Nintendo Donkey Kong Country AI Remake Game
Bando do Gato has just published three mind-blowing movies that give Donkey Kong Country, the 1994 Super Nintendo classic, a huge facelift while retaining every ounce of its spirit. These side-by-side comparisons show the original pixel graphics alongside these amazing AI-enhanced renderings of the same scenes, and it’s a mix of nostalgia and astonishment.



What’s interesting is that Bando do Gato started with individual images from the original game, which were then inserted into an AI software, allowing it to reimagine the scene in high definition. It’s like using a fine-tooth comb to go over every nook and cranny. Donkey Kong, for example, is razor-sharp, with exquisite shading on his fur that emphasizes his musculature and texture. Not to mention Diddy Kong, who’s still clinging to his back with the same adorable proportions as before, with every strand of hair on his head visible.


He chose to stick with the original art direction. Many of these AI-created images end up transforming old games into photorealistic or something that has little relation to their original source; however, these movies maintain the look and feel of the Rare crew from the early 1990s. Everything from the brilliant colors to the slightly exaggerated proportions and striking silhouettes is included. The jungle levels now appear to be teeming with deeper green and glowing leaves. The mine carts now travel through caverns that reflect the light from the crystals and water.The pirate ship stages feature deep shadows and richly textured wood, giving each board a hand-hewn appearance.


It turns out that Rare created all of the 3D computer-generated models for characters and enemies back in the day, just for box art and advertisements. Bando do Gato’s project is similar to taking those models and doing the opposite of what Rare did. The AI-generated frames resemble what the game would have looked like if Rare had used modern tools to reconstruct everything without altering their creative vision in the slightest. Long-time fans will notice how similar this feels to a possible remake of the game, using the original CGI elements in real-time.
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