After finally plaything through it, I'm really embarrassed at how long it had taken me to finally play Donkey Kong Country 2. The overall formula of the game remains relatively the same, but, since Donkey Kong has been kidnapped by Kaptain K. Rool, you play as Diddy and his girlfriend Dixie. Along with Dixie and her ability to glide by whirling her ponytail comes the ability for the Kongs to climb up on one another's backs and be thrown as a weapon or to hard to reach places.
Animal buddies return and are more numerous than in the first game. Rambi and Enguarde make a comeback, but are basically unchanged except for the ability to do a "supercharge" by holding down the attack button (this supercharge allows Enguarde to break walls as well). Squawks makes a reappearance as well, now able to carry the Kongs through the air and shoot nuts/eggs/ballsofsomesort out of his mouth. Newcomers include Rattly the Rattlesnake who acts as a replacement for Winky with the added ability to do a "superjump," Squitter the Spider who can shoot webs offensively or to create platforms, and the less notable animals, Clapper the Seal and Glimmer the Anglerfish who essential act as level gimmicks the way Squawks did in the first game.
These changes are important as there are now barrels in certain levels which completely change you into the five major animal helpers. These barrels, along with a variety of other new barrels and platforming gimmicks including wind, horizontal ropes, invincibility barrels, and so on, provide for fun and interesting levels which can end up more engaging than the ones in DKC2's predecessor. Overall, the game is a little more streamlined as levels are made more linear in a certain sense and the addition of bonus barrels and specific barrels making finding secrets a little less all over the place. I know seeing the word "streamlining" sets off a lot of video game enthusiasts these days, akin to feared terms such as "casualization" and "garnering a larger audience," myself included, but it really works for DKC2 and makes for a better game and less anxiety for those going for secrets and collectibles.
On the topic of collectibles, bonus levels now reward players with Kremkoins which can be given to a Kremlin, Klubba, in order to gain access to The Lost World. Banana coins are also strewn about levels and act as currency. Players can give them to Wrinkly Kong in order to save and get some hints, Skwanky Kong in order to play some trivia for lives, Funky Kong to get around the world map, and Cranky Kong for hints about where DK Coins may be found. DK Coins serve as merely collectibles used to appease Cranky Kong and truly beat the game once all collected.
I know I didn't mention NPCs in my first post about DKC, but there was only three of them in that game (Cranky, Funky, and Candy) and they served pretty basic functions (vague advice, world map travel, and saving).
Bosses are a lot more unique and make for some really fun and memorable fights compared to Donkey Kong Country's bosses. The Kaptain K. Rool fight may even surpass King K. Rool. Shouts out to King Zing Sting too, as well as the beehive-based levels.
Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble isn't as radically different from DKC2 as DKC2 is from the original DKC. Both DK and Diddy are kidnapped this time, so it's Dixie and the newcomer Kiddy Kong's turn to save the day. Dixie's gameplay stays the same, while Kiddy plays a lot more like DK with the strange ability to skip on water using his roll. The duo can "team up" similar to the way Dixie and Diddy could in Kong Quest, but, due to their difference in size, Kiddy can throw Dixie quite far and Dixie can use Kiddy's heavy weight to break through cracks in ground.
Double Trouble features an expansive world map which Kiddy and Dixie can explore using Funky Kong's varied vehicles.Collectibles are taken to a new level as well, adding: Bear Coins, which act similarly to DKC2's Banana Coins and are named so because of the friendly bears which often accept them, Bonus Coins used to unlock levels on the Lost World of Krematoa, and Banana Birds which help the player reach that 103% completion. DK Coins return as well, but, instead of being hidden, are used as shields by Koin Kremlins who must be defeated with a steel keg to the back. Most Koins are defeated by simply throwing the keg against a wall behind them, but some take a little more thinking and skill to defeat.
Ellie the Elephant replaces Rambi the Rhino in Double Trouble and I believe is the first female animal buddy (down with the pachyderm patriarchy!) and can use her trunk to suck barrel towards her or shoot out water she collects. Parry the Parallel Bird is another new animal friend who flies above the Kongs in order to get out-of-reach collectibles and bonuses. Unfortunately, he is easily killed so players must be careful where they walk (and, thus, force him to fly) when he's around.
Bosses are taken up another notch in DKC3 and make for some interesting fights, but, to my dismay, I found the Baron K. Roolenstein to be the weakest of the K. Rool fights. Overall, I found progress collectible-wise to be the easiest in Double Trouble and my overall percent completion went 3 > 2 > 1 for the three games. I did not 100/102/103/whatever% any of the games as I'd like to move onto the next game asap, but these are definitely games I'd like to go back to and completely Kongquer when I have the chance.
I realize this wasn't very short at all, but I really enjoyed my time with this games and hopefully any readers will take the time to enjoy them to. I have yet to play Donkey Kong Country Returns even though I have a Wii, because I'm holding out until I get a 3DS and can play DKCR3D, though I am hyped to finally play it and hopefully Tropical Freeze as well in the future. I'll leave you off with one of the most relaxing tracks in the series:
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