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Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest is a platform game made for the SNES video game console. Its title contains a pun on the word "conquest". Released in 1995 as a sequel to Donkey Kong Country and later followed by Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! in 1996, Donkey Kong Country 2 was developed by Rareware and published by Nintendo. It was later ported to the Game Boy Advance in 2004, following the port of the original Donkey Kong Country to the system. It is currently available for download on the Wii's Virtual Console, where it can be purchased for 800 Wii points.

Donkey Kong Country 2 begins after Donkey Kong has been captured by his persistent rival K. Rool, leaving it up to Diddy Kong and his girlfriend Dixie Kong to rescue him.

Donkey Kong Country 2 has also sold over 4.37 million copies woldwide, making it the sixth best-selling game on the SNES (following the 4.61 million of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past).

Description

Donkey Kong Country 2 starts where the first game left off, in an area known as Gangplank Galleon. After this first world, the player reaches K. Rool's island, called Crocodile Isle, where the rest of the game takes place.

In order to progress through the game, players must beat stages by reaching the finish without losing both characters. The stages are divided into worlds, each one normally containing a boss fight at the end which must be beaten in order to move onto the next world.

In comparison with the original Donkey Kong Country, the game contains many new features. These include a plethora of hidden bonus stages with collectible tokens rewarded for completing, more diversity in level design and level settings, an unlockable "Lost World" with extra levels, and the ability to transform into various animals (the first game included some of these animals, but the characters normally rode them, being able to transform into them only in bonus stages). A portion of the game's theme now involves sailing and pirates, as exemplified in many enemies sporting a pirate fashion and the seaside locations in some levels. While Donkey Kong Country 2 introduced new features such as these, it also abandoned a few from the original. For example, the steel barrel was removed, eliminating the ability to roll on barrels, and the ability to find hidden items in the ground was removed. However, some of these removed features were brought back in Donkey Kong Country 3. As a promotion for the game after release Nintendo Power ran a contest for the fastest time in which to beat the game, and get all 102% of the game completed, the official winner had a time of 2 hours and 9 minutes.

Plot and setting

Plot

There is a fairly long and comical prologue in the instruction manual, covering the events leading up to the beginning of the game. A summarized version of this story can be read below.

Donkey Kong had been relaxing quietly on the beach when he suddenly and mysteriously disappears over the night. Diddy and Dixie Kong find hundreds of Kremling footprints surrounding Donkey's smashed chair, so they begin to investigate. They quickly find a note left by Kaptain K. Rool demanding the banana hoard in exchange for Donkey Kong's safety. While Cranky was willing to give the banana hoard away, Diddy refused to do this after all he and Donkey had previously done to reclaim them (in the events of the original Donkey Kong Country). As Diddy was about to eagerly take off on a quest to defeat K. Rool by himself, Dixie tells him that she was coming along to help and there was no way of persuading her otherwise. Diddy, although displeased, sighed and allowed her to come, knowing that arguing was hopeless. Diddy and Dixie set out the morning after, hoping to prove themselves as "real video game heroes" and save their friend Donkey Kong.

Characters

Aside from Dixie Kong and Diddy Kong, many other nonplayable characters can be found throughout the game. Kaptain K. Rool is the main antagonist. K. Rool now appears suited in pirate clothing with a rather large handheld blunderbuss. K. Rool has captured Donkey Kong and retreated to the top of his island where he awaits the player. He has sent his various minions, the majority being that of the Kremling Krew, to many areas of the island, in hopes of capturing Diddy and Dixie (the Game Over screen shows this outcome). They are supported by their Animal Buddies, and various other Kongs, such as Cranky Kong.

Music

Donkey Kong Country 2, like its predecessor Donkey Kong Country, features a well received score with each piece, including the death music (on the SNES Version), matching its designated level. The soundtrack was composed by David Wise.

Reception

Donkey Kong Country 2 was highly praised by both critics and fans alike upon release, especially in the platform gaming community. Acclaimed features such as the impressive and unique level design, well-hidden secrets and easter eggs, highly-detailed rendered graphics, a dark, mysterious atmosphere with a large sense of exploration and discovery, and a memorable orchestral soundtrack are often considered the main reasons for Donkey Kong Country 2's success and critical praise. While Donkey Kong Country 2 plays very similar to the original Donkey Kong Country, most agreed that the sequel's many improvements and added depth made it a better platform gaming experience. It has an average overall ranking of 93% at GameRankings, the same rating Donkey Kong Country received.

Game Boy Advance port

In 2004, a Game Boy Advance port was released. The game, now titled Donkey Kong Country 2 (dropping the original's subtitle), included new features such as additional mini-games, a new boss, and the insertion of characters that didn't appear in the original. However, this version was a source of controversy among some fans in that the brightness was toned way up to allow better visibility when the game is played on an original GBA system, taking away from the game's darker tone as well as diminishing some of the animation (such as the true ending when Crocodile Isle explodes).

Virtual Boy version

A port/semi-sequel along the lines of Donkey Kong Land 2 was in development at one point for the Virtual Boy, but was cancelled due to the system's failure.

Trivia

Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines.
The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.

The subtitle of this game was going to be "Diddy Kong's Quest", but was changed to "Diddy's Kong Quest" before release as a pun on the word "conquest".
In the podium of Cranky's video game heroes appear Link (who's in third place), Yoshi (who's in second) and Mario (who's in first). Also, in the right corner of the screen there's a trash can with a sign saying "No Hopers", that contains Sonic the Hedgehog's shoes and Jim's (from Earthworm Jim) raygun.
In the background of Cranky's cabin the player sees objects from games from Rare: Winky the frog from Donkey Kong Country, a poster of Chief Thunder and an Arcade machine from the game Killer Instinct.

References

^ Nintendo Power volume 83, page 43
^ Donkey Kong Country 2 at GameRankings. Game Rankings.

External links

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest at GameFAQs
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest at MobyGames

v • d • e Diddy Kong games

Diddy Kong Racing games	Diddy Kong Racing · Diddy Kong Pilot · Diddy Kong Racing DS

Other games	Diddy's Kong Quest · Donkey Kong Land 2

v • d • e Donkey Kong series

Main series	Donkey Kong • Junior • Jr. Math • 3 • Donkey Kong (GB) • Donkey Kong Country • Country 2 • Country 3 • 64 • Jungle Beat • Wii

Land sub-series	Donkey Kong Land • 2 • III

Racing series	Diddy Kong Racing • Donkey Kong Racing • Diddy Kong Pilot • Diddy Kong Racing DS • Donkey Kong Barrel Blast

Donkey Konga series	Donkey Konga • 2 • 3

Other games	By genre • By year

Characters • TV series

v • d • e Rare video games

Game series	Banjo-Kazooie • Battletoads • Conker • Donkey Kong • Perfect Dark • Killer Instinct • Sabreman • Jetpac • Viva Piñata • R.C. Pro-Am • Wizards & Warriors

Single games	Blast Corps • GoldenEye 007 • Mickey's Racing Adventure • Mickey's Speedway USA • Jet Force Gemini • Star Fox Adventures • Grabbed by the Ghoulies • Kameo: Elements of Power • It's Mr. Pants • Cobra Triangle • Snake Rattle 'n' Roll