Donkey Kong...Returns

There's one thing that I take as a constant in video games. And that is that moving platforms will continue to move at a constant pace. Donkey Kong Country Returns, stage 6-1 Sticky Situation takes this constant and mocks it. The platforms that slowly fall down the screen move at one speed, slow up for a second or so, then continue at the previous speed. I can't tell you how many times that got me. I'd jump to one right before it slowed up and I'd miss it, falling to my death. At least my wife didn't seem to recognize the death music and comment on it. I really hate that.

"Yes, I KNOW I just died 10 times in a row. LAY OFF!"

And the little pig with the spastic waving white flag telling me that Super Kong can come in to save the day doesn't help much either. But he's at least easier to ignore. :)

I think another part of what makes this game tough is that it really screws with my depth perception. I'd often completely miss seeing ledges or enemies because they were on a different plane than I was focusing on. I don't know if it's a color contrast problem or just the insane amount of focus this game demands to not die (over and over and over again).

On a positive and nostalgic note, the music has lodged itself into my brain quite a few times. I can't tell how much of that is due to my remembering the original and how much is due to it just being very well done. In general, the first few worlds were a fun little romp that reminded me why I loved the original game on the N64. Then they slowly started to get a bit sadistic. And I swear you used to just have to hold down the jump button when bouncing off an enemy's head to get a little jump boost. Now you have to hit the jump button again right at the same time you're landing on its head. Which isn't too tough if you're really thinking about it. But you're soon required to do it with split second timing or you risk falling off the mine cart. Oh the mine cart. Don't even get me started on those things.