Editing Donkey Kong Country 2 (section)

==Development and release==
Development of ''Diddy's Kong Quest'' began shortly after the release of ''Donkey Kong Country'',<ref name="years"/> but before its commercial success; the employees of [[Rare (company)|Rare]] desired to present new concepts.<ref name="RetroGamer181">{{Cite magazine|date=May 2018|title=''The Making of: Donkey Kong Country 2''|url=https://archive.org/stream/retro_gamer/RetroGamer_181#page/n63/mode/2up|magazine=[[Retro Gamer]]|issue=181|pages=64–67}}</ref> Rare founder [[Tim Stamper]] served as director, whereas his colleague Brendan Gunn, who had worked on the original, returned to design.<ref name=development>{{cite web |last1=McFarren |first1=Damien |title=Month Of Kong: The Making Of Donkey Kong Country |url=http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2014/02/month_of_kong_the_making_of_donkey_kong_country |website=[[Nintendo Life]] |date=27 February 2014 |access-date=April 12, 2015 |archive-date=31 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160131130533/http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2014/02/month_of_kong_the_making_of_donkey_kong_country |url-status=live }}</ref> In response to complaints from veteran gamers, ''Donkey Kong Country 2'' was designed to be more challenging than its predecessor.<ref>{{cite magazine|author=The Feature Creature|date=January 1996|title=Up in the Treehouse|url=https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_078_January_1996/page/n41/mode/2up|magazine=[[GamePro]]|publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]]|issue=88|pages=40–42}}</ref> Several working titles were considered, including ''DK Rescue!'', ''Diddy's Day Out'', ''Diddy's Wild Country'', and ''Diddy's Wild Frontier''. ''Diddy Kong's Quest'' was decided on, but was slightly altered into ''Diddy's Kong Quest'' to create a play on the word "conquest".<ref name="History112">{{Cite book |language=fr |first=Régis |last=Monterrin |title=L'Histoire de Donkey Kong |publisher=Éditions Pix'n Love |date=June 2018 |pages=112–113 |isbn=9782371880597}}</ref> The game was announced at [[E3 1995]].<ref>{{cite web |date=May 11, 1995 |title=Nintendo Unveils a "Killer" Line-Up at E3; Hardware and Software Introductions Showcase Breakthrough Technology, Riveting Graphics and Fast-Paced Game Play Action |url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Nintendo+Unveils+a+ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103081547/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Nintendo+Unveils+a+%22Killer%22+Line-Up+at+E3%3b+Hardware+and+Software...-a016940320 |archive-date=November 3, 2013 |access-date=July 27, 2021 |website=[[Business Wire]] |via=[[The Free Dictionary]]}}</ref> A [[Virtual Boy]] port was in development at one time but never released.<ref name="RareScribesVBDKC2">{{cite web|url=http://rareware.com/the_site/talk_to_us/scribes/aug10_01/aug10_01.html|title=Scribes|publisher=[[Rare (company)|Rare]]|date=August 10, 2001|access-date=2020-08-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020805042002/http://rareware.com/the_site/talk_to_us/scribes/aug10_01/aug10_01.html|archive-date=2002-08-05|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref name="DFRetroDKC">{{cite web|last=Linneman|first=John|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2017-retro-donkey-kong-country-killer-instinct|title=DF Retro takes on Donkey Kong Country and Killer Instinct • The story of Rare's SGI revolution - as told by the developers|work=[[Eurogamer]]|publisher=[[Gamer Network]]|date=December 16, 2017|access-date=2020-04-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180320001528/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2017-retro-donkey-kong-country-killer-instinct|archive-date=March 20, 2018|df=dmy-all|url-status=live}}</ref>

Like its predecessor, ''Diddy's Kong Quest'' uses [[Silicon Graphics]] (SGI) and Advanced Computer Modelling (ACM) rendering technology,<ref name="years">{{cite web |last=Goergan |first=Andy |title=Donkey Kong Country, Through the Years |url=http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/feature/36539/donkey-kong-country-through-the-years |publisher=Nintendo World Report |access-date=February 6, 2016 |date=February 14, 2014 |archive-date=July 3, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200703015857/http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/feature/36539/donkey-kong-country-through-the-years |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Kosydar|first=Aaron|title=Donkey Kong Country 2 overview |url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=2476&tab=review|website=Eurogamer|access-date=2 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114212610/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=2476&tab=review|archive-date=14 November 2014|date=14 November 2014}}</ref> in which pre-rendered images are modelled as 3D objects and then transformed into 2D sprites and background layers.<ref name="GS" /> The game's pirate-themed narrative and level design was influenced by designer [[Gregg Mayles]]'s fascination with the [[Golden Age of Piracy]]. The team attempted to maintain the sense of speed and requirement of timing from the previous game. To avoid reproducing the same game entirely, Mayles altered the gameplay to be less linear and more encouraging of exploration, while respecting the basics of fluidity and speed.<ref name="RetroGamer181" />

In order to surprise players, the team decided to cast Diddy Kong as the main character as opposed to Donkey Kong.<ref name="History104">{{Cite book |language=fr |first=Régis |last=Monterrin |title=L'Histoire de Donkey Kong |publisher=Éditions Pix'n Love |date=June 2018 |pages=104–107 |isbn=9782371880597}}</ref> Mayles said that he dared to do without the iconic character of the series because his team's youth (Mayles himself was 23 during development) allowed them to disregard risks.<ref name="RetroGamer181"/> The team preserved the gameplay mechanic of controlling two characters, which led into the creation of Dixie Kong. While Donkey and Diddy Kong controlled similarly, the team decided to establish a character with different abilities to force the player to change between characters regularly. To achieve this difference, the team gave Dixie the ability to hover and descend gradually. Dixie was modeled and animated by Steve Mayles.<ref name="History104"/> According to Gregg, the choice to introduce a female character was decided before the creation of her ponytail, and neither the hovering mechanism nor the intention to increase female representation in video games were an influence in the matter. The ponytail was initially given to create a trailing visual effect when Dixie runs, and Gregg decided to put the ponytail to use upon seeing this effect in action.<ref name="RetroGamer181"/> The concept of Dixie descending by using her ponytail as a helicopter blade was then created. Due to the time-consuming nature of the modeling process, Diddy's model was used as the base for Dixie; the ponytail was then added, the clothes were changed, and his features were made more feminine.<ref name="History104"/> Nearly fifty names were considered for Dixie, including Didene, Dee, Daisy, Dandi, Dolly, Dizzie, Danni, Dippy and Ducky. The team initially opted for Diddiane before finally deciding on Dixie. [[Shigeru Miyamoto]] participated in the creation of the game's characters, as he had for the previous game. Miyamoto offered different motifs to adorn Dixie's beret with, including a banana, a heart and a logo, namely one inspired by that of the musical group [[ABBA]]. Rare incorporated the idea for a logo and placed a small version of the company's own on Dixie's beret in early promotional art. The creation of Dixie came at the expense of Donkey Kong's fiancée Candy Kong, who was removed from the game's cast due to Nintendo's concerns over her sexually provocative nature.<ref name="History107">{{Cite book |language=fr |first=Régis |last=Monterrin |title=L'Histoire de Donkey Kong |publisher=Éditions Pix'n Love |date=June 2018 |pages=107–108 |isbn=9782371880597}}</ref> The design choice to have Diddy and Dixie transform into the friendly animals that were initially mounted in the previous game was made out of concerns over sprite size; additionally, Gregg noted that having the two player characters clinging onto a parrot would significantly reduce its maneuverability.<ref name="RetroGamer181"/>

''Donkey Kong Country 2'' was released worldwide in late 1995. In Australia, Nintendo released the ''Donkey Kong Country 2'' Pirate Pak, a limited edition bundle of the game and SNES console.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://consolevariations.com/variation/console/super-nintendo-donkey-kong-country-2-pirate-pak-bundle|title=SNES Donkey Kong Country 2 Pirate Pak|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230418224030/https://consolevariations.com/variation/console/super-nintendo-donkey-kong-country-2-pirate-pak-bundle|archive-date=18 April 2023|website=Consolevariations|access-date=18 April 2023}}</ref>

===Audio===
The soundtrack of ''Diddy's Kong Quest'' was composed by [[David Wise (composer)|David Wise]] and was released in the United States as ''The Original Donkey Kong Country 2 Soundtrack''.<ref name="IGNVideogameAlbums">{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2008/09/26/10-great-videogame-albums?page=2 |title=10 Great Videogame Albums |website=[[IGN]] |last=Nix |first=Marc |date=September 26, 2008 |access-date=July 19, 2019 |archive-date=July 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230729201934/https://www.ign.com/articles/2008/09/26/10-great-videogame-albums?page=2 |url-status=live }}</ref> The soundtrack maintains similarity to its predecessor with its prominent percussion and eclectic genres ranging between [[big band]], [[disco]] and [[Hip hop music|hip hop]]. The melodies and rhythms are largely comical in tone, but occasionally melancholic.<ref name="IGNVideogameAlbums"/><ref name="History113">{{Cite book |language=fr |first=Régis |last=Monterrin |title=L'Histoire de Donkey Kong |publisher=Éditions Pix'n Love |date=June 2018 |pages=113–115 |isbn=9782371880597}}</ref> Certain themes are reminiscent of compositions by [[Vangelis]] and [[Phil Collins]].<ref name="History113"/> Wise cited [[Koji Kondo]]'s music for the ''Mario'' and ''Zelda'' games, Geoff and [[Tim Follin]]'s music for ''[[Plok!]]'', and synthesizer-based film soundtracks released in the 1980s as influences in creating the music for the ''Donkey Kong Country'' series.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Interview with David Wise |url=http://www.squareenixmusic.com/features/interviews/davidwise.shtml |website=Square Enix Music Online |access-date=August 27, 2015 |date=December 2010 |last=Greening |first=Chris |archive-date=January 15, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120115042157/http://www.squareenixmusic.com/features/interviews/davidwise.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> The orchestral sound of ''Donkey Kong Country 2'' was influenced by the works of [[Russian classical music|Russian classical]] composers such as [[Prokofiev]], [[Tchaikovsky]], and [[Mussorgsky]], which was done to fit with the game's darker theme.<ref>{{cite video |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_RNM2QlujU |title=Composer David Wise Dissects Donkey Kong Country's Best Music |publisher=[[Game Informer]] |website=[[YouTube]] |date=July 5, 2019 |time=26:10 |access-date=March 24, 2025 |archive-date=September 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240917155546/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_RNM2QlujU}}</ref> As with its predecessor, the music was produced for the SNES's [[SPC700]] chip for the game to sound similar to the [[Korg Wavestation]] synthesizer.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gera |first1=Emily |title=Synth, big band jazz and the remaking of Donkey Kong Country's amazing sound |url=http://www.polygon.com/2014/3/5/5456852/donkey-kong-country-tropical-freeze-music |website=Polygon |access-date=February 6, 2016 |date=March 6, 2014 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304121702/http://www.polygon.com/2014/3/5/5456852/donkey-kong-country-tropical-freeze-music |url-status=live }}</ref>

The game's soundtrack was the focus of an [[OverClocked ReMix]] collaboration, ''Serious Monkey Business''. The final track, "Donkey Kong Rescued", was remixed by David Wise himself, featuring [[Grant Kirkhope]] on electric guitar and [[Robin Beanland]] on trumpet.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://dkc2.ocremix.org/ |title=OverClocked ReMix Presents 'Serious Monkey Business' |publisher=OverClocked Ltd |access-date=January 2, 2016 |archive-date=July 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190719171614/http://dkc2.ocremix.org/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02000/ |title=ReMix: Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest 'Re-Skewed' |publisher=OverClocked Ltd |access-date=January 3, 2016 |date=October 28, 2010 |archive-date=September 19, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180919060401/http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02000 |url-status=live }}</ref>