Donkey Kong 64: Critical Countdown (Hideout Helm 1) HD

[@Mr__Jack]

Honestly, the moment of Hideout Helm that absolutely seals the deal of setting the mood is that this theme keeps playing as you’re selecting your Kong in the Tag Barrel. No more fun and games. No room to screw up. No turning back. If that timer hits zero, you lose and DK Isles get blown to pieces. If there was ever a time to get serious, it’s now. One of my absolute all-time favorite levels in gaming.

[@AlliroG98]

Not to mention the minigame theme that even sounds terrified itself

[@kevinkaslana9060]

I couldn't have said it better myself. Of all the levels in DK64, this easily gives the vibe of "Get your head in the game". You're fully focused, fully aware, and fully controlled of what could happen if you were to fail. Forget being a slip-up - now it's do or die.

[@PrinceBrandxn]

The timer resuming even after pausing the game is crazy

[@HealthySkepticism1775]

I also noted and appreciated that the music did not change for the tage barrel. Really smart decision to keep the mood intense

[@mariogirl8100]

@@PrinceBrandxn Wait, it does WHAT!?

[@bread2374]

You wouldn’t get it unless you’ve played, but the subtle design choice of the music staying on while in the tag barrel raised the tension to an unbelievable amount

[@kip258]

Theme of regret because you ignored all of the blueprint guys.

[@NoxWyatt]

Kasplat!

[@Hummingblerd]

Two golden bananas rules to follow here.... 1: Pray you gathered enough blueprints to do the job. 2: Don't ever pause!

[@kip258]

What happens if you pause?

[@Hummingblerd]

@@kip258 That countdown timer... It does not stop! Not in the pause screen, the barrel game... Once you start, you better finish!

[@Acroflame]

*goes to Wii U virtual console menu* Ah now I can use the restroom cause this is outside of the game! *comes back* *5 seconds left* Me: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[@kevinkaslana9060]

It's a true sprint to the finish. Once you enter, every second counts. Pray you don't mess up that often, or say goodbye to D.K. Isles.

[@phoenixfirebird4221]

​@@kevinkaslana9060I wonder. Is it permanent Game over if the timer runs out and the file is erased or something, or do you reset back to the entrance to Hideout Helm?

[@Gator159]

I once let the timer run to zero while doing nothing just so I could hear the full song. Awesome

[@colorforce5530]

You will only hear this once you finally enter Hideout Helm and hurry to the Blast-O-Matic to shut it down forever.

[@JulieDaniels218]

As much as K Rool's willing to harm his folower to make sure the blast-o-matic is repaired, the capstone of this, in the pre-Hideout Helm cutscene, where he insists on firing the Blast-O-Matic despite his engineers insisting that it hasn't been properly safety-tested and could blow them all to smithereens, is actually the entirely correct, if extremely reckless, decision to make in that context, as the Kongs are breaking into the Kremlings' base of operations *literally at that very moment.* There is _no more time_ for preparations or fine-tuning. K. Rool's only two options at that point are to proceed straight to endgame regardless of the risks, or to watch his Evil Plan be torn to pieces.

[@Blade-hf9po]

The part where if they all explode, so do the kongs...

[@MetalHeadKendra]

Can we just appreciate how stressful and inspiring this track is @2:13?

[@kip258]

GoldenEye vibes

[@twinbrossuperstars3970]

mood

[@Chrissaiyanjojoknight]

Yeah they need to have this on NINTENDO SWITCH ONLINE(NINTENDO 64 one like when they do upgrade or update to Online service with the games or have they plan on having Donkey Kong 64 on there like Super Mario 64 and Kirby's dream land 64 one they call it?)

[@Master_Brutus]

​@@kip258both games are rare made so your comment makes more sense

[@grimphantom99insaneenderma85]

The level that causes anxiety

[@DacheFox8]

Truly loved this track! Suited the mood of the final world/level where you needed to shut down the Blast-O-Matic. It gives a heroic/epic atmosphere as it's in your hands to save DK Island. Plus, it makes me cry how intense it gets at 2:15 And gives a melancholic tune in a way for me personally. Such Nostalgia

[@miketrudel2405]

Hurry Kongs before it’s too late!

[@MadCroc98]

If i played this as a child, i felt this music soo much

[@igordrobyschew9748]

Die böseste Epic music die ich je gehört habe 😮 Donkey Kong 64 war n super spiel. Hab wieder Bock drauf

[@Chrissaiyanjojoknight]

They need to have this on SWITCH

[@zefirogvelga137]

It's true

[@P0chuL1ver]

This music stressed alot of people including me, as you go through the Helm to the Blast-O-Matic room and power off the branches. Not only that, but the music still plays even after you enter the tag barrel to change kong. This music is so sick to listen to though, banger from the beginning 0:00 and also at 1:58. Chills given.

[@ProsunMondol]

One of the better adrenaline rising hurry the hell up songs I've ever heard in my gaming history

[@kilotron702]

Do I hear a hint of the Goldeneye soundtrack at 2:13?

[@Master_Brutus]

Goldeneye64 and Donkey Kong 64 are both Rare games, your not in the wrong to make such an assumption.

[@ForceMaximus84]

I hear it to. Sounds a bit like the Depot music.

[@colorforce5530]

I will add this song to Time Shift as everybody hurries to the giant dinghy while the geyser readies to explode.

[@P0chuL1ver]

Did you finish time shift?

[@B1itz_90]

Walking into this stage for the 1st time, I knew it was gonna be tense since it was the last one. But the music really made 11 year old me understand: " Get serious. It's go time..."

[@P0chuL1ver]

One of the most epic music along with Mad maze maul...

[@BrawlOfTheAngryBirds]

As an Angry Birds fan, this is me trying to bring back the original Angry Birds games just in time for the franchise's 15nth anniversary.

[@Chrissaiyanjojoknight]

Rare games...what happened to them?

[@josephb.4640]

Sold to Microsoft and used to make uninspired Xbox 360 games for a while, not even using their unique assets. The members that quit made their own company: Playtonic Games, the one that made Yooka-Laylee. The composer, Grant Kirkhope, worked with them!

[@sanddwichh]

Rare wasn't the same ever since the Microsoft incident...

[@ForceMaximus84]

The common belief is that they went south after being bought by Microsoft. The reality is that before the sale, most of the staff at Rare that were responsible for the great NES/SNES/N64 games had left or were leaving, including the founders of the company. Nintendo knew they weren’t going to be what they were anymore and saw the sale as a way of dropping what was going to be a faltering company, so they let Microsoft have it.

[@scottythegreat1]

They wanted a bigger budget for their games, and Nintendo wouldn't give it to them. They looked for someone to buy them out. Several publishers visited, and the Microsoft deal ultimately went through. Several key employees left before the takeover (ie. Free Radical Design), but after it happened, more people left. Eventually, the Stamper Brothers left as well. Rare still exists, but it's a shell of what they used to be

[@Extra_Dragons211]

this is the song that plays when we try to get old roblox back lol

[@ilikecurry2345]

no sau whay want

[@jamesgibson4073]

This sounded like it was taken from "Skies of Arcadia"

[@scottythegreat1]

That opening is similar to the opening of Knocking at your back door by: Deep Purple

[@KremKrew]

It's all fun and monkey games until this starts playing.

[@NHarmonik]

Where'd you get the name "Critical Countdown" from?

[@Video-Game-OST-HQ]

From this playlist: downloads.khinsider.com/game-soundtracks/album/donkey-kong-64-gamerip Note that my HD Ultra set is there too: downloads.khinsider.com/game-soundtracks/album/donkey-kong-64-hd-n64-gamerip-1999