Track of the Week: Aquatic Ambiance (Donkey Kong Country)

Welcome back to another exciting edition of Track of the Week, Dojo Disciples! In honor of this week’s Nintendojo tribute to Rare, we’re going to kick things off with one of my personal favorite Nintendo songs: Aquatic Ambiance! Aquatic Ambiance is a song that, even after all these years, still brings me back to playing the original Donkey Kong Country over my friend’s house as a kid. The soundtracks to the DKC series have always perfectly fit each level, but this is probably one of the most recognized and well-regarded. Out of all the tracks from the series, no other has stuck with me in quite the same way.

When it was announced that Retro Studios would develop a brand new sequel to the series, I was disheartened to learn that Donkey Kong Country Returns wouldn’t feature the water levels that the original had. Luckily, Retro must have realized how important this song was to the fans, as it still made its way into the game. We’ve included the updated version of the song, for your listening pleasure!

Personally, I think it’s a fantastic update to a fantastic song. I especially like the added piano segments. It’s like when your favorite band covers a song you already loved, and the result is different, but still something that makes you smile. Which version do you prefer? Let us know in the comments below!