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Yours,

3DS Port is the definitive version

+Review

ConclusionGraphics, shmaphics. I’ll happily trade in the resolution for an almost perfect platforming experience. Skip the Wii version and swing by your nearest video game purveyor and purchase this gem. It’s absolutely mesmerizing. I’ll stop with the puns now.

I suck at videogames. I can’t imagine a crueler irony than having a an absolute love for video games but absolutely no ability. Now I know how Salieri felt in Amadeus. Only in my case, my crux doesn’t give me the urge to murder. It may explain just why I loved Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D the second time around.

I stopped playing the original version on the Wii after about a week. I’ll give you one guess on what was the deciding factor. When DKCR 3D was announced on a Nintendo Direct, I initially shrugged it off: another example of Nintendo’s obsession with remakes. This one was especially crazy. Remaking a game that came out two years ago? That takes some mighty big coconuts. The kind DK could, say, fire out of a gun. In spurts, even! Despite my initial trepidation, I was hyped more and more as the information came pouring out. An easy mode? No waggle? More forgiving mine cart levels? Sign me up!

Like it’s Wii predecessor, Donkey Kong island has been attacked by Tiki’s, who have all stolen D.K.’s ba-nana pile. To make things worse, the Tiki’s are putting otherwise adorable animal friends under their spell: a plot so devious K. Rool is probably still green (er, greener) with envy. Donkey Kong and his old pal Diddy must save the island from their attackers while also getting a major potassium fix.

As previously stated, the game’s easy mode was even better than I thought. Too often do easy modes

suffer from being, well, too easy. I know I may be ask-ing too much here, but when a difficulty level is just right, there’s nothing better. All my favorite games have a difficulty level that is challenging, but not an-noyingly so (Note: there are no Contra games in my Top 5). [talk easy mode more]

Despite playing the game almost exclusively in easy mode (I know, I know. Dishonor on me, dishonor on my cow, etc.), I can at least proudly say I never used the Super Guide, even when it was offered to me after fail-ing a few levels more than a few times (I suck at video games, see above). But I never once had the urge to set the game down because of an impending rage. When reviewing a game, I start by playing a game for two hours straight, then rest so I can take the experi-ence in. I’m happy to say that I broke my initial rule this time (by three hours, do the math).

Platform-ers often suffer from becoming repetitive, but DKCR seems to do its absolute best at making every level a fresh experi-ence, something I attribute to the amazing people at Retro Studios. I never felt like I was playing a rehashed version of the same level twice, not to mention the incredibly beautiful visuals that really take full advantage of the stereoscopic 3D. Which brings us to the 3D.

At this particular juncture, the folks who take full advantage of the 3DS’s main feature are first parties (with the exception of New Super Mario

Bros. 2, which is at best an eyesore with the 3D slider on). Too many times do I ditch the 3D altogether, because many studios look at it as an afterthought. I played DKCR 3D with the full 3D about 80 percent of the time. The other 20 percent I was in situations with less than optimal lighting. Was it in a North Korean prison? I’ll never tell.

I tend to not pick at little annoyances of otherwise excellent games. Hell, even The Godfather had its slow points. If I had to find something wrong with DKCR3D, it would have to be the boss battles. They weren’t altogether bland, but there wasn’t a memorable fight in the bunch, save for the last one which was thoroughly gratifying, even if it meant the game was over.

3

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Disclaimer: I Heart Nintendo is NOT affiliated with Nintendo, just a humble fan’s labor of love. All art and writing by Jaime Carrillo and Alysha Moulton unless stated otherwise.

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