Donkey Kong Country

 Game Boy Advance
User Score
8.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 89 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 78 out of 89
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 89
  3. Negative: 3 out of 89
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  1. chronoT
    Sep 5, 2012
    9
    A true gaming classic, a title that introduced the best 3D platforming available. This game is where it all began, an epic quest for stolen bananas! What I like best about the original compared to 2 and 3 is the world. Even though it is more basic, it is a treat to look at and I get a special feeling inside every time I think of the rainy jungle or snowy mountain levels. Another greatA true gaming classic, a title that introduced the best 3D platforming available. This game is where it all began, an epic quest for stolen bananas! What I like best about the original compared to 2 and 3 is the world. Even though it is more basic, it is a treat to look at and I get a special feeling inside every time I think of the rainy jungle or snowy mountain levels. Another great aspect is the difficulty, which is definitely there and collecting all the extras such as DK coins was extremely challenging. Some of the boss fights were a bit too easy but King K. will challenge you at the end. Overall I have great feelings about this and the second, Diddy Kong's Quest.… Expand
  2. rapidrack
    Sep 23, 2012
    4
    I never really liked this game, and I don't understand why it was so popular. The first few worlds are okay, and they have a certain original charm about them, but from about halfway on, the level design takes a turn for the abysmal. I found myself experiencing not fun, but mostly frustration, just like I did when this first came out on the SNES. There were countless times when I put myI never really liked this game, and I don't understand why it was so popular. The first few worlds are okay, and they have a certain original charm about them, but from about halfway on, the level design takes a turn for the abysmal. I found myself experiencing not fun, but mostly frustration, just like I did when this first came out on the SNES. There were countless times when I put my whole heart into getting through a tough portion of a level, only to get killed by a tiny projectile rocketing into the screen too fast to react to. It seems to be a theme throughout the game, and it gives the feeling that the developers just don't like you. On top of that, you may find like I did that the levels become too long, and it is no fun playing a good while getting through one part, dying because of one tiny mistake, and having to repeat a huge portion all over again. I frequently found myself edging along slowly and carefully through a level because there is no way of reacting to some of the things that are thrown at you apart from memorizing them. I don't think Rare playtested these levels with a normal audience.

    Play the first three worlds and you've essentially seen everything you're going to see in this game of heavily recycled graphics. It is just aesthetic, but I have an aesthetic side I can't ignore, and it does affect me when the first level feels extremely similar to the fifteenth, or the fiftieth. Even the bosses suffer from recycling, and they're not that interesting to begin with.

    Aside from that, the hitboxes aren't clear. The shape of the characters and level elements makes it very hard to tell exactly where you'll get hit, or where you can stand. It may sound minor, but for me it was a constant annoyance throughout the game. I can't count the times I was hit or missed a platform because I wrongly estimated the position of hitboxes

    The bright patch in the game for me was figuring out the "puzzle" like elements in the levels. They really do require you to think and act carefully, and it feels great when you overcome an obstacle. Unfortunately, the very un-puzzle-like deaths you usually suffer afterwards overshadow it with a feeling of being cheated, losing progress through no fault of your own, and then having to redo the puzzles you already solved. This could have been avoided with more checkpoints, and less reflex-based obstacles.

    Rare to me has always seemed like that developer who is convinced in his own mind that he's just as good or better than all the others, and you feel bad for them because they're embarrassing themselves without knowing it. Rare games have every appearance of being good, but look a little deeper and you usually find they're just mimicing other good games

    I do feel very negatively about DKC games, and I'm not being hateful, I really do just think they're bad, and I can't see how anyone could enjoy them for any considerable amount of time.    … Expand
  3. Shady313
    Mar 22, 2015
    9
    9/10 .................................................................................................................................................
  4. RossM.
    Sep 20, 2003
    10
    Best game ive ever played buy it!
  5. Evan
    Nov 9, 2005
    9
    A very fun game with great replayability with the hero mode when you beat the game plus the attack mode and the mini games. It is a classic game that makes you wish you were a monkey!
  6. [Anonymous]
    May 30, 2003
    10
    Is a perfect adaptation of the original game of super nes.
  7. MattR.
    Jun 29, 2003
    9
    Not as spiecial as the ones on SNES but still so so .I thought it was gonna be better but what do you expect when you grown up with DK.
  8. TJ
    Jul 12, 2003
    9
    This game is off the fa sheezy!! Yea! Buy dis tight game. Some things kinda suck though. like the music. Buy dis game playa!
  9. RickS.
    Aug 10, 2003
    10
    This is the best game for GBA i've ever played.
  10. Nick
    Sep 27, 2003
    10
    DKC is an amazing game and just as amazing on the Handheld Nintendo as on the console. I Love the Music The graphics and every last element of this wonderfully put together game! great Work!!
  11. BasilZero
    Sep 9, 2018
    9
    Game: Donkey Kong Country
    Genre: Adventure Platformer
    Developer: Rareware Publisher: Nintendo System: Gameboy Advance (GBA) Year of Release: 2003 Length of Playthrough: 2 Hours Total Score: 87/100 Value Score: 8.7/10 • Story: 10/10 • Characters: 10/10 • GamePlay: 10/10 • Graphics: 9/10 • Sound: 6/10 • Music: 9/10 • Length: 7/10 • Replay Value: 7/10 • Player Value: 9/10    Game: Donkey Kong Country
    Genre: Adventure Platformer
    Developer: Rareware
    Publisher: Nintendo
    System: Gameboy Advance (GBA)
    Year of Release: 2003
    Length of Playthrough: 2 Hours

    Total Score: 87/100
    Value Score: 8.7/10

    • Story: 10/10
    • Characters: 10/10
    • GamePlay: 10/10
    • Graphics: 9/10
    • Sound: 6/10
    • Music: 9/10
    • Length: 7/10
    • Replay Value: 7/10
    • Player Value: 9/10

    Pros
    +Bonus mini games including Funky Fishing and Candy's Dance Studio
    +Additional Attack/time mode for all levels
    +Story with scenes have been added to the game
    +Additional voice sound effects added that were not in the SNES or GBC version
    +Some bosses have been changed in terms of AI and the way they are fought

    Cons
    -Graphics look better than the GBC version but lacks animation quality as the SNES version
    -Some of the OST tracks sound different and lack the quality of the SNES version
    -The World map has been remade and it looks terrible compared to the original SNES version    … Expand
  12. cmyk
    Jan 29, 2014
    9
    I have this on the SNES; it's just awesome. Story's simple, levels are challenging but fun. Music has its retro charm, and it definitely holds some sentimental value. Great classic.
  13. Captain_Faramir
    Feb 3, 2017
    10
    Absolute classic, there is no cons about this game. Not only is it very re-playable, but this one has the most memorable characters and bosses across most platformers overall.
  14. angelss_13
    Apr 17, 2017
    8
    Un gran clásico bien adaptado a una consola portátil. La música es grandiosa y el mundo es gracioso y único, divertido de conocer. Tiene desafío y diversión por partes iguales.
  15. aditya1101
    Oct 9, 2017
    10
    Amazing game - some of the best platforming around, even to this day. It's crazy to think that this game came out so long ago - it's truly a classic.
  16. Ferus71
    Dec 26, 2019
    9
    muito bom, realmente fico sem palavras muito bom mesmo serio vai la joga agora top muito bom de +
  17. nachoespoz
    Sep 6, 2019
    9
    todo un referente de la snes, un juegos con gráficos y estética muy sobre el estándar de lo que se vio hasta en ese entonces.
    con una agradable jugabilidad y un desafió contaste, hay niveles para todos los gustos y con una dificultad ascendente. niveles finales pueden ser muy complicado pero nunca injustos. personalmente no hubo nivel que no me gustara cada uno tiene algo que ofrecer y el    todo un referente de la snes, un juegos con gráficos y estética muy sobre el estándar de lo que se vio hasta en ese entonces.
    con una agradable jugabilidad y un desafió contaste, hay niveles para todos los gustos y con una dificultad ascendente. niveles finales pueden ser muy complicado pero nunca injustos. personalmente no hubo nivel que no me gustara cada uno tiene algo que ofrecer y el uso de los animales que ayudan a nuestro gorila protagonista son un plus que solo potencia la diversión.
    como casi todos los juegos de esa época, hay un sistema de vidas, puedes acumularlas lo que ayuda mucho, y mas en los niveles finales.
    este juego es perfecto salvo un detalle... los jefes del juego son aburridos pero curiosamente no son fáciles, solo salvo la pelea final que gracias a dios supo rescatar un poco este apartado.
    nada mas que decir, un clásico como pocos y que estará siempre entre los mas nostálgicos    … Expand
  18. ChesterField
    May 1, 2020
    8
    My first donkey kong game. I remember it with special affection and with a spectacular level design. Very replayable. Purchase for game boy is required.
  19. AbeFiletti
    Oct 21, 2020
    10
    I guess the GBA edition is my only way of reviewing this game. I'm gonna be rating this as just DKC not on the certain edition. Donkey Kong Country is Nintendo's greatest platformer of all time, yes I said it. The platforming is flued and so fun. It isn't afraid to be difficult, but this difficult is fun! I am mainly talking about the barrel, and Minecart levels. I was excited to go intoI guess the GBA edition is my only way of reviewing this game. I'm gonna be rating this as just DKC not on the certain edition. Donkey Kong Country is Nintendo's greatest platformer of all time, yes I said it. The platforming is flued and so fun. It isn't afraid to be difficult, but this difficult is fun! I am mainly talking about the barrel, and Minecart levels. I was excited to go into it, but I didn't expect it to be this good. It is also the best looking SNES game ever. Also the music is phenomenal. This game has some of the best videogame music ever. This is the definition of a perfect game. If I would give Donkey Kong Country an award it would be as of 10/21/20 The Best Platformer Ever Award.… Expand
  20. hector_bcn98
    Jun 29, 2023
    8
    Si los de Rare quisieron hacer un juego difícil, puñetero y traicionero, que lo digan y ya está.
  21. GVB
    Nov 29, 2022
    7
    I'm going to say it: it's a bit better than 2. If you are looking for a good challenge, with a lot of secrets, this is for you.
  22. grimreapersims
    Nov 6, 2021
    10
    ....................................................................................................................................................................................................blank
  23. Jattaman
    Oct 2, 2022
    10
    Capolavoro, pietra miliare dei videogame.
    Grafica per i tempi sbalorditiva, game design fantastico, colonna sonora memorabile.
    Capolavoro assoluto.
    La recensione si riferisce alla versione Super Nintendo.
  24. Smg7
    Jun 29, 2023
    7
    Fun game, the controls feel responsive, and the levels are fun. Secrets can be a bit cryptic at times though, and the bosses kinda suck. I like the gba sountrack tho

Awards & Rankings

27
#27 Best Game Boy Advance Game of 2003
14
#14 Most Discussed Game Boy Advance Game of 2003
34
#34 Most Shared Game Boy Advance Game of 2003

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 26 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 26
  3. Negative: 0 out of 26
  1. Eurogamer
    80
    Fun though DKC is, it is - as many have said in the past - rather on the short side. Stumbling through the game with a fairly good idea of where everything was, it took us about four hours to get to the final boss and dispatch him, picking up some 70 per cent of the game's secrets along the way.
    Read full review
  2. Gamestyle
    70
    A game of this overall technical sheen that can really make you smile and take notice, doesn't come along every day... in fact it comes along every nine years. If you've not sampled it before, now is the time.
    Read full review
  3. Game Informer
    90
    There's a certain intensity of action and sense of urgency that only a 2D platformer can deliver. This game is a great way to rediscover that feeling for yourself. [June 2003, p.118]
See all critic reviews »