3. Donkey Kong Country (1994) (SNES) (Developer: Rare)
Despite the fact that Donkey Kong had always been pitched as an antagonist of his red-clad rival Mario, Donkey Kong Country gave the big dumb ape a chance to set out on his own adventure, one that granted players a side-scrolling experience like no other. Given the choice between controlling DK himself or his younger, hipper nephew Diddy (complete with baseball cap), the game offered a relentlessly enjoyable (but often difficult) cartoon jamboree, especially when players were granted the chance to hope aboard rhinos and ostriches whilst collecting those all important bananas.
4. Star Fox 64 (1997) (N64) (Developer: Nintendo EAD)
Taking its cues from the SNES game of the same name (minus the 64), Star Fox 64 manages to curb the weird factor, despite a psychedelic premise which pits you as a talking fox piloting a space fighter. As Fox McCloud, your mission is to take back the galaxy from the evil overlord Andross, leading your team through a number of perilous terrains, blasting baddies and flying through gold rings. Even though the rest of your team are scripted throughout (the sarcastic Falco Lombardi is a keen highlight), Star Fox 64 succeeds because it makes the in-flight conversation sections feel spontaneous, cleverly emulating the buddy banter of the Yavin attack sequence in George Lucas’ Star Wars.
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