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is a 2004
platform Platform may refer to: Technology * Computing platform, a framework on which applications may be run * Platform game, a genre of video games * Car platform, a set of components shared by several vehicle models * Weapons platform, a system or ...
and score-attack game developed and published by
Nintendo is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It develops video games and video game consoles. Nintendo was founded in 1889 as by craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi and originally produce ...
for the
GameCube The is a home video game console developed and released by Nintendo in Japan on September 14, 2001, in North America on November 18, 2001, and in PAL territories in 2002. It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 (1996), and predecessor of the Wii ...
. It follows the gorilla
Donkey Kong is a video game franchise created by Shigeru Miyamoto and owned by Nintendo. It follows the adventures of a gorilla named Donkey Kong (character), Donkey Kong and his clan of other Ape, apes and monkeys. The franchise primarily consists of plat ...
as he sets out to defeat a series of evil kings and conquer the jungle. ''Jungle Beat'' is designed for use with the
DK Bongos GameCube accessories include first-party releases from Nintendo, and third-party devices, since the GameCube's launch in 2001. First-party and licensed Controllers GameCube controller The GameCube controller was released alongside the console ...
, a
bongo drum Bongos ( es, bongó) are an Afro-Cuban percussion instrument consisting of a pair of small open bottomed hand drums of different sizes. They are struck with both hands, most commonly in an eight-stroke pattern called ''martillo'' (hammer). The ...
-style
GameCube controller The GameCube controller is the standard game controller for the GameCube home video game console, manufactured by Nintendo and launched in 2001. As the successor to the Nintendo 64 controller, it is the progression of Nintendo's controller des ...
created for the ''
Donkey Konga is a GameCube rhythm video game series starring the ape Donkey Kong, developed by Namco and published by Nintendo. The series' games are intended to be played with a special controller called the DK Bongos that resemble two small bongo drums, b ...
'' (2003)
rhythm game Rhythm game or rhythm action is a genre of music-themed action video game that challenges a player's sense of rhythm. Games in the genre typically focus on dance or the simulated performance of musical instruments, and require players to pres ...
. The player controls Donkey Kong through various side-scrolling
levels Level or levels may refer to: Engineering *Level (instrument), a device used to measure true horizontal or relative heights *Spirit level, an instrument designed to indicate whether a surface is horizontal or vertical *Canal pound or level *Regr ...
as he collects bananas, swings on vines, chains
combos Combos, officially called Combos Stuffed Snacks, are cylindrical tubes of cracker, pretzel, or tortilla, available with various fillings. History Combos Snacks, created in the early 1980s, are a snack food distributed by Mars, Incorporated, and ...
, rides animals, and defeats enemies and bosses. The debut project of the 65-member
Nintendo EAD Tokyo commonly abbreviated as Nintendo EAD and formerly known as Nintendo Research & Development No.4 Department (abbreviated as Nintendo R&D4), was the largest software development division within the Japanese video game company Nintendo. It was pr ...
, ''Jungle Beat'' development began around July 2003, after
Shigeru Miyamoto is a Japanese video game designer, producer and game director at Nintendo, where he serves as one of its representative directors. Widely regarded as one of the most accomplished and influential designers in the history of video games, he is ...
suggested that Nintendo should commission a new ''
Donkey Kong is a video game franchise created by Shigeru Miyamoto and owned by Nintendo. It follows the adventures of a gorilla named Donkey Kong (character), Donkey Kong and his clan of other Ape, apes and monkeys. The franchise primarily consists of plat ...
'' game. Development was led by director
Yoshiaki Koizumi is a Japanese video game designer, director, and producer, and business executive. He is a senior executive officer at Nintendo, where he is known for his work within their ''Mario'' and ''The Legend of Zelda'' series. Since 2013, Koizumi is a ...
and producer Takao Shimizu, who sought to create a simple, accessible game in contrast to more complex contemporary games. Koizumi conceived a game that used the DK Bongos instead of a standard
gamepad A gamepad is a type of video game controller held in two hands, where the fingers (especially thumbs) are used to provide input. They are typically the main input device for video game consoles. Features Gamepads generally feature a set of ...
to control the
player character A player character (also known as a playable character or PC) is a fictional character in a video game or tabletop role-playing game whose actions are controlled by a player rather than the rules of the game. The characters that are not control ...
, and applied lessons he had learned from previous projects during development. Because the tone differed from previous ''Donkey Kong'' games, the team excluded most of the franchise's existing elements and
characters Character or Characters may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''Character'' (novel), a 1936 Dutch novel by Ferdinand Bordewijk * ''Characters'' (Theophrastus), a classical Greek set of character sketches attributed to The ...
. ''Jungle Beat'' was released in Japan in December 2004 and in the West in 2005 as the first major ''Donkey Kong'' game since ''
Donkey Kong 64 ''Donkey Kong 64'' is a 1999 platform game developed by Rare (company), Rare and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It is the first 3D game in the ''Donkey Kong'' series. As the gorilla Donkey Kong (character), Donkey Kong, the player e ...
'' (1999). It received positive reviews from critics, who complimented its use of the DK Bongos; they also praised its visuals and
level design In video games, a level (also referred to as a map, stage, or round in some older games) is any space available to the player during the course of completion of an objective. Video game levels generally have progressively-increasing difficulty t ...
. Criticism was directed at its short length and low
difficulty level Game balance is a branch of game design that is described as a mathematical-algorithmic model of a game’s numbers, game mechanics, and relations between the two. Game balance consists of adjusting values to create a certain user experience. Play ...
. Nintendo EAD Tokyo went on to develop the critically acclaimed ''
Super Mario Galaxy is a 2007 platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii. It is the third 3D game in the '' Super Mario'' series. As Mario, the player embarks on a quest to rescue Princess Peach, save the universe from Bowser, and collect 120 ...
'' (2007), which refined concepts that were introduced in ''Jungle Beat''. ''Jungle Beat'' was rereleased as part of Nintendo's ''
New Play Control! is a series of first-party GameCube titles porting, ported over to the Wii by Nintendo. Games in the ''New Play Control!'' series feature a number of enhancements, most notably the implementation of the Wii's unique motion controller, motion co ...
'' line of GameCube
ports A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ham ...
for the
Wii The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 for most other Regional lockout, regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major ho ...
in 2008; the port contains reworked controls and levels. This version was released as a downloadable game for the
Wii U The Wii U ( ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4. The W ...
in 2016.


Gameplay

''Donkey Kong Jungle Beat'' is a
2.5D 2.5D (two-and-a-half dimensional) perspective refers to gameplay or movement in a video game or virtual reality environment that is restricted to a two-dimensional (2D) plane with little to no access to a third dimension in a space that otherwis ...
platform game A platform game (often simplified as platformer and sometimes called a jump 'n' run game) is a sub-genre of action video games in which the core objective is to move the player character between points in an environment. Platform games are charac ...
. Like previous ''
Donkey Kong is a video game franchise created by Shigeru Miyamoto and owned by Nintendo. It follows the adventures of a gorilla named Donkey Kong (character), Donkey Kong and his clan of other Ape, apes and monkeys. The franchise primarily consists of plat ...
'' games, the player controls the gorilla
Donkey Kong is a video game franchise created by Shigeru Miyamoto and owned by Nintendo. It follows the adventures of a gorilla named Donkey Kong (character), Donkey Kong and his clan of other Ape, apes and monkeys. The franchise primarily consists of plat ...
through a series of side-scrolling
levels Level or levels may refer to: Engineering *Level (instrument), a device used to measure true horizontal or relative heights *Spirit level, an instrument designed to indicate whether a surface is horizontal or vertical *Canal pound or level *Regr ...
. It features a simple plot: Donkey Kong sets out on a journey to defeat a series of evil kings and conquer the jungle. While it is compatible with a traditional
GameCube controller The GameCube controller is the standard game controller for the GameCube home video game console, manufactured by Nintendo and launched in 2001. As the successor to the Nintendo 64 controller, it is the progression of Nintendo's controller des ...
, ''Jungle Beat'' is designed for use with the
DK Bongos GameCube accessories include first-party releases from Nintendo, and third-party devices, since the GameCube's launch in 2001. First-party and licensed Controllers GameCube controller The GameCube controller was released alongside the console ...
, a controller that resembles a pair of
bongo drum Bongos ( es, bongó) are an Afro-Cuban percussion instrument consisting of a pair of small open bottomed hand drums of different sizes. They are struck with both hands, most commonly in an eight-stroke pattern called ''martillo'' (hammer). The ...
s and was previously used for the ''
Donkey Konga is a GameCube rhythm video game series starring the ape Donkey Kong, developed by Namco and published by Nintendo. The series' games are intended to be played with a special controller called the DK Bongos that resemble two small bongo drums, b ...
'' (2003)
music game A music video game, also commonly known as a music game, is a video game where the gameplay is meaningfully and often almost entirely oriented around the player's interactions with a musical score or individual songs. Music video games may take a ...
. Hitting the individual drums causes Donkey Kong to move; the player hits both drums to jump and claps in front of the DK Bongos' built-in microphone to send a shockwave. The player uses these controls to perform backflips, slap the terrain, swing on vines, and jump between walls. As the player starts the game, they select a kingdom to explore; there are 16 kingdoms in total, which become available as the
campaign Campaign or The Campaign may refer to: Types of campaigns * Campaign, in agriculture, the period during which sugar beets are harvested and processed *Advertising campaign, a series of advertisement messages that share a single idea and theme * Bl ...
progresses. Each kingdom features three levels: two main platforming stages and one
boss fight In video games, a boss is a significant computer-controlled opponent. A fight with a boss character is commonly referred to as a boss battle or boss fight. Bosses are generally far stronger than other opponents the player has faced up to that ...
. Unlike traditional platformers, ''Jungle Beat'' contains score-attack elements: the goal is not simply to get to the end of the level, but to get as many points, or "beats", as possible. Beats are obtained by grabbing bananas, which are scattered throughout levels or can be summoned by defeating enemies and interacting with objects. The player performs
combos Combos, officially called Combos Stuffed Snacks, are cylindrical tubes of cracker, pretzel, or tortilla, available with various fillings. History Combos Snacks, created in the early 1980s, are a snack food distributed by Mars, Incorporated, and ...
in midair by grabbing bananas; a counter initiates and rises with each banana acquired before landing. Beats also serve as Donkey Kong's
health Health, according to the World Health Organization, is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity".World Health Organization. (2006)''Constitution of the World Health Organiza ...
, as the player loses beats if they are damaged by enemies or hazards. If the beat count reaches zero, the player receives a game over and must restart the kingdom from the beginning. Similar to ''
Donkey Kong Country ''Donkey Kong Country'' is a 1994 platform game developed by Rare and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). It is a reboot of Nintendo's ''Donkey Kong'' franchise and follows the gorilla Donkey Kong and h ...
'' (1994), certain levels feature rideable animals, each providing a unique attribute: squirrels allow Donkey Kong to glide slowly through the air; wildebeests charge right continuously and plow through objects that provide bananas; orcas carry Donkey Kong through water; and birds allow Donkey Kong to fly. Between most levels, there is a short
minigame A minigame (also spelled mini game and mini-game, sometimes called a subgame or microgame) is a short game often contained within another video game. A minigame contains different gameplay elements, and is often smaller or more simplistic, than th ...
where the player must tap the bongos as fast as they can to earn extra bananas. The final level of each kingdom contains a boss fight against a large enemy. The game features four types of bosses, each of which must be defeated in a different manner: gorillas must be taken on in a ''
Punch-Out!! is a video game series of boxing created by Nintendo's general manager Genyo Takeda, and his partner Makoto Wada. The first game was '' Punch-Out!!'' made in 1984 as an arcade unit, which was followed by a sequel '' Super Punch-Out!!'' (1984) ...
''-style arena; tanks resembling elephants must be defeated by throwing back bombs that they fire; warthogs must be defeated by throwing coconuts at them; and birds must be defeated by destroying the giant egg they are carrying. At the end of each kingdom, the total sum of beats (after deducting any damage taken during the boss fight) is tallied. The player earns a crest for completing a kingdom, with additional crests earned by obtaining more beats. Crests are required to play new kingdoms, and clearing all the kingdoms in a section unlocks the next set of kingdoms. Players can revisit earlier kingdoms to earn more beats and crests.


Development

''Donkey Kong Jungle Beat'' was the debut project of
Nintendo EAD Tokyo commonly abbreviated as Nintendo EAD and formerly known as Nintendo Research & Development No.4 Department (abbreviated as Nintendo R&D4), was the largest software development division within the Japanese video game company Nintendo. It was pr ...
, a
game development Video game development (or gamedev) is the software development, process of developing a video game. The effort is undertaken by a video game developer, developer, ranging from a single person to an international team dispersed across the globe. ...
division of Japanese video game company
Nintendo is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It develops video games and video game consoles. Nintendo was founded in 1889 as by craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi and originally produce ...
that was formed in 2003 with a 65-person team. Nintendo started planning to develop a new ''Donkey Kong'' game internally when the series' developer Rare was acquired by
Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology corporation producing computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at the Microsoft Redmond campus located in Redmond, Washing ...
in September 2002, and development began for the
GameCube The is a home video game console developed and released by Nintendo in Japan on September 14, 2001, in North America on November 18, 2001, and in PAL territories in 2002. It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 (1996), and predecessor of the Wii ...
shortly after EAD Tokyo was established in July 2003. Division heads
Yoshiaki Koizumi is a Japanese video game designer, director, and producer, and business executive. He is a senior executive officer at Nintendo, where he is known for his work within their ''Mario'' and ''The Legend of Zelda'' series. Since 2013, Koizumi is a ...
and Takao Shimizu—who had previously led development on Nintendo's ''
Super Mario Sunshine is a 2002 platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the GameCube. It is the second 3D game in the ''Super Mario'' series, following ''Super Mario 64'' (1996). The game was directed by Yoshiaki Koizumi and Kenta Usui, produced by ...
'' (2002)—respectively served as director and producer. ''Donkey Kong'' creator
Shigeru Miyamoto is a Japanese video game designer, producer and game director at Nintendo, where he serves as one of its representative directors. Widely regarded as one of the most accomplished and influential designers in the history of video games, he is ...
and
Takashi Tezuka is a Japanese video game designer, director, and video game producer, producer. He is a senior officer of Nintendo EPD and executive at Nintendo. Career Upon graduating the Design Department of Osaka University of Arts, he joined Nintendo in A ...
also served as producers, while ''Sunshine'' programmer Koichi Hayashida was the assistant director and contributed to some
level design In video games, a level (also referred to as a map, stage, or round in some older games) is any space available to the player during the course of completion of an objective. Video game levels generally have progressively-increasing difficulty t ...
. ''Jungle Beat'' was the first major ''Donkey Kong'' game since Rare's ''
Donkey Kong 64 ''Donkey Kong 64'' is a 1999 platform game developed by Rare (company), Rare and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It is the first 3D game in the ''Donkey Kong'' series. As the gorilla Donkey Kong (character), Donkey Kong, the player e ...
'' (1999), although it was intended as "more of a stopgap than a permanent status quo" for the franchise. The ''Jungle Beat'' concept originated at
Nintendo EAD commonly abbreviated as Nintendo EAD and formerly known as Nintendo Research & Development No.4 Department (abbreviated as Nintendo R&D4), was the largest software development division within the Japanese video game company Nintendo. It was pr ...
's primary office in
Kyoto Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...
, shortly before staff moved to
Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...
to form the new division, when Donkey Kong creator
Shigeru Miyamoto is a Japanese video game designer, producer and game director at Nintendo, where he serves as one of its representative directors. Widely regarded as one of the most accomplished and influential designers in the history of video games, he is ...
suggested that Koizumi and Shimizu develop a new ''Donkey Kong'' game. Koizumi and Shimizu were presented the DK Bongos during a meeting regarding ''Donkey Konga'', and Koizumi conceived the central idea for ''Jungle Beat'' upon seeing players' reactions to using them. Koizumi explained to EAD Tokyo that wanted to prioritize what players would experience over how functional the game would be. He said that ''Jungle Beat'' "show how we take experiences with our own families at home, or in places other than work, and bring those experiences back to our work". Koizumi, who had handled character controls and
virtual camera system In 3D video games, a virtual camera system aims at controlling a camera or a set of cameras to display a view of a 3D virtual world. Camera systems are used in video games where their purpose is to show the action at the best possible angle; m ...
s on previous projects, had been "hearing from many people" that controlling characters in modern games was becoming challenging and harbored a desire to create a game with a simple control scheme that did not rely on a traditional
gamepad A gamepad is a type of video game controller held in two hands, where the fingers (especially thumbs) are used to provide input. They are typically the main input device for video game consoles. Features Gamepads generally feature a set of ...
. Using the DK Bongos presented some challenges; since the controller restricted the player's movements, EAD Tokyo had to conceive new
game mechanics In tabletop games and video games, game mechanics are the rules or ludemes that govern and guide the player's actions, as well as the game's response to them. A rule is an instruction on how to play, a ludeme is an element of play like the L-shap ...
as a workaround. The developers chose to change the camera angle when Donkey Kong encounters an enemy—altering the control scheme as a result—to keep his abilities and the
action Action may refer to: * Action (narrative), a literary mode * Action fiction, a type of genre fiction * Action game, a genre of video game Film * Action film, a genre of film * ''Action'' (1921 film), a film by John Ford * ''Action'' (1980 fil ...
varied. The automatic camera also allowed Koizumi to avoid camera problems he found in previous 3D games that he had worked on. EAD Tokyo prioritized simplicity; Shimizu said that because contemporary video games took considerable time to complete and lost appeal if an individual had to stop playing, ''Jungle Beat'' levels were designed to take between five and ten minutes without any shortcuts. He felt that the game would appeal to a busy person because it did not contain long save or
load Load or LOAD may refer to: Aeronautics and transportation *Load factor (aeronautics), the ratio of the lift of an aircraft to its weight *Passenger load factor, the ratio of revenue passenger miles to available seat miles of a particular transpo ...
times. The developers reflected the simplicity through the story, which only features Donkey Kong trying to be "the best"; they sought to narrate through the gameplay instead. Tonally, Koizumi wanted ''Jungle Beat'' to be extravagant and hoped it "would make even bystanders giggle and enjoy themselves". Because the tone differed from previous ''Donkey Kong'' games, EAD Tokyo excluded most of the series'
recurring characters A recurring character is a fictional character, usually in a prime time TV series, who frequently appears from time to time during the series' run. Recurring characters often play major roles in more than one episode, sometimes being the main foc ...
and elements, aside from Donkey Kong himself and bananas. Koizumi felt this would allow ''Jungle Beat'' to stand on its own and reflect the style of EAD Tokyo. Miyamoto supervised EAD Tokyo and reviewed ''Jungle Beat'' content throughout development, similar to the role he played during the development of Rare's ''Donkey Kong Country'' in 1994.
Mahito Yokota is a Japanese music composer and orchestrator who works for the video game development company Nintendo. He is most known for his collaborations with Koji Kondo in the ''Super Mario Galaxy'' series, along with ''Super Mario 3D World is a p ...
composed the soundtrack, his first project as a composer after joining Nintendo in 2003. Like he did on '' The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker'' (2002), sound programmer Masafumi Kawamura attempted to synchronize the music with the gameplay, like when Donkey Kong jumps. Although the game is 2D, Shimizu noted development was still difficult due to technical restraints. EAD Tokyo aimed to release ''Jungle Beat'' during Japan's 2004–2005 winter season, which presented a considerable challenge. During a showing at the Nintendo World event in November 2004, Koizumi and the team carefully observed player feedback and used it to polish the game shortly before its release. The team was ultimately able to complete the game in time for the 2004
Christmas shopping season The Christmas season or the festive season (also known in some countries as the holiday season or the holidays) is an annually recurring period recognized in many Western and other countries that is generally considered to run from late November ...
. A two-player
multiplayer A multiplayer video game is a video game in which more than one person can play in the same game environment at the same time, either locally on the same computing system (couch co-op), on different computing systems via a local area network, or ...
game mode was planned, but did not appear in the finished product.


Release

Nintendo announced ''Donkey Kong Jungle Beat'' in May 2004 and showcased it at
E3 2004 E3 (short for Electronic Entertainment Expo or Electronic Entertainment Experience in 2021) is a trade event for the video game industry. The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) organizes and presents E3, which many developers, publisher ...
that month. Nintendo's showing was considered " ld, energetic, full of attitude and unexpected surprises", and ''
IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
'' described ''Jungle Beat'' as " e
sleeper hit In the entertainment industry, a sleeper hit is a film, television series, music release, video game, or some other entertainment product that was initially unsuccessful on release but became a success later on. A sleeper hit may have little promo ...
of the show" and wrote that attendees did not want to stop playing its presented
demo Demo, usually short for demonstration, may refer to: Music and film *Demo (music), a song typically recorded for reference rather than release * ''Demo'' (Behind Crimson Eyes), a 2004 recording by the band Behind Crimson Eyes * ''Demo'' (Deafhea ...
. After the showing, in July ''Jungle Beat'' won two
Game Critics Awards The Game Critics Awards are a set of annual awards held after the Electronic Entertainment Expo, E3 video game conference since 1998. The awards are given to products displayed at E3 with the title Best of E3 of their category. Format The nomine ...
—selected by journalists from publications such as ''
Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...
'', ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'', and
CNN CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by the M ...
—for "Best Original Game" and "Best Puzzle/Trivia/Parlor Game". It was also showcased at Nintendo World, which took place in five locations across Japan in November. ''Jungle Beat'' was released in Japan on December 16, 2004, in Europe on February 4, 2005, and in North America on March 14. It was released as both a standalone game and a
bundle Bundle or Bundling may refer to: * Bundling (packaging), the process of using straps to bundle up items Biology * Bundle of His, a collection of heart muscle cells specialized for electrical conduction * Bundle of Kent, an extra conduction pat ...
with the DK Bongos. The European version was released on the same day as the
Game Boy Advance The (GBA) is a 32-bit handheld game console developed, manufactured and marketed by Nintendo as the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001, in North America on June 11, 2001, in the PAL region on June 22, 2 ...
''Donkey Kong'' game '' DK: King of Swing''. To promote the North American release, Nintendo sent 20 individuals dressed up as apes to participate in the 20th
Los Angeles Marathon The Los Angeles Marathon (formerly known as the City of Los Angeles Marathon) is an annual running event typically held each spring in Los Angeles, California, since 1986. The marathon was inspired by the success of the 1984 Summer Olympic Ga ...
, which took place on March 6. The individuals wore ''Jungle Beat''-branded clothing, carried DK Bongos, and chanted the game's title as they ran. ''Jungle Beat'' was released when Donkey Kong had mostly been relegated to
spin-offs Spin-off may refer to: *Spin-off (media), a media work derived from an existing work *Corporate spin-off, a type of corporate action that forms a new company or entity * Government spin-off, civilian goods which are the result of military or gove ...
and supporting roles in other Nintendo franchises, following Microsoft's acquisition of Rare. ''Jungle Beat'' did not perform well commercially. In a 2007 interview with
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
, Nintendo of America writer Nate Bihldorff said that he was "still pissed that not enough people bought ''Jungle Beat''". MTV opined ''Jungle Beat'' "required a
Mario is a character created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the title character of the ''Mario'' franchise and the mascot of Japanese video game company Nintendo. Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creat ...
-size leap of faith. It's one thing to ask people to control a tennis game with a controller shaped like a remote control, but to run away from a giant lizard and beat up an evil ape using bongos? It's a hard sell and wasn't a very successful one". MTV noted that the DK Bongos were introduced before instrument-controlled games like ''
Guitar Hero ''Guitar Hero'' is a series of music rhythm game video games first released in November 2005, in which players use a guitar-shaped game controller to simulate playing primarily lead, bass guitar, and rhythm guitar across numerous songs. Player ...
'' became popular, suggesting audiences were apprehensive towards the concept. Furthermore, ''Donkey Kong'' fans saw ''Jungle Beat'' as "merely an aside to the ''Donkey Kong'' platforming saga" rather than the return to the style of Rare's ''Donkey Kong Country'' trilogy (1994–1996) that they wanted.


''New Play Control!'' version

Nintendo rereleased ''Donkey Kong Jungle Beat'' as one of the ''
New Play Control! is a series of first-party GameCube titles porting, ported over to the Wii by Nintendo. Games in the ''New Play Control!'' series feature a number of enhancements, most notably the implementation of the Wii's unique motion controller, motion co ...
'' games, a product line comprising seven updated
ports A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ham ...
of GameCube games for the
Wii The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 for most other Regional lockout, regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major ho ...
. The rerelease, ''New Play Control! Donkey Kong Jungle Beat'', was released in Japan on December 11, 2008, as the line's first release. This was followed by a North American release on May 4, 2009, and a European one on June 5. It was also released as a downloadable game on the
Wii U The Wii U ( ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4. The W ...
's
eShop The Nintendo eShop is a digital distribution service powered by the Nintendo Network for the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS, and by a dedicated online infrastructure for the Nintendo Switch. Launched in June 2011 on the Nintendo 3DS, the eShop was ena ...
on November 3, 2016. In lieu of the DK Bongos, the ''New Play Control!'' version of ''Jungle Beat'' is controlled using the
Wii Remote The Wii Remote, also known colloquially as the Wiimote, is the primary game controller for Nintendo's Wii home video game console. An essential capability of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with ...
, using its
Nunchuk is a traditional Okinawan martial arts weapon consisting of two sticks (traditionally made of wood), connected to each other at their ends by a short metal chain or a rope. It is approximately 30 cm (sticks) and 1 inch (rope). A person wh ...
accessory to control Donkey Kong's movement and its
motion detection Motion detection is the process of detecting a change in the position of an object relative to its surroundings or a change in the surroundings relative to an object. It can be achieved by either mechanical or electronic methods. When it is done by ...
feature to clap. To accommodate the more traditional control scheme, the level designs were altered to include more obstacles, and players do not have to collect crests to progress. It also replaces the banana-based health meter with a more traditional
life Life is a quality that distinguishes matter that has biological processes, such as signaling and self-sustaining processes, from that which does not, and is defined by the capacity for growth, reaction to stimuli, metabolism, energ ...
system, adds a
boss rush In video games, a boss is a significant computer-controlled opponent. A fight with a boss character is commonly referred to as a boss battle or boss fight. Bosses are generally far stronger than other opponents the player has faced up to that ...
mode, and supports
widescreen Widescreen images are displayed within a set of aspect ratios (relationship of image width to height) used in film, television and computer screens. In film, a widescreen film is any film image with a width-to-height aspect ratio greater than t ...
television displays.


Reception

''Donkey Kong Jungle Beat'' received "generally favorable" reviews across both its releases. Most reviewers considered it unique and fun to play but rather short given the retail price. It was praised for its wide appeal; possessing both a simplicity targeted at new gamers, and a complex, skill-oriented combo system to attract more hardcore gamers.
IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
praised the GameCube version's graphics, saying that "DK's fur makes ''StarFox Adventures'' models look primitive". Criticisms include the game's short length, despite the replayability offered by the score system in levels. There were also complaints of repetitive boss fights, as the same four bosses are used several times throughout the game with limited features to distinguish them. One of the primary criticisms, however, was the lack of past characters and elements from Rare's ''
Donkey Kong Country ''Donkey Kong Country'' is a 1994 platform game developed by Rare and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). It is a reboot of Nintendo's ''Donkey Kong'' franchise and follows the gorilla Donkey Kong and h ...
'' games. Despite these criticisms it was rated the 95th best game made on a Nintendo System in ''
Nintendo Power ''Nintendo Power'' was a video game news and strategy magazine from Nintendo of America, first published in July/August 1988 as Nintendo's official print magazine for North America. The magazine's publication was initially done monthly by Ninten ...
s Top 200 Games list. Non video-game publications also praised the GameCube version. ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' gave it a favorable review and called it "wildly entertaining". ''
The Sydney Morning Herald ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily compact newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and owned by Nine. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper ...
'' gave it four stars out of five, praising the graphics, environments and gameplay, but complained of the game's short length. ''
Detroit Free Press The ''Detroit Free Press'' is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, US. The Sunday edition is titled the ''Sunday Free Press''. It is sometimes referred to as the Freep (reflected in the paper's web address, www.freep.com). It primari ...
'' gave it three stars out of four and complimented the use of bongos in the game.
Common Sense Media Common Sense Media (CSM) is an organization that reviews and provides ratings for media and technology with the goal of providing information on their suitability for children.
gave the Wii version four stars out of five. Although positive to the game, they considered more as rental than purchase due to its short length.


Legacy

EAD Tokyo went on to develop ''
Super Mario Galaxy is a 2007 platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii. It is the third 3D game in the '' Super Mario'' series. As Mario, the player embarks on a quest to rescue Princess Peach, save the universe from Bowser, and collect 120 ...
'' (2007) for the Wii, which was acclaimed as one of the
greatest video games of all time This is a list of video games that multiple reputable video game journalists or magazines have considered to be among the best of all time. The games listed here are included on at least six separate "best/greatest of all time" lists from differ ...
and became one of the bestselling Wii games. ''Galaxy'' refined concepts that EAD Tokyo introduced in ''Jungle Beat''; Koizumi reflected that ''Jungle Beat'' provided him with the experience to create engaging gameplay with a simple control scheme in ''Galaxy''. In fact, ''
GamesRadar ''GamesRadar+'' (formerly ''GamesRadar'') is an entertainment website for video game-related news, previews, and reviews. It is owned by Future plc. In late 2014, Future Publishing-owned sites ''Total Film'', '' SFX'', ''Edge'' and '' Computer ...
'' said that ''Jungle Beat'' became more compelling when viewed as a ''Galaxy'' prototype, with shared sound effects and a "gleeful turnover of ideas
hat A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...
reeks of ''Galaxy'' scattershot fun-bursts". ''Destructoid'' said the connections between ''Jungle Beat'' and ''Galaxy'' were obvious when considering ''Jungle Beat'' "level of imagination and surrealism...
hich Ij ( fa, ايج, also Romanized as Īj; also known as Hich and Īch) is a village in Golabar Rural District, in the Central District of Ijrud County, Zanjan Province, Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also ...
wasn't present in the 'Donkey Kong Country''games", while ''
Kotaku ''Kotaku'' is a video game website and blog that was originally launched in 2004 as part of the Gawker Media network. Notable former contributors to the site include Luke Smith, Cecilia D'Anastasio, Tim Rogers, and Jason Schreier. History ...
'' noted further parallels between level tropes in ''Jungle Beat'' and ''
Super Mario Galaxy 2 is a 2010 platform video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii. It was first announced at E3 2009 and is the sequel to 2007's ''Super Mario Galaxy''. It was released worldwide in 2010. Much like the first game, the story follow ...
'' (2010). After ''Jungle Beat'', the DK Bongos only saw use in two ''Donkey Konga'' sequels. Support for ''
Odama ''Odama'' is a video game for the GameCube developed by Vivarium and published by Nintendo in 2006. The game was produced and designed by ''Seaman'' creator, Yutaka Saito. It is the penultimate GameCube game to be published by Nintendo, followe ...
'' (2006) was dropped prior to release, while a planned DK Bongos-controlled
racing game Racing games are a video game genre in which the player participates in a racing competition. They may be based on anything from real-world racing leagues to fantastical settings. They are distributed along a spectrum between more realistic rac ...
, ''DK Bongo Blast'', was released on the Wii as ''
Donkey Kong Barrel Blast ''Donkey Kong Barrel Blast'' is a 2007 Racing video game, racing game for Nintendo's Wii video game console. The game was shown at Electronic Entertainment Expo, E3 2006 convention in May for the GameCube under the title of ''DK: Bongo Blast'', bu ...
'' in 2007 without support. The ''Donkey Kong'' series did not receive another major installment until 2010, when the
Retro Studios Retro Studios, Inc. is an American video game developer and subsidiary of Nintendo based in Austin, Texas. The studio is best known for its work on the ''Metroid Prime'' and ''Donkey Kong Country'' series, and has contributed to several other N ...
-developed ''
Donkey Kong Country Returns ''Donkey Kong Country Returns'' is a 2010 side-scrolling platform game developed by Retro Studios and published by Nintendo for the Wii console. The game was released first in North America in November 2010, and in PAL regions and Japan the ...
'' was released for the Wii. Retrospectively, journalists have cited ''Jungle Beat'' as one of the best ''Donkey Kong'' games. Jeremy Parish, writing for ''
Polygon In geometry, a polygon () is a plane figure that is described by a finite number of straight line segments connected to form a closed ''polygonal chain'' (or ''polygonal circuit''). The bounded plane region, the bounding circuit, or the two toge ...
'', considered it the franchise's best game behind ''
Donkey Kong is a video game franchise created by Shigeru Miyamoto and owned by Nintendo. It follows the adventures of a gorilla named Donkey Kong (character), Donkey Kong and his clan of other Ape, apes and monkeys. The franchise primarily consists of plat ...
'' (1994) for the
Game Boy The is an 8-bit fourth generation handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on April 21, 1989, in North America later the same year, and in Europe in late 1990. It was designed by the same ...
, summarizing it as "a one-of-a-kind thing that really shouldn't work but absolutely does". ''Jungle Beat'' has been referenced in Nintendo's ''
Super Smash Bros. ''Super Smash Bros.'' is a Crossover (fiction), crossover fighting game series published by Nintendo. The series was created by Masahiro Sakurai, who has directed every game in the series. The series is known for its unique gameplay objectiv ...
'', a series of
crossover Crossover may refer to: Entertainment Albums and songs * ''Cross Over'' (Dan Peek album) * ''Crossover'' (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles album), 1987 * ''Crossover'' (Intrigue album) * ''Crossover'' (Hitomi Shimatani album) * ''Crossover'' (Yoshino ...
fighting game A fighting game, also known as a versus fighting game, is a video game genre, genre of video game that involves combat between two or more players. Fighting game combat often features mechanics such as Blocking (martial arts), blocking, grappli ...
s. ''
Super Smash Bros. Brawl ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'' is a 2008 List of crossovers in video games, crossover fighting game, fighting video game developed by Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Wii. The third installment in the Super Smash Bros., ''Super Smash ...
'' (2008) includes a stage based on ''Jungle Beat'' Rumble Falls level, while one of Donkey Kong's attacks in ''
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' is a 2018 crossover fighting video game developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is the fifth installment in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series, succeeding ...
'' (2018)—in which he rapidly punches adversaries—is a tribute to ''Jungle Beat''.


Notes


References


External links


Official Nintendo Wii minisite
* {{Authority control New Play Control! games 2004 video games Donkey Kong platform games GameCube games Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development games Wii games Wii games re-released on the Nintendo eShop Video games developed in Japan Single-player video games Video games scored by Mahito Yokota