The Enduring Brilliance of Donkey Kong Country’s Soundtrack
A look back at some of Donkey’s best tunes
I have written a lot about the meaning of Donkey Kong games on my life as a gamer. A lot. The iconic Nintendo ape has so many endearing qualities to choose from, it’s difficult to pinpoint a favorite. Of all of the things that make DK rule though, his soundtracks that grace the games he stars in are some of the best in the entire gaming catalogue. And while Donkey Kong 64 has plenty of musical goodies, I want to focus on the brilliance of the Donkey Kong Country soundtrack in this piece.
Released for the SNES in the mid-90s, the DKC franchise brought innovative and revolutionary graphical power to the Super Nintendo, along with weightier platforming that was the perfect contrast to the floaty jumping of Mario and Luigi. With all that being said, the soundtrack of the series is what truly stole the ears (and hearts) of the gaming audience. Composer David Wise demonstrated the power of music to connect players to their favorite games on a deeply emotional level, even decades after the release date. Here is a look back at some of the iconic beats that breathed life into Donkey and…
