Donkey Kong Country Proves Gamers Will Put Up With Mediocre Gameplay if the Art Is Good

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There was a rumor that Shigeru Miyamoto idea Donkey Kong State'south gameplay was mediocre. Practise you agree with him?

• Thread starter Lant_War
• Start engagement Nov 30, 2019

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• #1

Donkey Kong Country. What a smashing game, correct? Pre-rendered graphics that didn't need any empty-headed 32x adapters, an incredibly atmospheric soundtrack, a charismatic cast and obviously very tight gameplay...right?

This is what he allegedly said in 1994, in an interview with Electronic Games Magazine:
"Donkey Kong Country proves that players will put up with mediocre gameplay as long equally the fine art is adept."

While Miyamoto's gone on tape to say that the rumor of him not liking DKC is false, that debunking happened right when Donkey Kong Country Returns was being promoted at E3 so it's not similar he was going to shit on the game there. Near of the time hearsay is wrong, no doubts about that, only information technology's fun to think that Miyamoto hated what's ane of the SNES' most remembered games.

Which brings the question, do you concord with this? Is Ass Kong State'southward gameplay bad, and people only like information technology for the graphics? What do you recall?

• #2

Are you lot insane? Information technology's one of the all-time platformers on the console.

• #3

Probably only pissed some people liked it more than Mario World ;P

I don't think it was mechanically the greatest platformer always but it certainly never stood out as being bad to me

V_Ben

Commercial Operations Specialist at Larian

• #4

Every time a DKC game comes out, I try and so hard to become into information technology, but I'm never successful :(

• #v

The dude couldn't fifty-fifty type the proper name of the character correctly

• #6

Are you insane? Information technology's one of the best platformers on the console.

Why are yous acting as if I said that lol

• #7

Wasn't this rumor made up and already disproven?

The bodily quote could never exist found

dlauv

Prophet of Truth - One Winged Slayer

• #8

There'due south a lot less going on in a DKC game than in Mario three or World for sure. And then, information technology'due south simpler, sure. That said, I prefer how DKC plays.

• #9

Original Trilogy were ugly (imo) and i just didn't observe them fun to play, whatsoever. Even going back with the SNES mini i tin't enjoy them.

DKCR and DkCTF though, both were a visual please and a nail to play.

• #10

Fuck no, he sounds jealous.

• #11

Why are you acting as if I said that lol

It seems obvious the thread will only get in one direction, that's all!

Judging by the early posts, perchance I'm incorrect! You lot demand assist, DK is the best!

• #12

Kind of...? It's corking by any means, simply the jumping always felt less good/impactful to me than games like Sonic or Mario.

• #13

The rumor is simulated.
He was a fucking producer on the game lmfao. Why would he even say that the yr when the game release...

• #14

Sounds similar consummate bs. He even helped with advice on the game development

• #16

fuck no

I can understand the opinion that DKC1 is subpar, as it is a little barebones. Only DKC2 and 3? Nope. These 2 games are objectively neat.

• #17

Absolutely. Information technology was all well-nigh showing off the graphics. Compared to Mario it was a joke.

ReyVGM

Author - NES Endings Compendium

• #18

OP, why sabotage your own thread?

Now well-nigh of the posts are going to be of people either telling you the rumor is wrong or actually believing Miyamoto said that.

Every bit for DKC, aye, the gameplay is kinda deadening. Graphics and music are nevertheless amazing, just I remember DKC2 is when the series got actually good gameplay-wise.

• #nineteen

Why make a thread on a premise that'due south not even real?

• #twenty

Wasn't this rumor made up and already disproven?

The actual quote could never exist found

Dunno well-nigh somebody disproving the actual quote, but Miyamoto said it was a dumb rumor because he was very involved with the game.

• #21

Not fifty-fifty Miyamoto agrees since he denied he fifty-fifty said that.

• #22

DKC1 I never liked much merely I really relish DK Country and DKC2.

Also, always since reading about this story I always took the premise for DK Land as a jab back at Miyamoto

Cranky Kong, aging video game pioneer
and primate patriarch, swayed dorsum
and forth in his rocking as he
harrassed his grandape, Donkey Kong, and his little buddy, Diddy Kong.

"Well, I've got to acknowledge, your last gamble was a bit more
successful than I ever thought it would be..." he jibed. "Course,
put a few fancy graphics and some modern music in a game,
and kids'll buy anything nowadays..."

Donkey and Diddy tried to discreetly cover their as they stared
out into the jungle surrounding Cranky'due south cabin. The old ape
continued his taunting.

"Back in our days, understand, nosotros had an extremely limited colour
palette to work with, and we still made great games...No style
you could duplicate that feat today, Ass my boy! No siree!"

Cranky had been going on
and on similar this for what
seemed like hours, and
Donkey Kong finally had
had plenty.

"People like Donkey Kong Land for more than than but the 'fancy
graphics,' you old coot!" he snapped. "The number of colors, the
resolution, it doesn't make a difference. It was but plain fun!"

"Yep, and we worked hard fighting Yard. Rool and his goons!" Diddy
chimed in. Both he and Donkey still had the bumps and bruises
to show it.

Cranky nodded his head knowingly. The two youngsters had
predictably risen to the allurement and swallowed it hook, line and sinker.

"So yous're proverb that an adventure like your last i would
be a success even on an 8-bit organisation, like...Game Boy, for
case..." Cranky said slyly.

"That's right!" DK exclaimed without hesitation. Diddy joined
him in accepting the challenge.

"Nosotros'll even let the Kremlings steal the assistant horde again,
and this fourth dimension nosotros'll get it back on Game Boy!" Diddy boasted.
Hey, a aureate opportunity to get out of DK's ridiculous baby-sit
duty training, he idea to himself.

"I'll believe it when I see it!" Cranky scowled. "I'll call old K. Rool
and conform everything. You'll wake up tomorrow without
your bananas."

Ass and Diddy looked at each other, realizing they had
been set upwards.

"This time, the Kremlings will hibernate your bananas in all new places
around the isle." Cranky continued gleefully. "I'll tell the King
to spare no expense and bring out some new tricks and foes
for y'all, too. No more cushy adventuring for you two, no siree."

Donkey could barely contain his anger. He was hoping he could
merely loaf around the tree firm tomorrow, after all, the Banana
Bowl was on, and...But he wasn't about to let the old ape go
the best of him.

"Bring it on, former ape, bring it on..." was all he said as he stalked
off to the tree firm. He was going to become some slumber for
the adventure ahead.

• #23

Yeah, in a land of pixel perfect controls (first party Nintendo platformers) it was a a mess to play.

• #24

Fuck no, he sounds jealous.

As others are pointing out, this is untrue (Miyamoto helped brand the game and gave input into things like the paw slap). People claiming it's real are typically looking to start drama.

• #25

The first DKC is not very good. I can overlook a lot of its flaws due to nostalgia, what it was going for and its accomplishments outside of its actual gameplay, only playing it in 2019 is not very fun. ii and 3 are pretty groovy, withal

• #26

The 1 thing I've noted notwithstanding playing the game in 2019 and other platformers of its fourth dimension, it'southward actually pretty damn solid even with some crude edges due to pre rendered sprite hitboxes, and no amount of "but floating oil drums and yoshiiiii's islaaaaand!" really changes that even though in the by I was more inclined to agree.

Fortunately said rumoured quote was basically dumped on past miyamoto himself (maybe he once said it in a heated game programmer moment, who knows!)
Yep the sequel blows past information technology for sure (as does three in my opinion) merely the original country is still a fun blast of bound n run.
information technology'due south a tier below the Nintendo greats of the generation just that's nonetheless a good spot, at that place'southward numerous Nintendo titles of the time that anile a lot worse.

• #27

How apparent is this rumor? Sounds like BS to me.

As well, hell no. DKC1 was and is great.

• #28

Miyamoto denied the rumor, at the very to the lowest degree provided DK's redesign and Nintendo Japan was very involved in the development. The game itself is very fun and correctly understands that momentum and rhythm are what makes or breaks a platformer.

• #29

I think in that location may not be as much complexity to the gameplay every bit say Mario or Yoshi's Island, yet information technology was certainly wasn't mediocre when y'all take into consideration all the other platforms from that fourth dimension frame.

• #30

Not at all. Certain, DKC isn't about precision platforming similar another platformers are, just I'g OK with the fact that in that location's nothing precise virtually a 800 pound gorilla rolling and jumping effectually. It's even so a great game.

• #31

Don't forget, Miyamoto also HATES F-Zilch GX

/s

• #32

Dunno about somebody disproving the actual quote, but Miyamoto said it was a dumb rumor because he was very involved with the game.

Wich is correct. The rumor assumes that Miyamoto had no input whatsoever, wich is false.

Why shit in your own product? It makes no sense.

For such a famous rumor, the original quote still has to emerge, and in the internet era when old interviews are constantly actualization and getting translated, that'south a huge scarlet flag that makes a disservice to i of gaming's best creatives.

• #33

Agree or disagree with a rumor?

• #34

I thought and then too initially, actually gave up on the game few levels in when playing information technology for the start fourth dimension. Just after giving the game a proper endeavour a few years ago I discovered that I was incorrect and the game is indeed neat, entered my yearly rotation ever since. The build-in bias from expectations tin can really colour your perception, you lot gotta open your mind.

• #35

I went back to the original and got bored after similar 5 minutes, and this was after enjoying then as a child. They were technically fine just not as fun to replay as Super Mario World or other SNES platformers.

• #36

Agree or disagree with a rumor?

Hold or disagree on the gameplay. The rumor was but an excuse to get the discussion going, I didn't think people would start discussing that lol

• #37

Stacked confronting the competition in a period where platformer saturation was reaching its zenith on the market, I recall it'south truthful. I'd much rather play something similar Yoshi'south Island, Ristar or Dynamite Headdy. The gameplay of DKC1 likewise suffered from being rushed to the christmas holidays, with unreliable standoff detection and lots of bugs by the standard of a Nintendo-published title. I think reading several aroused letters in magazine columns nigh people getting stuck inside walls and under the flooring.

• #38

Agree or disagree on the gameplay. The rumor was just an excuse to get the give-and-take going, I didn't think people would commencement discussing that lol

you lot should accept known that people will talk well-nigh the BS rumor rather than the subject field itself.

• #39

I really did "agree" with this seemingly false rumor dorsum and so. DKC lacked the momentum of Mario and Sonic and felt stiff to me. I admittedly loved Tropical Freeze though and actually enjoyed Returns then maybe I just didn't requite the games a off-white shake back so. Or I was salty well-nigh them being hard or something as a kid.

• #40

I retrieve I concord and can run into where he could have been coming from. Would the exact aforementioned game without the fancy graphics have been such a hit? I dont think so...(and I say this as someone who was there mean solar day one). They certainly felt more than basic than your standard mario game.

• #41

I retrieve it was EGM that started this rumor lol

• #42

DKC was groovy. I loved the more weighty controls and it played really well I thought. The simply parts that were kind of questionable were the butt blasting and minecart levels. Man that game was amazing.

• #43

the original DKC is non so good, simply i doubt he disliked it.

I remember it was EGM that started this rumor lol

lots of EGM staff had a huge SEGA bias iirc. good for them lol

• #44

As others are pointing out, this is untrue (Miyamoto helped make the game and gave input into things similar the hand slap). People claiming it's real are typically looking to outset drama.

Ah, I had no thought, thanks.

• #45

At that place was one gaffer who quit the forum because the thread on his opinion of DKC not being a good platformer went really, really terribly.

Never played information technology, just i appreciated the hubris.

• #46

Fuck no, it is better than 2D Marios.

• #47

In that location was one gaffer who quit the forum because the thread on his opinion of DKC non being a expert platformer went really, really terribly.

Never played information technology, just i appreciated the hubris.

Segata? he was right.

• #48

Hum, not sure... i tin can only discover the Jarosh thread but i don't think it was them either, and then i don't really know.

• #49

Hold or disagree on the gameplay. The rumor was just an alibi to become the discussion going, I didn't retrieve people would starting time discussing that lol

Well then no DKC is a goat tier platformer

• #fifty

Hum, not sure... i can merely detect the Jarosh thread but i don't think it was them either, so i don't really know.

the Jarosh thread was actually pretty good criticism with lots of examples of how weird the level blueprint in the starting time game tin be sometimes.

I'm pretty sure you lot're thinking of Segata.

mintonspond1974.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.resetera.com/threads/there-was-a-rumor-that-shigeru-miyamoto-thought-donkey-kong-countrys-gameplay-was-mediocre-do-you-agree-with-him.156145/

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