Originally released for Super NES, December 1995
Wii Points: 800 ($8)
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While Rare's original Donkey Kong Country set a console precedent for 3D pre-rendered graphics in 1994, it had quite a few deficiencies in terms of design. For example, hints to secret areas were ambiguous, and boss battles featured uninspired and repetitive designs. Determined to try again and succeed, Rare returned in 1995 with Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, a game that, while not perfect, did improve on its predecessor in almost every way.

A sidescrolling action platformer, Donkey Kong Country 2 continues the collection-heavy, enemy-strewn formula established by its predecessor, again rendered in 2D backgrounds and animated sprites creating the effect of rendered CG.

Rare games are infamous for holding dozens upon dozens of secrets, and Donkey Kong Country 2 is no exception. Locating these secrets is no longer an exercise in frustration, as most hidden areas are marked in one way or another. Many levels contain bonus barrels that blast players into one of a selection of minigames involving taking out enemies, navigating mazes to find coins, or collecting certain numbers of gold stars.

Secret areas are fun to find, as they are typically cleverly hidden. One such example has a ghost enemy throwing barrels at players. Instead of rushing past it or defeating it, players should notice a pack of bananas in the shape of an arrow pointing in the opposite direction. After throwing three or four objects, the ghost will follow the arrow, then stop and throw a treasure chest at the player. Grabbing it and throwing it into an enemy smashes the chest to reveal a cannonball that can be fitted into a nearby cannon, which blasts players off to a bonus area. Most secret areas can be found in similar ways. Players must keep their eyes open and look for suspicious signs, such as a single banana floating in a dangerous-looking pit.

Boss battles have been greatly improved, offering only one repeat boss. Each boss has a different pattern of attack takes a bit of time to learn, but the battles are fair and entertaining. The game's second world is guarded by a massive sword that spits fireballs at players from a pool of lava. To beat this foe, the player must throw cannonballs from small platforms stationed on the left and right sides of the level. After each hit, the sword becomes invincible and chases the player, who must scramble between the two sides via suspended hooks to continue gathering cannonballs.

Levels are much better designed this time around, with a variety of areas available for players to explore. Volcano interiors, diamond shafts, swamplands, sunken ships, haunted woods, theme parks, bee hives... Each world has a common theme, just like the original game, but unlike its predecessor, Donkey Kong Country 2 strives to differentiate each world's levels more than by way of aesthetics. One instance of a diamond shaft has players using barrels to blast closer and closer to the top, in addition to crossing pits by hopping across barrels fired by an enemy on the opposite side. The same world offers a similarly-themed level in which players are carried by a parrot that can fly in all directions and spit coconuts at enemies.

Some lava levels in the second world challenge players to cross fiery pits using conventional tactics such as running and jumping, while others can only be navigated using balloons that gradually fall closer and closer to lava as they lose air. By directing the balloons toward bursts of steam, the balloons will rise, allowing players to continue on their way until the balloon again needs to be filled. Animal friends such as Rambi the Rhino return to aid the Kongs, and in some instances, the player will be transformed into an animal companion to complete a level.

Picking up on its predecessor's gorgeous aesthetics, Donkey Kong Country 2's environments are beautiful, offering creepy fog that shrouds haunted areas, a sun that gradually sets as players make their way through certain levels, marsh areas that are intentionally colored drab shades of green and brown, and theme parks featuring fireworks that burst as players twist and turn on roller coasters. Especially improved is the background music, which is no longer comprised of the same two or three tunes. Swamps hum with insects and feature a lazy, methodical beat. Jungles ring with chants and tribal drums. Each area has music and sound effects mixed together to perfectly to further capture the world's overall theme.

The game's only real shortcomings have to do with its character selection. Donkey Kong himself is kidnapped before the game even begins, and the only time he's seen is during the game's final battle. Not playing as the main ape himself is disappointing, especially because Diddy Kong, the big ape's partner from the original DKC, is worthless compared to altnernate playable character Dixie Kong. Each character in the original game had specific and useful functions, but here, Diddy's jumping ability is relatively unimpressive compared to Dixie's longer-range helicopter spin.

Despite the occasional ambiguous and somewhat random location of secret areas, Diddy's utter uselessness, and the absence of Donkey Kong, a trend which unfortunately continued in the third game, Donkey Kong Country 2 is a solid game that improves on the ho-hum gameplay of its predecessor. Featuring well-designed levels, impressive graphics, and a slew of secret areas, DKC2 is a title that any fan of 2D platformers will want to have in his or her Virtual Console collection.

Go back to read our review of Streets of Rage 2.