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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 15, 2004)
Donkey Kong game lacks good graphics The re-release maintains the original’s fun but lacks the vivid graphics lauded by the SNES version’s fans By Aaron Shakra Pulse Editor The phrase "everything old is new again" is most apt when describing the present state of portable gaming. Nin tendo, whose Game Boy system holds a de facto monopoly on the market, has been re-releasing a slew of older ti tles such as F-Zero, Mario Kart and Su per Mario Bros. If it's old and popular, chances are it's coming to a Game Boy cartridge near you. GAME REVIEW Yet anoth er example is Donkey Kong Coun try, originally released for the Super Nintendo back in 1994 and made available for the Game Boy Ad vance last year. Developed by Rare, the game was heralded for its "ACM," or Advanced Computer Modeling graph ics. Every art element in the game was graphically rendered — a first for con sole gaming. Translation: Back in the day, this was the absolute shit. And of course, there was the game play to back it up. If the Mario Bros, games for the Super Nintendo were the best side-scrolling platformers, the Donkey Kong Country series was easily (forgive the pun) second banana, or, perhaps, holds a tie for first. So, this is basically the same game re leased for the Super NES. Plot: zero. Donkey Kong's bananas are all stolen and it's time to get them back with his friend Diddy. Extra features: minimal. Although Nintendo might try to sell gamers on the "time-based DK attack mode," this is about as exciting as watching apes groom themselves. Actu ally, such a statement is an insult to the apes. However, one useful feature is the ability to save at any point during the game, making the Cranky Kong save points from the original game inert. The audio soundtrack remains Courtesy more or less intact. More, because there are supposed additions to the soundtrack, such as character grunts from Diddy and Donkey Kong. Less, because the Game Boy Advance stereo sound is paltry compared to the Super Nintendo version. The biggest and most unfortunate drawbacks here are the graphics. Allow me to illustrate this with a story. This past summer, spending time at a friend's house in the hills, I saw sunsets so beautiful I likened them to "Donkey Kong Country skies." Well, unfortu nately, there are no such vistas here. Drab, pixelated, washed-out jungles are the norm. The technique of anti aliasing seems to have been largely for gotten. All of this is sort of inexplicable, considering that the Game Boy Ad vance is supposed to be as powerful, if not more so, than the Super NES hard ware. And on the Super Nintendo, with any decent television, everything is beautiful and crisp. Does the now Microsoft Corporation-owned Rare, still a Game Boy developer, perhaps hold a grudge toward Nintendo? Maybe Nintendo will re-release the title again and call it "Donkey Kong Country Advance" with the graphics the game deserves. But if the game play is what it's about for you, don't hesitate to try out the present version. Anyone playing for the first time will obviously be unable to notice a difference. Here's hoping greater attention will be paid to the next Donkey Kong re-release. Contact the Pulse editor at aaronshakra@dailyemerald.com. proud member of Unique Eugene VLT — 75th SEASON — The Very Little Theatre presents The Lion in Winter by James Goldman Reva Kaufman, director Jan. 9-11*, 15-18* 22-25*, 30-31 S Tickets: $12 Students $9 on Thursdays Box office open 2:00-5:30 Wed-Sat., 2350 Hilyard St. www.TheVLT.com 344-7751 Advertise in the ODE classifieds 346-4343 "Best Mea! for a Deal Place, "Best Breakfast"' V ' \ |j| News * "Best Dinner l " One of 101 Cool Til4 1998 « "Best Oirvn^Mj Breakfast,‘1st 2nd Place. Eu£K i / ft Soup," 3rd Place Eugene ast," Best of Teen, gegster "Best Breakfast." 2n| Place, ee. “Best Soup," Place, ;a m ' tacc FT * * V I The best eats in town.” Sports Illustrated on Campus 2588 Willamette St. 541-687-8201 * 1340 Alder Street 541-687-0355 Winter term fortune: You will save time and money on your textbooks. Current UO students, faculty and staff get a 10% discount on all books everyday. Find the current buyback schedule online under the coursebook section at UOBookstore.com. UNIVERSITY OF OREGON BOOKSTORE Non-profit bookstore owned by students, faculty and staff of the University of Oregon. January 26, 2004 2004 tore Informal
