Worst Worlds in Donkey Kong Country

Monkey Mines is #2 on my list. I have to say, from this point on the ranking, I thorougly enjoy all of these level collections. They're part of what makes Donkey Kong Country the charming game it is, and I wouldn't mind playing this world if I had to. It's a great world. So many classics can be found in Monkey Mines, the rocky mountainous second world of the game. It starts off amazingly with Winky's Walkaway, a really nice and soothing mine-themed level, which introduces you to Winky the Frog, one of my personal favourite animal buddies. Bouncy Bonanza is my favourite underground-themed level in this game, as with its twilight-y colour-palette, it makes for one of the most pleasing levels in the game. Millston Mayhem is one of the most atmospheric levels in the entire game, with the abandoned ruins-kind of level theme. Necky is one of the better "easy bosses", and Stop & Go Station is a slightly unappealing level that still manages to be fun thanks to the unique gimmick of turning these robo-kritters on and off. So why isn't this higher? Well you could say the other worlds are even better, but it can be answered in three words: Mine Cart Carnage. My least favourite level in the game. It is pure chaos, and I don't like it. It's trial and error whether you win or not. You only need good reflexes, not good platforming skills. Nothing feels worse than seeing a Krash come out of nowhere and ruining your day. And this is the SECOND level of the SECOND world. Enough said. Overall, Monkey Mines is a great world, but it was slightly ruined by one terrible level.

In worst place on this list, we have Chimp Caverns, the sixth and final full world in Donkey Kong Country, and if I'm going to be completely honest, this is a bit of a letdown for the final collection of levels before the last boss. I don't dislike any world in this game, and same goes for every Donkey Kong Country game. This trilogy of games has one of the finest selection of levels and worlds in any video game I've played. But, I've never really enjoyed Chimp Caverns, and I'd honestly consider it quite underwhelming for being the last world before the final battle. My main problem with Chimp Caverns is just how dull it is. It's basically just an all-underground theme, which makes it dark and gloomy. I especially could care less for are Misty Mine and Loopy Lights, two of the most unappealing levels in the game. They're foggy, dark and simply put, frustrating, having the worst song in the game, Misty Menace. The other levels aren't bad, just kind of gloomy and boring. Tanked Up Trouble is an ok autoscroller, Manic Mincers is a fine underground level, but nothing extra-ordinary. Luckily, Platform Perils is a good end to the world and Master Necky Snr. is better than most bosses in the game. He's a reskin of an earlier fight, only better and more challenging. The Gameboy Colour port of this game also had an additional level in this world, Necky Nutmare, which I've never actually played seeing as I don't own a GBC, but it seems fairly insignificant. Overall Chimp Caverns is a kind of dull world. I don't hate it, but I wouldn't mind not playing it either. Two of the levels are pretty unappealing, while the others are just forgettable. Moving on.

Gangplank Galleon is the final world..., or level in the game. This world is a pirate ship and it consists of merely one level, which has the same name, Gangplank Galleon. And it houses the final boss, and a pretty good one at that, King K. Rool. This is easily the best boss battle in the original Donkey Kong Country, as it's challenging, unique and appealing, in contrast to every other boss battle which was only "good" at best. This final battle is amazing. Not as good as Kaptain K. Rool in DKC2, but it's up there. You've got a jolly pirate theme which surprisingly fits the atmosphere well to start off with. And the battle itself keeps you on your toes. Especially with the fake Kredits scene. Which is probably the greatest twist in the entire series. Everything about this fight is amazing and it's easily one of the greatest levels in the game, if not the greatest. So why ain't it higher? Well it's just that. It's ONE single level. And while it's an amazing one, it would be kind of unfair to rank it above several worlds that actually contain multiple amazing levels. Overall, Gangplank Galleon is great, but if it had more levels, it would've easily blown several of the worlds above it out of the water.

Kongo Jungle is the very first world in not only Donkey Kong Country as a game, but also in Donkey Kong Country as a franchise. But you already knew that, everyone knows Kongo Jungle is one of the most memorable words in 2D Gaming, and it's great too. It's a generally simplistic world with not too much difficulty, but still manages to be creative and unique in its own way. Heck, the very first level, Jungle Hijynx has more secrets than I can possibly remember, and that's an amazing start for a game. And every other level is pretty good too. Like, Ropey Rampage is a really chill nighttime level where you need to avoid bees using vines, Barrel Cannon Canyon gives us a first glimpse of how to use blasting barrels, Reptile Rumble introduces us to the amazing world of underground levels in DKC, and trust me, Underground levels in this game rock. They've got such a calming and natural vibe to them, as opposed to the more redundant bluish worlds in Mario games. And Coral Capers..., what a good level. Donkey Kong Country is so far the only platforming game to do underwater levels right in my opinion. Most water levels in games are slow and tedious, but in this game, swimming controls feel more swift, and the amazing music helps too. Unfortunately Very Gnawty is as lame of a boss as you can get, but it doesn't do anything to bring down the world. So far I've mentioned nearly just positives for this world, so why ain't it in first place? Well you see, while it is a very, VERY great world, it's not so extra-ordinary. And that's what prevents it from being number one on my ranking. It's a really memorable world, but it's not complex or interesting enough to be the best one. So yeah.

The top three best for this ranking was for me one of the hardest choices I've ever made. All of these are amazing and I wouldn't mind playing them if I had to. As a child, my favourite world was always none other than the overly complexily titled Kremkroc Industries, Inc., You probably expected to see this in first place, as I believe this is a popular world in the fandom, but as I've grown older, I've more and more often noticed flaws in it. This world looks really ugly and polluted at first glance on the world map, but it's surprisingly vibrant with so many good levels. Mine-Cart Madness is basically what Mine Cart Madness in Monkey Mines should've been. Instead of riding on a minecart for the entire level trying to avoid stuff coming towards you at blazing speeds, this level is a mix between minecarting and platforming, making it much more interesting. Poison Pond has a pretty un-cooperative camera, but the fact that we're traversing a green lake is something we don't see very often in video gaming. But of course, the stars of this world are the Factory-themed levels, Oil Drum Alley and Blackout Basement. These are some of my favourite themes in the entire series, containing probably the single-handedly best song in the entire game, Fear Factory. It was only used on two levels in the entire game, but it couldn't have been better prioritized. As Oil Drum Alley is in my top ten levels in the game, and Blackout Basement might be my favourite level in the entire game! They're some of the most creative and appealing levels in DKC, and I can't see why anyone wouldn't like them. So why isn't this world higher. Well it's got three bummers. One is Trick Track Treck. As an auto-scroller, I find myself often getting bored with it. Elevator Antics is also kind of disappointing, as there are barely any elevators anyway. And Boss Dumb Drum is the most atrocious joke of all time. It's the worst boss battle of all time because you don't even attack it. What's a boss battle you... more

Gorilla Glacier is when Donkey Kong Country takes a gap in difficulty, as levels become increasingly harder, starting from this fourth snowy world. It's not just that platforming becomes more challenging, but with the snow theme comes ice physics, which also makes levels harder. But the ice physics aren't much of a problem, luckily, and even then, only two of the levels take place in an overworld snowy enviroment. Both of them, Snow Barrrel Blast and Ice Age Alley are great courses. This world actually has no bad level, as even the worst level, Torchlight Trouble is alright. It gives us the first glimpse of the animal buddy Squawks who would get a larger role in the following games, as he just holds up a flashlight in this installment. Rope Bridge Rumble is the worse of two Treetop levels but still is great, something we'll discuss later. And while Really Gnawty isn't a good boss, it's far from the worst one. My favourite levels in this unique world though are Slipside Ride and Croctopus Chase. The former is the only ice-themed cave level and it tackles a lot of unique gimmicks without feeling overdone, and Croctopus Chase is one of my favourite levels in the game, enough said. Overall..., Gorilla Glacier is amazing. But not as amazing as...

Vine Valley. I can go back to this world any day of the week. It's one of the most interesting and fun worlds in any Donkey Kong Country game. The theme for this world is one of the most interesting as well. We all know the Donkey Kong family live in a Jungle habitat, a kind of forest, so obviously the first world in the game happens to be jungle-themed. But then you go over to the third world and you have ANOTHER forest-themed world, a taiga. If you don't know what a taiga forest is, it's what we have in Scandinavia, you know lots of spruce trees and a bit colder than jungles. Although to be fair, only two levels in this world are taiga-related, Vulture Culture and Forest Frenzy. Both really great levels though with a nice atmosphere and challenge. And the rest of the levels are great too. Clam City unfortunately happens to be my least favourite water level, but it's still great. One of the best levels in not just this world, but in the game as well is Treetop Town, one of the most unique level themes in the game. It's hard to explain exactly what makes this level so great, whether it be the curious setting, or the mysterious music that accompanies it, it's amazing. And Temple Tempest is in my opinion, the better of the two ruins-themed levels in the game. This one's got more danger to it, as you're chased by Gnawties in wheels and you really need to be on your toes. And Queen B., is actually a pretty decent boss, for being in Donkey Kong Country 1, that is. It's a bit more original and doesn't go down in 10 seconds. The worst level, Orang-Utan Gang is also great. The sunset really sets the mood for it, and let's be real, all jungle levels in this game are great. So there you have it. Vine Valley is my favourite world in this game.