Barrels, a pre-rendered 3D jungle, and a visual slap that froze a generation in front of the TV.

First thing that grabs you: picked on gut feeling, Donkey Kong Country lands ahead of 83% of games, a genuine instant crush. And the technical criteria follow, the feel in your hands ahead of 82% of titles, the art style right beside it ahead of 81%, the sound above average. But look closer and a tension appears. Fun, that thing you boot up for one session that spills over, sits near the very bottom, ahead of only 9% of games. Attachment stays lukewarm, so does the urge to rediscover it. You love it on instinct and admire the controls, but you don't rush back to it. Its desert-island score rests on very few votes, to be confirmed.

For a 1994 platformer, its art direction still holds up against plenty of recent games, which stays rare.

So who's it for? For you if you love demanding platforming, 16-bit nostalgia, a period visual punch. Much less if you're after the game that swallows your hours today, because on that ground the magic has settled a little.