Line #38 YMMV/DonkeyKongCountryReturns


1	* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: DK is immune to brainwashing, either due to being [[HeroicWillpower too strong-minded to be seduced by the tiki's music]] or [[TooDumbToFool not having that much of a mind to be controlled to begin with]]. [[TakeAThirdOption Or both.]]
2	* AnnoyingVideoGameHelper: After dying a certain amount of times within a level, Professor Chops appears at every checkpoint to give you the option to use the Super Guide, which quickly turns into an annoyance because as long as he's at the checkpoint, he'll sit there and wave a little flag while a jingle plays. This wouldn't be so bad... if there was any way to disable it or get rid of him. It doesn't matter what you do - even if you ''leave the level,'' he'll still be offering the Super Guide the moment you enter the level again. The only way he'll leave is if you beat the level in question, and when you consider the [[NintendoHard kind of game this is]]... yeah. It doesn't help that even the intentionally tough as nails [[BrutalBonusLevel Temple levels]] will have him pop up after enough deaths.
3	* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: Much of the original ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry'' soundtrack was remixed, mixed in with original tunes. As expected of the [[AwesomeMusic/DonkeyKongCountry series' music]], it doesn't disappoint. The only songs missing from the original DKC are: Bad Boss Boogie, Ice Cave Chant, Cave Dweller Concert, Misty Menace, and of course, K. Rool's Theme.
4	* BrokenBase:
5	** K. Rool's (and his Kremlings) replacement in the game with the evil [[ReplacementScrappy Tikis]]. Some people welcome the new enemies citing that K. Rool had been suffering more BadassDecay with each sequel, while others sorely miss him regardless and his presence as the BigBad, thinking he and the Kremlings are just as iconic to the ''Donkey Kong Country'' series as DK and Diddy themselves.
6	** With the addition of rocket barrel levels and the removal of water levels, there's been a debate between the rocket and water levels from previous DKC games. Fortunately, water levels return in ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryTropicalFreeze''.
7	* DifficultySpike:
8	** The game's challenge feels just like its SNES/GBC predecessors for the first few stages. The [[NintendoHard gloves]] comes off once you reach 1-5 where obstacles start [[OneHitPointWonder one-shotting you]].
9	** A second spike comes in World 4, which is ''nothing but Mine Cart and Rocket Barrel levels.'' Including the boss. These levels are hard due to shifting the game's controls suddenly, making it hard for one to go through the stage without the use of the moves one's become accustomed to. Also, due to the fast scrolling speed and absurd closeness of obstacles, the only way to clear these levels without losing a life is by knowing their layout beforehand.
10	* EpilepticTrees: Due to the new setting and characters, there's a popular theory that Cranky here is actually the DK from the original ''Donkey Kong Country'' trilogy, with the new DK being his (grand)son and Diddy being a GenerationXerox of an older Diddy.
11	* FanNickname:
12	** "Checkpoink" for the Tutorial Pig. His real name, Professor Chops, was revealed in ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryTropicalFreeze.''
13	** Some have taken to referring to the third boss, Stu, as "[[VideoGame/BanjoKazooie Kazooie's husband]]."
14	* GameBreaker: The Banana Juice power-up gives you an additional ''ten'' health points on top of the existing 2 (4 with Diddy), and only costs 20 coins (it's not hard to acquire that many during a single level, and almost guaranteed across two levels). This can make some levels go from mind-shatteringly difficult to extremely easy simply by equipping it. It only lasts for one life though, and gets wasted if you fall in a BottomlessPit, unlike the Heart Boost (1 extra heart), which stays with you until you leave the level (either by finishing or quitting) no matter how many times you die. Given the game's [[NintendoHard difficulty level]], the Banana Juice is almost ''necessary'' in certain situations in order to get HundredPercentCompletion. [[spoiler:Especially in the hidden temple levels; World 6's in particular.]] If you were dependent on these items, then good luck trying to complete these levels in Mirror Mode, where you can't use items, Diddy is unavailable, and you only have one heart!
15	* MoralEventHorizon: Assuming that Stu was in fact a hatchling, the lead up to his BossFight shows that the Tiki Tak Tribe is perfectly fine with brainwashing ''babies and/or children'' for their own gains.
16	* SugarWiki/MostWonderfulSound:
17	** After a particularly tough level segment, nothing boosts your spirits more than the sound of Professor Chops, or the stage clear barrel fanfare.
18	** The sound of repeated smacks, delivered by Wii Remote shakes. Whether you're smacking open an end-of-level barrel for something on the order of 15 banana coins, or saying goodbye to that world's Tiki Tak tribesman, it's always a welcome noise.
19	** [[spoiler: Killing Kowalee in the Golden Temple.]]
20	** The closing credits, after finally getting that last puzzle piece and completing the gallery ([[FakeLongevity which requires playing ALL of the mirror stages...including the temple levels]] [[spoiler:AND the Golden Temple]]).
21	* NightmareFuel:
22	** One of the forest levels has an AdvancingWallOfDoom... made of SPIDERS! Even worse, they're baby spiders that come from you smashing open egg sacks. And if you fall a little too far behind they'll drag Donkey or Diddy down into their depths, complete with look of utter terror on the poor ape's face.
23	** The aptly named "Tidal Terror". Nothing like big rogue waves coming right at the screen.
24	** At the end of every boss level, sans the final one, DK and Diddy are given the chance to beat up the (now dazed) Tiki responsible for brainwashing the boss. However, if the player decides to idle instead of delivering the coup de grâce, the Tikis will flee, flying DIRECTLY AT THE SCREEN. It's a very out-of-nowhere scare that one may stumble on purely by accident.
25	* NintendoHard: In fact, it's much harder than the previous games. [[http://wii.gamespy.com/wii/donkey-kong-country-returns/1135968p1.html This trope is specifically mentioned in the GameSpy review.]] The unlockable Temple levels border on PlatformHell, even the World 1 temple (which is aptly named "Platform Panic"). However, the very worst levels in the game tend to be the rocket levels, which (like the minecart levels) will kill you if you touch anything, but unlike the minecart stages, have few to no breaks from the carts, and as the rocket is not running on rails, gives you many more chances to die.... especially with how touchy the rocket controls are.
26	* PolishedPort: The 3DS UpdatedRerelease, ''Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D'', has better controls (with the {{Waggle}} removed) and optional easy modes with more items to make levels less frustrating (e.g. green balloons to save your Kongs from falling to their deaths, Crash Guards which let you take several hits in mine cart and rocket barrel sections, and portable DK barrels), as well as more levels in the new Cloud world. The only drawbacks are a slight graphical downgrade and that it runs at 30 FPS (as opposed to the Wii version running at 60 FPS).
27	* ReplacementScrappy: A number of people were not happy to see the Kremlings replaced with a "[[WebVideo/JonTron plank of fuckin' wood]]". Many have their reasons as to why they're disliked, but for some it could be the sudden amount of wizardry and sorcery added into a series that didn't rely on it that much through the original trilogy and ''64''.
28	* ScrappyMechanic:
29	** The {{Waggle}} in the abilities have this reputation. The Hand Slap/Peanut Popgun aren't so bad. Having to waggle to do a roll (and thus perform a super jump, a key ability in the platforming) can really suck, especially if you're in a very chaotic and fast paced level. This is completely mitigated in the 3DS UpdatedRerelease, as waggle functions have been mapped to normal button presses.
30	** Blowing is generally seen as an unnecessary additional action, as besides it getting annoying to perform due to needing press down to crouch and [[{{Waggle}} shake]]/press a button on the controller every single time (instead of it being performed with only one button), like in the original Rare trilogy, anything that could be done by blowing could also be done with just the Hand Slap. Tellingly, this is completely removed in ''Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze''.
31	** After losing a life, Donkey Kong doesn't simply restart from the last checkpoint; he slowly drops down while holding onto a balloon. The good news is that, with the press of a button, players can pop the balloon and drop down quickly. The bad news is that certain levels have checkpoints with low ceilings, which prevent the balloon from popping until Donkey Kong is low enough to bypass the ceiling. If you've died enough times on one of these levels, [[SarcasmMode have fun]] being arbitrarily forced to listen to [[AnnoyingVideoGameHelper Professor Chops]] jingling for even longer than usual. Those extra seconds of waiting really do add up.
32	* SuspiciouslySimilarSong: The Mine Menace track from the Rocket Barrel stages sounds a lot like "Friend Like Me" from ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}.''
33	* ThatOneBoss:
34	** The Mole Train is widely hated, because it seems to show no signs of ending and it's a matter of predicting when fighting the moles. Have fun on [[HarderThanHard Mirror Mode]].
35	** Colonel Pluck (the world 7 boss) can be frustrating because his pattern is hard to figure out at first and it takes awhile for him to reveal his weak point.
36	* ThatOneLevel: It's almost universal that [[GoddamnedBats Stage 4-5]] is not fondly regarded. To an extent, World 4 as a whole is this due to the total reliance on navigating through the chaotic levels with a minecart or a rocket barrel (though in the latter's case, the Rocket Barrel levels in the game already have this reputation).
37	%%* UglyCute: Toothberries, the creatures first seen in Stage 3-5 and Snaggles, the sharks that leap out of the water to bite you.
38	* {{Waggle}}: The most common complaint with the game is the clunky and shoehorned motion controls in the original version, especially in regards to rolling (though having to {{Waggle}} to Hand Slap/Peanut Popgun and Blow isn't particularly liked either), which is performed by shaking the Wii Remote. Thankfully, it is completely mitigated in the 3DS UpdatedRerelease, where waggle functions have been mapped to normal button presses.
39	* WinBackTheCrowd: After Microsoft's acquisition of Creator/{{Rare}}, the Donkey Kong franchise went through a turbulent AudienceAlienatingEra. Though ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongJungleBeat'' was pretty well-received and other games such as ''VideoGame/DKJungleClimber'' have their defenders, this was the first DK game to be universally acclaimed since ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'', or even before, and for good reason.

Context YMMV / DonkeyKongCountryReturns