The Quill #2: Video Games #3

Zany characters, challenging stages, and a banger soundtrack. These are all what can be expected from Donkey Kong Country: a game that has meant a great deal to me since I was a child. I will never forget the day that my mom dusted off her old Super Nintendo and booted up this game to show me for the very first time. The colorful 16-bit graphics — along with the characters of Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong themselves — mesmerized my three-year-old self at once, and it wasn’t long before I wanted to try it for myself. From the moment I held that beautiful SNES controller in my hands, there was no going back. I was hooked on gaming — something that has stuck with me ever since.

Released in 1994, Donkey Kong Country is a 2D platformer that, impressively enough, still holds up over 30 years later. Since it’s a Nintendo platformer, there isn’t much in terms of a complex plot, but the game more than makes up for this with its intricate level design. Whether it’s riding a rhinoceros named Rambi, steering an out of-control mine cart down a broken track, or firing yourself from barrel cannons through a blustering snowstorm, players can always be certain that their skills will be put to the test. Some obstacles may even require players to swap characters for them to proceed; Donkey Kong is much slower and more powerful than the acrobatic Diddy Kong. This will especially come in handy against King K. Rool, the leader of the villainous crocodiles known as the Kremling Krew, who’s known for employing trickery to defeat his nemeses.

When I was a child, this game — along with its two sequels that were released in 1995 and 1996 — meant the world to me. I would spend hours trying to make it to the next level, and for many years, I was unsuccessful in defeating the final boss. However, I’ve gotten much better at video games since then and have even begun to speedrun the entire Donkey Kong Country trilogy in recent years. My current record is a little over an hour for the first game, Yet I’m always striving to improve. Speedrunning aside, if you’re a fan of old games and haven’t given these games a chance yet, do yourself a favor and try them out! You can find the entire trilogy on the Nintendo Switch’s Super Nintendo emulator, which can be accessed with a Nintendo Online membership.

Play free online at GameSpot.