Good Game Design - Donkey Kong Country: Hidden Rewards

[@TJOEL20]

"DIXIE KONG IS SEXY" ............... "Now that I got your attention..."

[@batterupman]

+TJOEL20 That was actually true though.

[@VimyGlide]

"Are you KIDDING me?!"

[@yezmo5688]

not really anymore dixie isnt's a kid just immortal

[@sonicboy678]

So what is Tiny?

[@darsparx]

I....I don't even know anymore.....she's one fo the many characters that last I checked they don't even use anymore

[@MorseCodeStutters]

As a kid, getting that extended secret ending in DKC2 made me feel like a total bawss. All without the help of a strategy guide.

[@megakoni1]

i didn't even knew that until today. It looks so awesome, now i wanna play it again and get this secret ending

[@cameroncollazo9797]

My man

[@thebestever7788]

"The plam trees that can be ground pounded to pop out bananas".... wait.... what?!

[@snomangaming]

+Son Goku Yeah! You didn't know that! There's a ton of secrets in them trees :)

[@youngsonsonny9231]

+Son Goku I know right! lol!

[@mootbooxle]

that's the sound a palm tree makes when ground pounded...PLAM!

[@AllHailKingKurt]

Son Goku that is what I call bad game design though, having to use a move like that, that typically is useless, in random places just to find a secret, who is going to go around slapping the ground or slapping the trees just to find bananas, it's about as bad as yoshi story expecting people to sniff out melons

[@607]

Swaft is sin But those bananas are very insignificant for completing the game.

[@Pepepipipopo]

I had no idea about the exclamation mark

[@Jester_Jean]

ikr?? I was always like "How am I supposed to know where I missed something??"

[@Awe5omegamer64]

It's funny because I remember seeing it above clam city and its just funny to imagine someone shouting clam city!

[@TheGauges420]

Awe5ome gamer64 lets all go to *-CLAM CITY!-*

[@Awe5omegamer64]

Seth Kauffman Let's swim at the Poison Pond!

[@lcuffy9890]

@@Awe5omegamer64 no

[@TheLonelyGoomba]

I love DKC... but tbh some of the secrets are pretty bad design. Granted, a fair share of them have some sort of clue. Some of them just involve jumping or deliberately dying to find a secret barrel. A few secrets involve shooting a barrel off screen into certain death only for there to be a secret there. It's not really great design. It's not IMPOSSIBLE to find but usually results to a lot of deaths and guess work when you're really stumped on a level. I guess it was quite primitive design, the sequels did a much better job.

[@far2ez539]

DKC2 was undoubtedly a lot better. Hidden zone place was incredible game design.

[@apersonwhoneverateataco1405]

Oh it is YOU!

[@PrincessNinja007]

Even in the sequels, that's how I found a lot of barrels- oh shit I died, no wait there's a barrel I'm saved!

[@oasis9009]

What I really hate is when they do what I call the “NSMBait”. The NSMBait is when you lure the player to an area with a common collectible (coins, bananas, etc.) and then reward them with that collectible. So you follow a line of bananas to a secret area, and find more bananas. Not fun.

[@Dinoman972]

I can confirm this happens by experience. I don't even know how many times I have jumped into the void in DKCTR just in case there was something hidden and awkwardly died as a result. That might be just me, though.

[@Nickoten]

Just quick correction: Super Mario 64 predates DKC3.

[@snomangaming]

Nickoten Ah very good point! I should've known that, did a whole video on SM64 too! lol

[@Vercalos]

For what it's worth, every level having a unique signature is something that appears throughout the series. Nearly every level in the first DKC game introduces something new, be it an obstacle, enemy, or setting. 1st level introduces the basics+Rambi; 2nd level, armadillos and rope; 3rd is caves, snakes, bouncy tired, 4th is the first underwater level; 5th introduces more barrels; 6th is your first boss fight; 7th introduces catwalks, vultures, and Winky; and the 8th introduces runaway minecarts. it goes on from there. the 9th level is the only level I can really think of that doesn't really introduce anything new.

[@snomangaming]

+Vercalos al'Corlin Yeah I love that the series does that. When games do that today, I always smile because it just makes a game so much more enjoyable

[@BingBangPoe]

DKC2 was the best one in the original SNES series. Best music, best level design, best characters.

[@100organicfreshmemes5]

Biased, much?

[@100organicfreshmemes5]

TheMartinbomber Not really, Tropical Freeze is better in all mentioned departments.

[@100organicfreshmemes5]

TheMartinbomber Do you even know what noob means? If you did, you wouldn't use it here because that makes no sense.

[@100organicfreshmemes5]

TheMartinbomber You're missing the point of what I said, that goes to show how much of an imbecile you are. Let me spell it out for you: YOU DON'T USE WORDS RIGHT. Do you get it now?

[@100organicfreshmemes5]

TheMartinbomber I can't even... how can you be so stupid? I'm honestly curious, you act like I'm pathetic and all I do is argue on the internet, and literally all you can do is say: LEL PLEB SCRUB NOOB GET REKT LOLOL

[@fcon]

7:56 Kongcepts*

[@snomangaming]

Ayyy

[@fcon]

OMG SNOMAN REPLIED

[@fcon]

... how old are you

[@fcon]

Your username and spelling as well as the "joke" all contributed to me asking you for your age.

[@fcon]

I'm assuming your profile picture is cloud from FF7. Almost everyone knows he is named Cloud Strife. Also my name is actually short for fContent. I make my own videos. Also, even if I don't know what this "magik" thing is, it wouldn't really be obvious to quite a bit of other people.

[@cryssnail]

I'm sorry but randomly throwing yourself down holes in vain hope of finding a bonus barrel is TERRIBLE game design.

[@LarryLopez91]

That's why the second game is better. There's WAY less instances of that happening, if at all.

[@meajur]

"Who... how are you all getting in here?" "I just broke in." _"I'm_ using astral projection!" 😂😂😂😂😂

[@TravisPilgrim]

FINALLY, someone is discussing how DKC3 expanded on the franchise

[@snomangaming]

+TravisPilgrim Yeah I'm actually a big fan of it, despite its bad rap. Loved it a ton as a kid

[@PanSangex]

I think i never got the helicopter nor the special level, thanks satan emulators exists.

[@pirate_cove_man]

Yeah, DKC3 is unacceptably underrated

[@VGologie]

The Donkey Kong franchise is arguably the reigning king of collectathons. It's quite rewarding to reach 100% on a save file... until you realize that a 'perfect run' is 101%.

[@snomangaming]

VGologie Yeah they had that innovation before it was really popular. So good.

[@PresStar2Play]

I really have to beat DKC2 102% sometime. I just want to feel that sense of accomplishment.

[@snomangaming]

+Natok the Dragon [PresStarToPlay] It is totally amazing, just for the Lost World :)

[@PresStar2Play]

I see! Also, thank you for replying to my comments!

[@Filux4]

I'm a huge fan of the series but the last two games on wii and wiiU are just... fine, I guess ? I don't feel the same pleasure with those two than with any of the first trilogy.

[@snomangaming]

Sure, it definitely doesn't have the charm of the originals (and a bit more cartoony art style), but MAN I love the level design in it! So creative

[@KyletheReflectionist]

I liked DKC, DKC3 and DKC Returns. There was something about 2 and tropical freeze that I just can't get into.

[@k-leb4671]

Kyle the Reflectionist You are the first person I've ever seen who said he/she can't get into DKC2 and DKCTF, but still likes the other games. I actually love this comment. It's so refreshing to see such a different opinion.

[@DjaliGoatShow]

Great start off to -Dixie- Donkey Kong Month! My favourite series in video games right here.

[@snomangaming]

Jolly Goat May can be Dixie Kong month!

[@shayoko6]

i only fully played the original DKK. it was pretty good. didn't know for years about many of the secrets since i didn't really look for them. nice video,was informative and nostalgic!

[@jarerarebear1765]

That was an awesome video! And you're right, the DKC games implemented exploration incredibly well.

[@snomangaming]

+Jared Garrison Yeah! It's probably my favorite part of the games :)

[@TheCartoonGamer8000]

You guys covered all the bases of what makes DKC such an amazing series. Well done!

[@snomangaming]

***** Thanks! That was the idea, just an overview on why it all is so good!

[@skudzer1985]

I played and beat every DKC game on the SNES and I NEVER knew about the exclamation point thing.

[@snomangaming]

+skudzer1985 Yeah apparently lots of people didnt haha! It's neat little way to tell you

[@starlight381a]

I don't liked Retro Studios DKC works. Also think they did a mess. Sorry.

[@snomangaming]

Yeah I mean, to each their own. It's definitely different from the originals but I loved them (ESPECIALLY Tropical Freeze)

[@alexsmart007]

Man, that was a great video. And that is probably why I love the DKC series so much!

[@snomangaming]

Alex Contreras Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed!

[@ZipplyZane]

The thing I liked about the Donkey Kong Country series was how it did skill progression. The levels taught you how to be better at the game by adding new elements each time. Sure, that had been done before, but the way DKC did it really got me. It was just the right level that I could just keep on playing. When you mastered a technique, you just felt so good. The Bonus Barrels and stuff were nice, but they did their best work by giving me something to go back and find after I'd mastered the techniques I needed.

[@snomangaming]

+ZipplyZane Yeah absolutely! There's a lot of "higher skill tech" that can make the game even more enjoyable like the roll jump

[@turntsnaco824]

+ZipplyZane Fully agree, the learning curve of DKC2 is pristine.

[@RiC_David]

Dixie Kong was a total cartoon/videogame crush of mine - that ponytail __ So yes, she is sexy, agreed. Candy Kong was too skanky for my liking, y'know?

[@snomangaming]

If I were a female Kong, I'd go after Funky Kong, know what I'm sayin?

[@axas445]

+snomaN Gaming Agreed

[@theitaliangoomba5542]

i i was a female kong id go for lanky

[@cardboardhawks6783]

F R U N G U S K O N G

[@cybertrongaming4007]

i love the donkey kong country series.

[@SlurpyTheDog]

Snoman, have you ever played Viva Piñata or its sequel? It's another rareware game, and the way it encourages you to experiment allows for some really great secrets.

[@GlueGhostSucks]

I really didnt like the last guy that joined, he was pretty cringey

[@VimyGlide]

i think that might've been the point.

[@k-leb4671]

It's to make Snoman look better.

[@alejandron.molina1295]

This is some top quality content, I'm glad I'm subscribed. Keep up the good work, I love to see another huge DK fan.

[@leonardokim]

DKC2 is my all time favorite!

[@CidGuerreiro1234]

Same!

[@badkluster]

New Super Mario Bros Wii: when you collect all star coins in a world you gain access to a bonus stage in a bonus world

[@snomangaming]

+¡Gñ! Ooo yeah! I actually remember collecting all the coins and feeling so accomplished when it popped up and said "You've completed everything in this game". So good

[@callinater6133]

@@snomangaming honestly that pop up scared the shit of me when I saw it for the first time for some reason.

[@lordroy88]

Some secrets have you jump off the edge without any clues, that’s weird to me.

[@Movitzman]

I feel like I'm the only one who scours DKC1 for ground pound spots .-.

[@cruelcumber5317]

What is a kong but a miserable pile of secrets?

[@snomangaming]

+NuclearUnicorn7 The same could be said of all primates.

[@flymonkky]

I know you showed a bit of Mega Man in the intro. But I'd have to say that the Mega Man X series is the best example of a hidden reward system. Almost all hidden rewards in Mega Man X games either make you more powerful or significantly change the way you play. Sameish argument for Zelda, but less so because you're required to have those items.

[@snomangaming]

Scott Reinke Yeah! Mega Man X is a game I want to cover on this series down the road, but it will be hard not to repeat a lot of what Egoraptor already has said about it :) I did an episode on Zelda though! The "Growing Stronger" principle!

[@MrBroken030]

i think dkc3 is very underrated its just as good as dkc2

[@snomangaming]

I agree, I love a lot of what they did with DKC3

[@CidGuerreiro1234]

I like DKC2 more because of the pirate theme and darker atmosphere. Soundtrack is more memorable as well for the same reasons.

[@MrBroken030]

***** D K DONKEY KONG he is the leader of the bunch you know him well........ even as a kid i knew this crappy rap intro was just the beginning

[@JoseCoss64]

MrBroken030 DKC3 its actually my favourite one, I loved to explore the secret levels and finding those invisible barrels that teleported you to the end

[@greder23]

You know, my best friend is the type of guy who would would miss that first secret in DKC 1 with Rambi. He would jump just high enough to make it over. He really plays games at the most basic level they can be played. And when I (having eyes that are trained to look for secrets) would point out something to him, he'd be like "Oh, I didn't see that"; even to the most blatant stuff. It can be incredibly frustrating at times, with me exploding and saying "HOW?! HOW did you not realize that was the case?" But it's still entertaining because in a way, we're playing the game together and strengthening our bonds as friends over it. Donkey Kong Country was a game that did that.

[@snomangaming]

+greder23 Hahah yeah thats awesome! There's nothing like playing a game with a buddy :)

[@k-leb4671]

How would he even be able to see that he needs to jump high to get on the higher platform before dropping onto the platform with the bonus cave? Rambi moves so fast and the field of view is so zoomed in that I could barely see that a need to jump particularly high before I end up on the lower platform.

[@TheDaringPastry1313]

i loved DK 2 and 3 the most. At least with 2 and 3 the minigames didnt repeat like the newer Wii/Wii U titles. every mini game in DK2 reflected the level or if you entered the mini game with the animal buddy. I loved the creative ways you had to kill the DK coin kremlin with the metal barrel... I loved DK2 and 3 the most

[@snomangaming]

I couldn't agree more! The minigames were amazing in 2&3

[@antilles58]

Agree - the bonus games were a huge let down in the Returns series. They meant something in 2&3, but then in Returns it just goes back to grabbing bananas. Also those games regressed in the lack of Animal Buddies and the fact that your other Kongs only acted as powerups, rather than independent characters to control.

[@yesiamthebaker]

ANOTHER reason why the DKC series is my favorite gaming series! Great video, guys!

[@snomangaming]

yesiamthebaker Absolutely! Glad you liked it :D

[@Ubersnuber]

I think Returns and TF kind of felt like Sonic 4. Not that bad, mind you, but they cross paths. I felt like Retro wing clipped the fast control you have of your character and the duo-based gameplay. And who here prefers Donkey over Diddy?! It just feels like a different game where change was not needed.

[@Borvoc]

Not a fan of how DKCR and it's sequel reduce the non-eponymous Kongs to power-up status. I wish they'd figured a way to let you play as Dixie and Diddie or Diddie and Cranky, etc., if you wanted to, instead of forcing DK as P1. Not that I dislike DK-it would just have added more play variety and elevated all the player characters to equal status, as were in the original trilogy (not Star Wars, lol).

[@dadlord689]

I don't see any reason to look for what makes every game cool. There is nothing. Thing is for me Witcher 3 sucks, X-COM2 sucks and list is go on an go on. It is more about what you are like to choose as a subject of progressing in and see the progression trend in it. Basically it is about implementing bettest + experimental mechanics, based on your preferences. And I hate hidden crap in games and Easter eggs.

[@happyflygon8096]

Retro studios? Where do I know THEM from..? OH YEAH REVIVING ANOTHER FAN FAVORITE NINTENDO SERIES WITH THE GAME METROID PRIME!

[@fireboycli]

I would like to see you do a review of Dune 2000, and Command & Conquer.

[@rtyuik7]

the DKC-Returns series being made by Retro shouldbt be too surprising...when they took a series like Metroid, and cranked out the Prime trilogy, THATS when i knew that Retro could breathe new life into an IP that they merely 'took over'...if they can keep the Metroid 'traditions' alive while transitioning to a First-Person perspective, then of course theyd keep DK's iconic secrecy...props to Retro Studios, which im pretty sure are based in Texas (so bonus homestate props from me lol)

[@michaelgillespie8097]

Did... did you guys forget about David Wise's beautiful compositions? Shame on you.

[@drunyon214]

The Hidden Reward Principle also explains why Half-life 2 has BAD game design-- they give you areas off the beaten path to explore, but there's never anything interesting to find. All you ever find is headcrabs and useless ammo refills. It's such a failure compared to how DKC2 makes exploring feel rewarding.

[@streled5361]

Personally, Donkey Kong Country 2 is the best of the three original on SNES. DKC1 was more "remember Donkey Kong?" and was some kind of homage to the original game while being a traditional platforming game. DKC2 added new gameplay mechanics, new way to play and explore, each level was awesome and funny and each bosses were badass! DKC3 copied DKC2 but changed the awesome and funny levels to dark and serious tone and made the levels feel repetitives and monotone same as the bosses(except the snowman)...

[@snomangaming]

+Stre Led I agree! Except that I feel like DKC3 made everything more happy and childish rather than serious and dark. But I do think that DKC2 had the right balance of old and new

[@streled5361]

snomaN Gaming Meh, DKC3 felt like those superheroes movies from early 2000, you know, like DareDevil. It's not because there's baby in there that it won't be dark and serious. In DKC2, you had multiple paths and way to do levels and bosses, while DKC was straighter.

[@densegames7185]

DKC2 was in my view the best of the original trilogy. DCK3 had more of everything, sure, but Kiddy Kong wasn't as fun as Donkey, Diddy or Dixie, and the animal friends more often felt like gimmicks that tried to just bring something new instead of trying to just be plain fun. All three great games nevertheless.

[@snomangaming]

+Dense Games Yeah it was expanded in some ways, but fell flat in others, to be sure. DKC2 feels amazing to play because both Diddy and Dixie are fast and versatile

[@dximpulse7042]

Kiddy was fun, he could bounce on water but that was only utilize to certain levels but regardless I wish he was develop more as a character

[@davidteabault4512]

While I agree with you guys on the reward incentive of going out of your way to find bonus stages equate to great game design, I sadly felt that Retro's DKC games took a massive step backwards in this department. The first problem with the bonus stages is that they get repetitive, often using the same platform or barrel layouts over and over again with the same goal being: collect all the bananas. And the reward you get for getting all the bonus stages were underwhelming compared to what DKC2 & 3 offered, the concept art is nice to look at but its not something worth going out of your way to find all the art pieces, especially when you can just look up the art online. Eventually I just stopped looking for the bonus stages in Returns and Tropical Freeze cause they felt so samey.

[@snomangaming]

+David Teabault I agree completely, the bonus stages in the Retro games are some of the weakest links, I really hope they step it up in the next title. BUT they changed it so that if you collect the Kong letters, that's when you get the bonus stages, so there still is the bonus content, it's just not connected to the bonus stages.

[@tragedyplustime8271]

They fucked the puzzle pieces but improved a lot the KONG letters.

[@SatoshiMatrix1]

In my opinion, DKC3 was _too_ much of a collect-a-thon. Even at the time - the very tail end of the SNES - I felt it was a let down from DKC2. Yes, there was more to do, but I didn't want to do it. Manually moving around the map, the new animal buddies and kiddie kong....there was a lot I didn't care for.

[@CidGuerreiro1234]

Agree, DKC3 has way too much stuff to collect. Kiddy is also that character who is simply inferior in every way except for the rare cases in which you need to throw a barrel in a straight line.

[@k-leb4671]

CidGuerreiro But Kiddy is able to defeat more enemies and actually throw his partner decently. Plus, the water skip is used to get some secrets (although it should've been more useful).

[@charlesdibben5938]

I never knew about the exclamation point at the end of the level letting you know you've gotten all the secrets and I've played these games hundreds of times throughout my life! That's awesome!

[@TrampolineTales]

Great video. Just for some technical feedback, be careful when using multiple clips of audio that were (I'm assuming) recorded on different microphones. The noise difference is pretty noticeable when just two people are alternating talking, but this can easily be fixed by messing with the audio levels a bit. Keep up the awesome work!

[@snomangaming]

TrampolineTales Thanks! Yeah I definitely worried about that, and will try to really make it sound seamless in future videos with collabs. Specifically, when you say "audio levels" are you talking just volume, or what specifically can you tweak to make it sound better?

[@gibranrubio2229]

snomaN Gaming try masking the sound. Leave a bit of room tone at the end of one cut and let it overlap with the room tone at the beginning of the next cut. It should help hide the noise difference.

[@snomangaming]

Ah that's a great idea. I'll try that next time! Thanks

[@kevinr.9733]

"Giant Kraken" brings two different levels to mind, but I get the point.

[@9Tensai9]

I just finished DKC Tropical Freeze and... wow... the graphics and style are amazing. That "Lion King" level is so... so... so mesmerizing... the music.. wow The one with wind instruments is really clever and the juicy jungle... ohh the juicy jungle... eye candy! It has it's own problems but Tropical Freeze is one of the best DKC games, a little bit better than the Wii Version (Way easier too)

[@switchnx]

And then there’s the Donkey Kong LAND games, which…

[@Siberianhusky89]

The reason DKC2 was King Supreme is because of all it's elements. Every memorable moment and the way they even lead you by "Trusting the banana". The bananas in DK2 paved the way for you and rewarded you for playing the game with precision. Boss game, boss music, boss boss, etc...

[@lylekang3516]

Really happy to see and hear DKC3 get some recognition for its excellence in this video. It's my favorite in the series, and doesn't seem to get the respect it deserves.

[@snomangaming]

+Lyle Kang Yeah I meant it all, it really did bring the series to new waters

[@PerrydactylShow]

YO DIXIE IS SEXY! I mean, this is a great start to DK month! Loved this video to pieces! Great job everyone!

[@snomangaming]

***** DK Month will become Dixie Kong Month next year!

[@PerrydactylShow]

This sounds like a DREAM

[@Elfilinfan]

She really is though

[@callinater6133]

@@Elfilinfan she’s diddy Kong with long blonde hair. Do you find diddy Kong sexy?

[@ShadwSonic]

Not counting the edutainment titles of the Sega Pico, the SNES was my first console, with SMW and DKC1 included. Of the two, DK has earned the lion's share of that credit and love (to the point where it was the first LP I produced), with the second game being my favorite classic game of all time. Still have love for the others though, having made DKC3 my 10th LP and currently am working on DKCR for my 17th.

[@snomangaming]

+ShadwSonic Yeah! DKC holds a very special place in my heart for sure! Lots of memories there

[@addewilde2022]

I really loved the triology and also Tropical Freeze (havent played Return) and from all the donkey kong levels i have played, the squawk part of the DKC 2 lost level Animal Antics was for me the most challenging part in any DKC game.

[@snomangaming]

+Ad de Wilde YEAH that is a KILLER for sure!

[@RynKen]

The thing I think Donkey Kong Country Returns mishandled was the less creative bonus stages. Sadly, this didn't get changed in Tropical Freeze either.

[@randomguy6679]

RynKen as long as the main game is good

[@lunardancer6047]

This video makes me want to go back and play all the Donkey Kong Country games. Well except for 3. It's not bad, it just lacks the vibe of the other games in the series.

[@snomangaming]

+Lunar Dancer Yeah 2 is definitely the perfect middle ground imo.

[@cosmicspacething3474]

bUt WhAt AbOuT dK 64?

[@ScottClark50]

DK Month? Is there even really enough DK to make that an annual thing? It's not like PBG's Zelda Month where there's soooooooooooo much to work with.

[@snomangaming]

***** Oh there's a TON to work with! I've barely scratched the surface. I started it last year :)

[@estebanalzate7609]

I didnt like the new games that much, sure they had great level design and secrets but it was just more of Dkc 1 gameplay, it didnt bring new things as the original sequels did and even had the same songs of DKc 1.

[@callinater6133]

Sounds like you’re only referring to returns. Tropical freeze has a mostly original soundtrack.

[@Fjsjfusbufbd]

The only thing that could've made this better would have been Perry, great collab, great information and great start to DK month.

[@snomangaming]

NINJATTILA Don't worry, Perry may be showing up for another vid in Donkey Kong Month :D

[@PrinceFlannel]

I've not played a single DK game, but from all the good things I've heard I'll probably end up having a DK binge and playing them all. Great video Snoman! Keep up the good work.

[@snomangaming]

PrinceFlannel Oh man! You won't be disappointed! Glad you enjoyed man, thanks!

[@DarkwarlosGames]

Awesome video thank you.

[@snomangaming]

Darkwarlos Glad you enjoyed :) More Good Game Design coming!

[@lasseflick1966]

This is the best Video you have ever made Snoman. And your freinds!! Thx for making it xD

[@snomangaming]

+Lasse Flick Glad you liked it :D

[@Davioware]

Check out TowerClimb if you want a challenging platformer that adheres to these principles.

[@snomangaming]

Awesome I'll have to check it out

[@Ganondward]

I think DKC3 was sweet, but it was doomed by hideous character design.

[@nobodyimportant4778]

I was actually super put off by it as a kid

[@fam3871]

Awesome episode, thanks guys!

[@stuffedanimalwars7692]

didn't yoshis wooly world do the same thing but made everything look amazing?

[@snomangaming]

Haha yeah it a lot of the same elements, I do like that the different collectibles unlocked different things. Made a whole video on Woolly World if you haven't seen it yet :) It was really good, probably one of my fav platformers on the Wii U

[@ClassyJacket]

I feel out of touch. I don't know who these guys are but they sound like they know what they're talking about.

[@snomangaming]

+ClassyJacket We all try to sound like we know what we're talking about but really we're just a buncha goofs

[@anuel3780]

I'm new to your channel, but is your real name Namons? The channel name is weird with the N on the end...

[@snomangaming]

hahah no just a different way to spell it, to set me apart :P

[@Thinker2112]

I loved what Rare did in DKC3. Your ultimate goal is to free the Queen Banana Bird. To do so, you need to find all fifteen Banana Birds, which requires the Gyrocopter. To get access to the Gyrocopter, you need 41 DK coins. You can't get the last DK coin unless you beat Baron K. Roolenstein aboard the Knautilus. You won't even see the Knautilus unless you've collected all 85 bonus coins. Finally, one of those bonus coins is in the hands of Baron K. Roolenstein, whom you'll find in Kastle Kaos at the end of the "main" game. So you have to climb a mountain of ever-increasing levels of completion: Beat the final boss, collect all the bonus coins, beat the real final boss, collect all the DK coins, find all the Banana Birds, and finally leave K. Rool with egg on his...everything.

[@forrestorange]

An absolutely amazing game that stood the test of time.

[@TheDigitalAtlas]

This video was really good- it's nice to see an analysis channel that gets into collectibles and why they matter. While games like Shovel Knight. Shantae, and of course Zelda had them, a lot of games today just give useless collectibles for the sake of collectibles and really miss the point. It shows a lot of needing to get back to basics. Thomas Was Alone, for example, threw them in the Xbox and Steam versions just to give an extra achievement.

[@snomangaming]

+James “DigitalAtlas” Cobb Yeah, I love that its so much more in this game, and other games back then. I wish we could go back to that style of collectibles more often.

[@Ecki107]

Very interesting episode! I'll try to remember it when I start my next project.

[@snomangaming]

***** Awesome! Thanks for watching!

[@OrangeClosetLight]

Weeell. Finding all the bonus room in DKC 1 had no reward attached to it, except a few lines of extra dialog from Cranky. Dixie's Double Trouble introduced Koin as a fun way to find all the DK Coins. But it wasn't really that hard to find him in the levels and almost every time you had to do the same thing to beat him. Nice idea though. In DKC 2 this Coin was always something special. You always wondered "where could it possibly be". They were so creative in hiding it. There is something mysterious about finding only one ridiculous large spinning coin. And The Bonus rooms in Returns and TF weren't that creative at all. So enough complaining :D Love those games. But in my eyes only Diddy's Kong Quest got it 100% right.

[@GuyjinBu]

Donkey Kong Country was the first video game I ever played. I used to go over to my friend's house as a kid and play it on their SNES. No wonder I was hooked from the start! Shortly after, my parents got me my own SNES with Donkey Kong Country 2. Excellent video with tons of Nostalgia!

[@snomangaming]

Bruno Z Right?!? It's such a great series, and awesome to look back on fondly :)

[@GuyjinBu]

snomaN Gaming definitely! I'm ashamed to admit I've barely touched DKC3. Can't believe I missed that gem. Now I really want to get it on the virtual console... soon!

[@2770monz]

DK2 best game ever in every aspect

[@Battossai3000]

The new DKC games are good but nowhere as near as the first ones. DKC2 is the best!

[@snomangaming]

+Battossai3000 Yeah DKC2 is my life!

[@TDOTCRFH4]

Yeah, but what about all of the rewarding collecting in DK64! ...right, guys? ....right???

[@snomangaming]

***** Hahah! They did a lot right in DK64, even if some of it was a bit much.

[@D_YellowMadness]

Donkey Kong Country 3's free roam overworld made me wanna headbutt my keyboard. Such boring & pointless filler. Maybe it's just that it was an old game so the concept wasn't polished but I never got the point of putting something between the levels that's slower & completely different & so uneventful. The reason that kind of thing works well in a game like Mario 64 or.... Mario Sunshine is because it still uses the same gameplay. I'll even take the mess that was Half-Life 2's boat over the DKC3 overworld.

[@JakeLionsWorld]

Not as big a fan of the newer games, they play more like sonic titles. It feels like you're rushing through, constantly to the right. In the older games, I remember having backtracked through entire levels. But the new games just want to keep pushing you, with platforms dissolving, etc. Maybe it's nostalga talking, but the first 3 games felt closer and better paced for just slowing down and exploring.

[@Kuebel350]

Another game series that does exploration right, is Kirby, especially since Return to Dreamland.

[@snomangaming]

+Kübel350 Nice! I really havent dove into Kirby games other than Epic Yarn, I really need to try them out

[@drakon0873]

I think planet robobot is best

[@fragr33f74]

From software does a really good job with exploration as well. Playing bloodborne really makes that clear.

[@snomangaming]

fragr33f Yeah! I think I want to do a video on Dark souls for this series too. There's so much good design to talk about there.

[@fragr33f74]

Agreed!

[@HangmanFilms56]

What game is at 0:21 ?

[@snomangaming]

+Aarons' Vlogs Ori and the Blind Forest! It was my game of the year last year, can't recommend it enough. They just released the Definitive Edition a few days ago with almost twice as much game!

[@kamatariedgar3603]

I hate DK3... the baby is anoying... i love the games 1, 2 and returns are awesome but 3 is a big no no for me.

[@awesomeguy2009]

Tropical Freeze is better than Returns.

[@snomangaming]

+Phantom Drags Tropical Freeze is so good, it rivals DKC2 imo, its so good

[@GrayStudios]

What?!? I didn't know about the bananas in the trees!

[@TopCat0601]

That exclamation point fact blew my mind.

[@snomangaming]

YEAH I guess a lot of people didn't know that haha!

[@cledgefenrir5681]

DKC2 gave up more collectibles than DKC1, and DKC3 gave you more collectibles than DKC2, then DKC64......

[@Matt-gh2zm]

DKCR is a bad DKC game. Count the amount of times that it makes you wait around for something to happen (perpetual motion is a must in platformers)

[@snomangaming]

Yeah it's one of the weakest, Tropical Freeze tho! That game is phenomenal!

[@Matt-gh2zm]

I still have to play Tropical Freeze! Heres hoping to a remaster for Switch

[@smackerlacker8708]

Screw that noise. Every single thing wrong with that game can be summed up in one word. Wiimote.

[@Matt-gh2zm]

***** The shake definitely doesn't help (it's actually my least favorite part of the game.) But the amount of waiting around for the environment to do something kills me when the original trilogy was all about kinetic action (except for a handful of autoscroller levels)

[@smackerlacker8708]

***** Don't forget the water levels, and the levels where you have to wait for the giant wheels... and the burning oil drums... and the bees...

[@enkiimuto1041]

This cracked me up

[@altrogeruvah]

Even though I loved DKC3's overworld and side quests, I think DKC2 was the more beautiful game with better music and gameplay. Also, bonus barrels and DK coins were much more difficult (therefore, more fun) to collect in DKC2, whereas in DKC3, the DK buddy was always in your path, so you wouldn't miss him.

[@markyouneva7840]

You forgot about the music! The music made the trilogy, like Stickerbush Symphony DK2 Bramble Blast

[@jeshu8163]

Dkc 2 is the best :)

[@flophawk]

I remember playing a SMBX episode the other day, and there was a ledge I couldn't reach so I used a Goomba to get the extra height. And guess what you get for reaching that area? YOU GET *NOTHING!* YOU *LOSE!!!*

[@ronynader9760]

what's that game 0:21 ?