DK Jungle Climber review

It takes some getting used to. But get it down pat, and you’ll feel that familiar tingle - as though Nintendo’s own fingernails were tickling you up and down your spine. The level design is that special brand of just right, every stage a mid-air maze of bananas, barrels, enemies, underwater caverns glistening with crystal treasure, and out-of-reach bananas you have to risk nabbing. True, we were a bit nonplussed to see the hackneyed “kid’s playroom” theme trotted out - but, no worries, DKJC’s level designers don’t stick with one theme for long before reaching into their skulls and fumbling around for a new game-refreshing idea, like spinning corn-on-the-cobs, or giant beach balls that pop open in a shower of jewels, or invisible platforms that you can only negotiate by watching your paw-marks on the second screen, or brain-meddling twin-screen levels that feel more like you’re playing two different games at the same time.