Donkey Kong Barrel Blast

Donkey Kong Barrel Blast

Nintendo

(Nintendo Wii)




Rocket-powered apes barreling through tropical landscapes at warp speeds- no, it's not a new series on the Sci-Fi channel; it's Donkey Kong Barrel Blast for the Nintendo Wii. The premise of Barrel Blast is strikingly similar to Mario Kart, but with a few unique twists.

If you recall Donkey Konga, the game that had you banging on the drum all day with the now-antiquated Gamecube, the congos used in the game were originally supposed to be the main controls in Barrel Blast. (I won't lie, I was a bit torn up inside when I found out my favorite piece of percussion was going to miss out on a new lease on life.) Since the idea was scrapped, you need to perfect your air-drum technique with the Nunchuck and the Wiimote in order to hit those warp speeds. Bang your invisible drum on the right and your character will veer right. Bang left, and, well, you get the point. To hit optimum speed, you need to drum the air continuously. This can get tiring, so you might want to begin each session with some preemptive arm stretches.