Donkey Kong 64 - Downfall of the Collect-a-Thon | GEEK CRITIQUE
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 25 พ.ค. 2015
- Or, "What if Banjo-Kazooie was a TERRIBLE VIDEO GAME!?" Featuring Donkey and Diddy and Tiny and Lanky and Chunky and bananas and blueprints and switches and ammo and COCONUT GUNS, AW YEAH!
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This video is part of TGC's coverage of Donkey Kong Country games and spinoffs! Don't miss the rest of them: th-cam.com/play/PLYoabN6QznuIx7X1DnZyPICinmO9podH9.html
The Geek Critique I
*FUN FACT*
"Donkey Kong 64" was released on November 24th, 1999. The exact same day that
Disney/Pixar's "Toy Story 2" was released in theaters.
Could you do mario+rabbis?
Fun fact: Fungi Forest actually was a scrapped level from the original Banjo Kazooie. Rare couldn't figure out how to make the levels clock gimmick work out on time so they shelved it until DK64. There's even pictures of a Banjo Kazooie version of Fungi Forest. Also recycling assets is pretty much old hat for Nintendo. Aonuma has admitted to have recycled the lost dungeons from Wind Waker in later games and its heavily suggested that the Earth and Wind dungeons in Wind Waker are either inspired or are the Earth and Wind dungeons from Ocarina of Time. Two of the predecessors for the sage temples of the game. With all the copied assets it really makes you wonder why can't Nintendo release a game on time?
Wait, wait wait... you couldn't unlock Jetpac? That's one of the easiest things to unlock. It's literally done by playing the game. In order to not unlock it, you have to collect what amounts to the coins of the game. Something easily collected, often placed right in a path... Without returning to the first two levels once you get Chunky, you should be able, by all accounts, to get it by level four. Even if you're talking about the Extra mode, you only need six banana fairies to be able to play while ignoring the main game.
I'm just sayin', would YOU trust someone's review Mario 64, who openly admits they can't even make it to the third floor?
Someone make a fan hack where you can switch kongs using the D pad
AortaPlatinum is that possible
AortaPlatinum Okay I need that that!
Fixed the game's mayor flaw.
It could theoretically work if there's a Gameshark code to play as a certain Kong, and then you map it to the D-Pad which one is active. Of course, you'd need a 5th button.
Well, SOMEONE DID IT: m.th-cam.com/video/c6HHVB8bbac/w-d-xo.html
You know, it's funny... I STARTED with Donkey Kong 64, so when I got to play the original, I thought it was too fast paced.
Man, I remember loving this game on the Nintendo 64. It was so absurd and cartoonish from the very beginning and felt like a big step up in production from any other 3D game I'd played up to that point. There was this multiplayer section, for whatever reason, that I loved playing with my friends. It was probably completely terrible and devoid of any mechanics, but kids have the superpower to have fun with anything - and so we did.
Then recently, following the release of Yooka Laylee, where everyone seemed to take it as their cue to shit on the mere idea of collect-athons being made again, I returned to Banjo Kazooie to see if it held up. And it did - it was amazing! I lost so many hours rediscovering that game. Ha! Everyone is wrong, collect-athons are still fun! Now to return to the other big 3D game of my childhood, DK 64. And...oh.
Oh no.
Everything you say here is right. If anything you went easy on the game, as there are other weird aspects to it that go unmentioned - but that would probably be beating a dead horse, as the tag system is the #1 deal-breaker. It's just so...cluttered and noisy! Everything is color coded or has a big number on it, as if it wants to remind you at every waking second that you are just playing a VIDEO GAME. Unlike DKC or Banjo Kazooie the emphasis isn't on charming characters or areas, but on all these weird, esoteric resources that become a chore to deal with immediately.
Anyway this was a good video and I've enjoyed your DK series. Not sure if anyone will read this, but I had to get that weird personal revelation of a childhood memory off my chest.
I have to disagree to an extent.
Oh the tag system is atrocious, but the game clearly has style in its worlds and character to it. If not for that I would still love it, flawed as it is. Today I enjoy it but it's not something that works as well as it should.
Spot-on!
Only thing I think I'd add is that I thought it was a bit weird for DK to start doing the whole "googly eyes on inanimate objects" aesthetic. It only made the game feel more like Banjo-Kazooie to me: obviously the world had always been silly, but it was never quite that out-there until that signpost popped up.
The game in general feels like it was trying WAY too hard to be Banjo Kazooie.
It was the same engine
Hairo Aguilera same engine doesn’t mean you create new graphics to make it look like a different game on the same engine.
I... Don't agree, DKC3 is FULL of googly eyed objects and creatures. It's mostly a Rare thing.
The Mario 64 style "replay the same level over and over to collect everything" was developed due to limitations of the N64's storage and memory - large, unique levels weren't easy to fit on the cartridge and in the memory - so the solution was to re-use levels over and over and just have multiple different objectives to complete in the same levels.
Collect-a-thons emerged out of the limitations of the N64 - that's not a bad thing (limitations results in ingenuity) - but these games definitely weren't designed with the freedom to create a "good" game from the get-go, it was a constant battle with "how can we make this game good?".
Also fun fact; the expansion pack requirement of DK64 was due to a crash that the developers couldn't track down and fix in time for release; they found that the crash never happened with the expansion pack plugged in so the best solution they could do in time of release was bundle the expansion pack and make it a requirement for the game.
Old comment but just in case: your last pharagraph is false. The game allocates memory in a way that makes it clear the expansion pack was gonna be used from the beginning.
@@papersonic9941 yep you're right, that turned out to be a myth and was debunked in 2020
@@papersonic9941 From my understanding, it was a memory leak that caused the crash. So the expansion pack didn’t fix it, but made it take a lot longer to crash due to more memory. Hence why it’s allocated that way, I suppose.
That "crash" is because the memory kept dumping into the system, and the team didn't understand how to fix it, so the expansion pak gives the system more hours before it crashes. It didn't fix it, it just stalled it
@@papersonic9941 Old reply from a old comment, but no. You're wrong he was right. This has been officially confirmed during those Rare developers interviews. The Expansion pack in this game is only meant as a workaround for a crash they couldn't figure out how to fix. It was not at all required to play the game in any capacity and only included due to said bug.
So they're finally here, performing for you
If you know the words, you can join in too
Put your hands together, if you want to clap
As we take you through this monkey rap
Huh!!
DK! Donkey Kong!!
He's the leader of the bunch, you know him well
He's finally back to kick some tail
His Coconut Gun can fire in spurts
If he shoots ya, it's gonna hurt
He's bigger, faster, and stronger too
He's the first member of the DK crew
Huh!
DK! Donkey Kong!
DK! Donkey Kong is here!
This Kong's got style, so listen up dudes
She can shrink in size, to suit her mood
She's quick and nimble when she needs to be
She can float through the air and climb up trees
If you choose her, you'll not choose wrong
With a skip and a hop, she's one cool Kong
Huh!
DK! Donkey Kong!
He has no style, he has no grace
This Kong has a funny face
He can handstand when he needs to
And stretch his arms out, just for you
Inflate himself just like a balloon
This crazy Kong just digs this tune
Huh!
DK! Donkey Kong!
DK! Donkey Kong is here!
He's back again and about time too
And this time he's in the mood
He can fly real high with his jetpack on
With his pistols out, he's one tough Kong
He'll make you smile when he plays his tune
But Kremlings beware 'cause he's after you
Huh!
DK! Donkey Kong!
Huh!
Finally, he's here for you
It's the last member of the DK crew
This Kong's so strong, it isn't funny
Can make a Kremling cry out for mummy
Can pick up a boulder with relative ease
Makes crushing rocks seem such a breeze
He may move slow, he can't jump high
But this Kong's one hell of a guy
Huh!
C'mon Cranky, take it to the fridge!
Walnuts, peanuts, pineapple smells
Grapes, melons, oranges and coconut shells
Ahh yeah!!
(repeat)
the power of copy and paste
first last
C G COCONUT GUN
@@Sly_Maverick_19 I'm late, but
C G FIRES IN SPURTS
And then there’s kiddy, he’s dead!
Swapping kongs with tag barrel is really fun for me. The game let's you choose your way of doing things and if going so long the path for a different now sounds boring, you can leave it for later. I love to maze with Bananaport Pads too.
I look at it like a layered lollipop or ice pop. This prevents you from wipe all the fun of the places in one single go.
I understand your point because I don't like grinding too much in RPG games because battles aren't fun enough for making me want to fight again and again.
However DK64 collect-a-thon scheme surprisingly is a lot of fun for me. Maybe improvable by making every backtrack more different and meaningful, but I enjoy DK64 as it is.
Most people who play it enjoy it for what it is, as far as I can see, but they also recognize how it could improve. Many people think that having to go back to the tag barrel to switch Kongs EVERY TIME you see something only one of them can collect or open or whatever. If they made goals accessible by any Kong so you could choose whichever one you want, turned all bananas yellow so they can be collected by anybody, and made you able to change Kong’s from a menu screen or with the D-pad or something, it d be the best of both worlds.
I absolutely loved ( and still love ) DK64 ... I didn't mind that it was a collectathon. .. The atmosphere was amazing ... The minigames were top notch. .. The music was sublime... And it was long .. Back then you could get only a few games a year, so a long game was very welcome ... And you forgot one CRUCIAL thing about this game ... The exploration ...The feeling of finding a complete new area all by yourself with new items and even sometimes bosses ( The huge spider in Fungi Forest for instance ) in my opinion its still one of the best 3d platformers ever made and surely on par with Banjo Kazooie /Tooie or SM64 😊
Well, that's probably a difference in taste. Exploration for its own sake is very rarely satisfying for me if the gameplay itself isn't engaging. Nonetheless, thank you for taking the time to critique my critique, haha! I hope it at least made you consider the game from a different perspective.
You're not kidding though. If you COULD get into this game, you'd definitely get your money's worth given that there's SO MUCH to do in it!
The very fact that it came after donkey kong country is what made it bad lol if DKC didn't exist before it, DK64 would be fine. But after being obsessed with DKC as a kid and never having an n64 until now, DK64 is such a let down. Good game, though.
*Negative review of an old ass game gets put out on the internet*
Nostalgia fanboy: I actually didn't mind the hundreds of problems, it's still my favorite game ever.
Every time.
and?
@@Melkac lol and?
I think you didn't give this game enough of a chance because you are and were so deadset on wanting a faster game. To me this game has its core appeal in the exploration department. I was very young when I got this game (not TOO young. my first game was DKC for the snes so i also had expectations as well) and the amount to be found and discovered in this world is mindblowing for a young kid. All these different tiny islands and temples on the island, all the different entrances to the worlds, all the switches with fruits that I didn't yet have or objects that kept showing up that I didn't know how to deal with or activate, all the secrets and unlockables to find- it was great! That example of the green bananas and feather switch is a perfect example of something that was set out in front of me for me to discover how to unlock. Finding the cave, finding a switch that i couldn't open yet (rumors on the playground said that you unlocked the feathers from the gun store for donkey later in the game because NO ONE knew that tiny kong was really unlockable.), finding the way to unlock the character that COULD unlock the switch, and later realising that i knew where an extra stash of green bananas were once i also unlocked chunky was all part of that exploring experience. It was truely magical. Probably the most magical gaming experience from my childhood if I'm going to be honest, so i know im biased. But if you liked banjo kazooie/tooie and mario64 how could you NOT love this game? thats what confuses me. also the part where you show a montage of supposidly getting to the meat of the game (aka the first banana is getting to the meat of the game in this video) and you kept rattling off things you do in the game until you clearly reach your 2nd banana? just seemed a little lame to undersell the game like that. but overall i liked this review. it was well put together and pretty well articulated. great job!
+mooooo62 Thank you... one of the most gratifying comments I could possibly get on a video this critical is, "I disagree with you, and I'll articulate why I disagree with you, but I enjoyed what you had to say all the same." I try to be fair with these things, and I know nothing I say can ever take away anything from such treasured childhood memories. So if I was able to critique this game in a way that you felt was relatively even-handed, and that even allowed you to see my viewpoint, too, then that really means a lot to me.
You're very welcome! I'm surprised that you actually read all of that haha. I didn't realize how much of a rambling it had become until I was done typing. Great channel though. Consider me a new fan, especially in regards to your reaction to feedback
+mooooo62 I think you perfectly summarized why I initially loved the game, the fun of exploration. I think the game lost it's appeal to me when I beat it the second time. I stopped having fun because I knew where everything was and because the game focused so much on collecting, I just thought of completing the game as a chore. The reason why return to BK and BT constantly is because the moves and level design keep the pace going for me. The missions to collect things are fun a most importantly, filled with variety. I will say this, B-T's worlds were east to get lost in and the puzzle to unlock all the floors in Grunty Industries was a bitch of a task.
mooooo62 couldn't say this better my self
mooooo62 Nice
I love this game. It’s the king of collect-a-thons and on repeat play throughs, I love seeing how efficient I can be in getting everything in each level.
Chunky is what Kiddy SHOULD have been in DKC3. Also, am I alone in wanting Dixie and Tiny to team up in their own game?
This video was a great insight on Dk64, albeit, my opinion on it is quite different. The collect-o-thon busy work and the tag barrel element was something that I really enjoyed as a kid and after replaying it recently, I still enjoyed it. Guess it's because I've replayed it so much, but man do I still love this game, critical outlook or not. But again, I do want to state that this was a fantastic flip side of that and very well put together. Good job.
Another great video, to be expected.
As a fan of DK64, I must say, I agree. It is tedious, it is monotonous, but hell, I'd be lying if I said I never had fun with the game.
I dunno, I guess collect-a-thons are sorta my thing.
Karby64 I'm glad you liked it, and I'm even more happy that you felt I was being fair, as a fan of the game. I know there are some REALLY dedicated DK64 fans, including some for whom this was their introduction to Donkey Kong, who didn't have DKC or even Banjo to compare it to. I do think that, combined with your own preferences, has a lot to do with how much fun you'll have with a game like this. And if you're a dedicated fan of collect-a-thons and can more easily acclimate yourself to those flaws, there certainly is a ridiculous amount of content to be enjoyed in DK64.
Like, even the very worst Sonic platformers, I still find a way to squeeze some fun out of them, because I have that childhood nostalgia for the character. At some level, just making a blue hedgehog zip around a screen just works for me, and since momentum-based platformers are my favorite genre, it's easier for me to enjoy them in spite of how bad they are. But they ARE most certainly bad games despite what I like, and that's the kind of thing I think a lot of people have trouble separating.
The Geek Critique With your reviews of games I've played, the DKC series, the Sonic series, the Mario Kart and Smash series, I agreed with everything 100%. I was actually surprised since this is the first video that I had clashing opinions with you, but hey, as a fan of DK64 I can understand where you're coming from 100%(or should I say, 101%), hopefully the extremely dedicated DK64 fans don't have such a negative backlash to this, because I know it is a beloved game by many.
I guess my love from this game is just childhood memories, back when I was a kid I never thought too deep into video games, I just played them, y'know? I thought every game was amazing when I was a kid. And when I go back to some, I'm really turned off by the games. And others I still enjoyed, this being one of them. But I always played the DKC games when I was a kid and had a fond love for DK64, I never really compared the two until now, like how you did. Also I never really felt that the music was very "Banjo-Kazooie" back then because I never played Banjo-Kazooie until 5 years back. But now realizing it, it's not as much DKC, but very Banjo-Kazooie.
I really can't wait for The Buyout Era, because that's the time where I never really played Donkey Kong games, but instead just kept with the classics.
Jak and daxter is the best collectathon first time thru and on multiple play throughs because it had an amazing story and you could beat it in about 2 days ( if you collected everything like kid me ) idk me and my brothers just had a BLAST with that game
AllStarKingD I've actually never played a Jak and Daxter game before
AllStarKingD Nah...Jak is good, but I'd have to go with Banjo-Tooie.
I absolutely loved this game and consider it to be in my top lists.
Even though that this will ALWAYS be my favorite game of all time, I do agree with your points, on a strictly objective standpoint.
Now, I've played this game over and over, so I've learned the best ways to "save time" by remembering where everything is, but if I were to play it now I'd probably complain about that too.
The worst thing about the game is definitely the fact that you can't switch Kongs on the fly. Anyway, thanks to nostalgia (for the most part) I will always look at this game and its worlds as "magical".
Toadmaster Hellscythe I totally understand that. I have plenty of games I love as kind of a guilty pleasure or for nostalgic reasons, most notably Sonic R. If you still love it, all the more power to ya!
Haha, it's amazing how many of your points aligned with our two part Spotlight episode. Except, you know, that it took us five hours and you hit it all in only ten minutes.
Donkey Kong 64 is still a game I (that is, DK Vine's Hyle) think fondly of, despite its massive flaws. I think it works better in memory rather than playing it again. It's massive, it's sprawling, it's epic... and it's a brutal slog. That being said, I really want a new 3D Donkey Kong game and I want it soon.
DK Vine I listened to the episode just a day after completing this video, and man, it is crazy how many times we said the same things. But I think it gives weight to the idea that the game has some pretty obvious and objective flaws. But yeah, I'd definitely love it if the series finally got that second chance, I just worry when people say, "They should make another game like DK64!" I'm like, "PLEASE SPECIFY WHAT YOU MEAN BY THAT!"
And for the record, your spotlight on DK64 is the most in-depth analysis of the game anywhere, and still 100% worth listening to whether anyone's seen my video or not. It seriously might be my favorite pair of episodes the show's done so far.
The Geek Critique When is it stated that a franchise has to feel a certain way? The Wario franchise has both Warioware and Wario Land. Nintendo could never make another Banjo Kazooie, they can however show the world a Donkey Kong collectionavon platformer done right, or at least done better. Nintendo should re-imagine Donkey Kong 64
Obvious and objective flaws? Most of the "objective flaws" harken back to the fact that it isn't the game people expected. Why compare this to the DKC trilogy? It's obviously a different series and has different approaches to their gameplay. I feel like many people who critique this game don't view it by what it is and more by what they want it to be.
For a good example of what a new 3D Donkey Kong game could and should be, I would use the template of the Sly Cooper series. Give us open worlds that are free to explore with any Kong, Provide many diverse routes that you can take, make the playable Kongs have clear differences in terms of combat abilities and traversal abilities, give us a smaller cast of playable characters and don't gate off areas with artificial contextually sensitive buttons and pads, and of course, make the combat and exploration fast paced and frenetic. DK 64 felt artificial and fabricated while the SNES trilogy all maintained a sense of believable realism.
DK Vine I think DK64 should be remade by Retro studios and they should fix the games flaws
I love DK64 more than most people but I grew up on DK64 and never played a DKC game until DKCR
Now that the idea has been pointed out to me Crash Bandicoot really does seem like the spiritual successor to Donkey Kong Country. It's actually strange Rare didn't go that route, better to be seen as a Crash ripoff, since it was a style not really present on the N64, than just being another Banjo Kazooie.
I love Donkey Kong and think Crash is completely overrated. Picked up the N'sane trilogy and it has no appeal aside from nostalgia, and I never played it as a kid.
I’m glad I’m not the only person who kind of sees Crash Bandicoot as the 3D equivalent to Donkey Kong Country. I would still love to see the DK series get a 3D game that takes a more linear and fast paced approach to level design that can be seen as the franchise’s answer to other recent games with a similar style such as Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time and Super Mario 3D World.
They should make a sequel to Donkey Kong 64 in November of this year and call it "Donkey Kong Planet" for the Nintendo Switch.
I was 12 when I fully completed this game. I was all about this game back then, I sometimes miss the way not having every game I ever wanted made me appreciate what I did have to such a high degree
I'm surprised that you never once mentioned the flawed camera. That was my biggest turnoff when playing this game.
Oh crikey yeah! That camera has a mind of its own. You have to wrestle with it the whole time while playing, even just walking in a straight line. It is the work of the devil I tell you! hehe
There was too much Mario 64 in the camera and not enough Banjo-Kazooie.
I found the trick to handling the camera is holding the R button. It not only brings the camera behind you, but holding it while gently nudging the joystick will make it much easier to navigate tight platforms. When the C buttons fail to get the camera to behave, the R button actually sets it straight most of the time.
@@Metroid4ever You shouldn't have to play the whole game with one button hold just to have a decent camera. Talk about hurting hands
Eh, I never hated this game. I always saw the Collect-A-Thon aspects of these games as being ancillary to the games themselves. I was able to enjoy this game for it's sense of adventure and cool boss battles. But I will say: it doesn't hold a candle to the masterpiece that is Banjo-Kazooie.
To be fair, having started playing DKC2 recently, I do see the roots of the Rareware-style collectothon in it. That game's loaded with enormous amounts of stuff to collect. So, I think a Collectothon might have been a good idea.
I still return to this video all the time. It amazes me that you can condense a nuanced, yet scathing critique of this game in just over ten minutes. I agree with a lot of your points, but it would take me hours to describe DK64 and its flaws. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE your newer, longer videos (and probably prefer them,) but the brevity of this critique is astounding.
Also, there is a rom hack out now that allows Kong swapping with the D-pad. I'd recommend it! For me, it turns a game that is a tepid slog into a fun, if flawed, take on the Banjo formula.
DK64 is my favorite Donkey Kong game, and one of my favorite games in general. This video is very fair to it. All the points you made are spot on. It's very far from being perfect, and juxtaposed as a 1999 release that came out between Kazooie in '98 and Tooie in 2000, its flaws are easy to see. But there's still a lot of fun to be had with this game. Excellent video!
Z Gaming I'm extremely relieved and flattered that those of you who ARE big fans of this game found my criticisms to be fair.
The Geek Critique I was sent here by someone because my 2 favourite games ever are DKC3 & DK64. I also want to reiterate that you've done justice to the positives and negatives. I can see how mechanics can be annoying to some, but I think I've always just been geared differently to games. Everyone is. The 2 games evidently aren't for the majority, but I can still enjoy them for many reasons you also highlighted. Very well-put on both games. Always a tough battle to critique anything that has a following.
Banjo tooie was amazing too. I love collectathons though
5:55 To be fair I think they HAD to make a collectathon.I recall an interview saying The reason Mario 64 was the way it was and pioneered collectathons is because of the N64’s limited cartirage space. they couldn’t make dozens of linear Levels like in the old days since the N64 could only have a handful of unique environments. (Then again I haven’t played the N64 version of Rayman 2 so maybe it was possible to make a bunch of linear levels)
I got an ad for gorilla glue before this.
Still hoping for the buy-out era :D
I'm hoping for a new DK game in the same style as DK64. I love DK64. I completed it 3 times already.
Also I hope Donkey Kong 64 has a good 20 year Anniversary this year in 2019 .
I remember this game so fondly and hold it dear to my heart for being the first video game I ever own myself. I got the donkey kong 64 set when I was 3 for my birthday and it was my first console and game. I never played country series or any other video game for that matter except I think mario 3 at that age. It got me into video games and it's really hard for me to see its flaws since i had nothing to compare it to. I loved the game it became my most prized game I still own it and long since my n64 is long gone. I can see why many donkey fans where disjointed on it. For me though it will always be my definitive donkey kong game. Your points are valid, but honestly I will always love and cherish the memories of this game.
I loved this game as a kid, and still had a good time when I played it on Wii U. I think it's because I didn't grow up owning a SNES, so I wasn't playing a continuation of Donkey Kong Country; I was playing Banjo-Threeie, or at least the closest thing we'd get to it.
You a right. People are complaining all the time about Banjo Threeie, but Donkey King 64 is Banjo Threeie.
I remember being very proud to be the first among my friends to reach 101% completion on this game and actually watching the hilarious ending... at a time before TH-cam so there were basically no spoilers.
My main problem wasn't with the tag barrels, but rather that things had to be collected by a specific Kong. It felt like five completely disconnected adventures that occasionally intersected when one Kong would open a door for another Kong. Defeating enemies was the only thing you could do with any of the five, but it didn't matter because they'd respawn infinitely anyway.
I would have preferred just having 500 bananas on each level, all yellow and collectible by anyone. The coins also should have been yellow. Axe the banana fairies and film, and either expand the usefulness of crystal coconuts and transformation barrels or axe them altogether. The guns were aggravating to aim and should have just auto-aimed to nearby objects and enemies in third person, with a reticle popping up on whatever your Kong is tracking.
Just was searching youtube and found this channel. It's really great and I can't believe it doesn't have more subscribers! You got me, I'm a fan!
DigitalWafflez Haha, I can't believe it, myself! Glad you found me!
Although I recognize all of the game's design flaws, man that music is awesome. It still brings back tons of memories from the times I played it as a kid.
Funny that you mention the music feels like Banjo-Kazooie. I just recently started playing Banjo Kazooie for the first time and it really made me think back to Donkey Kong 64 and memories of it
5:55 funny thing according to Tvtropes.org (though given they don't cite any sources perhaps take this with a grain of salt). That WAS the original plan described as "Crash Bandicoot meets Yoshi's Story" but Nintendo and Rare's upper management wasn't impressed by the prototype so they had to scrap it and make Banjo 1.5
Battle for Bikini Bottom did the multiple characters thing way better and made it far less tedious.
Man these vids this month have been SO TOP!!! Can't stop watching 'em!!!
My favorite part of the video was when you got into a virtual argument with the “I’m awesome because I have an earring in one ear” 1990s guy at 6:31.
Darn it! Now I want a N64 DK game that plays like Crash Bandicoot. That would've been perfect!
SheepyTina me too
Have you ever played Rayman 2? Gave me everything I never knew I wanted from a 3D platformer.
Speaking of Rayman 2 what was the N64 version like? I heard the reason platformers on the N64 were collectathons was because the cartirage could only allow a handful of unique environments, yet Rayman 2 launched on the N64 and I wouldn’t call it a collectathon
Given the N64’s lack of storage space and developers still getting to grips with 3D it wouldn’t have many levels
I recently read it WAS suppose to be a 2.5D platformer (developers described it as yoshi’s story meets crash bandicoot) but Upper rare and Nintendo management wasn’t impressed so they had to scrap it
this is one of the funniest reviews of a game I've ever seen. thank you!!
This game is a 3D CollectaKong
The idea of dk 64 being like crash bandicoot is what the game should have been
Revisiting this game with my friends was a wonderful experience. I understand what you mean by it being a collectathon, but I think this keeps the game from becoming to linear like a Country or Land title. Having a big variety of things you need to get to 100% makes you explore every corner of the game, which I imagine is exactly what Rare and Nintendo wanted as they transitioned this franchise into 3D. I think the length and pace are main appeals of this game. Fun gameplay, colorful graphics, good textures, and an actually playable multiplayer (along with other mini games n shit) makes this game everything a major n64 title should have been and more. I definitely have some bias I cannot get rid of when replaying this game, it provided me so many good memories, but overall I think you were too because it seemed like you had clear expectations on what you wanted from the title. That being said, great video, great editing, and great channel. Can't believe I JUST stumbled on it
Well, this episode was made back when I didn't title my episodes. It was just, "Donkey Kong 64 | Geek Critique." (That's one of the reasons it took you so long to find me! Nobody clicks on things without a title, haha.)
But even now, the title is the last thing I come up with, even after I edit the video. I want a game to rise or fall on its own merits, so I do my best to approach it without angling for anything like that. In DK64's case, it falls for a lot of subjective reasons, mostly that I prefer faster-paced, linear games, and that's what I loved about the DKC series so much. Even as a collect-a-thon, a genre I can also enjoy, I think it's way too much of a grind.
But if you love collect-a-thons the way I love action-platformers, that slow pace could just be seen as an opportunity to savor the experience longer. While it's inevitable that I'll come across poorly sometimes, I always try to make it clear that these are MY opinions, and I'll do my best to argue for them, but they're filtered through my tastes, and I'm not trying to make anyone feel bad or wrong for not sharing them.
The end of this video hit me in the feels. I didnt have BK back in the day, I had dk64. This will always be my favorite game but it really sucked having a favorite game and never getting any sequels throughout my life, I'm now 24 got dk64 when I was 5. It wasnt until I was around 12 where I bought BAnjo online and then eventually tooie. That was the closest thing I ever got to another DK64
I have never really thought *too* much about it, but now that you mention it: The Tag Barrel really didn't *have* to be there. Heck, they could even have mapped the D-Pad to switching between the Kongs, with a small HUD indicator showing us which direction switches to which Kong.
But if Nintendo has the rights to remake DK64 properly (maybe they only have the rights to resell the existing game, who knows?), then they should probably put that on the touchscreen of either the 3DS or the Wii U, like the inventory for OoT and Majora's Mask in the 3DS remakes.
Also, I would make everyone able to collect all accessable bananas, coins or blueprints, either by replacing them all with generic bananas, coins and blueprints or by just giving all Kongs the ability to collect all collectables regardless of color to keep them as an indicator for where which Kong is needed.
And while at it, maybe they could then switch some around so that - for example - the green Chunky bananas in the clip you have shown turn into Tiny's purple bananas to indicate "Hey, here is something for Tiny to do" instead of just wasting your time with Chunky by walking into what might as well be an empty cave for him.
Bright Spark Well, I do think the tag barrel was partly inspired by hardware limitations. If you've played Banjo-Tooie, you know how the game chugs for a second when you separate the characters, and fades out completely when you swap, even if you're right next to each other. I think reviewers would've been harsh if DK64 froze whenever you swapped, but ultimately, it would've been preferable and far more playable than the tag barrel.
+The Geek Critique I have to disagree. I found that the Tag Barrel was a pretty cool addition to the game because 1) It fully replenished your life upon entering. 2) The animations of the characters just oozed personality. and 3) There was always at least 1 in every major area of a world. That being said, if they made it so you could pick 2 Kongs to switch out on the fly, and the Tag Barrel being used to select those 2 Kongs, it would've been MUCH better.
Your critiques are absolutely spot on! Subscribed.
Someone online said the main issue with DK64 was that it was kind of like Skyrim. It was designed to take days, maybe even weeks, to beat. It sucks looking back because of how much busier life has gotten since the 90's. Even Skyrim after a while is tiring to play after so long, and there's more gameplay variety in it.
It really would have been awesome to see Dixie in the game
3:54 The first of many.
I seen this video at the end of the top 10 Dk facts video that game facts did, and it didn't disappoint!
That comment about the Switch at around 4:22 into the video, made it for me xD. So relatable!
I think the whole "just map characters to the D-Pad" makes the whole idea of switching characters superfluous.
I've heard the argument that "in Donkey Kong Country you could switch characters, so why is this any different?" Because in DKC if you got hit you would lose access to that other Kong. So, I have two possible alternative solutions:
1. Make it so that any color of banana can be collected by any Kong. Instead of having to switch to a different Kong because of an arbitary color, you only have to switch to them when a banana is placed in a location that requires that Kong's ability to reach.
2. Make it so each Kong is a hit point like in DKC, and the Tag Barrels are instead DK Barrels like in Donkey Kong Country, and THEN map them to the D-Pad. This way, the multiple Kongs won't be superfluous because you will lose access to one of they get hit, just like in DKC.
Or both!
great review!
I really enjoy DK64 and don't mind the retreading. The controls feel really nice as do the physics and I enjoy tackling challenges in the expansive worlds
Someone should make a video defending this game because there are too many people bashing it.
@@nothingtoseehere6142 I agree
To me, dk64 is like a darker more atmospheric version of Banjo Kazooie. Idk I just didn't like BK that much. Banjo Tooie and Dk64 are my top collectathon games.
@3:55 The choice of DK64's minigame music for that montage is priceless.
4:22 This hits home. I HATED how that you only had two options of shooting that button because of draw distance.
This is one of my favorite games of all time! The collect-a-thon you didn't like was one of my favorite parts of the game since there were SO MANY THINGS to find. Each Kong had five Golden Bananas in each world, 100 colored bananas that gave you a banana medal, a blueprint, and coins to collect. Not to mention the Banana Fairies, which were another fun challenge.
To me, the biggest complaint about this game were the repetitive mini games you had to complete which would only get harder as you progressed. The one where you played as a Klaptrap herding Beavers into a hole was especially infuriating to me because a glitch would prevent them from falling in at times when you had to get 20 of those suckers in there IN TWENTY SECONDS. Apart from that, this was one I look back on with a lot of fond nostalgia.
I love Donkey Kong 64 since I played through it as a kid but I'll admit, the ability to switch Kongs with the tap of a button is the push it could've had to become truly great. I think it could've deserved a sequel with that kind of function in it.
4:20 "fail to shoot a target because of draw distance" Oof that comment hit home a little too hard since I spent probably over 10 minutes doing that on each playthrough as a kid
I love this game! I understand it's polarizing because of everything to collect but I for one miss just collecting everything. Seeing so many numbers go up is very satisfying and I enjoy exploring to find everything
Some die hard fans will fire their coconut gun in bursts at you, and if you get hit it's gonna hurt
Just found this fun little series and now I'm hoping that the epic saga of the BUYOUT ERA will be revealed someday.
B-but I like DK64. Okay, your complaints are totally founded and I actually agree with the huge task of having to play it......but Josshhhhhhhh, it's funnnnnnn. There's a little bit of nostalgia to because it's the last game my grandmother bought for me before she died.
Blunderbuss Reviews :(
*O P I N I O N S*
One thing that gets overlooked is the multiplayer is really really fun, and I spent hours playing it with three other friends wen I was younger, I actually bought 64 on the eshop just to unlock the multiplayer.
I think these videos deserve more views. You should do one on where the next game following tropical freeze should go.
They should have let you switch the characters with the d pad or something.
I really liked getting all the little bananas, even though they were placed so randomly. I even did the ledge glitch in the pig room so I wouldn't have to give them to those revolting creatures haha
I love DK64! I grew up playing that game and i'm still playing it!
Its a great game. I didnt mind all the collecting. It was a funny game with a lot of character and frantic factory has one of the best musical themes ever
"I got my hands on that banana yellow cartridge"
"I swapped in the N64 expansion pack"
"I flipped the power switch"
"I sat at the edge of my seat"
Seems like you missed a step: Plugging in the controller before flipping the power switch :) I used to own an N64 and I remember how sometimes games wouldn't work unless you had the controller plugged in before turning on.
to be honest, I never found DK64 to be annoying, or convoluted, maybe it's because I was a kid back then with almost way too much time on his hands, but I found going back to switch and collect the items i couldn't before to be a good fit as an added challenge of sorts to collect what i wasn't able to before.
it's almost like in other games where there are areas in the game you couldn't reach before without acquiring a certain ability or power up.
I don't know if people mentioned it here, but the King K. Rool fight at the end of the game (oops, spoilers) was the best reward child me could have ever received in a videogame ever! That boss fight was so much fun! I replayed it many times after I had beaten the game because it was so amazing! I also replayed the other bosses many times! But K. Rool, man. It was hilarious, it required skill, it used gimmicks that you learned in the game, and it fitted his character so well! I don't think I'll ever see such a perfect final boss ever again in a game. I liked the rest of the game as well, but I will always praise this game for this reason. And also that the multiplayer was hella fun and underrated, but that's another story.
Wow that Nuts and Bolts loading screen is legit? If it is... thats one heck of a frustration wave coming from those developers.
Yep, that's legit!
Dk64 was the first game I ever played and it was the most fun I remember having back then I realize now that in whole, it's not a good game, but there were so many awesome moments that I remember so fondly, the first time seeing the island after walking out of the jungle, riding on the mine carts, flying on the jetpack in the Egypt place, it's really all I remembered about the game
This is, like, my 4th time watching this, I have no idea why, but I keep coming back!
FUN FACT
"Donkey Kong 64" was released on November 24th, 1999. The exact same day that
Disney/Pixar's "Toy Story 2" was released in theaters.
6:17 This is probably the best thing you've ever written.
I will honestly say that I love this game, and its not nostalgia talking. It was the hardest game I’ve ever played as a kid and it provided me with a challenge that really made me feel incredibly accomplished when I beat the game.
I thought you explained your thoughts well in the video, and it's good to hear things about this game from someone who's circumstances and perspective don't match mine. The first video game I ever owned was DK64, and I still enjoyed Yooka-Laylee despite its general poor reception, so you now know where I'm coming from when I write this. That being said, I think there are some points you made that not only I disagree with, but I also think just aren't really true, particularly when you compared it to Banjo-Kazooie.
Take what you said about DK64's levels being bland. When compared to B-K's levels, I feel the exact opposite. For example, compare the sand/desert levels from each of the two games. B-K's sand level, barring the small circular area with the tree at the entrance to the level, had only one area to run around in and find collectables and mini-games. DK64's Aztec Temple level had not only two tunnels with side areas that contained mini-games, puzzles, and Cranky Kong, but it also had two large open areas with multiple things to do. And not only did it have two large areas, both of those large areas had temples that contained MORE large areas that weren't just one-off puzzles like in B-K's desert level. Instead, those temples had puzzles and collectibles that utilized all five Kongs and had their own tag barrels, and a couple of them even had player-triggered events that unlocked extra areas in the temples (like the llama spitting into the lava pool to open the path to Lanky Kong and a couple of other things). This is a theme when considering most of each game's comparable levels, possibly excluding the castle/mansion levels. All of the areas were expansive and had many landmarks that helped you know where you were at all times once becoming somewhat familiar with the level. For this reason, the levels felt less like just a sequence of menial chores than B-K's did.
Additionally, and I need to give credit to Snoman Gaming's video on DK64's bad game design here (lol at me referencing another video on how DK64 is bad to prove my point that it's not as bad as people say), the Creepy Castle level in particular (and I would argue that Jungle Japes mostly matches this description) is a good example of DK64's collecting done right. There's a trail of 50 yellow bananas that leads you to a trail of 50 purple ones, and by the time you have half of DK and Tiny's bananas respectively, you've explored the outside of the entire level and have unlocked all the warp points. Unfortunately, that's only one example, the the point I'm trying to make is that not all of the locations in the game are tedious, character-switching sections. Although, I gotta say, Gloomy Galleon's opening section is the WORST with the amount of switching you have to do. However, what I like most about the levels is that there are so many unique places to go within each level (like the area in Jungle Japes with the torrential rain and evil-sounding soundtrack with Cranky and Rambi) and so many different things to do (barring the reuse of all of the barrel mini-games) in the levels that they felt exciting, almost wondrous, to explore. I love B-K as well, but some of the levels in that game felt like they were over soon after I'd begun exploring them. And barring coming back for one Jiggy once you acquired a new move in a later level, because you needed to collect all of the notes in one go, once you'd done that, the level was over. Coming back to Jungle Japes with new Kongs and new moves was fantastic to me, because a level that I'd already explored a good amount had just become so much more open.
However, if there's one thing I think I agree with you on, it's that the tag barrel system is pretty poorly implemented. They either needed to have far more tag barrels placed around the levels, given you the ability to buy or collect a portable tag barrel, or just let you switch out Kongs at your whim, barring certain rooms and boss fights where you're locked to a specific Kong. There are absolutely frustrating segments of seemingly needless backtracking, possibly for a small reward like ten bananas or five coins, and two particular moments that come to mind include the one you mentioned in Jungle Japes and a spinning tower in Frantic Factory where, not only do you need to climb with every Kong, you could fall down at any moment and have to do it all again. The only thing I like about the fact that you can't swap Kongs out anywhere is that you have reasons to go back and explore a part of a level you've already been to in a different way with a different Kong. Sometimes the reward is small, like what I mentioned earlier in this paragraph, and seemingly not worth the effort, but sometimes you can unlock another new sub-area with more things to do or with something especially rewarding, like Candy, Cranky, or Funky huts and a warp pad.
I loved this game. Especially going around between all the characters. It definitely started to get bad at the final levels but it was a great game.
dude are you kidding that song fucking ruled!
I hadn't realized why I didn't enjoy this game but loves dkracing u til now.
One of my favorite games of all time
I think one of the biggest appeals to me for DK64 is the boss battles. They are all so creative and fun, and I find myself counting down how many bananas I have left in order to fight the next boss. I absolutely love banjo kazooie, but that's something I think it is missing, is super cool boss battles like this one had.
On a side note, frantic factory was my favorite map and mad Jack was my favorite boss, followed closely by King kut out and gloomy galleon boss (although I hated the gloomy galleon map). The music for all of them was fantastic, because Grant Kirkhope.
I know this video is almost a decade old but modders have figured out the tag anywhere system and I highly recommend re-playing DK64 using that instead of vanilla.
My guess is that the tag barrels were used in answer to potential memory issues that may have arisen from being able to swap characters on the fly. I’d bet if they did this today they wouldn’t make the same choice.
Glad to finally know whether the DK rap was a parody song or not lol.
I'm going back through watching your videos (love your channel and critiques by the way) and this was one that I felt you had too much hype going into it to fully enjoy what it had to offer. Like you said in a previous video "fun is subjective" and i can see why some people might not like this title especially if you were expecting a DKC game. I played this before I went back and played the DKC games so I didn't have expectations going into which makes it one of my favorite of all time.
I dont notice the backtracking as much when I play but I will clear an area with one kong as much as possible before I switch. I might not be able to do everything at once but I switch through the kongs less often.
I also thought you undersold the environments. I personally felt each environment felt unique and inspired. It felt epic discovering new things in the overworld or each of the levels.
This game made me want more donkey kong games regardless of what genre the games were because I was invested in the world and characters.
I really REALLY want another attempt at a 3D Donkey Kong game. There is so much potential especially if they make DK control like Tropical Freeze.
i really liked DK64 a lot but I was literally 6 years old playing it and didnt even think about making it a collectathon I just progressed through the game and it was in the top 5 of my favorite N64 games along side with Zelda, Banjo, and Perfect Dark
DK64's opening hour:
You watch the story.
Lumber out of the tree house.
Go to Cranky's new lab.
Learn you need to complete a tutorial.
Learn to swim.
Learn to throw barrels.
Learn to throw oranges.
Learn to swing from vines.
Drink a potion.
Learn to ground pound.
Hit a switch.
Learn about warp pads.
Meet K. Lumsy.
Watch a cutscene.
Try and fail to jump on a naughty, BECAUSE REALLY WHY WOULD JUMPING ON ENEMIES DO ANYTHING.
Actually get to the first level.
Wander around.
Buy a Coconut Gun from Funky.
Find Diddy in a cave, the cage is protected by 3 targets that fade into existence.
Shoot a target.
Shoot another target.
Fail to shoot another target because draw distance.
Unintuitively find an angle that lets you shoot the target.
Rescue Diddy.
Climb all the way back up to where he was.
and finally, triumphantly collect a golden banana.
4 Hours later
You might be back at jungle japes, wandering around as Tiny Kong.
Who remember, is just 1 of your 5 playable characters.
You'll start to head down a tunnel, only to see a trail of green bananas.
Now if they were purple Tiny could collect them.
But DUH of corse, only Chunky gets to collect green things.
Infact, every Kong has a litany of crap, that ONLY THEY can collect.
You try to hit the select button to change Kongs, but OH NO, The N64 Controller doesn't have a select button.
Ah, instead you'll need to make your way back to the tag barrel.
Where you'll switch to Chunky, walk down the tunnel, collect the green bananas.
and when you finally get to the end, what do you find?
But a locked gate, that can only be opened with the gun that shoots Feathers.
WHICH ONLY TINY KONG, GETS TO FIRE!
I just casually clicked on this video and realized that today November 24th, happy birthday DK64
It’s so weird going back to your earlier work seeing how short your videos were. How much of the game did you play for this video?
Totally explains why I didn't have the patience to finish this game as a kid. Got as far as Crystal Caves and just burnt out.
As you said, it wasn't all bad, though. I have fond memories of Fungi Forest to this day :)
I've completed this game 101% over a handful of times. 🍌
the "ch" sound is killing me
Rayman 2: The Great Escape is my favorite 3D Donkey Kong Country game.
6:08 I can feel the flames of that fucking text oh my god