I was surfing IGN the other day and came across a Wii game called Klonoa a 3D game that has a side scrolling style that allows you to explore the levels in both 2D and 3D. The camera movement is predetermined just like the original DKC games but instead of the camera and character being stuck to a 2 dimensional plane the camera can move around in 3D and allow the character to move along in different axis in a 3D way. Think of it as 2.5D, a cross between the DKC and DK64.
See example
Link to gameplay clip of Klonoa
I personally would like to see a Donkey Kong Country 4 with a gameplay style like Klonoa where you are not limited to a 2D perspective. This could be an innovative way to re-introduce a Donkey Kong platformer to the current generation of gamers. I also think Nintendo should hire a developer such as Retro Studios who has a good reputation for making beautiful and atmospheric games. The atmosphere of the first 2 DKC games is what really made them memorable for me.
I created a messy looking poll. You can vote on 2 options and change your votes if you decide to. If you have better suggestions let me know and I will revise the poll.
Share your ideas for the next Donkey Kong game here.