Who would have guessed that Retro Studios' first project after the masterful Metroid Prime trilogy would be a revival of Donkey Kong Country, a series that hasn't seen a true sequel since the Super Nintendo? They went from making a first person adventure game in space to making a 2D platformer set in the jungle. Many people had doubts, just as they did when it was announced that an American developer would be making the next Metroid title. But once again these doubts have been laid to rest, Retro Studios has delivered one of the best platformers out there. They have crafted a game that makes old fans feel warm and nostalgic, but also treads new ground by making several advances in the genre. This time around King K. Rool is nowhere to be found, instead Donkey Kong's island is under attack by a gang of magical tiki masks that have managed to steal his stash of bananas and hypnotize his animal friends. While some may miss the kremlings, I don't miss them all that much. Forgive this blasphemy, but I didn't really care much for wave after wave of generic crocodiles. Thankfully the story and the characters aren't the focus of the game. The true focus here is on stellar platforming gameplay, where Donkey Kong Country Returns clearly stands above the rest.
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