RF Generation Message Board

Come celebrate the (nearly) 20th anniversary of Donkey Kong Country with RFGeneration!

Overview:
King K. Rool has stolen Donkey Kong's banana hoard! It's up to you to get it back in Donkey Kong Country, the classic platformer for the Super Nintendo by Rare. As this game is very short we'll only spend 2 weeks on it, and the rest of the month will go to playing the sequel, Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy Kong's Quest. An optional goal this month will be to play the 3rd game in this trilogy for those who manage to finish the first 2 early enough.

Platform(s)
SNES
Gameboy Color* (DKC only)
Gameboy Advance*

*the handheld port(s) of both games have some significant changes but are still technically attempted faithful ports, so they're listed here as options but not recommended. see all the differences here: http://www.mariowiki.com/Donkey_Kong_Country#Version_Differences

Checkpoints
Week 1 - DKC - Get to start of Gorilla Glacier (World 4)
Week 2 - DKC - Beat the game!
Week 3 - DKC2:DKQ - Get to the start of Gloomy Gulch (World 5)
Week 4 - DKC2:DKQ - Beat the game

Achievements
Donkey Kong Country:
 - Find all 4 of the K.O.N.G. letters in Kongo Jungle world*
 - Find all 4 of the K.O.N.G. letters in Monkey Mines world*
 - Find all 4 of the K.O.N.G. letters in Vine Valley world*
 - Find all 4 of the K.O.N.G. letters in Gorilla Glacier world*
 - Find all 4 of the K.O.N.G. letters in Kremkroc Industries, Inc world *
 - Find all 4 of the K.O.N.G. letters in Chimp Caverns world *
 - 25% or more completion
 - 50% or more completion
 - 75% or more completion
 - 101% completion
 - Beat the game

Donkey Kong Country 2 Diddy Kong's Quest:
 - Find all 40 DK Coins
 - Find all 75 Kremkoins
 - Access The Lost World
 - Find all Kong Letters in Gangplank Galleon*
 - Find all Kong Letters in Crocodile Cauldron*
 - Find all Kong Letters in Krem Quay*
 - Find all Kong Letters in Krazy Kremland*
 - Find all Kong Letters in Gloomy Gulch*
 - Find all Kong Letters in K. Rool's Keep*
 - Find all Kong Letters in The Flying Krock*
 - Find all Kong Letters in Lost World*
 - Beat the game
 - 25% or more completion
 - 50% or more completion
 - 75% or more completion
 - 102% completion
*there's no in-game tracking of these letters so it's all on the honour system, just try and remember or even write down which levels you found all the letters on.

Participants
Disposed Hero
douglie007
EngineerMike
Flee
monkees19
NES_Rules
Raidou
RetroRage
Silent Scythe
singlebanana
Stigzilla
techwizard

Lol count me in, I can probably do any challenges for this game in one go

Count me in for sure!

Same Flee. :)

I've been meaning to try one of these community playthroughs out, and since I love DKC 1 and haven't spent enough time playing DKC2, count me in.

Excellent!  I'm in.

EDIT:
viva la difference!

http://www.dkc-atlas.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=151&f=7

An interesting discussion about the differences in each region/software revision for the DKC trilogy.

Sweet! I own 1 and 2 but not 3...yet! Sign me up!

I'll have to track down a copy of the second game, but yeah, count me in!

I have both of them, so count me in!

lets do it, can I play it on the GBA, or is it do different

Game Boy versions are different (Donkey Kong Land). Not sure about the GBA versions.

GBA versions have some added content. They're mostly the same though.

Donkey Kong Land, if I remember, stripped out one of the animal friends to save some memory.

EDIT: Version differences here:
http://www.mariowiki.com/Donkey_Kong_Country#Game_Boy_Advance

I should have some time for this.

original post updated, first checkpoint is up! douglie if you only have the GBA port and can't find a copy of the original i'd say give the GBA one a try, there are a lot of differences but it's still essentially the same game from what wikipedia says.

I'll join in.

I have all 3 I just can play it more if its portable and not taking up the tv :)

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk

[img width=700 height=700]http://i.imgur.com/WNTVKyg.jpg[/img]

Checkpoint 1 reporting in. This is usually where I'd stop and come back to it as a kid. Incidentally this world is where the difficulty ramps up.

Tips to help with achievements:

Can't get that missing letter in the very 2nd level of the game?

Spoiler (hover to show)

Drop down through the first gap in the trees.

Want to rack up some lives early on for the rest of your trip?

Spoiler (hover to show)

The snake pits in Reptile Rampage will get you tons of banana bunches if you ground-slap them.

Also:

Spoiler (hover to show)

Each golden animal bonus level has at least 1 hidden room.

Beavers in giant millstone wheels getting you down?

Spoiler (hover to show)

Roll attacking a string of enemies in a combo gives you crazy speed.

Missing a lot of bonus rooms?

Spoiler (hover to show)

Carry barrels as far as you can, you'll be surprised as to how many entrances you're missing.

Also:

Spoiler (hover to show)

Free rolling tires can of course roll forward and backwards. (Keep an eye out for lone bananas.)

And lastly, don't forget

Spoiler (hover to show)

Orang-Utan Gang has the most bonus levels in the whole game. 5 of them are strewn about.

great tips Flee, lots of stuff i didn't know! this is my first time playing the game

Portable you say???

[img width=600 height=358]http://oyster.ignimgs.com/wordpress/stg.ign.com/2012/01/Screen-Shot-2012-01-19-at-3.02.01-PM-600x358.png[/img]

I'm in!   Sorry for the late sign up.

awesome! no worries with signing up late, anyone can jump in anytime of the month as long as you keep the discussion to the current week's checkpoint or earlier. those playing past the checkpoints should try and hold onto their thoughts until the rest of us catch up to avoid spoilers, but the late-joiners will just have to sort of deal with them ;)

gotta love glitches like that! if anyone needs help with the gnawty-wheels:

Spoiler (hover to show)

when you're below them and jumping they didn't seem to hit me (at least not after bouncing off an enemy) even though it looks like they should have

Haven't played this game in over a decade and forgot how irritating Mine Cart Carnage was.  I probably died 15 times or more

You guys should look up some of the "haunted" DKC videos. SRAM corruption is hilarious.

⠀

The good thing about Mine Cart Carnage is...

Spoiler (hover to show)

... if you jump over the barrel cannon at the start of the level you get transported to the end of the stage.

I played through the first 'world' over the weekend.  It's been ages since I've played this game.  It definitely feels good to revisit this classic from my childhood after all this time.  I've been spreading myself way too thin lately when it comes to my gaming time, but I'm gonna try to make some time for this one sometime today or tomorrow.

Checkpoint get!

[img width=700 height=933]http://i1072.photobucket.com/albums/w365/adsanislo/20140507_093735_zps1873c6fd.jpg[/img]

congrats! how's everyone else doing on checkpoint 1? week 2 checkpoint will be going up tomorrow

week 2 checkpoint is up!

[img width=700 height=933]http://i.imgur.com/2KGsTge.jpg?1[/img]

I missed like 1 or 2 bonus rooms but I don't feel like looking for them. (Middle was my playthrough)

Beat DKC, pretty rough week in the real world so I was just using the game to unwind after work. I'll be paying more attention to the achievements in DKC 2 since I've never beaten that one before. I thnik I only got like 40 something percent.

Ending get!!

[img width=700 height=933]http://i1072.photobucket.com/albums/w365/adsanislo/20140510_155631_zps740cce81.jpg[/img]

57% complete :/ lame I know.  I didn't play this game a whole bunch when I was a kid so I don't know where most of the bonus rooms are or the K.O.N.G. letters for that matter.

congrats to everyone who finished already! i finished at only 50%, this was my first time ever playing any of the DKC games.

I'm up to Chimp Caverns world now, so I'll probably finish the game either tonight or tomorrow.

I'm not sure what it is exactly, but I'm not having as much fun with this game as I remember having as a kid.  Maybe I'm just old and bitter now, but I get very frustrated with dying in this game.  That's not to say that I think it's a bad game by any means.  I'm probably just spoiled by modern gaming conventions and wish there were more than the one checkpoint in the middle of the levels.  I get a little tired of playing the same sections over and over again.

The soundtrack is pretty nice.  There are some standout tracks on some of the levels that are really good.

Ack!  It's almost time to start DKC 2 and I still don't have a copy.  Better start searching ebay!

even if i do not partake this month, i read the discussion out of curiosity: it's interesting to see your game and tv-sets on the monitor-pictures you post. I hope you all enjoy the game! i was amazed how bad i got ("reaction-time!!!") at DKC when i played it some months ago. 

Since the music was mentioned, David Wise and his team were fantastic in these games. If anyone's familiar with OCRemix, David Wise and his team actually created a song to put on their Kong in Concert album, which was remixes from Donkey Kong Country:
http://ocremix.org/album/2/donkey-kong-country-kong-in-concert

I'm almost done with the first one, the gba version keeps track of the kong's found

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk

Just finished Donkey Kong Country.  64% completion and I only found all KONG letters in the first world.

Hopefully I'll have my copy of DKC2 before long so I can keep up with you guys.

Yeah, I actually looked up the composer to see if it was a name I recognized.  One of the tracks in the game (I forget which one) reminded me of a track from Parasite Eve, which also has an awesome soundtrack.  And the final boss theme has a definite Iron Maiden vibe, which in my opinion is a good thing.  :)

Speaking of the soundtrack listen to the whole boss theme. There's a reference to a certain horror series.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZS_XzbVkZHE&t=1m

I started playing DKC2 for the first time yesterday.  I was pleasantly surprised with how good it is!  The music is great, the variety of enemies is larger than the first game, and every level has a unique theme.  The bosses are way tougher too.

The only small gripe I have is when Diddy Kong finished a stage he does that lame boombox dance.  Yarsh....

Oh yeah, and having to pay to save the game is pretty lame too.

I never thought his boombox victory dance was lame, just thought it was played for laughs. Like "Look at this goofball". I do agree paying banana coins to save is unnecessary. At least it doesn't take too long to get coins, especially if you pause and select out of the level right after you get what you need.

Congratulations to the following who finished DKC, and good luck to those still working on it!

Disposed Hero
Flee
Raidou
RetroRage
Silent Scythe
techwizard

week 3 checkpoint is up for DKC2! i have yet to actually find a copy of it myself but thanks to wikipedia and gamefaqs i was able to put together a couple checkpoints and a bunch of achievements.

Definitely- anything that reminds me of "Hallowed Be Thy Name" accrues positive karma in my book.

The save costs were removed from the GBA version, I believe.

[img width=700 height=525]http://i.imgur.com/mNoQYd2.jpg?1[/img]

Checkpoint 3 reporting in! I've decided to do a speedrun instead of a completion run because the bonuses are harder to remember in this game. It's really good attention to gameplay that they balanced your team out. They cut back on Diddy's cartwheel attack's speed and reach to counteract Dixie's crazy exploitable propeller hair. Some of the swamp and beehive levels are incredibly easy if you use her right. On top of that, Rare has given you more control when swimming and while being shot out of a barrel. Spinning barrels also have less in-between frames which is smart because you can more easily time which way you're going to blast. Also holy crap I just knocked out this checkpoint in less than 30 minutes. See if you can beat me.  ;)

Tips!!!

Need to get by a lumbering Kruncha but have no barrel handy?

Spoiler (hover to show)

Use the Kongs' team-throw attack. You can hurl a team member and defeat it without sacrificing a Kong.

Is Squawk too slow to avoid Krook's boomerang hooks in Squawk's Shaft?

Spoiler (hover to show)

You can poke your head over the platforms they're on and clobber them with a pellet.

Is Kludgel giving you a hard time?

Spoiler (hover to show)

Dixie is a must on this level for waiting out his shocking jumps with your hairy hangtime.

Are you lost in Bramble Scramble?

Spoiler (hover to show)

Remember to follow the bananas. They'll be your guide out of the thorny maze. Also remember that you have to go in the opposite direction of the banana trail in some situations to get around stubborn barrels.

Left behind in Rickety Race?

Spoiler (hover to show)

As soon as the countdown stops, hold left. You'll soon touch a speed-boost barrel that will give you crazy speed that you can keep throughout the whole level if you hold right.

Did King Zing beat you down in Rambi Rumble right after startling the bananas out of you?

Spoiler (hover to show)

Take a second to hold A and do a charge attack. If timed right, you can rampage across most of the stretches in no time.

Did you ever notice how this:

[img width=256 height=224]http://img4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120624164238/donkeykong/images/3/3b/Krazy_Kremland_-_First_Overview_-_Donkey_Kong_Country_2.png[/img]

Looks like this?

[img width=300 height=106]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OaRb-EJZlag/Trwhwd3H5-I/AAAAAAAABt8/wyMJbBSFzUo/s400/573225-battletoads_logo_large.jpg[/img]

Btw, got to Gloomy Gulch today :) this is really a fantastic game.  I don't know why I never bothered to pick it off my shelf.

Same developer...

Yeah I know. I was just wondering if it was deliberate

Beat DKC 1 at 69% with all KONG letters for the first 3 worlds!

Dck1 is driving me crazy ;) I keep dying on the barrel levels

Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk

I'm all the way up to Screech's Sprint.  These last few levels are no joke

I actually find that level to be a cakewalk compared to the previous bramble levels. Maybe because it's designed around going faster. The bee swarm parts in the earlier levels are hard even if you go slow.

Yeah I ended up beating Screech's Sprint relatively easily.  Took maybe 15 attempts.  I was stuck on sine of the earlier levels like Castle Crush for over an hour. 

Finished!   55% :/

[img width=700 height=933]http://i1072.photobucket.com/albums/w365/adsanislo/20140523_212645_zps44b68255.jpg[/img]

congrats retrorage! and oops, i forgot to update the final checkpoint last night but it's pretty straightforward, main post is updated now :)

Screech's Sprint is an odd level for me- reached it two days ago, died 15 times.  Today, I beat it within three attempts.  Of course, K.Rool has just killed me 10 times in a row....

[img width=700 height=933]http://i.imgur.com/ZsSnWqi.jpg?1[/img]

The stretch from the second half of Gusty Glade to Windy Well was hell to do as a speedrun. With the exception of Arctic Abyss. I wish I was recording my Screech's Sprint run; it was immaculate, and on the very first try too. I could've done better overall, I think. This was fun! I'll see you in Shadow of the Colossus next.

Grrrrr I still havent finished DKC 1,  I never played it all the way through before,  thats what I get for being a Sega Fanboy.  my save has like 54% and 8 hours of play.  Im so just going to try and play DKC 2 later, Im ready for the June retro :)

Beat the game with 30 mins left in May.  Kaptain K.Rool aboard the Flying Croc was deceptively difficult- MUCH harder than the other 2 games. 


Achievements: Beat the Game, Over 50% completion, All KONG letters in Gangplank Galleon.

Whew!  Finally finished DKC 2 with 59% completion.  Just in time to get started on Suikoden!  :)

congrats to everyone who finished! i'll try to list all the people who earned achievements in the first post tomorrow if i have time :)

alright a bit late but i finally got around to compiling all the achievements! here they are, with the number references listed below:

Raidou: 1 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 11 15 23 24 25 (total: 13)
Disposed Hero: 1 7 8 11 23 24 25 (total: 7)
Flee: 7 8 9 11 23 24 25 (total: 7)
RetroRage: 7 8 11 23 24 25 (total: 6)
Stigzilla: 1 2 3 7 8 11 (total: 6)
techwizard: 7 8 11 (total: 3)
douglie007: 7 8 (total: 2)
Silent Scythe: 7 11 (total: 2)

Donkey Kong Country:
1 - Find all 4 of the K.O.N.G. letters in Kongo Jungle world*
2 - Find all 4 of the K.O.N.G. letters in Monkey Mines world*
3 - Find all 4 of the K.O.N.G. letters in Vine Valley world*
4 - Find all 4 of the K.O.N.G. letters in Gorilla Glacier world*
5 - Find all 4 of the K.O.N.G. letters in Kremkroc Industries, Inc world *
6 - Find all 4 of the K.O.N.G. letters in Chimp Caverns world *
7 - 25% or more completion
8 - 50% or more completion
9 - 75% or more completion
10 - 101% completion
11 - Beat the game

Donkey Kong Country 2 Diddy Kong's Quest:
12 - Find all 40 DK Coins
13 - Find all 75 Kremkoins
14 - Access The Lost World
15 - Find all Kong Letters in Gangplank Galleon*
16 - Find all Kong Letters in Crocodile Cauldron*
17 - Find all Kong Letters in Krem Quay*
18 - Find all Kong Letters in Krazy Kremland*
19 - Find all Kong Letters in Gloomy Gulch*
20 - Find all Kong Letters in K. Rool's Keep*
21 - Find all Kong Letters in The Flying Krock*
22 - Find all Kong Letters in Lost World*
23 - Beat the game
24 - 25% or more completion
25 - 50% or more completion
26 - 75% or more completion
27 - 102% completion

Congrats to Raidou for having the most achievements for the May Retro Community Playthrough! Congrats again to everyone else who finished or even just played along with us.

Anyone who's interested, DKC will be speed run today 7:05pm EST (I think). The schedule can be found here https://gamesdonequick.com/schedule

DKC 2 will be run aright after around 7:50 EST.

Wrapped up recording the DKC segment last night with a "special guest." I think you guys will enjoy the chat.