DKC Atlas Forum

[Geno]

Why do people say "Donkey Kong Country 2 is the best DKC game ever!", and then when they play Donkey Kong Land 2, which is VERY similar to the SNES DKC2, they say "Donkey Kong Land 2 is the worst DKL game ever! It's almost identical to DKC2 and that makes it suck!". I don't get it

[TheUltimateKoopa]

Maybe because the other 2 are different? Maybe it's BECAUSE it's the same? Same levels (name wise)?

The only differences being, Castle Crush -> Dungeon Danger, and Haunted Hall -> Krazy Koaster

Donkey Kong Country 3 had exactly the same level types, with nothing new, but different stages.

Donkey Kong Land has completely new level types (Ship, Underwater Ruins, Mountains, Cloud, Skyscraper, Construction Site, whatever Fast Barrel Blast and Kong Krazy are (looks nothing like a 'blimp' to be honest) -- while also scrapping some that were in DKC, such as the Mines (as in Stop & Go Station) and whatever Winky's Walkway, Trick Track Trek, Tanked-Up Trouble and Platform Perils was meant to be.... and also the Ice Cave things, and the Mine Carts.

[Phyreburnz]

For me, it's just like, geez, they keep releasing the same game over and over without any real innovation. It's fun, but they could have tried harder to make it different. It doesn't really feel like a Donkey Kong Land game, just another DKC2 game that's portable. What made DKL special was, as TheUltimateKoopa said, was all the new things. New enemies, archetypes, music, items, and bosses. I wish that both DKL2 and DKL3 had new things like the first DKL.

*EDIT* It's also that DKC2 added so many new and exciting things to the Country series, as did 3. DKL added new and exciting things to just DK, in general. So you've got a great game (DKC), with two sequels (2&3) that add all kinds of things, a portable game (DKL) that adds even more... and then.... two games that don't add anything new and exciting.

[Katastrophe Kong]

Donkey Kong Land was awesome: New, creative enemies and Boss Battles, cool new level archetypes, a new, catchy soundtrack, and even a new story. It was essentially another Donkey Kong Country game.

Donkey Kong Land III didn't bring anything new to the table in terms of enemies, music, or level types, but instead chose to work with what they had to create new and creatively fun levels and worlds all wrapped together in an innovative storyline. Even the level names were awesome!

Donkey Kong Land II didn't introduce any new enemies, bosses, music, levels, worlds, or anything to be honest. It's basically like this: Do you want to play a dumbed down version of DKC2 in black and white with most of the gimmicks that made the game fun taken out? Would you like it better if it was shorter and had confusing level layouts? What if we sweeten the deal and call it a sequel without an original storyline like the other games in our 'Donkey Kong Land' series?

[TheUltimateKoopa]

Exactly.... in order:

DKL has new level types, and thus new music
DKL3 had the same level types but different stages
DKL2 had the same level names, just different layouts.

There were only TWO stages that were different as you know. Haunted Hall was replaced by Krazy Koaster, and Castle Crush was replaced by Dungeon Danger.

There were a few changes to the actual level order.

For example, In DKC2, you had Crocodile Cauldron which had:
Hot-Head Hop
Kannon's Klaim
Lava Lagoon
Red Hot Ride
Squawks' Shaft
Kleaver's Kiln

Then you had Krem Quay which had:
Barrel Bayou
Glimmer's Galleon
Krockhead Klamber
Rattle Battle
Slime Climb
Bramble Blast
Kudgel's Kontest

And then Krazy Kremland had:
Hornet Hole
Target Terror
Bramble Scramble
Rickety Race
Mudhole Marsh
Rambi Rumble
King Zing Sting

In DKL2 however, Crocodile Cauldron was merged with Krem Quay to create "Krem Cauldron"
And then, Bramble Blast was moved into the place of Bramble Scramble, and Bramble Scramble was then placed between Rickety Race and Mudhole Marsh.

Apart from the slight change in order, and the fact that the layouts are different.... it's basically the same game.
It's like a hack where the person who made it couldn't be bothered to rename the stages