![]() Transcending the crunchy noise snares and jagged sawtooth bleeps of yesteryear, he conjures orchestras and booming drums, funky beats, and lush drawn-out synths that reverberate in caverns and skies. But the one companion that is constantly present, albeit non-diegetic, is David Wise's legendary soundtrack. Along the way they liberate animal friends from boxes and barrels, at times transforming into them to get every advantage they can. It's rich, whimsical, and colorful, with just enough gloomy darkness to give everything a dangerous edge.ĭiddy catches a ride up to the mast of the pirate shipĭiddy and Dixie make for a great duo. K.Rool has retreated into the fortress high up on Crocodile Isle, so the two protagonists have to leave their home and venture into enemy territory, a perilous world that oozes atmosphere like no other platformer before. The whole game echoes this change with a delightful pirate-y theme. The whole king gig did not work out for him, so now he has turned into a Pirate Kaptain. ![]() Who knows what the K might stand for, but the game certainly doesn't pass up every available opportunity for puns. Saving a monkey rather than a princess? What would Mario think!īut there's another villain in town – Kaptain K. Diddy and Dixie Kong don't soar like their Italian plumber colleague, but their rescue mission seems just as important. The movement is tight, but relatively subdued. There are many platformers – Super Mario in all its variations is the big one – but this game seems different. It's a platformer – you run, and you jump. The first ominous chords ring out and the menu takes me into the game. In those days, whenever that golden R appeared, you knew you were in for a treat. The Rare fanfare greets me in my pajamas. I still remember the excitement of waking up super early and lying in bed with open eyes, waiting for the sun to rise just enough to justify going into the living room and firing up the TV. In those days, whenever that golden R appeared, you knew you were in for a treat Among those games was the seminal Donkey Kong Country 2. During that time, my brother and I would work ourselves through a catalog of SNES classics. I'm sure the limited window of opportunity added to the special feel of it. We weren't allowed to have video game consoles except for a Game Boy, but during summer one of the older neighborhood kids would go on vacation and we could borrow a SNES for a month or so. But another activity during those days would become formative. My basketball career didn't work out – I blame it on my being short. School's out and I'm spending part of my day shooting hoops until my hands are red from the dust on the rubber field. And for a little kid, video games might as well be magic. Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic, so the saying goes. Those 16-bits of advertised processor power is just a number, but the figure seems mythical it's twice as much as 8-bit, after all.Ī friend is talking to a salesperson – "Have you seen Donkey Kong Country? The graphics are crazy." With the lack of visuals my imagination runs wild. A SNES console is sitting in a locked display case. I'm in a shopping mall after school with friends. ![]() This entry was contributed by Tri Do Dinh, game director at ClockStone Studio, developer of Lego Bricktales, published by Thunderful that is now available on PC and console platforms. Why I Love is a series of guest editorials on intended to showcase the ways in which game developers appreciate each other's work.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |