Tag: Donkey Kong

E3 2016: Display Your Amiibo In Style With These Nintendo Themed Stands By PDP

by Josh Jackson

As anyone who has been caught up in the Amiibo craze can tell you, after spending a small fortune on all the Nintendo themed figurines, it becomes hard to store all of them. If you were hoping for some kind of relief, that was squashed the second the company decided to announce new Super Mario Bros and Legend of Zelda figures coming out in 2016 and beyond. With this in mind, PDP had some really cool stands on display that will let you take your fandom to the next level.

First, the Spinning Fire Bar Display reminds us of some of our most frustrating moments from the NES days with 30 years of nostalgia to make us remember it fondly. With an actual spinning plastic flame in front of your Amiibo of choice, it’s a pretty great way of making your villainous characters seem all the more intimidating. The Fire Bar Display retails for $14.99.

E3 2016 PDP Amiibo Fire Bar

Then again, I don’t know anyone who only has one Amiibo, which is why the Donkey Kong Display will be able to hold as many as you can squeeze under your roof. Modeled after the 1981 arcade classic, the standard package holds up to nine figures, with three on each row of scaffolding held above each other with sets of ladders. When asked, PDP confirmed that you’ll be able to buy multiple sets and stack them even higher. Do you think my landlord would be okay with raising the ceiling a couple of feet? The Donkey Kong Display will release at a $19.99 price point.

Amiibo collecting isn’t all about Mario though, which is why a new Master Sword Stylus Display was revealed alongside the rest of this impressive lineup. Perhaps the most exciting product of the bunch, this stand serves both as a great way to display your favorite amiibo, while giving you an envy inducing stylus to use with your 3DS. If that wasn’t enough of a reason to get excited, the display makes a pulling sound when you take the Master Sword out, while an insertion sound effect plays when it’s put back in. Obviously designed to go with the Legend of Zelda line of figures, you can technically use them with any amiibo you want, finally giving us a glimpse of what Callie or Marie might look like as Heroes of Time. Like the Spinning Fire Bar, this stand will be $14.99.

Rounding out PDP’s Nintendo related products are some non-amiibo goods, which feature two familiar franchises. First, the Pop N Display Question Block mimics the in game blocks their modeled after by housing our most prized possessions, which in this case, is our 3DS games! Folding out to hold ten at a time, I would love to bring this with me when I’m out so I can show off my Mario fandom while not having to scramble to find all my games. Just don’t be an idiot like me and leave it somewhere! That’s a lot of stuff to lose at once that could send you into a downward spiral. The Pop N Display Question Block will cost you $9.99.

Lastly, if you want to protect both your games AND your handheld, Toon Link has us covered with the Legend of Zelda Slim Storage Armor. This green New 3DS XL case displays the Wind Waker protagonist in the heat of battle, keeping our handheld safe from drops and scratches. The armor has an extra compartment to hold three games, two standard sized styluses and a cleaning charm, the latter of which also comes with the package. Setting us back $14.99, it’s a small price to pay to shield ourselves from our own clumsiness.

All of the above products are releasing in August. Which ones are you looking forward to the most? Sound off in the comments, and keep checking back for more news from the E3 show floor!

Geekscape’s Mario Maker Course Of The Week: Monty Mole Ruins

by The_acz

Today’s featured course goes by a different name for something that seems familiar.

What am I talking about you ask? None other than Monty Mole Ruins (DK & Diddy). While the premise for this level sounds like something new, it actually resembles the level Millstone Mayhem from the Snes classic Donkey Kong Country. Everything from bonus rooms, to those weird Kremlings that used to chase you in the stone tires, this level is a loving tribute to the game’s legacy.

MMR 2While the level is pretty similar to its Snes version, there are also some other surprises and tributes to the beloved series. Going bananas to try out the level? Check out the code below! As always, have a great week, and keep playing and creating awesome levels!

MMR

Classic Rare Artist Kevin Bayliss Joins Playtonic Games!

by The_acz

Playtonic is on a role when it comes to gaining new team members, and their newest grab is no exception.

Yesterday, it was announced via Twitter that ex Rare veteran Kevin Bayliss would be joining the Playtonic family. For those unaware, Bayliss worked at  Rare from 1989-2005 creating just as many memorable character designs as Steve Mayles. These include all 3 Battletoads, the characters from Killer Instinct, and even the modern Re-designs for Donkey and Diddy Kong! I think it’s safe to say that the company is in very good hands right now, and we can’t wai to learn more about Yooka Laylee and their other projects. Are you excited for this announcement? Who do you want to see joining Playtonic next?

Bayliss

Playtonic Games Create Levels For ‘Super Mario Maker’

by The_acz

This past Thursday, U.K game company, Playtonic Games, visited Nintendo for an event.

The Ex-Rare studio partnered with Nintendo U.K to host a special live stream for the upcoming Wii U game Super Mario Maker. During the stream, they showed off their own Donkey Kong Country inspired level while also having plenty of more fun.

While they haven’t uploaded the full stream yet, there are a couple of video excerpts of it on Nintendo U.K’S YouTube channel which you can check out here. Super Mario Maker launches for Wii U on September 11th.

E3 2015: Donkey Kong And Bowser Make Incredible Skylanders! Here’s How To Buy Them

by Josh Jackson

In late 2014, rumors swirled around the idea that Nintendo and Disney were in negotiations for some type of collaboration, one that many of us thought would be cross compatibility between the hard to find Amiibo figures and the house of mouse’s own Toys To Life franchise, Disney Infinity.  As it was  revealed at E3, they were definitely in talks with someone, but Activision’s Skylanders: Superchargers ended up as the home for Nintendo’s guest stars. Featuring Skylanders themed versions of Donkey Kong, Bowser, and their own vehicles, we were able to see them in action on the show floor, with some surprising new abilities for hardcore fans of all things Ninty.

Starting with Turbo Charge Donkey Kong, the iconic ape heads into Skylands with a snazzy, new jumpsuit to go with his trademark tie. Featured as a Life Element Skylander, not only using his brute strength to defeat Kaos’ evil forces, but DK also digs deep into his old bag of tricks when fighting off enemies. This includes throwing oversized barrels at enemies, attacking them with girders ripped straight out of the 80’s, and a Donkey Kong Country inspired barrel that launches him into the sky, (and on top of his helpless foes.) His vehicle, the Barrel Blaster, gives the Skylanders their own over-sized motorcycle to cruise along with. When DK uses it himself however, he Supercharches it and provides some powerful upgrades, which includes an appearance from Diddy Kong, who pops up out of the side car! Needless to say, it’s clear that Donkey’s portrayal goes above and beyond the levels of fanservice we would have expected, so much more appealing to own!

Skylanders Superchargers Amiibo E3 Screen 3

Not to be outdone, Hammer Slam Bowser arrives with his own special abilities, both new and old. As the name implies, the king of the Koopas comes equipped with his own golden hammer, which he uses to smash enemies with his standard attacks. As you would probably expect, Bowser serves as a fire element Skylander, with his fire breath in tow. When he wants to leave the action to his minions, he can call upon his Koopa Troopas to walk in a straight line. If this works as well as it does against Mario, Bowser can mimic his rival by jumping on his own minions and knocking their shells into enemies. If you want to get morbid with it, burning them with his fire breath turns them into Dry Bones. That’s not to say that the villain can’t take care of himself, especially when his new form comes into play. As Magma Bowser, the already imposing figure grows larger, spews lava, and somehow manages to become even more imposing than he already is. Throw in his Clown Cluster plane that’s designed around his trademark Koopa Clown Car, and you have a fearsome ally on both the land and in the skies. When Supercharged, the clown design gets replaced with something closer to his likeness, taking the form of the king’s flying fortress.

Skylanders Superchargers Amiibo E3 Screen 1

Sounds awesome, right? The only catch is that these two WILL NOT be sold individually to help avoid confusion with the other versions, since they’ll only work on Nintendo platforms. If you want Donkey Kong, you’ll have to pick up the Wii U starter pack. For Bowser, the 3DS version will be the version for you. While understandable, this is still disappointing for those who don’t typically buy the Wii U version. Traditionally, portable Skylanders games have been drastically different from their console counterparts, so picking that copy up isn’t so bad. For someone like me who owns the home versions on other consoles however, it makes things a lot more complicated to say the least. It’s safe to say that boosting sales of the Nintendo versions is the goal though, so mission accomplished? Oh, and why do they both come with Stealth Elf? I foresee a ton of trade ins in her future.

Skylanders Superchargers Amiibo E3 Screen 4

Either way, both characters are worth doing what you have to to get them. Aside from their new designs and amazing in game abilities, twisting their base switches between Skylander and Amiibo modes, allowing them to function as both. But most importantly, is this enough to sway you? Give us your thoughts on this new collaboration, and look out for a full preview of Skylanders: Superchargers in the coming days.

‘Zelda’ And ‘Metroid’ Inspired Fight Pads Lead PDP’s Second Wave!

by Josh Jackson

Need more controllers to fill up those 8-player Smash fests? PDP has you covered.

Following the popular Gamecube inspired Fight Pads featuring designs for Mario, Luigi, Peach and Yoshi, Wave 2 will feature a wider range of Nintendo’s all star roster. Representing Link from The Legend Of Zelda, Metroid‘s Samus Aran, Wario and his classic color scheme, and the iconic ape, Donkey Kong, these Nintendo licensed fight pads will not only help you represent your main as you tear through the competition, but they will work with any title that supports Wii Classic Controls. But most importantly, a Gamecube adapter is NOT REQUIRED to use them! All you need is a Wii Remote to plug them into and you’re good to go!

Pre-orders are available now, with a tentative release set for early 2015 at $24.99 each. Is your favorite character represented? Who would you like to see get the controller treatment next? Can it be Pit? Please, let it be Pit!

DK Wario

Link and samus

Geekscape Games Reviews: ‘Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze’

by Derek Kraneveldt

With exclusives like Super Mario 3D World, The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD, Pikmin 3, The Wonderful 101, Lego City Undercover, and not to mention the still-coming-this-year Smash Bros. and Mario Kart 8 (just to name a few), you shouldn’t really need another reason to pick up a Wii U.

But as it happens, here’s a damned good one; Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze.

Screen1

To start, from the very second that I tapped on the Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze icon on the Wii U home screen, I had an ear-to-ear grin on my face. The game’s loading music immediately brought me back to my youth and my days (and days) of yelling at my Super Nintendo and Donkey Kong Country for killing me when I clearly shouldn’t have been killed.

I eventually played through all of Super Nintendo’s Donkey Kong titles (watching the animated series in-between), fell madly in love with Donkey Kong 64, and even Diddy Kong Racing during the next generation (though I’ll hold my ground at ‘it was no Mario Kart‘). I missed out on 2010’s Donkey Kong Country Returns, but now that I’ve played through Tropical Freeze, I’ll be trying to find a copy immediately.

Following the beautiful loading music, you’ll be greeted by the rest of the game’s fantastic audio (and then you may look it up and realize that original DKC composer David Wise has returned for the game). Then come the visuals, which will have you realizing within seconds that Tropical Freeze is quite possibly the best looking game on the Wii U today. Seriously. The gorgeous colours, backgrounds, levels, and characters are virtually without equal, and once they start moving, you may find yourself simply staring in awe at the wondrous 1080p visuals. DK and company (Diddy, Dixie, and Cranky will accompany you during the game, and a second player can even take control) have never, ever looked this good, and it’s almost tough to imagine them ever looking any better.

Playing through Tropical Freeze, even in its earlier levels, is a stark reminder of just how easy today’s games have become. I would bet that I died more playing Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze over this past week than I have in every game that I’ve played in the last five years… combined (aside from maybe Flappy Bird). Dying, of course, is frustrating by nature (especially, as I mentioned, since it rarely happens these days), but I was always willing to jump right back in and perfect that missed jump or get revenge on the enemy that killed me. Plus, the level design is so good that I don’t simply want to pass them, but actually experience them, and spending more time in a single stage isn’t a bad way to do that.

You won't find me on here... But I can dream.
You won’t find me on here… But I can dream.

Then, of course, there’s the collectables, which will have you playing through the game multiple times because they’re so addicting and so impossible to find on your first time through. I still haven’t found nearly as many as I’d like to, and DKCTF has brought out the completionist in me far more than any other game in recent memory.

The title thankfully offers players a few different control types, including the Wii U Gamepad, Wii Remote + Nunchuk, and Wii U Pro Controller, and all options are precise, enjoyable, and easy to control. Tropical Freeze does support offscreen play (which I use all the time, and love), but sadly, using the Gamepad as your controller adds absolutely zero additions to the gameplay. That’s a missed opportunity right there, and for a first-party that’s trying (and not really succeeding) to sell consoles, it’s almost inexcusable.

Brings you back, doesn't it?
Brings you back, doesn’t it?

Overall, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is quite possibly the best side-scrolling platformer that I’ve played in years. It’s far better than the excellent New Super Mario Bros. U and its expansion, and is my favourite Donkey Kong title of all-time. I hope that Retro Studios’ latest gets the recognition it deserves, as it deserves to sell some consoles, and that they soon get hard to work on a follow-up (maybe by the time it releases I’ll have found all of the collectables in this one). The game can be frustratingly difficult at times (it’ll make you go bananas, yeah I went there), but it’s likely that these frustrations lay with our expectations of a modern game’s difficulty; I’m no longer used to attempting the same stage ten or fifteen times, and that sometimes makes yell-at-the-TV mad, but when I think back to my childhood, what game didn’t force that many attempts?

Don’t own a Wii U yet? Buy one, and make Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze one of your first purchases. Aside from the game all but pretending that the Wii U’s main differentiator (the Gamepad) doesn’t exist, it’s probably the best platformer that we’ll see all year on any console.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze scores a 4.5/5.

A New Nintendo Direct Is On The Horizon!

by Josh Jackson

Heads up, gamers! Ninendo has announced an upcoming Direct presentation streaming at 5 PM EST and 2 PM PST. Promising to cover the games of spring for the Wii U and 3DS, it’s safe to say we can expect some new information on existing announcements while coming across a few surprises along the way.

If I was a betting man, (and I would be if I wasn’t broke,) I’d say that we can be ready to expect new information on titles such as Kirby Triple Deluxe, Yoshi’s New Island and Mario Kart 8. As we drift into “wishful thinking territory,” I’m hoping for another reveal on the Super Smash Bros. side of things. Will it happen? We’ll find out in a few hours.

Check out the stream at this link, and as always, be sure to check back with us for all of the up to date information and reactions to the presentation.

Rosalina Joins The Battle in ‘Super Smash Bros. for Wii U/3DS’

by Josh Jackson

Let’s face it, we’ve been overdue for a big Super Smash Bros. announcement. It looks like Nintendo agreed, because they decided to end the year with the reveal of one of the most requested stars from the Mario universe. After much anticipation, Rosalina of Super Mario Galaxy fame is finally confirmed to be joining the fight.

After faking us out with Kirby racing on Rainbow Road against the Mario Kart participants, (which would be AWESOME if it were real. Get on it, Nintendo!) it was time for the galaxy queen to make her debut with her trusty Luma at her side. After summoning it, she seems to control similar to the Ice Climbers, where both characters can fight independently. Unlike the former however, it seems like Rosalina and Luma can seperate and fight at different positions rather than be tied to each other. Outside of this two on one assault, she can also manipulate gravity, which is shown when she pulls items towards her and creates a barrier that pushes incoming items away.

All in all, it looks like Rosalina will bring plenty of new ideas to the table. If nothing else, this reveal and her role in Super Mario 3D World show that she’s here to stay as one of the premier characters of the Mario roster. Check her out in action and let us know if the inclusion has your hype levels through the roof!

Super Smash Bros for Wii U/3DS is scheduled for 2014.

‘Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze’ Gets A Release Date!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: During tonight’s VGX awards, Nintendo revealed some long awaited news about the excellent-looking Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze.

First up: Cranky Kong is a playable character, and he looks pretty cool. The live demo showed how the different Kongs can team up to take down enemies together. The game (of course) features local co-op, which has to lead to some aggravating, frustratingly good times.

Reggie Fils-Aime also announced the oft-delayed release date for the title, which will hit stores on February 21st, 2014.

Take a look at the newest demo below, and let us know if you’ll be picking this one up!

http://youtu.be/9t6Hdagh7lk

We Went Bananas At The LA Zoo For ‘Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D’!

by Jonathan

Friday morning, I was invited to the Los Angeles Zoo by Nintendo to celebrate the launch of Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D on the Nintendo 3DS. I love visiting the zoo, my 3DS and platforming games so I really didn’t have any reasons to say no. Nintendo of America and the Los Angeles Zoo were kicking off a Donkey Kong themed event all Memorial Day weekend long with a live gorilla feeding and 3DS stations where you could get some hands-on time with the game.

Beyond having Donkey Kong Country barrels filled with food for the hungry gorillas in the Campo Gorilla Reserve habitat, there were a few more surprises waiting for me during the brief time I spent at the zoo. Our friends from Pause/Play, Matt Raub and Nick Gregorio, and Game Time Play Time co-host Jessica Villareal were there covering for Metacafe, as well as my LA Street Pass buddies Juan Carlos Marquez  and Ash Paulsen! And here I thought I was going to spend another day at the zoo alone… again.

Picture Credit: Nintendo of America
Picture Credit: Nintendo of America

I took some photos with Mr. Kong himself, spoke with the nice folks at Nintendo of America and the LA Zoo about working with Geekscape in the future and watched the gorillas make short work of their food! And of course, I got to do a little Street Passing with the folks there and play some Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D.

Hanging with Donkey Kong and Jessica V!

Hanging with Donkey Kong and Jessica V!

Streetpassin' Gangstas!

Streetpassin’ Gangstas!

I’d missed the game when it was originally released for the Wii and Juan Carlos and Ash kept telling me that I had to pick it up and give it a try. After spending a day with it (and not having the earlier frame of reference), I agree with their sentiments that this is the definitive version of the game, with additional levels and both the original, challenging version of the game and a newer, toned down version. There’s also Co-op multiplayer between local 3DS systems and a ton of un-lockables. After seeing the game’s graphics and visual depth play out in 3D, I can’t imagine playing it on the Wii. Objects and enemies (and secret areas hidden in almost every level) practically bounce off the screen in all directions.

So far, I’m extremely satisfied with the game (which is getting great reviews from across the web) and had a great time yesterday. Thanks to the Los Angeles Zoo and Nintendo of America for having me!

Picture Credit: Nintendo of America
Picture Credit: Nintendo of America

 

‘Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D’ Launches On May 24th!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Via an extremely short (and unorthodox) press release, Nintendo today announced the official release date for their upcoming 3D remake, Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D.

 

The anticipated release is a 3D reimagining of the 2010 Wii platformer, Donkey Kong Country Returns. The game garnered critical acclaim, and was an extremely faithful contemporary adaptation of the classic Donkey Kong Country style.

 

3DS owners, you’ve got just over two months to wait at this point; Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D will launch on May 24th. Watch the trailer for the game below, and let us know if you’ll be picking it up!