Soundtrack Spotlight – Donkey Kong Country Returns

Soundtrack Spotlight is a weekly CFD! feature devoted to all things VGM. Every week we celebrate the best in game music, highlight new releases and forgotten tracks, and bring you the best in auditory awesomeness.

Album: Donkey Kong Country Returns
Composed by: Kenji Yamamoto

Handling the jungle rhythms and melodies of Donkey Kong Country is a serious undertaking. The unique, iconic nature of the SNES-era, Rare-developed DK games’ soundtracks (from Rare composers David Wise, Robin Beanland, and Eveline Fischer) are a tough act to follow, or in this case, replicate.

Yamamoto, best known for his own superb musical work in Super Metroid and the Metroid Prime series, doesn’t do too much altering of the composition of the original songs; those familiar with the DKC soundtrack will notice new layers and arrangements throughout – many of which accent the original structure of the songs (see: “DK Island Swing Returns”) – but the overall tone and measure is still parallel to that of the 1994 Donkey Kong Country.

That’s not leveling much of an actual criticism at this adaptation, which is what the soundtrack of Donkey Kong Country Returns essentially is. It can come across as a little unoriginal, especially in contrast with Yamamoto’s much broader musical interpretation and reinvention on the Prime series, but that’s not what this series necessitates. A Donkey Kong Country game demands fun, upbeat, percussive music, and in that regard Donkey Kong Country Returns delivers.

Donkey Kong Country Returns

Jungle Mine

Palm Tree Groove

DK Island Swing Returns

Aquatic Ambience Returns

Tidal Terror

Forest Frenzy Returns

Simian Segue

Lift-Off Launch

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Album: Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood Original Game Soundtrack
Composed by: Jesper Kyd

The soundtrack to Assassin’s Creed II kind of took me by surprise. It took clear inspirations from the time and setting of the game, but also mixed in an underlying sense of foreboding and modern intrigue.

While there isn’t a defining, standout track — think “Earth” from Assassin’s Creed II — the album maintains the same level of quality and atmosphere that made the previous one so engaging, and is certainly worth a listen.

Available at Amazon.com

City of Rome

The Brotherhood Escapes

Villa Under Attack

Rome Countryside

Battle in Spain

Desmond Miles

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Album: Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles 8-Bit Soundtrack
Arranged by: 8BitDanooct1

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 has never been my favorite in terms of the music (I’m more of a Sonic 2 man), but this new 8-bit remix album has made me reconsider my stance a little lately.

Most of the songs aren’t drastically different from their Genesis predecessors, but there’s a sense of simplicity and inventiveness to these versions that I find charming. A lot of work clearly went into this comprehensive project, so drop by 8BitDanooct1’s YouTube page and give him some thanks.

Ice Cape Zone Act 1