At E3 2004 Nintendo debuted a playable version of Donkey Kong Jungle Beat and ever since then it's been one of the few truly original games that I've been looking forward to playing. Now that the game is finally available my initial impressions proved correct. This game is a joy to play. Every person that I've watched play it always has one thing in common; a smile on his or her face. If you're itching to try something fun and new, this may just be the ticket.

Donkey Kong Jungle Beat plays similarly to the classic SNES Donkey Kong Country games, except instead of using a standard controller the DK Bongo drums provide the interface. Tapping on the left drum moves DK left, the right drum right, and tapping both will cause him to jump. Clapping will send out a sound wave that can grab bananas, inflict damage on enemies, and allow DK to reach new areas of the level. Other moves like wall jumps, backflips, and ground pounds can be achieved as well. Each kingdom is composed of two normal stages and one battle stage. Throughout each level are many different obstacles and enemies. The goal is to reach the end of the level with the most beats as possible. Beats are earned primarily by collecting bananas. Simply walking over a banana will earn one beat. If DK can manage to grab multiple bananas at once by clapping, those bananas will multiply into more beats. In addition, as the player becomes better at the game, performing midair actions in succession before landing will create a combo that will result in even more beats.

One more way to earn beats is by collecting blooms, which only appear in the stage when DK does something special. Collecting 100 blooms will add a whopping 100 beats to the pot, which really can help in the end. Keep in mind that getting hit by enemies takes away beats, as does performing badly against the boss. At the end of the kingdom (2 stages and a 1 boss) all the beats collected are added up and the player is awarded crests based on how many beats were collected. The more crests earned, the more stages that will open up to the player. When fighting against one of the bosses, the bongos are used in the same fashion for some of them. There are some fights that are reminiscent of Punch-Out!! where DK faces off against the enemy one-on-one. In these instances, each drum throws a corresponding punch and clapping allows DK to dodge a punch. Keep in mind that simply tapping the side of the bongos is the same as clapping if you want to save wear and tear on your hands.

Jungle Beat sports some nice visuals. The 'fur-shading' is in full effect on Donkey Kong and many of the enemies. Some special effects seem to be borrowed from other games as well. For example, after fighting a huge bird, it blows up into a huge cloud of smoke, very much like the enemies in Windwaker. The backgrounds and animations are all great, but the continuity between stages is a bit off. In one stage you'll be in a desert, and the very next is on top of a mountain in the snow. This happens throughout the entire game and it's not a serious problem, but one that could have been addressed to make the game feel more cohesive.

The audio in the game is average. Some of the songs are redone from Donkey Kong Country, but most are new. The game lacks Dolby Pro Logic II, which is odd considering most first party games are supporting that now. The tunes are pretty forgettable, but in the stage you'll come across monkeys in the background that clap to the music, which really adds a cute quality to the game. At the end of the stage is an entire band of monkeys rocking to the beat of the background music. These small touches add a certain charm to the game that is missing in many games these days.

Donkey Kong Jungle Beat is a fun game to play. It's a game that allows non-gamers to take part in the action. People simply want to try the game because the controller is so inviting to them. For the hardcore gamers out there, the game is a bit short and tad easy. Don't get me wrong, there are endless combos to learn and beats to collect for the perfectionists, but they are not required to conquer the game. If you already own the bongos from Donkey Konga, then this purchase is a true no-brainer. At $39.99 it's a fantastic addition. If you don't have the bongos, there is a $59.99 bundle pack being sold. At that price I still recommend the game, but the higher price is easier to swallow if you're planning on buying the Konga music games. No matter what, be sure you get a chance to at least try out Jungle Beat. Ask a friend to play or visit a retailer with the demo. Once you play it I think you'll be eager to buy it.