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I finally have unlocked everything from Emerald Rush and can talk about it in full! I’m sure the DLC is still under some scrutiny, but let’s look past that and talk about why you may or may not want to spend $20 on this. So, let’s hop into our official DK Bananza: Emerald Rush review!
Story
The story begins when the Eel takes you to DK Island, saying something is going on up there. When you arrive, you see Void is also there, which obviously spells trouble. When you go and talk to him, he goes on a bit of a tangent about how he found this new green emerald ore and it’s going to make him rich. Though he’s down some employees and now, you, start working for him by running around and collecting it for him.
After you have gotten enough points throughout all of your Emerald Rush runs to get the last outfit, you get a nice little cutscene involving Void. I won’t say what, since I don’t want to spoil it.
Gameplay
You start off on DK Island as a sort of tutorial to what Emerald Rush is. You’ll be running around destroying clumps of emerald to collect for Void. The more you collect, the better your score will be at the end. Each round gives you so much time on the clock to meet Void’s quota, and if you don’t, that’s it for it. If you do meet it, he takes that amount from your overall collected amount.
As you play, you can break fossils to select an emerald perk, which help you in a variety of different ways during your run. The bananas you break with either provide ore, chips or give you a skill. Did I fail to mention all of those are reset? What you’ve done in the actual game does not carry over to Emerald Rush, it is all reset. All of your skills are back to square one and you get to use the chips to upgrade them at any time during the run.
How do you collect those chips? Either run around and destroy bananas or the easiest way is to complete Void’s goals that he gives you. These can be either destroying rocks, breaking sand, going for a swim or destroying enemies. You’ll also be rewards with a set amount of ore too and choose an emerald perk after you complete one.
As you play, you get points and your rank goes up in the Void Co chart, unlocking new perks, clothes or different layers at which you can play Emerald Rush in. Don’t be fooled, Emerald Rush is, at the core, a roguelike. It is fun, challenging but also can be rewarding.
Graphics
These are the same as the base game, nothing quite different to report. What I can say is that DK Island is nice to look at in a more modern setting. You can visit DK’s house and have fun there.
Soundtrack
The music for DK Island is usually smoothing and tranquil. While in Emerald Rush though, it’s more of a fast-paced beat to keep up with the gameplay. Each corresponding layer has a similar tone to it as you play.
Controls
These are the same as the base game, no difference. They feel just as solid playing in docked or handheld.
Replayability
With this being a roguelike mini game, more or less, you can definitely sink some time into it if you wish to challenge yourself with a higher difficulty. Personally, I don’t find any replay value after unlocking all the outfits, etc. However, that’s just me. For someone who wants total completion, this might be their dream.
Scores
Story: 7/10
Gameplay: 9/10
Graphics: 10/10
Soundtrack: 10/10
Controls: 8/10
Replayability: 9/10
Overall:
Conclusion
While the price tag may deter some people from getting this, which I do understand why it may, I feel like Emerald Rush is a nice concept. Although, DK Island is missing a lot and feels like a very short nostalgia trip than an actual place to explore. Honestly, this DLC would be better off being $10 instead of $20, but I rest my case.
make sure to go read my review for the base game and if you don’t already own (paid link) Bananza, then consider getting a copy.
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