New Controls Have Donkey Kong Moving to a New Beat

2009-05-04

Legendary video game character Donkey Kong is on a quest to become king of the jungle, and he needs some help. Today's launch of the New Play Control! Donkey Kong Jungle Beat video game for the Wii console lets players grab their Wii Remote and Nunchuk controllers to assist him. Players control Donkey Kong's running, jumping and banana grabbing by using the traditional control stick and buttons, while motion controls add a realistic feeling to actions like grabbing vines and boxing.

"Donkey Kong is one of Nintendo's oldest and most beloved characters," said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. "New Play Control! Donkey Kong Jungle Beat provides a rich environment that lets the great game play - and Donkey Kong's personality - shine."

Donkey Kong Jungle Beat originally debuted on the Nintendo GameCube system. This new version has been remastered with motion controls, new enemies and obstacles, and a new final boss battle. Nintendo also has added special monkeys to each stage that give tips or let players save their progress. The new controls make this well-reviewed game accessible to new players while giving those who played the original new challenges.

The goal of the game is to guide Donkey Kong through beautifully rendered stages like lava caves, tempestuous oceans and even a ninja-chimp fortress. Racing through the game will get players to the goal, but the real skill comes from helping Donkey Kong perform multiple mid-air acrobatic moves as he collects bananas in each stage. The more sweet moves he does in a row, the more bonus bananas he gets at the end of the stage. To become the king of the jungle, he must team up with animal friends and defeat multiple contenders in boxing matches.

The first two games in the New Play Control series, New Play Control! Pikmin and New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis, launched March 9. New Play Control! Donkey Kong Jungle Beat is available at an MSRP of $29.99, $20 below the typical MSRP of Wii games. This makes it a great value for people keeping an eye on their entertainment dollars.

For more information about New Play Control! Donkey Kong Jungle Beat, visit www.DonkeyKong.com.

Remember that Wii features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other Wii features, visit Wii.com.