on the original back in... 1994 was it? And those were amazing for that era. The combination of delightful sound effects, pleasing music, and astounding visuals is like hardly any other game out there for the Wii. Retro Studios nailed these aspects.

The gameplay itself offers a slightly steep learning curve. I found the first three worlds to be enjoyable yet challenging. Upon entering the fourth world, I discovered that "challenging" was word I was using more and more often, and eventually I was just using "this game is HARD!" (Crowded Cavern.... ARGH). Oh yes, that was another thing that appealed to my nostalgia: the nifty naming of the lovable levels. Alliteration, anyone?

I believe the game is certainly worth the price, although it's not cheap. Anyone who grew up in the NES/SNES era should definitely pick up this one; it's a wonderful trip back to the 2D side-scrolling adventures of yester-year.