Welcome to “Gaming Memories,” a blog series where I reminisce about my favorite video games. I will slowly but surely get to every game on the list, and speak to why each holds a special place in my heart. That not only means I’ll talk about why I think each is a great game that speaks to my tastes, but also where and how it affected me in a larger context. I hope you enjoy, and thanks for reading.

One of my favorite levels in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest is called Bramble Blast. Set in a seemingly endless maze of thorny brambles that are deadly to the touch, you must navigate the level via a network of barrels that launch you through the air, rather than by traditional platforming. It’s a fresh twist, formed from simple mechanics that are explored thoroughly enough to become complex and interesting by the end. It’s a shining example of the kind of creativity that the best platforming levels have.

Also, it has this music.

But here’s Donkey Kong Country 2’s magical secret: it’s full of Bramble Blasts. This level is not a rare treat, impossible heights that the game never reaches elsewhere. Almost every level in Donkey Kong Country 2 stands out as something equally unique and special. Mechanically, most levels look to build upon the game’s tight and responsive core platforming controls to do something more. In some levels you bounce on moving cannon balls to cross large gaps. In others you ride dangerous roller coasters as they collapse underneath you. On rare occasions you need to carefully buoy yourself with flame vents as you ride a hot air balloon across a pit of lava. You may climb rigging on a pirate ship, scale directly up flat walls with the help of extremely sticky honey, or mount any number of animal companions that all have different navigational abilities. Running and jumping in Donkey Kong Country 2 certainly feels great, and there are still plenty of awesome traditional platforming challenges here. But it primarily uses that as a solid foundation to build upon, and explore a variety of other exciting ideas that are just as well-crafted as the core platforming. It makes for a game that is constantly experimenting and teaching, which in turn makes for a game that is constantly engaging.

Aesthetically, Donkey Kong Country 2 may be even better. The original Donkey Kong Country made waves with its pre-rendered 3D graphics. Not only does its sequel use the same technology to look just as good, but it gets substantially more ambitious in its artistic variety. Extending beyond the central jungle island theme of the first game, Donkey Kong Country 2 sees you explore pirate ships, lava caverns, oversized hornet nests, abandoned theme parks, ice caverns and more, all of which have an impressive visual flair. And then there is the music. Simply put, Donkey Kong Country 2’s soundtrack is as dear to me as any game’s; I legitimately have a hard time thinking of one I like more. Just like the game’s mechanics and visuals, its music also gets a ton of mileage out of its variety. In addition to Stickerbush Symphony posted above (a fan favorite), I can easily rattle off half a dozen genuine classics originating from Donkey Kong Country 2: Jib Jig, Lockjaw’s Saga, Hot-Head Bop, Mining Melancholy, Flight of the Zinger, and In a Snow-Bound Land. Each of these has a very distinct sound that perfectly captures the vibe of the level(s) they appear in. It’s difficult to describe just how much these songs contribute to the game’s effective atmosphere, and their different styles further bring a fresh, creative energy to every moment. It’s also just extremely well-composed music that still holds up today; I’ve listened to it countless times over the years.

I keep using the word “variety,” as that’s the main word that comes to mind when I think back on Donkey Kong Country 2. The best platformers have largely been defined by their variety, and this one is no exception. That variety impressively exists in every facet of its design too: the level design, traversal options, enemies and companions, art style, and music work in tandem to create a large and diverse suite of high quality platforming levels that most platformers don’t come close to matching (including the other Donkey Kong Country games, all of which I love, yet don’t quite reach the heights of this second outing). Finally, Donkey Kong Country 2 stands out to me as one of the first games I played that implemented collectibles well. Collectibles, when used poorly, can be maddening. But the ones here offer completely optional challenges that require both exploration and platforming prowess. They serve as a meaningful avenue for more skilled players to push themselves and be rewarded with even tougher bonus levels, without shaming the rest of us. It’s a smart and thoughtful way to accommodate varying skill levels, and something I always remember this series for. Donkey Kong Country 2 did it as well as any.

When Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest was released in 1995, the industry was undergoing a massive shift from 2D to 3D. The kinds of 2D platformers that dominated the 8 and 16-bit eras seemed destined to fade in favor of flashier 3D games, but Donkey Kong Country 2 served as a final, powerful reminder of just how good the genre had become. By combining mechanical and aesthetic variety into a cohesive whole that was satisfying on all fronts (did I mention its soundtrack is one of my favorites?), it represented the genre at the peak of its craft, and ended up being one of the last great games of its era. It’s an era that was very special and formative for me, and Donkey Kong Country 2 was one of the biggest reasons why.