Donkey Kong Land (Game Boy, 1995)

Donkey Kong Land is an almost-remake of Donkey Kong Country for the SNES. DK Land stays very true to its console counterpart-in level design, gameplay, and even graphical capability. The Game Boy screen is monochromatic, but even so, the graphics bear the same three-dimensional look as the SNES version. Gameplay is also similar; DK and Diddy's moves are easy to learn and execute, and the control schematic fits like a glove. The game takes a while to complete, and also has considerable replay value.

Shrinking the gameplay area in the transition to a handheld system was tricky, but Nintendo and Rareware did well. The screen remains uncluttered by hiding various stats until they are needed(for example, your banana count is only shown when you collect some bananas.)

The most significant change from the original is the altered level design. Some of the worlds and levels have been slightly redesigned to more accomodate the Game Boy's small screen and simple button schematic. However, this does not detract from the game's appeal.

In conclusion, this is a wonderful game for most gamers, especially DK fans. It's a great game to have in any original Game Boy collection, too!