Back when Nintendo first released the DK Bongos with Donkey Konga for the GameCube, many were concerned that the only use for the peripheral was in rhythm games. This notion was shot down, however, when Nintendo released an absolute gem of a game known as Donkey Kong Jungle Beat. Created by the same team that went on to make Super Mario Galaxy, Donkey Kong Jungle Beat combined good old-fashioned platforming with a combo system that made the game accessible to both casual players and the more hardcore brand. Donkey Kong Jungle Beat delivered a fresh experience that built off the intuitive controls of the DK Bongos. Now, with the release of Nintendo's New Play Control! series on the Wii, gamers will get the chance to either relive the game's glory days or experience it all for the first time ever, with a slew of new stuff added into the mix. But with the DK Bongos being switched out for the Wii Remote and Nunchuck, does the game still hold up?

Since the original Donkey Kong Jungle Beat was one of my favorite games on the GameCube, I'd like to aim this hands-on towards my fellow fans. Lucky for us, NPC! Donkey Kong Jungle Beat isn't just a cut-and-paste job with Wii controls tacked on – you'll notice a few distinct differences as you play through the game. For starters, the menus are all revamped and you can now have six different save slots as opposed to the single save file of the original. The medal system is revamped, too; instead of upgrading the rank of a level's medal from bronze to silver to gold to platinum, each level now rewards you with a maximum of 3 standard medals based on how many bananas you collect. There aren't any new full levels, but what is added is a boss-rush mode through all the Kong battles and the option to replay the closing ceremony at the end of the game.

And then, of course, there's the new control scheme. Interestingly enough, the new control scheme isn't what I expected, which was flicking the Wii Remote and Nunchuck to replicate tapping on the two bongos. Instead, standard moving is handled with the analog stick, allowing you to move DK around a bit more freely and easily than you could when using the bongos. Flicking the Wii Remote or Nunchuck causes DK to clap, which is what helps DK get around the levels by activating the levels' various gimmicks. Jumping is handled by the A button, and that's pretty much it. Holding down on the analog stick and continuously clapping causes DK to do his famous ground slam move, which can be useful in causing all-new banana plants to sprout. Tapping A in the air will make DK grab any bananas around him, a move which used to be handled by clapping.



Aside from using the analog stick to move, one of the bigger control changes concerns clapping. In the original game, clapping would create a shockwave entirely around DK. This time around, clapping is directional, meaning that the shockwave will now only flow in the direction that DK is facing. Though this may seem like a disadvantage, the shockwave now reaches farther and only affects what you want it to, making it much more precise.

Despite the game not having any new levels, the current levels have all undergone some changes. For one, there are new monkey friends to help you out along the way by giving out tips and explaining how the game works. Additionally, checkpoint monkeys allow you to restart from halfway into the level, which is useful considering the new health system. Rather than relying on collected bananas as health, DK now has a health bar of three hearts, which diminishes as he takes damage.

But why add in a new health system when there are so few obstacles and enemies to take damage from? Well, they changed that too – to accommodate for the new controls, the developers added in many more enemies and obstacles to make your way through, and the health system balances the game out much more. I never really died when playing the original game, but NPC! Donkey Kong Jungle Beat actually posed a challenge.



As an avid player of the original, I found that the new controls definitely took some getting used to. The switch from clapping to grab bananas to just hitting A is what threw me off the most - clapping to grab bananas was so ingrained in my head that I often found myself sending off a clap in mid-air only to find that it did nothing. Part of the beauty of the original game was the controls were so simple – bongos for movement, clapping for anything else. The fact that the in-game actions are somewhat spread out between clapping button pushing will probably end up confusing most players of the original at least for a little bit. The directional aspect of the new clap will take some getting used to as well, since it forces you to hit a direction on the analog stick to get the clap going where you want it.

Once you get used to the new controls, though, it's all gravy. New Play Control! Donkey Kong Jungle Beat's additions help freshen up the already-fresh gameplay of the original. Though it's disappointing to see that I won't get the opportunity to dust off my DK Bongos, the new controls, coupled with the renovations made to each level, offer up an experience that almost feels new while retaining the fun aspects of the GameCube classic. And at a price point of $30, what's not to love? New Play Control! Donkey Kong Jungle Beat hits shelves on May 4th, and any fan with a hankering for some bananas should plan on grabbing it.