Overview

Ever since Rare's purchase by Microsoft, the Donkey Kong series has struggled to remain a significant and enjoyable addition to Nintendo's lineup. The company went some way to remedy this in 2010 with the release of Donkey Kong Returns, a Wii title designed in the style of the series' much-loved SNES titles. The music was dominated by arrangements of the original Donkey Kong Country, though a significant number of new compositions were added here. David Wise actually did not return himself and was instead replaced by a team of Japanese composers led by Metroid's Kenji Yamamoto. To commemorate the game's release in Japan, the soundtrack for the game was made available through Club Nintendo early this year.

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While the soundtrack features numerous arrangements, Kenji Yamamoto's team ensure that the tracks aren't mere remakes and take numerous creative liberties. For instance, the title theme still retains the jubilant jazz-flavoured melodies of the original, while deviating from the outdated disco beats in favour of a bolder big band sound. There are plenty of nostalgic moments during its 1:36 playtime — including some faux-chiptune interludes and even an uplifting choral section — but overall the track sounds fresh and exciting. It's as cheesy as ever, but has a personality of its own. The main theme also appears in several other delightful incarnations during the course of the soundtrack, spanning from the synth-heavy first level theme "Banana Jungle" — the closest the soundtrack comes to a note-to-note remix — to a highly satisfying saxophone-led improvisation on "Sunset Coast". It's an ideal mix of old and new.

The experimental nature of David Wise's Donkey Kong Country soundtrack is conveyed in many of the better remixes here. For example, "Pine Forest" carries one into a fantasy world with its dreamy suspended strings, as "Cave of Flying Tiki Dollies" takes listeners on a wild journey with its unrestrained xylophone parts. On the darker side, "Rock 'n Rolling" contrasts beautiful panpipe melodies with hostile industrial beats to create an incredibly divergent soundscape, while "Big Jumps in the Cart!" captures the frantic pace and huge excitement of the minecart levels with its epic horn-peppered orchestration. The samples in both cases are completely synthesized, and often unconvincingly, but this arguably adds to the retro charm and the arrangements are rich enough to compensate. Other darker highlights include "Paku-Paku Panic" and "Conveyor Panic", both recycled themes that fit well in the new levels featured in Donkey Kong Returns.

Though there were plenty of interesting creative choices on the soundtrack, not everything paid off. The idea to convert the island theme into a playful piano-based rag was a good one, but the implementation is quite sloppy — with imbalanced instrument choices and clumsily tied phrases. Such amateur production values aren't really acceptable from the richest game company, especially for a relatively technically exuberant console such as the Wii. The hastily prepared "Cranky Kong's Shop" is stranded between two generations with its awkward synth choices, while "Bonus Stage 2" is so blatant in its Caribbean influences that it sounds ridiculous. It's also disappointing that some of the most memorable remixes are omitted from the official soundtrack release, notably the long-term fan favourite "Aquatic Ambience" and the unexpected Donkey Kong Jr. homage "Golden Temple". These omissions are unforgivable given the final playtime of the soundtrack is a mere 50 minutes.

The originals featured on Donkey Kong Country Returns are a mixed bag. "The Tiki Tribe Appears!" certainly ensures the antagonists in the game make a big impact, but the composition itself is utterly vapid; some sections sound like epic Hollywood orchestrations and others sound like cartoony phrases, but they're all too stereotypical and over-the-top to be enjoyable. Though its catchy melody is tailored towards kids, "Tiki Tong's Theme" was clearly written in the spirit of a tribal war dance. Once again, it's too blatantly derivative to express the same personality as Dave Wise's classics did. Other tracks range from the minimalistic percussion-based "Lift Beach", to the snazzy jazz-styled "Moguriya Construction Site". Both are interestingly styled tracks that fit well with the scenery, though neither has quite the melodic punch to stand up as classics. Finally, the ending staff roll reunites the soundtrack's jazz and tribal stylings, original and classic themes into one extravagant finale.

Summary

The soundtrack for Donkey Kong Returns certainly has its moments. While it would have been interesting to hear David Wise revisit his originals, Kenji Yamamoto's team certainly put their own spin on things and the results are usually fascinating. Yet the soundtrack doesn't quite compare with the original, given many of the remixes are sloppily implemented and the new tracks are often highly derivative. It's also a pity that the Club Nintendo soundtrack is only a partial selection of the tracks featured in the full game and even some fan favourites were rejected. The best way to experience this soundtrack may be to play the delightful game itself.