Review: "Donkey Kong: Country Returns 3D" (2013) "Swings Into Handheld AGAIN"

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By: Gabriel Roderick

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I was very excited to see that Donkey Kong was getting a reboot to the Nintendo 3ds. And instead of making a whole new game, they decided to take probably one of the best Donkey Kong's of all time; Donkey Kong Country Returns for the Wii.\



It was a fantastic game, that added a new twist to the series. More complex levels and added even more difficulty to the side scroller that we know and love.



This port over to the 3DS does just that and more for the series. It sure brings the difficulty level to a whole new level and I found myself spending hours on just one or two of the levels. Nintendo tries to level with you (made a pun) on this one by giving you the two player aspect. Yes this game is two player co-op for two friends in veracity and game.



The game starts off with a bang, and I mean BANG. I nice volcano explosion to supplement some great cut scenes and beginning to this game. But before you can even get to that point you must choose, new mode or original mode. Original mode is the exact same thing as the Wii version ported over nothing new or fancy about it. While new mode is supposedly graphically better and more challenging.


Yes it is definitely more challenging but graphically it is a HUGE step down from the Wii version. There is so much going on in the game the framerate is the one aspect Nintendo didn't really put the time into. Don't get me wrong this is a wonderful game even with a this issue. The point of the game is you and Diddy Kong teaming up again to kick some major but and get some bananas. Which adds some fun using Diddy Kong seeing as he helps you glide a bit with his jetpack. This helps with A LOT with the amount of challenges of this game.

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The biggest probably being collecting everything. There is so much to acquire such as puzzle pieces, the most bananas, and of course the letters for the name "Kong". Lots of them SEEM impossible but if you have the ability to go back, DO SO.



The controls were nicely ported over. You basically only use "X" to smash things and sometimes to "A" to roll and take things down. This simplifies things to a point and makes it easier to get past most levels.


Our Honest View gives Donkey Kong: Country Returns 3D, 8.2/10. This is a great port from the original Wii version. Granted it's plagued by graphics and difficulty, so much more is put into this game making it a fantastic and long game.


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Replay Value: Moderately High

Like Donkey Kong?
Similar Games:

• Donkey Kong Country
• Donkey Kong 64
• Donkey Kong Country Returns

 

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Preview: "Donkey Kong Country Returns: 3D" (2013) "3D Has Gone Bananas"

By: Gabriel Roderick

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So he's back again!

After the success and popularity of Donkey Kong Country Returns for the Wii he's back again and on the handheld this time! And something special about this one is it's in 3D!

The 3DS version will include two modes, "Original Mode" which plays the same as the original Wii version, and "New Mode" which introduces a handful of new items to make the game easier, including extra health. The 3DS version will also contain an extra world with new levels not present in the original Wii version. These other levels are rumored to be one's from the original Donkey Kong games from previous consoles.

From the looks of this trailer this game will be a more crystal clear version of the first. I'm glad that they're not changing much to it. But apparently they had to remake the game in order to implement the 3D component.

However the first game was extremely diffcult and a little lackluster for the story mode. I'm hoping these new features will add to the original and make the game the great concept it deserves to be.

Donkey Kong swings into stores May 24th check it out!

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Review: "Star Trek: Into The Darkness" (2013) "Where This Movies Gone Before."

By: Gabriel Roderick

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**Contains Spoilers, You've BEEN Warned**
There are a lot of things I loved about the new Star Trek film, and a lot of things I didn't like. J.J. Abrams proved in 2009 that a franchise such as Star Trek could get a reboot and rock the galaxies again! 


But the bang in the sequel doesn't pack as much as a punch as the first one. Don't get me wrong I love Star Trek so I do have love for this movie. However one thing that had me worried about him doing a sequel was how do you do a Star Trek II without redoing Wrath of Khan.


That's when J.J. Abrams set aside those fears by telling the fans he was "not doing a remake of Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan." This was another reason that the film was entitled, "Untitled Star Trek Sequel" for so many years.


Not getting to much into the plot however this IS in fact a reboot of Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan. 


One thing that really got to me was the overall special effects of the film. This is a million dollar budget movie and somehow it seemed less appealing than the first film. Now don't get me wrong the scenes in space seemed so realistic like the shots of planets and ships.   

However overall scenes of the cities seemed dull and boring and not as exhilarating as the first.  Though while they warped it left a trail of space dust. Great in the 3D aspects but in 2D just seemed like space pollution, I liked how they warped in the first film.


A major thing I didn't like with the film is it's plot. It's essentially three acts, the first act should have been the middle or even last act or frankly not even in there. Though it's overall message has to do with building a relationship of Spock and Kirk and of course the overall point of the Star Trek franchise it doesn't seem to fit in as a whole with the overall point of the film. 


I felt like Abrams put this part in to show off what he would call a special effect paradise of the ship and visiting planets, however to me it seemed bland.


Act 2 of the film teased tensions with Klingons probably for a third film and introducing our villains of the films. This act was phenomenal, it showed amazing cinematics of space, battling over ships and FINALLY, yes FINALLY what would happen when your shot out of Warped Space.    


This was great I've always wondered what it would be like to stop moving at warped speed! This also had great dialogue of Commander John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch) later to be revealed Khan, along with Kirk. We even have the wondrous show down shown in the trailers of the Enterprise fighting a even larger ship.   But with a unfamiliar team up of Khan and Kirk this helps stop the attack. What's great about their team up is it adds a new twist to the old archenemies of Khan and Kirk.


 Many subplots are exploded such as the Klingons, and Kirk's well being. However these subplots are overshadowed by the betray of the leader of Starfleet, Starfleet Admiral Alexander Marcus (Petter Weller). Once his ship is taken over by Khan, Scotty (Simon Pegg) and Kirk he is killed and his daughter Kirk's possible love interest Dr. Carol Marcus (Alice Eve) is attacked by Khan. All in the third act, which is the most boring and dragging event of them all.


We see the first of what could be, battles between Khan and the Enterprise via their ships and after the Enterprise nearly falls to the ground, Kirk is fatally wounded by Khan, leading to Spock (Zachary Quinto) shouting out the famous name "KHAN!"


I was wondering who would have the  privileged to shout out the name that Shatner did so many years ago. I felt that Chris Pine's verison of Kirk could not handle the duty well not yet. 


The events of the third act like I said overcast the sub plots of the second and we don't even get as much resolution of we should have. Yes, they figure out that Khan's blood is valauable and can save Kirk but THEY have a ship filled with Khan's men who are exactly like him. Why the need to hunt Khan? This lowers the value of a sequel.  Though it could be called Khan's Revenge? And truly gives the movie the title into the Darkness seeing as many characters embrace the dark side to get revenge or what they want. 


I loved and hated this. I loved it because it's a great action film and follows the action formula change it up as you go, as long as you get revenge. However I hated it because it's not Star Trek, it has nothing to do with voyaging about the galaxy it becomes Iron Man 3 and a revenge flick. Kirk becomes a man on a mission after his beloved Captain Pike dies, But the last 1 hour just drags on and on. I feel the film couldn't find a right run time, I would have liked a longer film that focused more no act two then a shorter film that focuses on the third part!


These subplots would have been awesome in order to establishing more character plot and development. However the film is centered around Kirk and his growth, though his character has very little development! He stays the same as the first film which I love personally but that's not the Kirk I want fighting against Khan. 

The rest of the crew however each get more character time, especially Spock, Scotty and Sulu (John Cho). The develope into their own persons which is great.. Scotty adds so much humor to the film, while Spock brings the emotion of the film and even Sulu brings the energy, the heroics of the film even severing as a Captain of the Enterprise for a few minutes. 

 Something I loved absolutely loved with the film is that the ship takes a beating. The entire ship, finally we have the technology and money to see what each aspect of the Enterprise looks like, inside and out. Granted a lot of people had to die in order to see it, but we saw the core of the ship, the fueling, the storage everything! FINALLY!

Our Honest View gives Star Trek: Into The Darkness a 8.5/10. This is a good movie, don't get me wrong but it's not perfect! It passes over some great subplots to transform into a bland third act. Finally we get to see the Enterprise and all the right characters get their equal time in the film. However this film begs to become a summer action movie blockbuster though it's clique to say but this film makes for a good reboot of the Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan not a standalone sequel in the Star Trek series.

+ Spock, Scotty, Sulu
+ Run Time
+ Enterprise

-First And Last Parts Of The Film
- Kirk's Character
- Run Time   
-Overall Special Effect

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