When rumors of a new Donkey Kong game being developed for the GameCube first surfaced many people dreamed of what would be possible on the powerful system. Then news leaked that Namco was involved and soon afterward it was announced as a rhythm game that used bongos. The initial response on message boards was extremely negative, but as E3 rolled around and then later when the game became playable in stores, many of the attitudes changed and Donkey Konga soared to the top of many gamers' most wanted lists. The final game has finally released and it's definitely worth your $50.

Over the past few years we've seen games like Dance Dance Revolution, Samba de Amigo, Bust-A-Groove and other rhythm games be released with moderate success on other gaming systems. It was only a matter of time before Nintendo joined the crowd with its own game. Created by some of the same developers that made Taiko Drum Beat in Japan so popular, Donkey Konga utilizes a set of bongos to interact with the music on-screen. The premise is so simple that I've seen players as young as 3 to as old as 55 play with success, and have a blast while doing so. Each bongo set has two drums. The player hits the left drum when the yellow target passes through a reticule on the far left side of the screen. As red targets pass by the right drum is used. Players must hit both drums simultaneously for pink circles. Built in to the bongos is a microphone that can detect clapping. When blue icons pass by the player can clap or hit the sides of the drums. All of these different "buttons" may seem daunting at first, but once a few songs have been played it becomes relatively simple and fun to keep beat to the music.

There are several modes of play. The single player game is where players can play through songs and earn money. The better he or she performs, the more coins given. Coins unlock new mini-games, different drum sounds, and songs for the higher difficulty setting. Extra bongos can be purchased in stores for around $30 so up to four players can partake in the game simultaneously. As an alternative, the regular GameCube controller can also be used to play, but the experience just isn't the same. If 2 players are going at it, they can play the duel mode to see who can earn the most points. Throughout the song there are POW blocks that can wipe away the other player's score as well as slot machines that deliver extra points. The Street Jam is where up to 4 players can play the game together, with each person taking part in creating the song. This mode is the most fun to play and I guarantee every person playing will be having a great time. The only downside to this mode is that it requires a massive monetary investment (approx. $140 for the game and three extra bongos).

The graphics are fairly simplistic with Donkey Kong references thrown in for good measure. The sound and music is where the game needs to be good, and thankfully, for the most part, Donkey Konga succeeds. What's unique about this game is that it has a wide arrange of music. Kids song like "Row, row row your boat" and "Bingo" are somewhat surprising, but fun to listen to even as an adult. Then there are modern songs like "All the small things" by Blink 182. Throw a few orchestrated songs and some oldies into the mix and the track list is almost complete. This wouldn't be a Nintendo game without some cool tunes from other games. Luckily there's a Zelda and Mario song to keep hardcore gamers happy. For the younger folks the Kirby and Pokemon themes are in there as well. And, for the really desperate gamers out there, DK's Rap is included from Donkey Kong 64. Joy!

Donkey Konga is a must-have for this holiday season. The game appeals to almost anyone who sees it and achieves the impossible: you will get people who normally don't touch a controller to play this game. By changing the interface and creating a fun set of songs, Nintendo and Namco have released a game that caters toward the widest spectrum of people available. The only thing that could be improved on for the sequel would be more songs and even more variety. There's almost too much of a focus on video game and kids songs so they don't get played as often when playing multiplayer. Other than that small qualm, Donkey Konga rocks and should not be missed. I'm already looking forward to an expansion disc (c'mon Nintendo, you did it for Japan) and of course I'm eager to play Donkey Kong Jungle Beat, which is scheduled for Spring 2005 and will use the bongos in this action game, which is similar to Donkey Kong Country. Don't miss out on the perfect party game for the GameCube.