NPC! Donkey Kong Jungle Beat Review (Wii)

Refined and Re-awesomed

Fans of the original Donkey Kong Jungle Beat had mixed feelings about a New Play Control! version of the game the second it was announced. DKJB on Wii has ditched the bongo control scheme in favor of the coveted Wii Remote and Nunchuk. While that didn't work for Donkey Kong Barrel Blast (a game originally developed to use the bongos on GameCube, instead ported to Wii using Wii controls) the controls work flawlessly for Jungle Beat. This review is being written not as a comparison guide, but as if the original never existed (sorry purists).

Donkey Kong Jungle Beat is a platformer, very similar to Donkey Kong Country. DK sets on a mission, to collect bananas, kill bad guys, you know, the typical story. The overall goal of each level is to collect as many bananas as you can. You can collect bananas from defeating enemies, or just picking them up throughout the world.

Where the game differs from a traditional platformer, or rather from Donkey Kong Country is the control scheme. Use the Nunchuk's analog stick to control Donkey. A brief shake of the Wii Remote sends a sonic wave in the direction you are holding the Nunchuk's analog stick. Those wave shocks kill your enemies, and can release encapsulated bananas. Press the Z button to crouch, and the A button to jump. Around a group of bananas, you can also just hold the A button and DK will grab all the bananas in one foul swoop. Pretty simple controls once you spend some time getting the hang of it all.

The levels are beautifully designed, boasting bright visuals and detailed backgrounds throughout each 2D environment. Throughout the game, the levels seem to get more and more inventive. As soon as you start getting bored of the jungle, you'll find yourself on a mountain, on the beach, or in the sky swimming through jello. As you start to progress through the game, you'll encounter sub bosses. They're all fun, and each requires a different skill method to beat them. Some you'll have to throw exploding barrels at your enemy, others you'll have to knock your opponent out by repeatedly throwing punches (like Dread Kong). Really, the boss battles are extremely satisfying, and offer a great level of variety.

You can immediately recognize that the game is heavily influenced by Super Mario Galaxy, as both titles were designed by the same team. From the sound effects, to the menu fonts, to even the gameplay (shaking the Wii Remote to swing your body from a willow into the air). Throughout the levels, you will also encounter different alternatives to the walking and swinging, some new and some old past times. Shooting through barrels is back in Donkey's life, as is holding onto a bird to ascend through a level. New this time around is riding an angry bull down a snowy mountain, something as fun as it sounds.

The Time
The game itself is relatively short. Without a variety of modes, your focus is completing the main story mode. The game features different course barrels, each consisting of 3 different levels. You'll beat each level in about 5-10 minutes or so, completing each course barrel about a half hour. Overall, it's pretty easy to jump in, beat a level, save your progress and come back later for more.
(9.0/10)

The Game
DK JB is wildly entertaining. Seeing little to no advertising for a game typically gives the notion that it's not worth the purchase. However, I was impressed on all fronts. The game is beautiful, offers a great control scheme, fun gameplay, and brings DK back to his roots. All this without Cranky Kong yelling at you every 5 minutes (I'm assuming at this point he's been checked into a home).
(9.0/10)

The Verdict
This is a definite buy for any DK fan, especially for the reduced price tag ($29.99 U.S.). DK JB will bring you back to the days of Donkey Kong Country, and make you forget all the missteps along the way (damn you DK 64). This feels like a from-the-ground-up platformer for the Wii, as you'd never guess it was a reworked port of a bongo game. You'll enjoy the game so much, you'll pray for a sequel.