Donkey Konga 2 review (GameCube)

The rest of the modes are just slight variations on the street performance mode. The challenge mode tests your endurance by throwing a consecutive series of songs at you but limiting the number of mistakes you're allowed to make. The concert mode challenges players to work together, either by making three players cooperate on a single DK Bongos controller or by making four players, each with his or her own controller, play in concert.

Though all of the modes in Donkey Konga 2 can be played cooperatively, the battle mode is strictly a head-to-head versus experience, in which two players try to outscore each other. The game adds a bit of chance to the battle mode with the introduction of a few special icons. The game borrows the "POW" icon from the original Mario Bros., and, when hit, this icon will take away a chunk of your opponent's score. A slot-machine interface will also randomly appear during battle mode, and at the same time you'll get three drum icons with the word "stop" over them. If you can hit all three of these icons with the same level of accuracy, you'll get a substantial point bonus. Additionally, there's an odd rock-scissors-paper mechanic that can make for a tidy little point bonus. The special rules introduced in the battle mode add a certain random aspect to the gameplay, but they can also be kind of confusing and have a tendency to muddle the experience.

The visuals in Donkey Konga 2 are all but completely dominated by the incoming stream of drum commands, making it an uninteresting game to watch, though when you're actually playing you'll likely be far too focused on the action to notice the often plain-looking scrolling backgrounds or the poorly animated prerendered characters that pantomime your drumming. Though the look is more varied in theme than the jungle backgrounds in the first Donkey Konga, it still isn't particularly interesting to look at.

Even if the song selection were more inspired, Donkey Konga 2 would still seem less like a proper sequel and more like an expansion pack. The drumming action itself is still responsive and entertaining, but the whole package simply doesn't feel as inspired as the original, and it makes little effort to expand or improve upon its predecessor. Those new to the series are better off checking out the original, and returning drum maniacs should seriously consider the track listing in Donkey Konga 2 before making the investment.