Hello, and welcome to my new Hey Poor Player column: 8-Bit Chronicles, wherein I analyze classic arcade-munchers of the 80's! Giving I already host another column (Sleeping With The Enemy), I'm certain this is rather left-field, so let's break down how this came to be and what it'll entail.
As readers may recall, I announced last fall I'd be coveringArcade/8-Bit video games after 2019's New Year. The reasoning was simple: given their brevity, they'd serve as excellent outlets for maintaining a consistent writing output. As opposed to the 1500-2000 word caps I typically uphold for Leave Luck to Heaven, these would gravitate towards 1000 words -- a reflection of their pick-up-and-play breadth, if you will.
In retrospect, perhaps Donkey Kong didn't
have it that bad following Rare's departure from Nintendo. An observation that
may be heresy to some, but as I recall, the following output was hardly
disposable: Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat
was the stellar (2D!) debut of Nintendo's famous Tokyo branch, Mario vs. Donkey Kong was born in this
era (although it had admittedly grown tired), the Donkey
Konga games were entertaining spin-offs in their own right -- that they remain the only Nintendo-published products you'll ever hear Rock Lobster and songs from Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo surely counts for something -- and supposedly
Paon's handheld action games were pleasant enough. On the downside, you had
technically-inferior Game Boy Advance ports of the original Donkey Kong Country trilogy (albeit
developed by Rare with new features), although only Donkey Kong: Barrel Blast drew particularly harsh ire; admittedly,
having only been subjected to the abominable character designs from Super Smash Bros. Brawl's trophies, I
suppose it was enough to taint the series’ image.
Regardless, fans demanded a true spiritual successor to the Donkey Kong Country trilogy, and our
prayers were answered through a most unexpected savior: Retro Studios. Having
wrapped up their own Metroid Prime
Trilogy, transitioning from a series of highly-ambitious first-person
shooters -- I'm sorry, first-person adventures – to a mere sidescroller
may have seemed like a stepdown for some; true, Donkey Kong Country Returns is as much of a revival as Metroid Prime before it, but we had
previously witnessed an unknown studio masterfully revive one of gaming’s most
beloved franchises into practically another genre – certainly, a 2D Donkey Kong game would be beneath
Retro’s talents, yes?
With Donkey Kong Country and its pre-rendered 3D taking the world by storm during 1994's holiday season, it was only natural developer Rare would get to work on a sequel, this time starring Donkey Kong's breakout sidekick: Diddy Kong. Fittingly, the game was dubbed Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, a notorious pun that slipped by young gamers and resulted in shock and awe upon sudden realization years later. Having been one of these unfortunate children, it's never ceased in irking the hell out of me, so perhaps we should not call attention to it at all? Yes, that's what we'll do.
Anyway, Donkey Kong Country 2 is often lauded as the apex of not just the Donkey Kong name but of 16-bit platforming and the Super Nintendo console, cited alongside the likes of Super Mario World and Sonic 3 & Knuckles as being the very finest the genre and/or console has to offer. This claim is not without merit: the level design is no longer basic and constructs itself around depth rather than just cheap thrills, the setting breaks free of ordinary tropes and plunges headfirst into full-on creativity, and David Wise's music is as delicious as ever, if not more so. No longer was Rare's re-imagining of Nintendo's first true gaming star a freshman effort, but a full-fledged video game that vindicated the British game developer's rise into stardom.
I don't typically touch upon my Asperger's in these reviews, but there's a certain memory regarding Donkey Kong Country that must be shared. By far the most prominent of my preschooler-age quirks were made-up words: nonsense given purpose only to the mind of a self-absorbed child. Often taking the form of onomatopoeia, one such term -- "BWAH BWAH!" -- was born from the powerful opening visual of Donkey Kong barreling through his tree house's front door and slamming into the ground below. A ritual was born every time I replayed that level, that guttural cry erupting from my throat in very same shrill ferocity of Baby Animal from Muppet Babies.
The point being, the visual prominence of Donkey Kong Country inspired people to the point of babbling nonsense at the sight of its pre-rendered 3D visuals, myself included. And why shouldn't they, when it was not only the Super Nintendo's greatest technical marvel but groundbreaking enough to ensure the 16-bit market wasn't done just yet? Of course, there are those who believe Donkey Kong Country's only claim to fame was its graphics and not its actual gameplay, which is often perceived as inferior to the likes of Super Mario World and Yoshi's Island.
Origin: Donkey Kong Country/Donkey Kong Country Returns Plays In: World 5 levels, most notably Rickety Rails Status: Arrangement (Mine Cart Madness by David Wise) Arranger: Kenji Yamamoto
For whatever weaknesses Donkey Kong Country Returns had in its original tracks (barring the RocketBarrelTheme and the Tiki Theme), it more than made up for it by its superb takes on David Wise's score for the original Donkey Kong Country. Headed by Kenji Yamamoto (of Super Metroid/Metroid Prime fame), his arrangements can go from either simple renditions of certain classics (such as the DK Island Swing opener) to radically different directions (the tropical take on Aquatic Ambiance). I'd dare say some of these arrangements surpass the already incredible original soundtrack--most notably the catchy Treetop Bop and the rockin' Life in the Mines, both ofwhich came across as a little too subdued in their initial appearance.
While I'm not sure if it's my exact favorite of the bunch, the Rickety Rails arrangement of Mine Cart Madness stands out to me. For one thing, I firmly the believe that Returns' Cave world is by far and away the funnest, most spectacular display of concept inspiration and art direction in the entire game. Predominantly featuring mine cart levels, Returns takes what was a staple trope from the original Country, revises it with outrageous twists and repeatedly lobs them at the player. My jaw wouldn't stop dropping at the danger constantly imposed on Donkey Kong, as the mine cart tracks were endlessly bombed, shattered by crystal formations and even served as a mode of transporation by themselves. The latter has to be seen to be believed.
And more often than not, this arrangement is playing. It's as every bit as dangerous and frantic as Mine Cart Madness, and is obviously a perfect fit for its accompanying levels. These levels are, of course, every bit as tough as their SNES predecessors, and it adds the right amount of tension and fear as the player narrowly dodges one obstacle after another. Me, I'm personally no fan of having to duck under the spikes in the crystal level, as I'm always in constant fear of mistiming my popping out of the cart. Rickety Rails is the embodiment of that fear, that by-the-second precision and excitement that my poor heart endures with every one of these damn mine cart levels.
What I really do adore about Returns' arrangements is that some of the more faithful renditions briefly take their own spin midway through the song, adding some sort of...I'd like to say mysterious air around the song. It's right there in the Fear Factory arrangement and there's a touch of it here as well when the song loops at 1:42, although I'm more a fan of the post-ride segment at 3:52. In what I swear is something swapped straight out of The Lion King, there's this kick-ass choir that's more in line with the atmospheric tone of the original DKC, of which emphasizes the isolated, dangerous nature of the cavern. Very cool.
I've often noticed complaints of Returns lacking in that aforementioned atmosphere, and I'd like to think it strikes a fine balance between that and cartoony visuals. The way moments like the post-ride segment and the design of the underground mole town mesh together is really a thing of beauty, and I'm always brought back to details like the abandoned tree houses in Donkey Kong Country. Haunting beauty alongside harebrained monkey antics...who'd thought?
Final Thoughts:...and that's not even getting into the musical masterpiece that's Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze! Agh!
Origin: Donkey Kong Country (SNES, 1994)
Composer: David Wise
Plays in: Donkey Kong Country's four water levels: Coral Capers, Clam City, Croctopus Chase, and Poison Pond.
Status: Original Composition/Beloved Masterpiece
Analysis: I've said before that video games were once "just another toy" to me, which held true many years back. By this, I mean that my five-year old self wasn't in a rush to reach the Forest of Illusion in Super Mario World; rather, I'd tinker around with the first couple of levels or so--maybe dive for a bit into Mario's Fun with Letters and Street Fighter II--and then be on my way to force-feed peanuts into my Sesame Street stuffed animals. Having once dwelled in the playroom, the Super Nintendo was distinguished as being no different than the stack of cardboard blocks in the corner or my collection of Berenstain Bear books. Donkey Kong Country wasn't any special exception. Sure, my imagination with it went as wild as the child's mind could take it ("Mommy, does Donkey Kong live near Mario?" "Yes, dear."), and the lure of platforming monkeys isn't something so easily ignored, but was it what elevated my status to nerdom? No, that would be the N64's job. Donkey Kong and his family were just another host of cartoonish figures to be toyed around with for the day, not meant to spawn any actual meaning for me. Just a plaything, nothing more and nothing less.
Then you had the water music.
A vague memory still lingers of me, maybe five or seven, playing through the Coral Capers level and--save for the thumbs rested on the buttons--being rendered utterly still. I'm playing the game, but there's also that music. It's different, maybe a little haunting, yet kinda...beautiful? Whatever it was, it was something that entranced me. Like with every other game, I wasn't in a rush to reach the level, but it instilled an emotion I never felt before in a game.
Aquatic Ambiance still has that effect on me today. From a more adult perspective, it's inclusion is absurd. It has no purpose being in a game about two stupid primates beating up a gang of crocodiles just to get some bananas back, and yet Donkey Kong Country is all the better for it. When applied to the actual context of the game, what with being constructed with pre-rendered 3D graphics meant to capture a realistic jungle setting, the song successfully mingles with its atmospheric siblings DK Island Swing, Cave Dweller Concert, Northern Hemispheres, and the like.
Ah, but Aquatic Ambiance! That it's constantly singled out as being the best of the bunch is no secret. It was the first song David Wise composed for the game and holds the title of his favorite tune. It's the most popular song for fans to remix and publish for the world to see on OCRemix and Youtube. Shigeru Miyamoto demanded that the game's soundtrack be brought back for the Wii revival Donkey Kong Country Returns, but we all knew deep down he was just referring to Aquatic Ambiance. Orchestras, freaking orchestras, always focus on the piece in their Donkey Kong Country segments. It's beloved by game music fans the world over. But why?
At the end of the day, taste is taste, but the hypnotic beauty of Aquatic Ambiance makes it stand out from the rest. While its brethren take their time in setting up the stage, this one immediately embraces the player into a watery rapture and doesn't let go, sinking them into its euphoric depths. The other songs induce moments of danger, triumph, and isolation, yet Aquatic Ambiance is meditative throughout. A melancholic meditation, perhaps, but a calming one, too, nonetheless (push aside the thought that, again, we're discussing a game starring a gorilla. He's not the one meditating underwater. Actually, wait, scratch that, that's pretty fucking amazing).
And that's what's part of the secret (the calming effect, I mean). What's amazing is how the level design compliments the song: Donkey Kong's adventures above ground are cutthroat and precise, but the water levels bring the intensity down a notch and relax the player with dreamy music and calm direction. Sure, there's danger afoot, what with the pearl-spewing clams and crazy stalker octopuses hanging around, but the music makes it so they don't matter. It holds you tighter, saying "It'll be alright. And even if it won't, you'll get another shot if you die." Think about it this way: Whoever died in one of the water levels? It's always the mine-cart/ice mountain/factory crap that makes players scream in rage, yet no one pins the blame on the water levels. The funny thing is they're not even that great;I mean, remember how pissed off everybody was when the Donkey Kong Country Returns staff said they didn't want any underwater levels in the game because they'd distract from its exciting atmosphere? I guarantee you that no one actually gave a damn about whether or not Donkey Kong wanted to go for a swim; everyone was just secretly worried that this meant Aquatic Ambiance wasn't going to come back. I mean, don't gamers usually hate water levels or something? Donkey Kong Country fans are a feisty bunch (then again, when you're fed stuff like Donkey Kong: Barrel Blast, I don't really blame them).
But hey, it ended up being in the original game anyway, so there!
So since Aquatic Ambiance takes on a meditative state does it mean that, upon being introduced to its sound, gamers just zen out and reflect on life and the universe? Perhaps, it depends on who you are. Me? Typically, when I get absorbed into game music like this I envision myself exploring a more visualized replica of the level's environment and bask in its glory (Kirby games work wonders for this), but the water stages in which Aquatic Ambiance is featured tend to have really bland backgrounds so this isn't the case here. Aquatic Ambiance is rich enough to enjoy on a surface level, which is how I usually first approach it when I'm in the mood for a listen.
On a deeper level, what's really nice about Aquatic Ambiance is that it's a flexible meditation. It's both beautiful and melancholic, and I'm free to choose which direction to think in. On the more positive, thought-provoking side, you have the powerful awe of the ocean floor with the mysteries lying within. On the route the majority of the internet likes to take, a nostalgic sense of loss is laced throughout. The inaccessibility of childhood's magic, the simpler days of gaming, the disappearance of what we took for granted, and people who've come and gone.
That, and Michael. Readers may recall that after my older brother passed away three years ago, I forged this tribute that happened to feature Aquatic Ambiance. Other than the main theme from Mother 3, I couldn't think of a better song to embed. I used to watch Michael play, witnessing firsthand at just how much better he was at me, and I strived to be like that. Specific related memories regarding Donkey Kong Country and Aquatic Ambiance don't really exist, but the song struck a chord to the memory of a brother who grew more distant with each passing year.
If you dig deep enough into the actual page for the embedded video, you'll discover the previous bearer of the top rated comment: Me. Two months after his death, I wrote a quick comment about how whenever I was in mourning, I'd turn on Aquatic Ambiance and let the melancholy seep away. I was flooded with replies, and I was just sitting there absorbing the fact that total strangers on freaking Youtube were granting me well wishes and condolences. Like any Youtube comment section, it wasn't unusual for my post to receive deviant replies (special props to the guy who, after noting my usage of "up there", sent me a link implying my brother was burning in hell), but the whole experience left a warm mark on me. It's nice how video game music, of all things, connects people.
Does Aquatic Ambiance serve the same purpose two and a half years later? Kinda, but I've found I've unconsciously diverted Michael from the song. It's not as if I've outworn its use as a stress reliever, but the subject of a sibling's death is one I don't really want to mesh with Donkey Kong. Michael himself isn't a subject I solely dwell upon; rather, it's the functioning memories of a time when he was still himself that render his spirit alive. If anything, I've found that Masashi Hamazu's piano arrangement of Aquatic Ambiance for the German concert Symphonic Legends works wonders for the this. Don't blame me if you shed a tear.
And, for the heck of it, I'll throw in the Orchestral Game Concert's rendition as well. Wait for the minute mark.
Aquatic Ambiance still induces that trance-like effect on me. It's always wonderful when water music goes for that calming effect in games, but I've yet to find another track that emulates its level of hypnotic effect. Only Super Mario 64's Dire, Dire Docks comes close, which takes a different path anyway so I dunno if it's fair to compare the two (now in terms of best water music? Tough call). It's weird how much I heap praise on the song, since I probably wouldn't pick select Donkey Kong Country for a Top 25 Games list or even a Top 50 (love the game, but it's rather barebones these days), but that's the wonder of retro gaming for you. I'll always remember this as the first video game song I ever loved.
You rule, David Wise.
Final Reflection: I'm still kind of pissed they chose Stickerbrush Symphony to arrange for Super Smash Bros. Brawl over this, but considering how Michiko Naruke's arrangement ended up being far superior to the original, I guess it's not a big deal. No way they can overlook this for SSB4.
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And thus concludes my first installment of the music column!
