The Beautiful Loneliness of Donkey Kong Country

[@TheJustintendo]

My video on DKC 2's tone and atmosphere is now in production, thank you guys for all of the support, truly.❤

[@espelhodasconstelacoes]

This video is so beautiful! Seeing people sharing their experiences with art like this is what drives me to become better as an artist! Got yourself a new sub! God bless ya and Jesus loves ya!

[@MetalockieMusic]

One of the best gaming experiences of my life. David Wise is my favorite video game composer

[@TheJustintendo]

Mine too!

[@aleee2323]

@@MetalockieMusic Dave fuckin Wise is LEGEND

[@BingBangPoe]

Your video truly explains the almost melancholic feeling the SNES Country games always cause on me. Well done! This sense of isolation is definitely something that modern Donkey Kong games (like DKC Returns) lacks. While the Returns duology looks gorgeous, it's too whimsical. It doesn't have that subtly that the original Country games had.

[@TheJustintendo]

Thank you so much!! I appreciate that! :)

[@bit0494]

Although DK Island is a lively and colorful place, the games always felt more like a personal quest rather than a glorious, heroic mission

[@Dionaea_floridensis]

"He is never truly alone, he who finds his strength in solitude"

[@MauZangetsu]

I find the original DKC to evoke that same feeling you get from riding your bike/driving your car at dusk/night while it's snowing, watching the sunrise while you're camping, walking down the street in a windy and cloudy day in autumn, or even looking out your balcony/window at 3AM when everyone else is sleeping. That quiet yet sound peace of the world that we ignore for the most part in our every day life, and exactly as you said, David Wise's soundtrack solidifies it as an experience. Great video, mate, have my like.

[@TheJustintendo]

Thank you for this comment. I couldn't have said it better.

[@notgeneralsnaz]

This is what I feel all the sequels never quite hit right, including the DKC2 (my favorite game). The atmospheric emptiness of the first game is serene, and I wish the series would get back to those roots, but I feel it has since gone in a more bombastic direction with just hints of what it started as. DKC2 went with a more "trek into enemy territory" vibe rather than "journey through the unknown." DKC3 feels very occupied with the Brothers Bear everywhere. Both Returns games have the Pig in every level and emphasis is put on DK making a mess as he travels. Even the first Returns game, despite being on the same island, feels more lived-in than before, like DK has already been everywhere by now and he's just trying to save it. I love all these games, but the atmosphere of the first one is what I really wish would make a return.

[@Favk21]

I feel exactly the same way. That pristine zen never fully passed to the sequels.

[@TheJustintendo]

I completely agree!

[@ccricers]

I like the contrast between the first and the second. DKC2 being set in the Kremlings' home island it of course felt very occupied too. The DKC family just settled in modest homes, but Kremlings were about conquest. So they had built many things, their own ships, an amusement park and a castle towering over the tallest mountain peak.

[@mysticliazrd87]

Dude playing this at 8 years old back in the 90s made you feel like you were in the actual jungle lol.

[@andrewchen4872]

Beautiful loneliness is the exact feeling why DKC1 just resonates with me so well, just never knew how to explain it until this vid.

[@ryantiller5624]

This game came out when I was 9. I remember, in real life, when the snow would fall in a certain way I would feel like I was in Donkey Kong Country. Beautiful loneliness is so accurate.

[@UndefinedVibe]

Exceptionally great summary. I don't think I've heard anyone ever articulate this - but we've all felt it. I remember reaching the end of Jungle Hijinx as a kid, and then being excited about being able to run backwards through the level to see what it looked like at nighttime - an experience that few if any 2D platformers at the time, or even more modern releases, allow you to do. Just another detail that supports the world's "indifferent ecosystem" like you showcased.

[@M64bros]

I always find the SNES version of Donkey Kong Country really beautiful

[@TheJustintendo]

I completely agree!

[@OKNOKAY]

It’s only made for snes

[@johnbaptist7082]

​@@OKNOKAYWrong, there are a GBC and a GBA versions.

[@OKNOKAY]

@@johnbaptist7082 SO, without the snes one there wouldn’t be those

[@sirducksworthythe3rd842]

Theirs only 3 dkc ganes and all 3 are on snes

[@randomsmall-governmentguy2221]

You nailed it man. I always loved the ambiance of this videogame to death, but I could never put words to it. And I think your comments ring very true for me. The most special part of the island for me was the snowy stages where the snow first start becoming stronger and in the second stage it starts subsiding. And I think that the reason why that is for me is because the feeling of "beautiful loneliness" that you talked about is particularly strong in those two stages.

[@YTPremiumWatch]

Donkey Kong Country’s music is just home in sound-form

[@secretagent4610]

That water level music is some of the best ost ever.

[@TheJustintendo]

100%

[@secretagent4610]

@@TheJustintendo Think I'll listen to it in a few minutes, thanks to your video. That song takes me to some other place lol.

[@sjonnieplayfull5859]

​@@secretagent4610 there was a load screen code that took you to the music test, if you feel like heating a specific part

[@ShadowXMewtwo]

I remember when I was a kid I always wanted my dad to play donkey Kong with me. And he would for about 20 minutes before he got a call or went to smoke a cigarette. That's when I would feel so alone. He was dk and I was diddy.

[@Pandarah]

Everything in this world just breathes isolation and vastness. The visuals combined with the music paint a clear enough picture for your mind to fill in the rest. The rustling of the leaves, the rain pouring down on you while you rush through the thick mud. The cold thin air filling up your lungs while you explore the highest peaks, or a snowstorm cutting through you like blades made of ice. The cold damp caverns, or the depths below while swinging high up in the trees. Cautiously moving through a hostile factory filled with scents of oil and rust, and with each unsettling step you notice the cold hard metal beneath your feet. Foreign substances invading into your natural habitat, leaving you in discomfort constantly. It's truly incredible what they've achieved with this game, and all that on the now so humble SNES. This game helped define my childhood, and it will remain with me always. Thank you for this video, It's always nice to see others feeling the same way about this game!

[@TheJustintendo]

Exactly! You said it perfectly

[@TakasuFeNiX]

You put into words what I've always thought about this game. Climbing a tree, looking at the horizon, and imagining what might be beyond, getting excited about finding new paths and discovering new worlds. That experience is something few games have made me feel, and I think DKC was the first one for me. Great video!

[@jotun1022]

really love this take on the game. Those moments of silence always struck me and made me feel uncomfortable, but at the same time felt good because it really felt like you're venturing into the unknown. They are a BIG part of the ambiance of the environment.

[@TheJustintendo]

I wholeheartedly agree

[@dorkbrandon4422]

The 3rd entry should've been DK and Dixie so they got 2 adventures each between the 3 of them.

[@TheJustintendo]

I couldn't agree more!

[@BurleighW]

I think the music and visuals also evoke a sense of mystery- as if the different locations are keeping secrets from you. The levels almost seem as if they have a spirit or are haunted by ghosts- especially the misty menace mines with the haunting ambient soundtrack. You mentioned at 3:55 that it feels like the levels are a silent observer, and I always had a feeling that the snowy mountain and trees in the background were watching me as I wandered in the blizzard. All of this feeling of being observed is enhanced by the sense of isolation and loneliness. You can’t hear the quiet ghosts of the world except when you are alone. In primordial times, humans thought that nature was filled with ghosts and spirits, and that the world they lived in was sacred. I think that is one thing about this game that strikes a chord - when we live in an ever more secular world where nothing is regarded as sacred anymore.

[@henryogaoa]

I always think about The enviroment playing DK, i mean, treetop levels for example "Dude those Trees até HUGE and boy, who live in those Treehouses??", or for example in the caves/mines levels, thinking how much Work did they have to place ALL those platforms, minecart rails, everything feels so big, so undiscovered, idk, The atmosphere feels so magical. I feel It in every game of DKC, especially SNES trilogy and Tropical Freeze.

[@kelybal]

You remind me of those astronomists on the TV shows enthusiastically and passionately explaining the universe to the viewers. And it's about Donkey Kong

[@TheJustintendo]

This is one of my favorite comments😂Thank you!

[@Maymaysmaymays]

I have recently gained an appreciation for less talked about tracks in this game, like Misty Menace, which is almost entirely ambient noise and atmosphere. At a time when Nintendo and Rare were going up against games like Sonic 3, which is all about the flashy soundtrack, it’s pretty ballsy and unique that they decided to let the music breathe in this way. Especially in the radical noisy 90’s.

[@Vicobop]

That explains SO well what I also feel when playing it! Whereas DKC2 is very clearly going after the "going on a quest" style musically, this one is very much atmospheric and I agree you feel solitude (I think DKC3 tries to capture the atmospheric part without the solitude part). Remember the ruin levels? Same effect as the snow ones, you felt alone. The sound effects, particularly the reverb in this game, were prominent. They applied it to things like the rolling enemies' and octopuses' roll sound for example. Every sound felt like you were in an empty room hearing it with echoes, if that makes sense. Which really does give you the feeling that you are alone. And I happen to agree with what someone else here said, the visuals in this game are far more inspired than the new 3D games. I enjoyed DKC:TF, but I never felt like I was playing another game from the Country series. It is also how someone else here said, the goofiness of "new DK" prevents that when compared to the more basic animal behaviour of "SNES DK". I always felt 2D worlds had a certain solitude due to the static and patterned nature of the graphics. Take the water levels and look at the background. It's all just an endless empty ocean. It works incredibly well with the music! It doesn't matter if it was just a technical limitation, it actually worked in its favour. I do want to note one important fact: not all of the OST was David Wise's work, and in fact a lot of the more atmospheric work was Evelyn Fischer's work! This is why DKC3 on the SNES was much more subdued compared to DKC2 and the GBA version of DKC3. Much of the work where music is more melodic is David Wise's while the more naturey ones are Evelyn's. I think she is very underrated.

[@TheJustintendo]

Thank you for this comment, wow! You make a lot of excellent points and yeah, that's 100% on me for not mentioning Evelyn, as she did for sure contribute so much to this game and franchise!

[@EdwarioERS]

The Super Mario movie from 1-2 years ago got it wrong when they made the Kongs royals of the "Kong Kingdom".

[@thepaperunicorn09]

This game is the least appreciated out of all dkc games , and while I myself prefer dkc2 and 3 , this one is also super special to me , it's gameplay is alot more fast pace than the future games which i really appreciate and I think is one thing that makes it unique, probably the most atmospheric out of all the games too , like you said , the environmental story telling in this game is phenomenal and weirdly enough, I've also always had that sense that something greater or maybe just the environment itself is watching you go through your adventure, not getting involved in it , but just observing it , and I think that is truly poetic and beautiful , the game itself is very short, but it's a experience you'll remember for the rest of your life, I first played it 2 years ago and I still play it time to time sometimes , it's a great experience, this video was very great also , so thanks for making it and have a blastful day :>

[@Umbrella2]

I’d argue DKC 3 is the least appreciated one in the series.

[@thepaperunicorn09]

@Umbrella2 I do kinda agree , but I've seen it get alot more attention in recent years and it's been defended alot more by people recently too , which is a good thing , I love that game

[@Papi_Keep_Playin]

The DKC games not only create great atmospheres with the various environments they include, but the soundtrack that goes along with it only adds to it. So great job!

[@TheJustintendo]

Thank you!!

[@Terrythetroll.]

Dude this video absolutely clears up the mystery I felt about this game for the last 30 years. Very well done, best video I’ve seen about this game by far. So well narrated and interpreted. Bravo.

[@TheJustintendo]

Dude thank you!! That means so much

[@Hadoken.]

You’re the first one I’ve found to use the same words to describe this game as I have from the time it came out. Awesome.

[@danainslie1731]

Really excellent synopsis of an oft-overlooked element of this game: the amazing atmosphere!

[@TheJustintendo]

Thank you man!

[@Cybertoy00]

I never thought about it like this, but yeah, the original Donkey Kong Country definitely had a "Lost and alone in the jungle' vibe.

[@calebhorton4701]

Having been in areas of pristine rainforest, I can attest to the feeling of an isolated, uncaring wilderness. Though teeming with life, these places can sometimes seem empty with only the sounds of birds or monkeys somewhere in the dense foliage. The fact is that wild areas are scary places where predation is common, and so most animals are experts at not being detected. They don’t care that you came all this way to see them, they just see you as a scary predator and want nothing to do with you. Being in the wilderness really shows you how the world does not revolve around us.

[@TheJustintendo]

🙌🏻🙌🏻

[@Videogamelover58]

Happy 30 years to this legendary game!

[@weston407]

30 years old and I remember when it was brand new 😖😖 amazing game and series - my favorite on SNES (which was basically my life in 1994)

[@Ultimabuster92]

Oh, and awesome video by the way. The atmosphere truly is unique, from the environments to the music (oh... the music~) i can't and i don't want to live without these games...

[@DiddyPhukkingKong]

I know almost every single glitch. That's how much I love this game. I even managed to get it done in less than 10 minutes.

[@HatStackMike]

Great video! I’ve always felt the same way about DKC, but you’ve done a great job explaining how it evokes those emotions.

[@TheJustintendo]

Thank you man!

[@conahscreations]

Feel very fortunate that Donkey Kong Country was my first ever video game, gifted to me in the early 2000's when all we had was an oldish hand-me-down SNES and i would sit in my room, alone, for hours playing DKC. I spent days, weeks, months in this game and eventually the sequels. Watching this video made me realise how important the tone is. In the best way possible its got a bleakness and eeriness to it that is almost unmatched. I've tried the newer games and they just don't compare to me at least. The unforgetable 3D rendered sprites and environments, the iconic soundtrack, and the unsettling yet comforting ambience to every level. It's bliss. I caught myself just watching the butterflies fly around when replaying the first level recently.

[@TheJustintendo]

It was my first game too, well said🙏🏻

[@HybridAngelZero]

This really captures something I've felt about the whole trilogy, but never really analyzed until the Returns games (though are good games) came out. I feel all three have a somber, at times reflective sense of maturity about them. They're lonely, but not in sad but rather a determined and introspective way. I'm not sure if I'm making the most sense here, but your video also absolutely catptures what I mean as well

[@TheJustintendo]

I absolutely understand! I get the feeling 100%

[@Jelly_shy_guy_man]

I think it’s just the music for me, that games soundtrack is amazing.

[@TheJustintendo]

It's unbelievable

[@nasstak3440]

Yea especially the snow levels. Really feels like a lonely, isolated place.

[@TheJustintendo]

Absolutely!

[@anonmous4468]

I started playing this game again and had no idea the 30th anniversary was approaching. I love it and am as addicted as i was at 9 years old

[@TheJustintendo]

That's awesome!! Thanks for the comment

[@desamatt0]

The lack of this is one of my biggest gripes with the DK games after Rare left. Not only are the stories grander but the levels and gameplay are way more extra flashy.

[@TheRedGuy]

Cool video, though I gotta nitpick one thing, it isn't just David Wise's soundtrack, he didn't compose the whole thing, Eveline Novakovic (E. Fischer in the credits) did a significant amount of the music as well. There's also Robin Beanland though he only did Funky's theme. It's a bit of a pet peeve of mine when people hold up David but ignore Eveline when she's every bit a part of DKC's atmosphere as David is. Otherwise good video.

[@TheJustintendo]

Completely valid, I showcase her contributions in my DKC3 video but she definitely deserves more credit.

[@Knee_Boy64]

While I personally would rather play Diddy's Kongquest, there is no denying that DKC1 is a work of art. Easily the most beautiful, most serene, and the most evocative. Everything you said hit the nail on the head of why this is one of the greatest games ever made. Even my wife likes it and she is NOT a video game person. She just fell in love with the art style. Subscribed. Can't wait to see your channel grow!

[@TheJustintendo]

Thank you so much! I appreciate this!!

[@nicks4725]

In recent years i have found the secret to reliving my childhood. Kids. Since I've had kids i love watching them experience everything. It gives me a fulfillment i never thought i could feel again. So yeah, I'm looking forward to them picking up my Snes mini and playing this the first time.

[@fer-nando-machado]

It’s a journey into alienation. From the wilderness of the jungle into the darkness of the factory. DK had everything he needed to live at home, until the big bad invaders stole his bananas and now he has to go through these increasingly colder, darker, factories, toxic environments and work for his bananas, risking his life, alone.

[@roflcopter4273]

Well put! He's not alone, though, technically it's him and Diddy :)

[@nathanwithrow35]

Playing through donkey Kong country for the first time is an almost magical experience. Taking in all the scenery, and immersing yourself into the peaceful world.

[@lander77477]

make sure to play it on an old CRT tv. Thats the way to play it

[@bballjunkie92]

Always enjoy these trips down memory lane!

[@wolfbro82]

There is a scene in, illusion of Gaia, where you are lost at sea for 100 days or something. It's always stuck with me

[@0rnery0verwatch]

One of my favorite games of all time. For how linear it is, it still feel like a great adventure.

[@gnbman]

My favorite "lonely" game is Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone on PS1. Unlike the books, movies, and other games, it drops Harry in atmospheric, ambient solitude for much of the game. No one is going on the journey with you; instead when you happen to meet someone, it always feels incidental. There are prolonged moments with no music and only the sounds of distant birds or bubbling cauldrons.

[@NicTube]

I love videos about atmosphere and vibes in games. Despite not having played DKC as a child (but later), this video still made me somewhat feel that lonely, unique vibe. Pretty fascinating, good job!

[@TheJustintendo]

I agree, I love them too, thank you for the comment!

[@SeraphsWitness]

You really nailed it. There is a beautiful loneliness to this game. And for my money, Aquatic Ambience is the most gorgeous underwater theme ever written.

[@TheJustintendo]

It's incredible!

[@SansioKongCountry]

Ever since I was a kid I loved the DK series, because they were some of the only games I've played that represent so well nature's beauty. I grew up in a coastal town and I often made hikes to the forest and mountainsides with my parents, so since I was very little I was acquaintanced with nature, and the DKC games embody so well the feeling of being in a place that's been here before you and will be here after you. Specially the broad, unfathomable emptiness of the aquatic levels' backgrounds, just sand and the deep blue sea sprawling before you, as ancient as something can be. Just wanted to give my two cents on this; you put into words perfectly why I love these games so much. Great video!

[@TheJustintendo]

Thank you so much for the comment! It's such a timeless game

[@SetoKaiba342]

Definitely a different vibe than the tv show 😂

[@TheJustintendo]

VEEEEEERRYY different 😂

[@Gooseontheloose07]

There’s a reason why the ambient aquatic level music is used in a lot of videos. Lot of great points and I agree with it’s environmental storytelling

[@TheJustintendo]

Agreed, and thank you!

[@thearguenaut3187]

great video Im glad donkey kong country is your favorite game its one of my favorites of all time. Dkc has in my opinion the best soundtrack in gaming.

[@TheJustintendo]

Thank you! The soundtrack is unbelievable

[@ade1174]

DKC is a masterpiece of atmosphere. I love your line about the loneliness feeling profound rather than bleak. Happy 30 years of Donkey Kong Country.

[@TheJustintendo]

🫱🏻‍🫲🏼🫱🏻‍🫲🏼

[@sneakernickel]

Not built around Donkey Kong or you? A landscape that seems unconcerned with your mission? There are barrels that shoot you exactly where you need to go and barrels that have Donkey Kongs initials on them. The island is literally Donkey Kong's face.

[@TheJustintendo]

In the broad sense yes, haha. But I'm talking about like the nature part of it

[@jarerarebear1765]

I think DKC is still misunderstood by so many people. It's so much more than just a game about monkeys and bananas. I've always interpreted it as a story about family, teamwork, and redemption. DK wasn't just trying to get his bananas back, he was also trying to gain the approval and respect of his father figure Cranky and live up to the heroic ideal that Diddy perceives in him. Of course it's also a story of Diddy trying to prove himself a proper hero too, tagging along with DK to help him out in spite of his fears. I honestly think Donkey Kong Country would make for a better movie than the Super Mario Bros did.

[@TheJustintendo]

I could not have said it better! And I completely agree! Thank you for your comment

[@jarerarebear1765]

@@TheJustintendo Thank you for your video, you got me to subscribe to you.

[@TheJustintendo]

I appreciate that so much! Thank you!

[@saligraphy]

These games were my first experiences playing videogames as a child. I am super thankful to have experienced them :)

[@TheJustintendo]

Mine too!! :)

[@goodlookinouthomie1757]

Seems like you were talking about 1994 in general, not just DKC. I mean the game was such a big part of that time. After a frenetic session on SF2, this would have been my go to "wind down" game.

[@TheJustintendo]

Fair enough!

[@LuxisAlukard]

There are moments when I know that I like and enjoy a game, and I can break down most of the reasons why, but there is something that I cannot pinpoint, something that glues all other stuff together... This video helps me explain why I love DKC so much :-)

[@DiddyPhukkingKong]

Happy 30th anniversary, Donkey Kong Country!

[@gamerprods124]

Great video! I love the atmosphere of Donkey Kong Country. I couldn't help notice that you only credited David Wise with composing the music for the game. Eveline Fischer/Novakovic also had a big part in the creation of DKC's music and atmosphere. The sound design was a joint effort.

[@TheJustintendo]

Thank you! And yeah I have gotten quite a few comments on this, it's completely on me for forgetting to credit her, as she did definitely have a substantial role

[@ADrew26]

this is why i never got into country returns or tropical freeze. The atmo just isnt the same.

[@TheJustintendo]

That's completely fair! I think Tropical Freeze is a masterpiece but you're 100% right on the atmosphere.

[@geschnitztekiste4111]

Some levels here and there still have great athmosphere

[@LordExor]

It's the naturalistic art direction the originals adopted. The intent was very much to convey environments as "close" to reality as they could, even in surreal contexts. The characters themselves, while stylized and expressive, were also textured and proportioned to integrate well into those landscapes. Retro took a more exaggerated and simplistic approach to the characters and atmosphere, which doesn't fit the brand as well in my opinion. Any new entry in the franchise should opt for the Rareware approach, especially since the Switch 2 should be more than capable of outputting the 3D fidelity such visuals require.

[@thaneros]

You know, I think that's what the Retro and even later games in the Rare series are missing. I'm not sure if its just nostalgia or atmosphere but its a feeling that only the original game had.

[@lonecom685]

I had to go back on the video... Lost myself looking at these beautiful scenarios. This game still looks very special. It was never just about the technology, but how the developers used it to creat something very unique.

[@gustavochavarria8161]

Happy 30 years DKC!! Your world is what inspired me to make to make my own Sonic world that's heavily influenced to DKC with some Tom and Jerry, Angry Birds, and Crash Banicoot mixed in for good messure.

[@handlesspragmatist304]

There is something so, so cozy about the first and third dkc games’ atmosphere. As someone born in the early aughts it truly does the capacity to transport you back to the mid-90s. I don’t believe I’ve seen anything that quite represents the zeitgeist of that era like these games do. The 2nd game overall has a more oppressive atmosphere which works for what it’s going for, but I don’t revisit it as often because it simply does not invoke the same feeling of cozy loneliness the other games in the trilogy give off. Thanks for reminding me of this games 30th birthday btw. I think I owe it another playthrough soon considering the impact this game has had on the medium.

[@SargeMaximus]

I was talking to my brother about this just yesterday! Imo the atmosphere hints that DK Isle is a dying world, due to the Kremling Infestation. Perhaps some civilizations have gone extinct (the mines, the aztecs, and the treetop towns)

[@TheJustintendo]

Yes!! Completely agree!

[@CharleyTGriffin]

truly one of the best games ever

[@rigsmordo1327]

Beautiful video, very well written, on par with the poetry of the game.

[@TheJustintendo]

Thank you, I really appreciate it. I was very proud of this script in particular

[@jessemartinez395]

This game is the absolute APEX of electronic gaming. Not a game to play, but to experience. Played it when first came out during the CGI boom of the late 90s and I continue to play it to this day.

[@cashbro89]

You earned my sub. Keep up the great work.

[@TheJustintendo]

Thank you so much!

[@MarioFanOnYouTube]

This video...put every thought in my head about this game's atmosphere into words perfectly. Why am I not a bigger DK fan if I feel exactly this way?

[@PandaJerk007]

Donkey Kong as a whole is pretty terrible Imo, but the one glimmer of hope in that mess is the Donkey Kong Country games!!

[@MarioFanOnYouTube]

@@PandaJerk007 Might be a dumb question but is there something else for Donkey Kong outside of the Country games and Wii spinoffs and whatnot (or the Mario vs. DK games)?

[@sjonnieplayfull5859]

​@@MarioFanOnKZbin Super Smash Bros, and the DK cartoon

[@MarioFanOnYouTube]

@@sjonnieplayfull5859 I mean those are not as major for DK though, no?

[@PressStartMark]

Nice video man the atmosphere of dkc is amazing u making wanna dive back into these gems im blessed to have the trilogy in my snes collection

[@TheJustintendo]

Glad you enjoyed it, thank you for the comment!

[@orsonzedd]

It was with hubris the Cranky Kong had named the island after himself. the island had many names in fact and was itself indifferent to all of them. Whatever it called itself was not a name for ape or crocodile to know

[@brianmcp4813]

I don’t know who you are sir but that was best donking book report I’ve ever heard in my life. I could literally feel myself traveling back to 1994 in my old house as a kid and feel that nes controller in my hand and the berber carpet under my legs. I literally listen to donkey Kong lofi and synthwave to help relax from the stresses of adulthood because the nostalgia takes me back to all the joy and amazement this game franchise has brought me. Who ever reads this I hope you’re ok and thanks for this summation. PS I think you dropped this 👑

[@TheJustintendo]

I appreciate comments like this so much man. Thank you 🫱🏻‍🫲🏼

[@nickpottermusic]

It just has this atmosphere, doesn’t it? It’s specific to its art style and also to its technical limitations. It made me feel nostalgia even when I was playing it in the 90’s as a child

[@artemis1993]

Not just the artsyle, but the music too. A lot of the songs in the levels gives this feeling of loneliness. I feel like Minecraft evokes a very similar feeling too, especially playing solo. A vast empty world, and those melancholic tunes starts playing from time to time...

[@WYBsilon]

Very fitting. There‘s no doubt that the original DKC has a deep atmosphere to it that will stick with you long after you finished the game - maybe even forever, as I just rediscovered through your video. Thank you for that - and for making me revisit an experience from my youth, as I‘m 46 now and just about to finish my (re)collection of classic GB, NES and SNES games I used to own and spend a significant amount of precious time with.

[@TheDanishGuyReviews]

The animal companions are temporary, making it even lonelier.

[@TheJustintendo]

Very true

[@montanajackson3713]

Happy 30th anniversary to DKC!

[@thomasreichert2804]

This was beautiful to hear you put into words so eloquently and insightfully the way I've always felt playing this game but could never describe myself. One could easily call the design decisions lazy, to create a game so sparse on the details we might expect from a game. But it makes it brilliant in the way you described. Though credit where it's due: the soundtrack was co-composed with Eveline Fischer, who created the snow tune played early in this video among others.

[@TheJustintendo]

Thank you!

[@Automatic13]

Damn, 30 years. You’re right though. The other games don’t have this aspect.

[@TheDr502]

For years, I've been obsessed with the attention to detail that the DKC titles show. While playing DKC 1, I'd occasionally take a moment to stop with the crazy platforming stuff. I'd just look at the mountains in the Northern Kremisphere level when the blizzard finally stops. Each time I did that, I seriously felt like I was staring at a Bob Ross painting that was in motion. After a big snowstorm, everything is very silent and still, mainly because snow is a great sound insulator. As a result of the quiet that exists in the snow levels, you really feel like you're lost in a cold, snowy landscape that's come alive with color after the dark snow clouds have scattered and the sun has come out. Or, what about Temple Tempest? What about the weird Kremling statues and the torches that define this level's appearance? What about the creepy, foreboding music that makes you feel like you're in an ancient, mysterious temple full of random hazards? Then, DKC2 came out and took that feeling to another level. Look at the LockJaw's Saga level and Gangplank Galleon levels. You're not simply making your way through a level in a video game. You're traveling across a pirate ship that's lost at sea while the wind whooshes through your ears and the waves of the sea flow below the ship. You aren't going from the beginning of a level to the end goal in Mudhole Marsh. You're trying to traverse across a series of marshes in a gloomy swamp as birds fly overhead. I definitely felt a palpable appreciation for Nature while playing the DKC titles. It felt like I was traveling through this living, breathing, (oftentimes) hostile wilderness that's full of wonder and mystery. The Kongs don't feel like rulers of the wilderness. The Kongs are just like their neighbors such as the random snakes, birds, crocodiles, rhinoceroses, swordfish, orangutans, sharks, etc that they encounter throughout the game. In other words, they feel like simple denizens who live in this massive world that boasts a diverse array of ecosystems, ranging from blue oceans to lush, green jungles. The setting feels alive. It feels separate from the human-dominated civilizations that we often see in the Mario titles, like the Mushroom Kingdom, for example. Those guys at Rareware really knew how to make the SNES "sing" and "paint". They essentially told the game's story through nothing but sound and graphics. I'm still impressed with how they were able to show such artistry on a console from the late 1980s/early-mid 1990s. Through its graphics, artwork, and music, the DKC series was basically telling players, " This series isn't about saving the world from the clutches of an intergalactic warlord or rescuing a whole nation from a ruthless tyrant. This is simply a tale about a conflict over food between 2 tribes: peace-loving apes (Kongs) and warlike crocodiles (Kremlings), as well as the mesmerizing ecosystems that they live in. Enjoy". I really like DKC 1 & 2, and I remember playing both games literally EVERY single weekend. I was hooked on both games for months, and I still appreciate them a lot today as an adult. With any luck, Nintendo will return to this series at some point.

[@PandaJerk007]

Great reminder of why I loved this game so much! this vid brought a couple tears to my eyes.

[@TheJustintendo]

I'm glad! It's really a special game

[@Pax621]

"There's an overwhelming sense that this island does not revolve around Donkey Kong" 1:21 Okay, but isn't the whole island Donkey Kong shaped?

[@TheJustintendo]

It is, but I'm talking more like in a specific sense as you're progressing through the levels, like the small parts of the island don't acknowledge or care about your mission

[@Donar_AoM]

Great review! I should try the game again!

[@TheJustintendo]

Thank you! You absolutely should!

[@lander77477]

1994 was the peak of our existence

[@TheJustintendo]

You're 100% correct

[@theedwardian]

@lander77477 turns out the world is a beautiful place when a tiny pack of psychos aren't actively trying to ruin it for everyone. I don't think it's simple nostalgia, I feel sorry for the kids born today who never experienced a yellow sun or a sky with natural clouds.

[@BusyMEOW]

The main thing that sticks out for me with DKC is the sandy paths in the jungle levels, how they're not straight lines you walk on top of but a wide path that goes up and down into the foreground and background.

[@mathammer7810]

100% agreed! This is why Donkey Kong Country 1 will always be my favourite game. Diddy's Kong Quest doesn't manage to recapture the same ethereal atmospheric beauty of the original.

[@TheJustintendo]

Agreed! I love DKC2 so much, but 1 just takes the cake.

[@chelseacristoffor]

I was JUST describing this exact feeling from the soundtrack to my friends the other day, and now you made a video about it. Perfect 💕

[@TheJustintendo]

Thank you for the comment :)

[@c.a.3693]

This was a beautiful love letter to DKC 💖 And I felt every single word of it 🌸

[@TheJustintendo]

Thank you, truly

[@jon_of_the_shred]

Donkey Kong Country is one of the most atmospheric games of all-time, to this day. DKC2 brought it even further. DKC3 was still pretty cool, but definitely lost a lot of that atmosphere

[@dittocopys]

fantastic take

[@Nyperold018]

There aren't even HUD elements to distract you unless you collect something.

[@TheJustintendo]

Exactly!

[@RetroBusker]

Ye beautiful, secondary school was a nightmare for me, this game & many other retro games brought meaning😢

[@Se7enBeatleofDoom]

Why can’t the world be more like Donkey Kong Country 1?