Review Round-Up - April 2026

If bookending every other review this month with two Donkey Kong Country games was wrong,
you know what? I don't want to be right!

April showers brought... uh... review powers (?) to SuperPhillip Central! Six more reviews were published this past month, and it's time to quickly recap them with the Review Round-Up for April 2026.

We monkeyed around and had a blast all month-long, starting with two classic franchises with games of varying age: Donkey Kong Country Returns HD (A-) and Bomberman 64 (B-). Both brought their respective stars back into the spotlight, and both succeeding to different degrees. We continued the bombing theme from our retro review with indie game Bombun, blasting away with a B-.

From there, another two classic series got their turn on SPC with the latest in the Ys series, Ys X: Proud Nordics, setting sail to a satisfying B grade, and the original Dreamcast Sonic Adventure, which didn't do as well decidedly, stepping into a D grade.

Lastly, Donkey Kong Country started the month, and also finished the month with a look back at Donkey Kong Country on the Game Boy Advance with a retro review. The port received a C+ grade. 

April was a month of classic franchises for the most part, and that will most likely continue into May, as SuperPhillip Central participates in Mega May for the first time--a celebration of all things Mega Man! Look forward to reviews on classic Mega Man games, some more classic than others!

Until then, the SPC Review Archive is your home for all past reviews on the site, and it was very recently reorganized into categories by platform holder (e.g. Nintendo, PlayStation, Xbox, Mobile, etc.)! Enjoy, and thanks for your continued support, everyone! 

Donkey Kong Country Returns HD (NSW) - A-

The very recent additions of Dixie Kong, Turbo Attack mode, and fixes to the co-op (the latter of which Returns HD introduced as a problem) make for a platformer in Donkey Kong Country Returns HD that is a superb, stellar, and banana slamma' of an experience.

Bomberman 64 (N64) - B-

While I certainly don't lament Bomberman 64's requirement for mastering bomb jumping or otherwise having a frost bomb's chance in Hell at succeeding at completing the Adventure mode, I do love this game to this day. It gets frustrating, it gets difficult, and it gets annoying at times, but with enough practice, enough patience, and enough perseverance, players will blast on through without hopefully blowing themselves up too much in the process.

Bombun (PC) - B-

Short but relatively sweet, Bombun is a brief blast of a 3D action-platformer. If you're looking for an extensive romp or the idea of replaying levels for speed-running purposes does not appeal to you, you'll quickly discover that Bombun has an unremarkable and short fuse, then. For everyone else, the platforming is so tight, the stage design executed well enough to make speed-running a blast, and the game overall enjoyable all in all to make for a game that is far from a dud.

Ys X: Proud Nordics (Multi) - B 

...new players to Ys X should definitely check out Proud Nordics while previous players of the tenth installment should wait for a discount (or a deep discount, at that) before that dive back into Obelia Gulf's waters. The Proud Nordics package as a whole is a fantastic one, and while the game doesn't hit the same highs for me as my favorite games in the series: Oath in Felghana and Lacrimosa of Dana, it certainly offers a majestic adventure full of heart and fun. 

Sonic Adventure (DC) - D

Where Mario jumped into the realm of 3D with absolute grace, Sonic failed and performed a faceplant in the process. There is a lot to love about Sonic Adventure, to be fair--the ideas are well intended and somewhat clever, the music is some of the series's absolute best and one of my favorite soundtracks in gaming, and the presentation, especially for 1999, is terrific--but as a cohesive package, the game flails and otherwise fails. 

Donkey Kong Country (GBA) - C+

If you've played the original Donkey Kong Country countless times through the years like I have, and you want a different take on the original DKC, then the Game Boy Advance port of Donkey Kong Country is worthwhile and serviceable enough. The new additions in the form of new story elements, increased replay value through collecting all of the gallery images in the game, and some of quality of life changes don't exactly make up for the lackluster implementation of the presentation or the camera issues, but it does make for a fresh take on Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong's first adventure together. 

Meanwhile, some highly explosive games both retro and indie were simply the bomb, both literally and figuratively!

Donkey Kong Country (GBA) Retro Review

I must be in a monkey kind of mood this month, specifically with Nintendo's grand gorilla, the mighty Donkey Kong! Earlier this month we took a look at the updated HD remaster of Donkey Kong Country Returns on the Nintendo Switch. Now, we're going further back in time with the OG Donkey Kong Country, except this time the Game Boy Advance version. How does it shape up? Let's find out with the SuperPhillip Central review!

Jungle Hi-Jinks in the palm of your hand.

1994 saw a wonderful partnership between Nintendo and Rareware blossom fully into something truly beautiful with their collaboration and the birth of Donkey Kong Country. It was an exciting time for platforming fans, and the rendered visuals of the game and sophisticated (and damn terrific) music helped set the Super Nintendo apart from its fierce competition at the time. Rare was on a tear back then, coming out with two sequels the following two years, and the quality was arguably even greater. 

In some ways it still blows my mind that today we get console-quality games in handheld/portable form, so you can bet it was earth-shattering to me that a home console game like Donkey Kong Country could be ported to a tiny handheld like the Game Boy Advance. Nowadays, we wouldn't get anywhere as near as many concessions as this version of the game has, but back in the day, it was really neat... in theory. That said, after finally playing the Game Boy Advance port of Donkey Kong Country, no doubt there are better examples of Super Nintendo games that successfully made the transition to handheld form. Though certainly not for a lack of trying.

Donkey Kong Country's Game Boy Advance port immediately brings something new to the table upon starting a new save file--that of an opening. The Super Nintendo original's story was limited to that of reading it in the instruction manual (I miss those), but in the GBA version, we see that Donkey Kong asks his main man--er... monkey, Diddy, to watch over his banana hoard while he takes a nap. King K. Rool's Kremling army shortly enters into the cavern where the hoard is located and promptly takes Diddy down, pilfering the potassium-rich goodies in the process. 

Cranky Kong, who by the by, has lost a lot of his fun, snarky bite when compared to the SNES original, wakes Donkey Kong up, reveals what has transpired, and sees DK shoving off to locate his bananas all over DK Isle. 

The opening does give some added context to the game, but even still, the Game Boy Advance saw its games include instruction manuals where the game's story and background could have easily been displayed regardless. The added story elements don't end with the opening, as there are dialogue scenes post-boss battles, too. These aren't very worthwhile either and do best in just slowing down the pacing of the game. 

Immediately getting into some jungle hi-jinks within the first level of the game.

Regardless, the tried and true gameplay of Donkey Kong Country is here and accounted for. You play as Donkey Kong and quite quickly save Diddy Kong from inside a DK Barrel. Said special barrels will bring back either DK or Diddy into the fold. Since it's one-hit KOs for each character, if both characters are together, it's essentially like the original Super Mario Bros., where taking damage loses a power-up, or in DKC's case, either DK or Diddy. If another hit is taken (in SMB's terms, you're hit as small Mario, or in DKC's terms, you're hit by your lonesome without your platforming partner), a life is lost and you have to continue from either the start of the level or a checkpoint barrel.

These Kremlings certainly know how to hop to it.

Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong can tag each other in, changing which character the player currently controls. This has its use cases. For example, Donkey Kong is much heavier than Diddy Kong, so while DK may not be as agile or quick on his feet, his weighty presence does allow him to defeat enemies that Diddy simply bounces off of or would require throwing a barrel at them to beat. 

While many games house poor swimming stages, I enjoy them within the Donkey Kong Country series.

Another difference is in how the characters hold barrels. DK holds them over his head, whereas Diddy holds them directly in front. This might seem like a negligible difference, but it's important when trying to carry a barrel through a horde of enemies. If enemies are overhead, DK's held barrel will most likely burst open, defeating the enemy, but also losing the barrel, of course. 

I mention this part because levels house plentiful secrets in the form of bonus areas. Many of these bonus areas can only be accessed through throwing or running a barrel into a special wall, blasting it open, allowing DK and Diddy to enter inside. New to the Game Boy Advance version is that of intros to the bonus stages, briefly detailing the goal of each bonus stage, such as collecting prizes in the form of bananas, reaching the exit, etc. Barrel cannons that launch DK and Diddy to bonus areas have the letter "B" on them, much like the SNES sequels have, a change compared to the OG DKC on the same platform.

DK rolls out the steel barrel for this Kremling. What a gracious host!

There is also an incentive to collect the four K-O-N-G letters in each level. Unlike the SNES original, these are tracked in the level list accessed from the pause menu. You can also see how many bonus areas are in each level and how many you've discovered. Doing these tasks in all levels unlocks artwork in the gallery. You also unlock new artwork by finding blue camera collectibles in levels and from defeating enemies in certain ways, such as beating the strongest normal Kremling, Krusha, while riding Rambi the Rhino, for instance. There are over 50 unique pieces of artwork, so this adds some longevity and added replay value to the game.

K-O-N-G letters: Not just for 1-ups anymore!

Another new aspect to Donkey Kong Country's Game Boy Advance port, and related to the aforementioned artwork in the gallery, is that of mini-games. Both Funky Kong and Candy Kong host their respective games. Whereas Funky Kong's locations on the world map still grant the ability to fly between already-played worlds, Candy Kong's stall is all about her mini-game, as saving can be done any time on the map. This is of course helpful for portable play, where you can play a level and then put your game down for a bit for some bite-sized fun when possible. 

Funky's mini-game involve moving your Kong along Enguarde the Swordfish as you fish up specific catches in the water within a time limit. Fishing up the wrong catch takes time away from the clock, while fishing up the same catch in batches is how to succeed. Meanwhile, Candy Kong's mini-game has you pressing buttons in time to the music, and if you genuinely lack a satisfactory level of rhythm like I do, you can just watch the proper button or D-pad direction move along the screen and press it when it enters the target range. Successfully completing each mini-game in each world unlocks new artwork for the gallery as well. Cranky Kong also sets up his cabin in each world, and he basically serves a similar role like the Super Nintendo original, providing hints, though this time to not just bonus stage locations but how to obtain new artwork images as well.

Are we in the groove, or did we all just step in some Kremling poop?

While all these bonuses and new additions are indeed nice, an issue, though, and the Elle the Elephant in the room is that the game is massively compromised on the Game Boy Advance hardware and watered down in presentation, which was arguably one of the most impressive aspects of the Super Nintendo original when it launched in 1994. What you have is somewhere graphically between the Super Nintendo original and the Game Boy Color port, with the Game Boy Advance version coming in much closer to the GBC port than anything else. The level of detail is nowhere near its SNES brethren, which is understandable since the GBA is not exactly a portable SNES in tech, but where things get super disappointing is with the soundtrack. The Game Boy Advance's weak soundchip does little justice to the original SNES music. It's a pale imitation in some aspects.

The visual and audio experience on DKC's GBA port is definitely a downgrade.

Furthermore, there is a gameplay issue that was not in the Super Nintendo version either. In the SNES version, the camera was generally locked to certain parts of levels. In the Game Boy Advance version, the camera focuses on DK and Diddy, meaning that when they jump, the camera follows them. This means that if you make a high leap, you basically have initiated a blind jump, as the camera scrolls up and doesn't show where you're about to land until it's close to too late. This was not a problem in the Super Nintendo original, so it makes for some cheap moments where death by pit happen more than I would have liked and more than the developer probably intended with the Game Boy Advance version.

Not going to let this monkey make a monkey out of Diddy! 
Well, technically, Diddy IS a monkey, but still! You know what I mean!

Otherwise, this is a very similar game to the Super Nintendo version, offering the familiar fun gameplay and superb level design brimming with secrets, iterating on mechanics, gimmicks, and concepts, and bringing with it a usually fair challenge, as well. Yes, the start of the fourth world in the game, Gorilla Glacier, remains an incredible spike in difficulty that quickly resolves itself and settles back down, but overall, the difficulty curve is otherwise gentle. This is still a challenging platformer, but not to the level of say, Donkey Kong Country Returns on the Wii, the 3DS, and recently the HD version on the Switch. 

If you've played the original Donkey Kong Country countless times through the years like I have, and you want a different take on the original DKC, then the Game Boy Advance port of Donkey Kong Country is worthwhile and serviceable enough. The new additions in the form of new story elements, increased replay value through collecting all of the gallery images in the game, and some of quality of life changes don't exactly make up for the lackluster implementation of the presentation or the camera issues, but it does make for a fresh take on Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong's first adventure together. Back in 1994 it was the beginning of a beautiful new direction for Donkey Kong, both to look at and obviously to play, and the Game Boy Advance doesn't do a horrible job at emulating that; it just doesn't exactly do a great job either.

[SPC Says: C+] 

Nikoderiko: The Magical World (Multi) Review

We have a new game to review! It's an indie 2D/2.5D/3D platformer--a mix of all three, really! It's Nikoderiko: The Magical World, and the SuperPhillip Central verdict is here.

 Crashing the Country

Allow me to preface this review with something most likely obvious from glimpses of screenshots and/or trailers of Nikoderiko: The Magical World: I'm going to mention the words "Donkey Kong Country" and "Crash Bandicoot" quite a bit throughout this review. When the inspiration is so intense and palpable, it's somewhat difficult not to, especially since Nikoderiko wears its clear inspirations on the main character's rolled up sleeves. That said, does Nikoderiko: The Magical World do anything to cast aside as just being a clone of these two games rolled up into one unique title? 

Despite being derivative, Nikoderiko: The Magical World can be a wheel-y good time occasionally.

Nikoderiko: The Magical Journey has no intention of hiding where it's cribbing its ideas and concepts from. Between collecting letters in levels that spell out "N-I-K-O" to hidden barrels that blast its players into secret bonus areas to perform tasks such as "collect all stars", "defeat them all", or "find the key" for golden trinkets, you sort of have to admire the development team's chutzpah in how brazen and blatant it all is on the Donkey Kong Country side, particularly Tropical Freeze. Then, there's aspects like picking up barrels, treasure chests, and other objects to chuck at enemies or breakable walls, once more to reveal secrets. 

Two secret bonus barrels like this one are cleverly hidden away in each level. 

Not to leave out a certain former PlayStation mascot, Nikoderiko: The Magical World takes aspects from Crash Bandicoot as well, putting players into somewhat seamless transitions from 2.5D gameplay to 3D, either running away from the screen or towards it, Crash-style. There's also purple diamond collectibles, one in each level, to obtain as well, though these don't have asinine conditions like some Crash games where you have to backtrack through somewhat significant portions of stages to collect them. So, Nikoderiko has THAT going for it, at least.

Now, I might not be playing fair to Nikoderiko: The Magical World, as it's not necessarily a detrimental thing necessarily to be derivative. In fact, combining the gameplay styles and dimensions of a 2D/2.5D platformer like Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze with Crash Bandicoot is unique all to itself. Most of the time in the levels, even, it's done in a clever enough way. 

Niko and the other playable character, Luna, play similarly to one another. Though it was preferable to play as Niko to hear all the voice lines and quips the mouthy mongoose had to offer in levels, whereas with Luna, she's silent as can be. That notwithstanding, it might be preferable for some players to control Luna if they don't want to hear dialogue whilst platforming. Your mileage may vary there.

Move over Donkey Kong--Niko is coming for your "king of swing" title!

Regardless, both characters have the same move set. They can jump, hold out a glider to float carefully to the ground or across chasms, they can slide, they can ground pound (though if you're holding a direction while smashing the ground, you'll end up sliding in the direction you're holding, which often results in unwanted hits, deaths, etc.), and they can also jump off walls--though this feels rather "sticky" for lack of a better term. 

True to the game's heavily-DKC-inspired form, couch co-op is available for two players to enjoy the game together. The pros are that players don't share a pool of lives (there aren't lives in this game to speak of, for one), and they have separate tallies of hearts, the health meter of the game. Thus, two well in tune players can say, "We both have one heart left, so while we have this moment of peace, why don't you take a hit so you can come back with two hearts?" It's harder in boss battles to cheese in this way, but still very much possible.

Co-op shows flashes of fun alongside flashes of frustration, too.

Nikoderiko: The Magical World is indeed a challenging game regardless. Sometimes checkpoints are further away from each other than I'd like in certain levels, and some levels in general go on for far too long. Whereas other levels feel like you blink and they're over. That said, levels are generally well designed, offering plenty of opportunities to display some platforming prowess with well telegraphed but also hidden secrets, too. Generally if something looked curious to me during my playthrough, checking it out would usually result in my being rewarded for said curiosity, which is seldom a bad thing in a game like this. 

The level variety is often enjoyable, as well, delivering plenty of unique ideas and creative concepts usually executed at the very least competently and at best really well. One level featured a Crash Bandicoot-esque scenario where a flying dragon chased Niko as I ran towards the camera in this 3D affair, while later in the level the dragon returned, though this time pursuing Niko as he rode a DKC Returns-style rocket barrel. Another level took our mongoose hero and heroine down into the ocean depths, giving both a black silhouette cast against the blue background--again, DKC Returns and Tropical Freeze-style. The deep waters of the level weren't too friendly, but they were remedied with a little help of a seahorse-like animal buddy that could fire a laser to defeat foes with ease.

This dragon doesn't wish to dance, so I suggest you keep moving forward, Niko.

Like Donkey Kong Country (are you tired of the mentions yet?), Nikoderiko: The Magical World sports an assortment of animal buddies as mounts. The aforementioned seahorse is one, while others include a frog that burps up fireballs to eliminate enemies, there's a bat that serves as a flapping-good time for flight, and also a Yoshi-like lizard that chomps up foes and can regurgitate them back at other baddies. Though, the latter is a bit janky to say the least in execution.

If you've seen it done in Donkey Kong Country, you'll most likely see it
(and done marginally worse) in Nikoderiko: The Magical World.

And really, that's a lot of what Nikoderiko: The Magical World is--a janky experience, or at least quite unpolished. Between glitches where my character couldn't pull out their glider for whatever reason, to camera chaos in co-op where the camera just wouldn't pan in an appropriate-enough position that would work for either myself or my co-op partner, the problems with Nikoderiko: The Magical World are plentiful. Small things like characters and objects on the world map not having their textures load quickly enough (at least on the latest Xbox Series S build) so they'd look incredibly "off" aren't immense problems, but put on a pile with everything else, they do--in fact--add up to be quite bothersome.

Otherwise (and that's not a play on the composer being David Wise--and the music is unfortunately just serviceable this time around, on that note), Nikoderiko: The Magical World is a jack of two trades and a master of neither of them. The Donkey Kong Country and Crash Bandicoot segments of the game are done better by the originals instead of this imitation of both. That isn't to say THIS game isn't worth your time. There are hardly enough Donkey Kong Country-inspired titles to exactly say that we're embarrassed with riches here in this department. Though, if you DO crave something of the DKC style and MUST play something, if you haven't already touched either Kaze and the Wild Masks, Marsupilami - Hoobadventure, or Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair, look into those games first before trying Nikoderiko out. All three of those are preferable (and somewhat more original) experiences to at least me.

[SPC Says: C]

The Tuesday 10s - Donkey Kong Games

Happy Tuesday, everyone. While this day doesn't always feature the arrival of The Tuesday 10s, you're all in for a treat this week, as that's exactly what SPC has in store for you! For this installment of The Tuesday 10s, it's on like Donkey Kong--and quite literally, at that! A few weeks ago was the 40th anniversary of Nintendo's main monkey, Nintendo's awesome ape, Nintendo's super simian: Donkey Kong. This Tuesday 10s focuses on the best of the banana bunch in the Donkey Kong series, from main games to spin-offs! It's a banana slamma' of games, so let's get to it.

Donkey Kong County (SNES)

After two decades of girders, ladders, throwing barrels, and playing the role of the villain, Donkey Kong eventually turned hero, and he wasn't alone on his adventure. In Donkey Kong Country, Nintendo's grade-A gorilla was joined by Diddy Kong. Whereas Donkey Kong was slower but stronger--able to defeat heavier foes with ease--Diddy Kong was nimbler, more agile, and light on his feet. This was also the game that made Rareware especially cozy with Nintendo, and started their fruitful partnership that continued until the GameCube era. Regardless, DKC was a technical marvel of a game, a gorgeous graphical showcase for the SNES, and a fantastic platformer in its own right.

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (SNES)

If someone put a coconut gun to my head (and if it shot me, it was gonna hurt), however, and forced me to choose my favorite of the original Donkey Kong Country trilogy, my vote would no doubt have to go to the second game. Not to be confused (or is it Kong-fused?) as Diddy Kong's Quest, Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (note the pun and the apostrophe placement) brought so many excellent additions to the formula--my favorite of which being the awesome and rockin' Dixie Kong. Her ability to twirl her hair to cross over wide gaps was always a favorite gameplay feature of mine. In addition to Dixie, new and enjoyable animal buddies joined the fray, such as Rattly the Rattlesnake and Squitter the Spider. Then, there were the more entertaining and challenging bonus rooms, that were timed challenges this time around, as well as hidden DK Coins that were truly tricky to obtain, much less even find! Couple all this with brilliant ambient levels and my favorite 16-bit era soundtrack, and you have one super Super Nintendo platformer.

Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble (SNES)

By no means does Diddy's Kong Quest being my favorite of the DKC trilogy make Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble a far lesser game. In fact, it, too, brought plenty of awesome ideas and concepts forward to the series, such as Kiddy Kong (who was essentially a Donkey Kong-type character gameplay-wise) and a fascinating, fully explorable, non-linear world map. There were also fun NPCs to interact with, loads of secrets and replay value to be found, some of the best bosses in the DKC series bar-none, and multiple wonderfully themed levels. While the soundtrack may have not reached the same highs as past games in the series, DKC 3's music still resonated quite well with me. Overall, Donkey Kong Country 3 may have been old news when it arrived on store shelves, due to launching after the then-new hotness, the Nintendo 64, released, but it still packed quite a platforming punch for plenty of players back then and still to this day.

Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii, 3DS)

A massive surprise was announced during Nintendo's E3 conference in 2010. That was surprise was Donkey Kong Country's long-awaited return with none other than, well, Donkey Kong Country Returns. While Rare, of course, was now under the umbrella of Xbox's first party studios, it was up to another studio to take up the task of developing a follow-up to Rare's much revered work. Turns out that Retro Studios was more than ready and worthy of taking up that task, creating one brilliant 2.5D platformer. 

That aforementioned extra half of a dimension brought new twists to levels. DK and Diddy could be blasted from the the foreground to the background and then back again. Angles of levels could change in transitions, and it all made for nothing too game-changing, but visually, it was mind-blowing and much welcomed. While the Wii version did suffer from forced motion controls to roll and interact with certain objects, the 3DS version--developed by Monster Games--would remedy this, though without the inclusion of co-op. However, it did add eight new, exclusive levels into the fold. Whichever version a player picked up, they would find themselves with a well done and well executed follow-up worthy of the Donkey Kong Country name.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (NSW, Wii U)

This might be blasphemy to some fans out there, but while Donkey Kong Country Returns was a follow-up worthy of the Donkey Kong Country name, Retro Studios' sequel, subtitled Tropical Freeze, somehow surpassed the original trilogy of games. Now, that's only slightly, but Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze certainly hit a home run with Retro's sophomore effort with the DKC series. Levels were masterfully crafted--perfect for both casual run-throughs as well as speed-running--something incredibly difficult to nail as a designer. The visuals brought so many incredible effects, views, and vistas to enjoy, and the return of composer David Wise delivered some of the most fantastic tunes ever belted out in the DKC series. Thus, it was quite a shame to see the original Wii U version so overlooked, but fortunately, the Nintendo Switch port (with added Funky Kong mode), meant that Tropical Freeze got a second and much deserved chance in the sun.

Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat (GCN, Wii)

Between Rare's dabbling with games featuring Donkey Kong and the return of Donkey Kong Country with Retro Studios, Nintendo did a lot of experimenting with its great gorilla. Various gameplay styles and attempts were released, and one of the grandest, most impressive of these was Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat on the GameCube. This 2.5D platformer was played entirely with a special bongo controller. Each bongo on the controller moved DK in a different direction--either left or right. Hitting both caused DK to jump, while clapping or--to those who had housemates like myself and didn't want to be overly loud--tapping the rim of the controller caused DK to grab nearby bananas. 

Jungle Beat was less about simply clearing levels, but more about setting high banana scores through obtaining combos and never touching the ground essentially. Levels were built for this, making multiple attempts and replays incredibly rewarding and fun. A port in the New Play Control! line of Wii software would launch, substituting the pounding of one's hands on the bongo controller with basically "drumming" air with the Wii Remote and Nunchuk respectively. It made for less painful experience (both for the player and both for one's housemates' ears), but I won't deny that there's something more entertaining about banging on those bongos like the GameCube original had.

DK: King of Swing (GBA)

Speaking of experiments, Nintendo took another unique approach with Donkey Kong by putting him into a Clu Clu Land-inspired game where the goal is to climb pegs to advance through levels. This colorful and quasi Donkey Kong Country game was none other than DK: King of Swing on the Game Boy Advance. In King of Swing, the L and R buttons served as the buttons to control DK's hands. He could grab not only pegs to move around levels, but also grab projectiles like rocks that could be thrown at enemies to defeat them. Holding L and R together powered DK and releasing them launched him forward in a charge-like attack, great for defeating non-spiked foes and getting serious height and distance. 

I call this a quasi Donkey Kong Country game because it does feature several elements from Rare's games. There are bonus barrels to find containing timed challenges, there are the Kremings and King K. Rool to contend with (or is that "kontend with" in Kremling spelling?), and several other features from the original trilogy. A sequel would release on the Nintendo DS, called DK: Jungle Climber, which is just as wonderful and worthwhile a game. It added Diddy Kong as a playable character to team up with DK, and used both screens for much more verticality in levels. Either game is worth checking out, for sure.

Donkey Kong (GB)

We couldn't get through this list without one proper representation of the tried and true original style gameplay from the Donkey Kong series. Of course, the ape was the antagonist for these games, and it was no different in the excellent Donkey Kong from 1994 on the Game Boy. Starting off, the adventure is innocent enough, remarkably reminiscent of the arcade game. In fact, if you didn't know any better, you'd think this was just a scaled down greyscale port of said arcade game with its first four levels. However, soon enough you realize that Donkey Kong on Game Boy is so much more after the handful of levels, such as puzzle-platforming elements, items to collect, enemies to rout, and keys to nab to unlock the exits to levels. Donkey Kong '94, as it's lovingly also known as, was an expanded and extraordinary take on the original Donkey Kong formula. We wouldn't see it again until...

Mario vs. Donkey Kong (GBA)

That's right. Essentially a sequel to Donkey Kong on the Game Boy, Mario vs. Donkey Kong took the formula for a brighter, more colorful adventure. The goals of levels were pretty much unchanged: reach the key for the level, and then carry it safely to the locked door to exit the stage. Or, as it was in the case of boss levels, the goal was to avoid Donkey Kong's numerous tricks and traps as you reach the top to hopefully rescue the damsel in distress. Unfortunately, Mario vs. Donkey Kong would be the last traditional Donkey Kong game made, as the series would move in a more puzzle-oriented, toy aspect, without the manual movement seen in DK '94 and Mario vs. Donkey Kong. The series remains stuck in that formula, which to fans of traditional arcade-style Donkey Kong games, is something worth lamenting over. 

Diddy Kong Racing (N64, DS)

We end with a game that doesn't even feature Donkey Kong at all, but is considered part of the Donkey Kong franchise: Diddy Kong Racing. Obviously starring Donkey Kong's buddy Diddy, this kart racer basically invented the Adventure Mode that a rival racer like Crash Team Racing would implement. Offering amazingly designed tracks--most of which could be played in kart, hovercraft, or in an airplane--fun challenges like silver coin collection while aiming for first place, boss races, inventive multiplayer arena modes, unlockable characters, time trials, and more, Diddy Kong Racing remains one of my favorite kart racers ever made. A Nintendo DS port would later launch, even developed by Rare post-Microsoft acquisition, but it was more a mess than main monkey material due to shoehorned touch and mic controls to begin each race and other lackluster additions. Still, the Nintendo 64 original remains a strong favorite.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (NSW) Review

On this fine Wednesday evening, SuperPhillip Central has another new review to share with its readers. This time it's for yet another Wii U game that has made the switch to Nintendo's new console. It's time to get funky with Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze for the Nintendo Switch.

An infamously difficult platformer? The Kongs have an ape for that.

When Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze originally released back in 2014, it didn't receive as much attention as it should have. This was due to the fact that the game, despite its high quality, was released on the Wii U, which as a lot of us know, wasn't exactly the greatest home console success story in Nintendo's history. Quite the opposite, actually. Now, the Kongs are back and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze gets a second shot at sales redemption with a release on the Nintendo Switch.

A new group of arctic invaders has set their sights on DK Isle, the Snowmads. The leader of the bunch--which you don't know well--Lord Frederick takes a deep blow into a horn, sending a powerful chilling burst on DK Isle, not only freezing the island to its very core, but also forcibly transplanting our ape protagonists several islands over. While the Snowmads enjoy their new home in DK Isle, the Kongs, led by Donkey Kong, aim to survive the harsh islands in their path to return to and reclaim their home.

The Kongs are about to get some very rude, uninvited guests to DK Isle.

Dropping all pretense, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is pretty much the same game from its Wii U original. It's just given an easier difficulty mode where you can play as Funky Kong, sharper visuals, and less than cool, a $60 price tag ($10 more than what was offered on the Wii U). Regardless, pretty much being the same game from the oft overlooked 2014 game is a positive thing in the sense that Tropical Freeze remains a fantastic 2D platformer, one of the best ever created. Retro Studios managed to put forth a series of levels that are masterful from start to finish. While other 2D platformers focus on one mechanic and spread it out in a given level (looking at you, Mario, but you know I still love you), Tropical Freeze routinely throws in myriad mechanics and level gimmicks that tie the level together into one cohesive package.

Alas... If only there was time to work on that tan, DK... 

Let's take level 5-A, Beehive Brawl, as an example. This level's primary theme that ties everything together is that of bees. In the level, you're grabbing hold of swinging hives held by honey, doing battle with bees, entering a behemoth-sized beehive while jumping on platforms pouring downward from a waterfalls of honey, and even hitching a ride by grabbing onto the cargo held by a moving train of bees to progress through the level. In a game like New Super Mario Bros., only one of these level mechanics would be expanded upon. In Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, you're seeing multiple mechanics show up all centered around the theme of the level. It's ingenuous design, and I marveled every time a new stage element presented itself.

In Grassland Groove, even the trees bob and sway to the awesome music.

What can you say about levels like one with platforming inside a raging twister, complete with enemies and hazards being blown in your path for you to avoid; or a level that feature jumping and rolling along the grasslands and savanna as the trees swing and sway in time with the music; or one that has you riding a mine cart as a giant saw blade chases you, carving up wood in the process and having the pieces slam down on top of the track for you to either jump off of or over; and just one more example, a level that has you climbing up platforms caught in the middle of an avalanche? You can say a lot, and all of it is astoundingly positive.

In Sawmill Thrill, the pursuing saw blade sends wooden objects and obstacles slamming down onto the track.

In addition to traditional platforming levels, other types of levels are included in Tropical Freeze. I mentioned mine cart levels, but there are also rocket barrel as well as underwater levels. The latter surprised me tremendously at how graceful a heavy ape can actually swim. While I did occasionally and accidentally run into enemies or hazards while swimming with the Kongs, these moments seldom occurred. Meanwhile, the rocket barrel levels are fierce tests of control and applying enough hits of the jump button to keep the rocket soaring while carefully maneuvering around obstacles in the process. These levels that stray from the typical running, rolling, jumping and ground pounding of Tropical Freeze are welcome inclusions that keep the adventure fresh and don't feel out of place.

Careful, DK--you can go swimming with the fishes, just don't go sleeping with the fishes!

The levels themselves feature a lot to do in them. Collect the KONG letters in each level in a world opens up a bonus temple level in that world, featuring the most challenging platforming trials in the entire game. Meanwhile, there are cleverly placed puzzle pieces found in well hidden sections of level and in bonus rooms that unlock concept art and images in the Extras menu. Some levels even have secret exits that lead to new levels. Though, it must be said that the bonus rooms are nowhere near as top-tier as what was seen in Donkey Kong Country 2 and 3. These are much too basic in Tropical Freeze and repeat themselves often. Additionally, secret exits are usually placed near the end of levels, meaning that you have to go through a level twice almost the whole way through just to unlock paths to two levels. A bit annoying, but not a deal-breaker.

There's no "I" in "Kongs", so try out co-op with a buddy sometime!

What was annoying for some players and critics of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze was the game's relentless difficulty. It's important to note, however, that the challenge posed in the game was never unfair to the player. Your mileage, of course, may vary, but for some, Tropical Freeze was a game that beat them into submission with its arduous levels and perilous platforming challenges. Thankfully, Nintendo and Retro Studios have a mode for that: Funky Mode.

Funky should be your main monkey if you're feeling the pain from Tropical Freeze's Original Mode.

Funky Mode is perfect for beginners or those who want a far more relaxing time of Tropical Freeze, as it allows players to control the double-jumping, slow-hovering, five-hearts-of-health-having, spike-walking, infinite-underwater-air-breathing Funky Kong. Generally you can only use items prior to the start of a level, but Funky Mode allows you to use them mid-level. Furthermore, in Original Mode, if you collect a KONG letter and die before hitting a checkpoint, you have to recollect that letter your next life. In Funky Mode, you get to keep any KONG letters you've collected even if you were to perish after... but perish that thought instead. You'll be Funky, the main monkey, so you'll be too awesome to lose a life! That said, if Funky isn't your choice for your main monkey, you can choose to play as Donkey Kong in Funky Mode. He'll be able to tag up with a companion (the rocket barrel-hovering Diddy, the ponytail-slinging Dixie, or the cane-hopping Cranky), and both DK and his partner will have three hearts of health each instead of the usual two.

It's a touch disconcerting, though, that the default option for Tropical Freeze's Switch port is for Funky Mode. This has been mentioned by other players and critics, and I can't help but agree, but if you are a skilled player and have yet to ever play Tropical Freeze, don't let your first experience of the game be in Funky Mode. Tropical Freeze's levels were originally designed for Donkey Kong, and the genius of the level design is sorely missed when levels are tackled by Funky Kong. Funky Kong's ability to double jump, hover, and leap on spikes makes it so levels can be beaten in a way unintended by the designers. You can miss out on a lot of the complexity and cleverness of the levels and platforming challenges by playing as Funky. That's why I recommend playing Original Mode first for seasoned gamers, and for beginners to be the ones to play Funky Mode first, if they see the challenge of Original Mode too daunting at first glance.

It's all fun and games until a Kong gets a black eye from a Snowmad's poker.

Now that all has been said, do I recommend the Switch port of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze? I say that you shouldn't even hesitate to pick Tropical Freeze up if you've never owned the Wii U game. It's a master class of stimulating platforming, expert level design, and amazing presentation values (including the sensational soundtrack provided by original DKC 1 & 2 composer David Wise). Stop reading this review right now and go out and pick it up! If you've already played Tropical Freeze on the Wii U, then you might want to pass on paying full price for the Switch port, unless you're like me and value playing the game on a more enjoyable piece of hardware than the Wii U ever was. Regardless of whether one purchases the Switch version or not, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze continues to stay at the very top of the 2D platforming heap as top banana.

[SPC Says: A]

Must-Have Games for the SNES Classic (If/When It Ever Exists)

This past Friday, the NES Classic Edition, a miniature NES with 30 games pre-installed launched in North America. Unsurprisingly, the device is quite hard to find at the moment, but Nintendo promises a steady string of supply throughout the upcoming months. The NES Classic Edition is a brilliant idea to get both nostalgic and new players to the era interested in Nintendo's games.

This made many gamers hope for future releases of past Nintendo systems, bundled with their own supply of games. If such a device existed for the Super Nintendo, and it seems very plausible considering how successful the NES Classic is already, these are just some of the many SNES classics that I think should be in a hypothetical "SNES Classic." After you've taken a peek at my picks, what games would you add to this list?

Super Mario World

One of the quintessential Mario experiences, Super Mario World is often debated among platforming and Mario fans as whether it's the superior experience when compared to Super Mario Bros. 3 or not. Regardless of your or my opinion on the subject. it's no question that Super Mario World is one of the greatest 2D platformers in existence. Taking the Super Mario Bros. series to the 16-bit era, Super Mario World brought with it longer levels, a world map that encouraged exploration with secret exits in many levels, varied obstacles and enemies, and so much more. It's an obvious pick for a game that should be included in a hypothetical SNES Classic, but there's very good reason for that.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

With The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Nintendo took the series to a more focused and disciplined approach. What the game ended up being because of this-- and the supremely well designed dungeons, extremely fun to explore overworld, the clever light world and dark world mechanic, memorable characters, tight controls, myriad of useful items, incredible boss battles-- is one of the best Zelda experiences the franchise has ever seen, much more one of the Super Nintendo's greatest classics and one of the best games of all time. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is a tour de force adventure that no gamer should be without playing, making it a shoo-in for the SNES Classic.

Super Metroid

While the current state of the Metroid series depresses many-a fan of the franchise, thankfully there are a good deal of past Metroid games to look at and love the franchise for. Super Metroid is generally considered the cream of the Chozo crop. It brought with it the abundantly helpful map and corridors and rooms that could easily be distinguished between, things that the original Metroid lacked, making the NES classic a difficult game to play. Introducing a world that drips with ambiance, a worthwhile assortment of upgrades and abilities to reach and explore new areas, and one of the most memorable endings to a Metroid game, Super Metroid lives and dies by its responsive controls, superb level design, and replayability.

EarthBound

Nowadays we sort of take for granted that EarthBound is now available in digital form on the Wii U and New Nintendo 3DS Virtual Consoles. It wasn't too long ago, however, that if one wanted to play the game legally, one would have to shell out an immense (see; ridiculous) amount of money just to get a loose (no manual, no box) used copy! Now, EarthBound is readily available in digital form, and it just seems like an easy pick for an SNES Classic release. An atypical RPG to this very day, EarthBound is a bizarre by touching adventure that takes place in a modern setting with charming, if not also bizarre, characters. It's also a very challenging game, but since the characters and world are so fantastic, it's worth roughing it to see everything EarthBound has to offer.

Super Mario Kart

The game that started and popularized a sub-genre-- the mascot kart racer-- Super Mario Kart is one of the go-to games for multiplayer gaming on the Super Nintendo. It's easy to see why, too, as the game features accessible controls, Grand Prix and Battle modes for two players to spend hours upon hours playing through, and lots of fun times to be had. The four Grand Prix cups of Super Mario Kart, each containing five tracks, the multiple difficulties of said Grand Prix cups, the four arenas of the Battle Mode, and the eight characters one can play as all equals one heck of a kart racing game that is hard to put down once it has been picked up.

F-Zero

Like Super Mario Kart popularized the mascot kart racer, or just the kart racer in general, F-Zero popularized the futuristic type of racer. Also like Super Mario Kart, F-Zero sported Mode 7 visuals, showing off 3D-like visuals as racers sped through the twists, turns, and dangerous pathways of the many tracks F-Zero possesses. The game is lightning quick, making you really feel like you're going all those MPH that F-Zero says you are. The Grand Prix mode offers a wide array of races where your rivals will always be ready to pass you if you so much as make a mistake. Sometimes, mistakes are even very costly, resulting in a destroyed vehicle and a step closer to a game over (either due to your vehicle taking too much damage or careening off the course)! While F-Zero has evolved since the original, made better by future games, it's still worth playing the game that started it all on the Super Nintendo.

Donkey Kong Country 1, 2 & 3

Rareware was a developer that already had quite the history to itself before reintroducing the world to Donkey Kong, but it was Donkey Kong Country that the studio really made a name for itself and became the juggernaut with its partnership with Nintendo. The entire trilogy is worth playing, though my personal favorite (as rote a pick as it is) will always be the second game, Diddy's Kong-Quest. Regardless of the game, what you'll get with one of Rare's Donkey Kong Country titles is a game soaked with ambiance, whether because of the environments or the atmospheric yet melodic music; stunning visuals that still impress to this day; superb level design filled with cleverly placed secrets (save for some of the original Donkey Kong Country, which had some "hope you fall in the right hole to find a secret" occasions), and memorable level gimmicks.

Kirby Super Star

Between all of the games that Kirby starred in on the Super Nintendo, the one that is not only the most memorable but also the best value is Kirby Super Star. Containing a variety of platforming adventures, many bite-sized, Kirby Super Star gives players a taste of platforming goodness, whether it's in the exploration-based Great Cave Offensive or the remake of the original Kirby's Dream Land. There is plenty to admire and sink one's teeth into with Kirby Super Star, making it as both as a fun and value proposition and superb pick for the SNES Classic. After all, who can't give enough of Nintendo's pink puffball? There's a reason that Kirby remains one of the Nintendo's active franchises after all of these years.

Mega Man X

The classic Mega Man games on the original NES put the series on the map with great critical and financial success. Mega Man X launched on the Super Nintendo, marking a bold new step for the franchise. Being quite different from the classic Mega Man games in both attitude (don't worry, we're not talking about being try-hard) and gameplay, Mega Man X is a harder game and much more action-packed experience. Since Mega Man was already pretty action-intense, that's quite the achievement! With permanent armor and health upgrades hidden in levels, more exploration to said levels, Robot Masters in the form of animal-based Mavericks, a more sinister villain in the form of Sigma, detailed 2D visuals in both characters and environments, and a rocking 16-bit soundtrack, Mega Man X remains one of my favorite games of all time and a must-have for the SNES Classic.

Super Castlevania IV

Another action platformer, the fourth installment of the Castlevania franchise was a jump from the 8-bit era to the 16-bit one with its release on the Super Nintendo. A much more reasonable in difficulty game, Super Castlevania IV is still a rather challenging platformer. Thankfully, this time around, your whip could be lashed out at foes and objects in a multitude of directions. This was not only great for taking out incoming enemies, but it was also good for latching onto special hooks where you could swing across chasms. You wouldn't figure this for this type of game, but Mode 7 was in play at specific parts of Super Castlevania IV, such a corridor where the background spins like a tube. Why I felt the need to add that into this entry is anyone's guess, but perhaps I just like that trivia aspect!

Super Street Fighter II Turbo

A complete version of Street Fighter II, a tactic of releasing more complete versions of Street Fighter games that would persist up to modern days, Super Street Fighter II Turbo saw all the improvements of past Street Fighter II experiences, like the addition of being able to play as all four bosses from the vanilla Street Fighter II, but it also included new goodies like Super and air combos, the arrival of Akuma, and being able to play as alternate versions of the roster of fighters, offering slight differences in how characters play. There is no wonder, then, why Super Street Fighter II Turbo remains a popular fighter and an important stepping stone in the history of 2D fighters and of course, the Street Fighter series in general.

Contra III: The Alien Wars

The third mainline installment of the Contra series had to run, gun, and blow up its way to impress Super Nintendo gamers, and it did all of that and more with Contra III; The Alien Wars. Offering two-player goodness, tremendous action set pieces, pulse-pounding action, exhilarating boss battles, and impressive visuals, Contra III delivers in both action and excitement. The game also wasn't afraid of trying something new, bringing with it some over-the-head perspective levels. While these weren't executed perfectly, they did offer a fresh take on the series. Even if you don't care for these themselves, you do get some of the best 2D side-scrolling levels in the Contra series if you persevere through them.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time

Popularized in arcades before gaining a home console version, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time brought with it an amazing amount of action, unforgettable levels and boss battles, and multiplayer goodness for two players. Turtles in Time is the type of game that is better enjoyed and appreciated through multiple play-throughs. This is a game where even after playing through it a seemingly endless amount of times, you still find plenty of enjoyment in slashing and striking enemies, chucking foes into the screen, and beating down Krang and the Super Shredder for the umpteenth time. The Super Nintendo is full of fantastic multiplayer games, and it would be a grave mistake if Turtles in Time wasn't included in a Super Nintendo Classic-like device.

Other Mentions:

Final Fantasy IV
Chrono Trigger
Star Fox
Super Punch-Out
Pilotwings

Great Suggestions by Others:

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Secret of Mana
Chrono Trigger
Breath of Fire
Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts
Super Tecmo Bowl