Video games speaking, the end of 1994 was marked by several major events. In Japan, from December 3, a certain PlayStation is being marketed by Sony, which will arrive in Europe in September 1995, with the success it is known for. In France, the end of 1994 is still marked by this “Bit wars” which sees Super Nintendo and SEGA Mega Drive clash. And while the 16-bit era seems doomed to live its last moments, Nintendo will then release a title that is unexpected (and incredible), to say the least, namely a certain Donkey Kong Country.
In the small world of video games, the years pass… but the passion and the memories remain! Re:Play looks back at the great classics of video game history. A little return to the future past, in search of your child or adolescent soul, the very one that has undoubtedly already made you (or will make you) utter the magic formula “it was better before”. What if it was true…? So we blow into the cartridge, let’s go for Re:Play!
Donkey Kong Country, the monkey slap of Christmas 1994!
Launched in Japan in 1990 (and in Europe in 1992), the Super Famicom/Super Nintendo is a console that will have to fight against very fierce competition, embodied by the SEGA Mega Drive, but also by the PC Engine. One of the great strengths of the Nintendo console was this possibility for developers to go beyond the performance of the machine, by integrating specific chips directly into the game cartridges.
This is obviously the case for Starwing, which integrated the famous Super FX chip in 1993, but the following year, the Super Nintendo continued to impress, this time with Donkey Kong Country. Even though the title falls into the section of 2D horizontal-scrolling platform games, Donkey Kong Country will impress the gallery with its revolutionary graphics.
And for good reason, the game signed Rare is developed using Silicon Graphics workstations.next gen“, and with the PowerAnimator software, allowing you to create skeletons of three-dimensional models, which are then integrated into the game.
On screen, we marvel (still today) at this pure technological marvel, not to mention the incredible work done on the animations and even the sound design. It was hard to believe at the time that it was the same console with which we played Super Mario World, which allowed us to run this Donkey Kong Country which seemed to come straight from the future.
Donkey Kong, an aging license in the early 90s?
At the time, the Donkey Kong license was already popular, but its aura was light years away from Super Mario, Metroid, or Zelda. The character is immediately recognizable, but a new game branded Donkey Kong was in no way synonymous with success at the time, not to mention that the 1981 arcade license was based on a principle far removed from what Donkey Kong Country would constitute.
For Nintendo, it was therefore necessary to bring Donkey Kong back to the forefront, but by offering an innovative game, which could not afford to rely solely on the license. The Japanese giant then called on the Rare studio, already known for having developed a certain Battletoads. From 1992, the company acquired numerous Silicon Graphics stations, while using a compression tool (ACM) which made it possible to fit the game elements onto a small Super Nintendo cartridge.
For the Japanese giant, there is no question of just tickling any nostalgic fiber with this Donkey Kong Country. On the contrary, Rare is being asked to develop an innovative game, with a technique never seen before. Although headed by Nintendo, Donkey Kong Country will benefit from all of Rare’s know-how and humor. For its part, Nintendo is responsible for marketing the game, focusing its communication in particular on the graphics and gameplay of the game.
An immediate success and the game of an entire generation
Launched at the end of November 1994 worldwide, Donkey Kong Country enjoyed immediate success, driven by innovative 3D elements (in a two-dimensional game), at a time when 2D was still king. The Donkey Kong universe is modernized, and Rare invents new characters, starting with Diddy Kong.
When the game was released, the reviews were rave, and Donkey Kong Country was undoubtedly THE video game of Christmas 1994. In addition to its incredible visual appearance, the game also shines with its very successful gameplay and omnipresent humor. In total, Donkey Kong Country will sell nearly 10 million copies. And that’s a hell of a bunch of Kongs…
Obviously, the game will completely relaunch the Donkey Kong license, and the latter will quickly be the subject of derivative products and other animated series. Added to this are two sequels also launched on Super Nintendo (Diddy’s Kong Quest and Dixie Kong’s Double Trouble). And if Donkey Kong is still very popular today, it is (very) largely thanks to this Donkey Kong Country from 1994.
For the record, Nintendo will launch Donkey Kong Country at the same time as SEGA will market its 32X, an extension of the Mega Drive allowing it to increase its power. And even though the Super Nintendo seemed stuck in the past, with Donkey Kong Country, the console found a second lease of life, completely eclipsing SEGA’s new accessory…
Donkey Kong Country, still trendy in 2024!
And while we could not have believed the Donkey Kong Country trilogy destined to remain exclusive to the Super Nintendo, the latter will ultimately continue over the years. The game will experience various adaptations/sequels, on Game Boy in particular, but also on Nintendo 64, but to this will be added an excellent Donkey Kong Returns in 2010, without forgetting Tropical Freeze launched in 2014.
Like the original trilogy, these two opuses will experience a new life on Nintendo’s future consoles, notably the 3DS but also of course the Nintendo Switch. Furthermore, Nintendo has also allowed itself some crazy things in the past with its license, with the excellent Donkey Konga on Game Cube, but also the no less successful Donkey Kong Jungle Beat. On Game Boy Advance, some players may also have known the astonishing DK King of Swing.
As for the original trilogy, the latter will cross generations to be constantly in the spotlight, in digital version on Wii and Wii U, without forgetting ports on Game Boy Advance. Just recently, Nintendo also confirmed the return of the Donkey Kong Country series to Nintendo Switch, via its Switch Online program.
Added to this is the release, in January 2025, of a certain Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, a modernized version of the game launched in 2011 on Nintendo Wii (the Tropical Freeze episode is already available).
