Unlike some of Nintendo's franchises, Donkey Kong has rarely ventured out of one genre: platforming. The Kong family will finally be straying into the new territory, however, with the Rare-developed Game Boy Advance puzzle title Donkey Kong Coconut Crackers.

Falling paint

   In Coconut Crackers, paint-filled coconuts fall in set patterns onto a grid. When the coconuts strike, they shatter, leaving square tiles of paint on the board. Players must manipulate the falling coconuts so that the paint forms squares and rectangles. The paint comes in two different colors, red and green; shapes must be made of only one paint color. While players can paint over an existing paint tile with the other color, they cannot place coconuts over tiles of the same color.

   Players will also have to contend with the nefarious Kremlings. While players are shuffling coconuts, a Kremling spirals in from the outside of the board, trampling over the paint and rendering unusable any tile he touches. However, whenever the player successfully completes a shape, one of the Kongs' animal buddies will appear and drive away the Kremling, restoring some of the lost tiles.

Mode select

   All the standard puzzle game modes will be featured in the game. The main lure is the Adventure Mode, which presents players with increasingly difficult levels and changing DK-themed backgrounds - jungles, volcanoes, beehives, etc. - as they venture across Kong Island. Gamers can also square off head-to-head against Kremling bosses in the Battle Mode, solve Cranky Kong's puzzles in the Challenge Mode, and try to survive the quickening coconut supply as long as possible in the Endurance Mode. A multi-player mode using the link cable will also be included.

   While Donkey Kong Coconut Crackers doesn't look to add anything particularly striking to the puzzle genre, it should provide a fresh new challenge that doesn't involve falling blocks - and the popular Donkey Kong license will ensure that the game isn't completely ignored. Look for Donkey Kong Coconut Crackers in November.