KAPTAIN K. Rool and his hoard of evil Kremlings have captured Donkey Kong and Kong's little buddies Diddy and Dixie are called upon to save the day and ultimately release our hero from the clutches of Rool. Diddy is familiar from Donkey Kong Country but Dixie is a new arrival.
She can use her long Rapunzel-like locks to pick up and throw barrels and has a special helicopter spin which enables her to float from high places. When the two combine their skills they are a formidable duo. Each can throw the other, boomerang-like, cowards enemies or to reach items in otherwise inaccessible places.
Like the first episode, this game is bursting with power-ups and the ingenious use of barrels in the game has been taken a step further. There are now 14 different wooden casks scattered throughout the levels which, when entered or picked up, usually result in a bonus for the would-be rescuers. There are also coins to collect, and shrewdness with these could yield a high reward.
Donkey's animal friends are even more abundant than in the last adventure. Although our ostrich friend is nowhere to be seen, we still have Rambi the rhino, and Enguarde the swordfish.
We have Squaks, the parrot, Rattly, the rattlesnake, Squitter, the spider, Glimmer, the anglerfish and Clapper the seat, all searching for Donkey Kong.
Donkey Kong like it's predecessor, is a hugely entertaining game. The graphics are superb and the gameplay is imaginatively varied, challenging and thoroughly enjoyable. It should prove another blockbuster for Nintendo before the release of their new super-console the Ultra 64.
Graphics: 94%, Sound: 90%, Gameplay: 94%