Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest was the second Donkey Kong game for the Super Nintendo. It was released in 1995 and had Diddy Kong as the star. A port of the game was released for the Game Boy Advance in 2004. This game is apparently pirate-based apparently. This game was also going to be for the Virtual Boy, but was canceled.

Like many games in the platform genre, the plot is not necessarily an integral part of the game, and therefore, much of it isn't discussed throughout the game itself. However, there is a fairly long and comical prologue in the instruction manual, covering the events leading up to the beginning of the game. A summarized version of this story can be read below.

Gameplay
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest starts where the first game left off, in an area known as Gangplank Galleon. After this first world, Diddy Kong and Dixie Kong reach an island called Crocodile Isle which is owned by K. Rool, where the rest of the game takes place.

In order to progress through the game, the Kongs must beat stages by reaching the finish without losing both characters. The stages are divided into worlds, each one normally containing a boss fight at the end which must be beaten in order to move onto the next world.

In comparison with the original Donkey Kong Country, the game contains many new features. These include a plethora of hidden bonus stages with collectible tokens rewarded for completing, more diversity in level design and level settings, an unlockable "Lost World" with extra levels, and the ability to transform into various animals (the first game included some of these animals, but the characters normally rode them, being able to transform into them only in bonus stages). A portion of the game's theme now involves sailing and pirates, as exemplified in many enemies sporting a pirate fashion and the seaside locations in some levels. While this game introduced new features such as these, it also abandoned a few from the original. For example, the Steel Keg was removed, eliminating the ability to roll on barrels, and the ability to find hidden items in the ground was removed. However, some of these removed features were brought back in Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!.

Story
Donkey Kong had been relaxing quietly on the beach when he suddenly and mysteriously disappears over the night. Diddy and Dixie Kong find hundreds of Kremling footprints surrounding Donkey's smashed chair, so they begin to investigate. They quickly find a note left by Kaptain K. Rool demanding the banana hoard in exchange for Donkey Kong's safety. While Cranky was willing to give the banana hoard away, Diddy refused to do this after all he and Donkey had previously done to reclaim them (in the events of the original Donkey Kong Country). As Diddy was about to eagerly take off on a quest to defeat K. Rool by himself, Dixie tells him that she was coming along to help and there was no way of persuading her otherwise. Diddy, although displeased, sighed and allowed her to come, knowing that arguing was hopeless. Diddy and Dixie set out the morning after, hoping to prove themselves as "real video game heroes" and save their friend Donkey Kong.

Characters
Aside from Dixie and Diddy Kong, many other nonplayable characters can be found throughout the game.


 * Kaptain K. Rool: K. Rool is the main antagonist of the Donkey Kong Country and Donkey Kong Land spin-off series, and he is the leader of the Kremlings. Holding the title of "Kaptain" instead of "King" as in the original Donkey Kong Country, K. Rool now appears suited in pirate clothing with a rather large handheld blunderbuss. K. Rool has captured Donkey Kong and retreated to the top of his island where he awaits the player. He has sent his various minions, the majority being that of the Kremling Krew, to many areas of the island, in hopes of capturing Diddy and Dixie.


 * Donkey Kong: Donkey Kong is the main protagonist in the Donkey Kong series (not to be confused with Cranky Kong, the main enemy in the original Donkey Kong game who is believed to be his grandfather). While not playable, Donkey Kong is a main part of Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest's plot and appears twice throughout the game. The first time the player sees him is in the level titled Stronghold Showdown, the final level in the sixth world, K. Rool's Keep. A boss fight normally takes place in the last level of a world, however, Donkey Kong appears tied in ropes, hanging from the ceiling. He begins screaming loudly in frustration, attempting to break free, but K. Rool pulls him back up into his plane and flies off to the very top of the island (in the GBA version, though, a boss fight is actually present). Donkey Kong later appears at the end of the K.Rool fight, where he breaks free from the same tied ropes he was previously seen in and proceeds to uppercut K. Rool through the roof of his airship.


 * Animal Buddies: Throughout the Donkey Kong Country series, players are able to find and ride animals to help them get through levels, defeat enemies, and find bonus stages. There are a total of seven animal buddies in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, as opposed to five in the original. Only five of these animals are actually rideable and able to be transformed into by the player, while the other two help in other ways. The animals can now charge their ability, as well as execute it normally. Using this may reveal a secret passage to a bonus stage, or this can possibly be used as a powerful attack. There is a slight bit more concentration on the animals than in the previous Donkey Kong Country, as they can be found more often and are usually required for accessing bonus stages. The seven animal buddies are as follows:


 * Rambi the Rhinoceros
 * Enguarde the Swordfish
 * Squitter the Spider
 * Rattly the Rattlesnake
 * Squawks the Parrot
 * Clapper the Seal (not rideable)
 * Glimmer the Anglerfish (not rideable)
 * Flapper the Parrot

Expresso the Ostrich and Winky the Frog from the original Donkey Kong Country have been removed, although Rattly the Rattlesnake is often considered to be Winky the Frog's replacement due to their similar abilities and slightly similar physical appearance.


 * Cranky Kong: Cranky Kong is the aging ancestor of Donkey Kong. Although their relationship is unclear, he is believed to be his father from Shigeru Miyamoto's original 1981 Donkey Kong arcade game. Cranky is best known for his wise cracks against DK and friends, his cranky attitude, and his blatant cockiness. As in Donkey Kong Country, he offers help about stages in whichever particular world the player is in when speaking with him, while making a variety of jokes (often talking about the game's advanced nature or criticizing the player's skill level). Cranky can be found in the Monkey Museum, a small hut containing various Nintendo and Rare items and collectibles, in every world, except The Flying Krock.


 * Funky Kong: Funky Kong returns from the original Donkey Kong Country with a slightly altered look and a new plane. He allows the player to travel back and forth through the many different worlds in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, excluding the Lost World. In the SNES version, this is the only way to travel from world to world, without beating the boss of the world. In the GBA version, he has you complete certain tasks where you have to fly from one point to another. In the first Donkey Kong Country, Funky Kong used a Jumbo Jet, a barrel with wings and a cockpit resembling a Jumbo Jet protruding. In this game, Funky uses a Biplane Barrel. In the GBA version, however, he uses a Gyrocopter. A gyrocopter is also found in this game's sequel, Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, as an unlockable vehicle from Funky when collecting all the DK Coins.


 * Wrinkly Kong: Wrinkly Kong is Cranky's wife and a teacher at Kong Kollege. The Kong Kollege appears in each world of Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, aside from the Lost World, and is the only way to save the game in the original SNES version. It also contains various information about the boss of the world, enemies that may be encountered, among other things. This game marks her first appearance, and she later appeared in Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! and Donkey Kong 64.


 * Swanky Kong: Swanky Kong is a flashy game show host gives the player an opportunity to earn extra lives by correctly answering questions pertaining to the game itself. Questions are often about various enemies, levels, and worlds, usually requiring the player to identify their correct names.


 * Klubba: Klubba is an extremely large, buff, and greedy Kremling who guards the entrance to the Lost World. He is green in appearance, like most other Kremlings, and carries a large, spiked club. Klubba will only let the Kongs enter the Lost World if they pay him 15 Kremkoins, although the player may choose the option to fight him. However, this fight is not done through gameplay, but rather a quick, comical scene in which Klubba simply whips the Kongs with his club, causing them to fly off the game screen. Klubba's Kiosk is found in every world except the first and last, Gangplank Galleon and The Flying Krock. Nothing is revealed about his background.

Enemies

 * Cat-O-9-Tails
 * Click-Clack
 * Flitter
 * Flotsam
 * Kaboing
 * Kaboom
 * Kackle
 * Kannon
 * Klampon
 * Klank
 * Klinger
 * Kloak
 * Klobber
 * Klomp
 * Krook
 * Kruncha
 * Kutlass
 * Lockjaw
 * Mini Necky
 * Neek
 * Puftup
 * Screech
 * Shuri
 * Snapjaw
 * Spiny
 * Zinger

Bosses

 * Krow
 * Kleever
 * Kudgel
 * King Zing
 * Kreepy Krow
 * Kerozene (GBA port)
 * Kaptain K. Rool

Gangplank Galleon

 * Pirate Panic
 * Mainbrace Mayhem
 * Gangplank Galley
 * Lockjaw's Locker
 * Topsail Trouble
 * BOSS: Krow's Nest

Crocodile Cauldron

 * Hothead Hop
 * Kannon's Klaim
 * Lava Lagoon
 * Redhot Ride
 * Squawks's Shaft
 * BOSS: Kleaver's Kiln

Krem Quay

 * Barrel Bayou
 * Glimmer's Galleon
 * Krochead Klamber
 * Rattle Battle
 * Slime Climb
 * Bramble Blast
 * BOSS: Kudgel's Kontest

Krazy Kremland

 * Hornet Hole
 * Target Terror
 * Bramble Scramble
 * Rickety Race
 * Mudhole Marsh
 * Rambi Rumble
 * BOSS: King Zing Sting

Gloomy Gulch

 * Ghostly Grove
 * Haunted Hall
 * Gusty Glade
 * Parrot Chute Panic
 * Web Woods
 * BOSS: Kreepy Krow

K. Rool's Keep

 * Arctic Abyss
 * Windy Well (4th in GBA Port)
 * Castle Crush (2nd in GBA Port)
 * Clapper's Cavern (3rd in GBA Port)
 * Chain Link Chamber
 * Toxic Tower
 * BOSS: Stronghold Showdown

The Flying Krock

 * Screech's Sprint
 * BOSS: K. Rool Duel

Lost World

 * Jungle Jinx
 * Black Ice Battle
 * Fiery Furnace
 * Klobber Karnage
 * Animal Antics
 * BOSS: Krocodile Kore

Trivia

 * The subtitle of the game in North America was originally "Diddy Kong Quest", but was later changed to "Diddy's Kong's Quest" before release.
 * When the player defeats Kaptain K. Rool, Cranky tallies the Kong's Hero Coin total and compares that with the performance of other Nintendo characters. Mario, Yoshi and Link make a cameo appearance.
 * A few more cameo appearances of non-Nintendo characters' trademark devices are that of Sonic's shoes and Earthworm Jim's gun and tights by a trash can with a sign that says "No Hopers." Also, in the Monkey Museum, there is a poster with Thunder, a character of the game Killer Instinct.
 * All of Wrinkly Kong's math problems are wrong. Given the fact that this is a "Kremling College", the problems could have been completed by Kremling students.
 * This game is acknowledged as the first video game to have a built-in version of the "Die or Beat a Board" method of alternating between two players.