(Posted by: Harrison Milfeld)

It has certainly been a great year for Nintendo platformers. The release and success of games such as Super Mario Galaxy 2, Metroid: Other M and Kirby’s Epic Yarn have all reminded many gamers why the platforming genre is still in full-force (even if it has taken a bit of a backseat to other genres like first-person shooters and RPGs). Now, in the midst of the conclusion of 2010, Nintendo hasn’t forgotten about one of its earliest icons: Donkey Kong. The great big ape hasn’t had a solid platforming experience since the final days of the Super Nintendo, so it seemed obvious to allow a developer such as Retro Studios tackle a daunting, yet nostalgic task.

Donkey Kong Country Returns is not a remake by any means, but a continuation of what Rare first established 16 years ago on the Super Nintendo. Diddy, Cranky, Rambi and even Squawks are popular characters from the Super NES original that return, yet you may ask, “What has Retro done to make this new Donkey Kong title stand out?” Well, simply put, Retro Studios may not give gamers and DK fans alike the same innovation that they did with Metroid Prime, but they have carefully weaved together a satisfying albeit challenging experience. 

Hit the jump to see what else Retro Studios has in store for DK. 

(Posted By: Harrison Milfeld)

[Editor's Note] This review is a shortened version from my recent take on the game at Talking About Games. Click the link for a more in-depth review.

Activision certainly took a huge gamble when they announced last May that they were remaking the classic N64 first-person shooter GoldenEye for the Wii. A GoldenEye purist like myself (both as a fan of the original and the film it was based on) was skeptical of the idea of remaking a game that is still played in some shape or form today. I assumed that this would be a quick cash-in for Activision and developer Eurocom, but after finally sitting down and playing through the campaign and richly-deep multiplayer, I'm glad I was wrong...dead wrong.

Hit the jump to see if this re-imagination has earned its license to kill.