Best Donkey Kong Country?

Have to go with

None of them

Real eager to see responses on this being that Donkey Kong and Mario Cart 8 will be my deciding factors in getting a Wii-U.

Diddy's Kong Quest was sublime.

There isn't another Donkey Kong except 64 that can touch it.

haven't bought Tropical Freeze yet.

So far DKC2 is still my favorite.

It's hard to pick. All the games are amazing!

The first on SNES gets my vote.

Love the SNES, big part of my childhood.

But fundamental game design wise Tropical Freeze makes those old games feel like relics. What TF lacks is magic, spark, imagination, or anything that would give you the impression that Retro had any original idea of their own with this franchise. But on a purely mechanical-level design standpoint TF can clown those older counterparts. So yeah TF is the best game in that regard. Most impressive at the time it came out, DK2. Shittiest DK64? what a piece of garbage.

Both of Retro Studios Donkey Kong Country games completely and utterly shame Rare's efforts. Just go back to any of their games and you won't have to go far to find questionable design choices. They're still fun and all, but they lack the level of detail, precision controls, creativity, and pitch perfect level design that Retro has produced with their DKs.

this is one of those extremely rare cases where the revival completely and utterly outclasses the classics. It's just that there is a lot of nostalgia fueling the love of the originals.

In the end I picked Tropical Freeze. Retruns is pretty much perfect, but Tropical Freeze is far more imaginative and creative with the level design. Retro got extremely clever this time. Moreso than the series has ever been before.

My list from best to worst:

1. DKCR 3D

2. DKC2

3. DKC3

4. DKC

I still haven't played Tropical Freeze.

lmao the new ones aren't better than the original

In terms of controls, level design, and visual presentation, they are much much better. Take off the nostalgia goggles buddy.

DKC 2 is the absolute best, although I haven't played Tropical Freeze yet but I doubt it would be better. The first one has its charm aswell, but it had lame boss fights outside of the last one and I have nightmares with their first mine cart level >.<

1. Donkey Kong Country 2 (This is not only my favorite Donkey Kong Country game, but I think it might be my favorite game of all time.)

2. Donkey Kong Country

3. Donkey Kong Country 3

4. Donkey Kong Country Returns (This could have been a great game, but it was ruined by horrible waggle controls. It also lacked the charm and atmosphere of the original trilogy)

I haven't played Tropical Freeze yet, but I'm looking forward to it. Like I said, Donkey Kong Country Returns could have been a great game if it wasn't for the horrible waggle controls and Tropical Freeze won't have this problem, so I expect to have a lot of fun with it, but I doubt it will surpass the original trilogy.

I haven't played Tropical Freeze yet, but DKC3 is my favorite and I own them all except for TF even though I do own a Wii U (I plan on getting TF soon). Kiddie Kong is my favorite.

Yeah, Kiddie Kong has his charm. I wanted him to be the 4th character since it makes sense all of them have been playable characters, but I guess Nintendo would get cranky at the idea. :P

Im actually playing DK on the Snes right now. The game holds up well for being 20 years old.

Poison Pond.... Grrrrr

The original trilogy has a better atmosphere overall but the Retro games has better level design, character mobility and value. I prefer the latter.

DK64..... well was worse at everything. -__- I did like the DK Krew tho. And the rap. Walnuts, peanuts, pineapples smell *dj scratch* :P

1. DKC

2. DKC2

3. DKCR

I liked Returns the best, but I haven't played Tropical Freeze yet and it is probably better. 64 was the worst.

DKC2 and 3 are my favourites

I've only played a little bit of Tropical Freeze but I love it so far and that could become my favourite one.

DKC: Returns had motion controls on Wii to do your attacks, wouldn't call that precision controls by any stretch of the imagination.

The 3DS version has way better controls, but unfortunately had to sacrifice graphic fidelity. So I would love a HD remake of DKC: Returns on WiiU where you can play with updated graphics and the WiiU pro controller (has a perfect D-pad for 2D platformers)

Donkey Kong Country 2 was my favourite, followed by the DKC which was also amazing,

I enjoyed DKC3, though I found it way easier than the other two games.

have not played DKCR, but will be picking up tropical freeze shortly.

whichever the snes one was.

on the level where it starts to snow gradually then builds to a storm my mind was friggin blown.

no sarcasm.

that shyt was amazing back in the day.

none in the list, the best one for me was Donkey Kong 64, for Country though I would choose 2 and 3

@Riverwolf007: I'm pretty sure that was the first DKC, probably the second world. I agree, it was amazing back then.

I owned both the 3DS and Wii versions of Returns and I must say the Wii controls were much better (Nunchuck and wii remote). The 3DS was far too cramped to play comfortably.

In any case, the DK games were clearly made for analogue control. Normally I play 2D platformers with the D-pad, but Retro clearly designed these games with the analogue stick in mind. DK moves at varying degrees of speed and that precision is essential.

I'm not talking about the key lay-out of the 3DS. I'm talking purely about the controls of the game

Buttons > motion controls. Especially when it comes to precision, like you were talking about. That is a fact. We can talk personal preference all we want but that remains a fact.

I totally disagree with the last part. No where does it feel to me like these games were clearly made for analog controls. I can't play 2D platformers with an analog stick (personal preference). That is why I have a lot of 2D platformers on PC that remain unplayed because all I have is a 360 controller. It has good analog sticks but the d-pad is complete crap. So I can't play the games comfortably.

I liked the first three DKC games just as much as each other... but if I had to pick just one, it would probably be DKC2.

YES damn right! And the music was just perfect. :D Makes me want to play it again. I think it was the first level in the 4th world, in DKC1.

They're all amazing, but realistically I'd need to replay the old ones to compare them all fairly. So I can't really decide.

DKC1 = DKC2 > DKC3 >>>>>>>> DKC: Returns >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> DK64

However, as far as music is concerned

DKC2 > DKC1 > DKC3 > DK64 >>>>> DKC: Returns

Here's the thing. Most 2D platformers only have digital input. Pressing right means the character goes right and usually there is a run button that allows the character to pick up speed.

In Retro's Donkey Kongs, however, the default control scheme is Wii remote and nunchuck. There is no run button. Instead DK has varying degrees of speed and movement due to full analogue input (including jump adjustment). The game plays a lot better and smoother when using this intended control method. It also allows for a more precise waggle roll as your movement method is separated from shaking with the right hand. When you use the sideways wii remote option it limits your inputs to walk and run.

I started DKCR like you did because I thought the exact same way as you, but I only truly found out the true quality and enjoyment of the game when I switched to the above control method. The added precision allowed me to 200% the game. A feat I don't think would have nearly been as doable if I used merely the Wii remote.

This is why I say the game was clearly intended for analogue control. In every other 2D game I absolutely agree with you because that's how they were designed.

I highly recommend you give analogue control a real good try on Retro's DKs. I promise you won't be disappointed with the results once you get used to it.

Alright, I'm sure I'm going to finish DKC: TF multiple times so I'll give the analog control a try in my other playthrough :)

The only thing that really bothered me in the Wii game was not the analog controls, but the fact that you had to waggle to do an action, instead of simple pressing a button. It felt unneeded to me, I felt like it was only added because the Wii-remote had to be used in a way. That's what I think the 3DS did better: it needed a button press.

A remake for WiiU could allow for multiple control inputs, which TF allows, which would be great.

The DKC soundtracks feature the best 16bit music I've ever heard. So glad David Wise did the music for the new one.

My favourite songs:

yeah and his new soundtrack shows that he's just as good as he's always been

Nice ! Yup, he still got it.

From the intro on I've been enjoying the songs a lot. I hope they release an OST album, would buy.

I only played the first one on the SNES, though it was impressive at the time.