The DK coins aren't "extra". You need all DK coins to get the Gyrocopter. The Gyrocopter is NOT unlocked by beating Knautilus (the second K. Rool battle), Knautilus grants a DK coin for completing it, and therefore, if you already got every other DK coin, you'll get the Gyrocopter after being Knautilus. If you got the banana bird queen cutscene, you got everything in the game and 103% completion.
@@TheRealSlimPiggy no but if you input the cheat code HARDR before starting a new game, you lose all checkpoint and DK barrels for the whole game, and if you reach full completion again you get 105% instead of 103%.
it's possible to get 105%, you have to play on hard mode, which you need the cheat, and it has no save barrels, and dk barrels, which means you start with both kongs at the beginning of the lvl and if you lose one its gone for that entire lvl
@Xavier 1984 Inaccurate. The code HARDR removes just the DK barrels. The max percent for that mode is 104%. The code TUFST removes DK barrels and checkpoint barrels, and has the max percent of 105%.
I think the snowman bossfight is supposed to be a robot or animatronic of some kind because: 1. He explodes when he's defeated. What kind of snowman does that? 2. His laughter is a short loop, almost like a recording of some kind. 3. He glitches when you hit his weak point. 4. Why would be vulnerable to snowballs ? 5.it fits with the industrial theme of the game.
It is VERY underrated. When I was a kid, this game was never ever criticized: everybody just loved it, myself included. Ah, and opening your video with “Rockface Rumble” playing in the first scenario was awesome. You just got a new subscriber. Keep rocking!
Same. I remember when it came out people loved it as much as the other DKC games, it was years later on social media that I started to see some criticism, that was weird.
Incredible. Finally a review that is not extremely severe with this great game. Even though DCK2 Will be always my favorite game, this is at least, in my top ten also. Kongratulations on another great video! :)
To this day, don’t understand why DKC3 got bad press. Every bit as great a game as DKC2 in my opinion. Have such fond memories playing this on Christmas Day when it released.
foxymetroid It’s kiddy? Eh?? Or do you mean it HAS Kiddy? (Because personally, think he plays better than DK in the original) Everything about the game was great imo- fantastic overworld, great level designs, perfect visuals, and a great soundtrack (though in that respect, not as strong as the soundtrack for the first two games)
@@andyc6542 By "kiddy", I mean it's brighter and more "cartoony" than the previous entries. Still a great game, but some people were of the "bright+colorful=for teh babyz" mindset.
foxymetroid Oh, that makes sense. And you’re right- it is slightly more colourful and maybe more cartoony than the other two. Still absolutely love it though, and it still plays like a dream!
dkc2 is the best game in the trilogy, but 3 is also great. i think the hatred towards kiddie stems more towards the marketing at the time, which heavily pushed kiddie as the star, despite being dixies game. the ads were stupid, and like so many like it, miss the point. also the footies do not look great at all. aside from that last complaint, and the complaint that dixie cant hoist him as easily like she could diddy, i don't mind him. hes my least favorite of the playable kongs, but i dont hate him. hes passable. besides nothing can ever come close to the iconic duo of donkey and diddy, and dixies just as strong, just stiff competition from what came before.
There's 1 more completion bonus: Beat the game with 105% and getting a better time than Cranky's 5:15 get's you the "IMMORTAL MONKEY!" rating, and a cool Kung-Fu Cranky animation!
I was an active gamer back when this game came out. I have to say, I never would have known the game had a bad reputation. We already owned DKC 1 and 2, and when we got DKC 3, it was pretty much exactly what we expected. I don't remember if we had the N64 yet or not, but I do remember that my Mom and I suffered from motion sickness on early 3D games at first, so we kept going back to the SNES for a couple years until we got used to it. I think a lot of people just enjoyed playing as Diddy. Although I think that's odd, because my Mom's favorite character was Donkey Kong, and my favorite was Dixie Kong. When we got this game, we kept mistakenly calling Kiddie "Donkey Kong" at first, because they played similarly. In fact, I don't really think it would have affected things much at all if the game had been about Donkey and Dixie rescuing Diddy.
I agree, I plan to add subtitles to all my tutorials and update videos. I have seen the massive lack of subs on youtube, and I would even add them for others if more creators would allow that in their settings.
I'm not even kidding when I say that the ambience and music from the first levels is the reason why I stopped playing this game for years. Something about it was really displeasing, and I can't put my finger on it. I really regret it, because I beat the game recently and I enjoyed the rest of it. I think this game gets unfairly criticized a lot
I love this game and was surprised at the negativity towards it. This game felt SO refreshing after the punishing difficulty and darkness of DKC2. The music and the breezy island atmosphere felt so good, and the graphics! This game is easily one of the best looking on the system. Such a beautiful game, I almost felt a little emotional seeing those waterfall levels here again. This game is noticeably easier than its predecessors which just serves to make it all the more enjoyable IMO. It is a FUN GAME! Gone is the stress of trying to beat several levels in order to save. Kiddy is easily the most charming Kong yet and I love the kiddy vibe throughout. The rail levels and other fast paced levels are a blast. Each level feels like an accomplishment in gaming development. I wouldn’t hesitate to cal DKC3 a masterpiece and an essential title on the snes, a beautiful swan song for the og country series and a beautifully mature late period snes game. Love love love it.
"The last phase requires the player to dodge an increasing number of spike attacks. The patterns are complex" *avoids every wave of spikes by sitting in one spot*
CoinBox170 normally I stick up for them even when they play poorly, but after watching this I agree with you. They need to start doing research before they play. At least learn the basic controls of the game. Mike is always saying “I never read instructions when I was a kid because that’s like reading at school”. Well, Mike, that’s fucking dumb. Enjoy being shitty at some of the most basic video games because of it. James to be fair does break out instructions sometimes. But I think Mike feels like he’s “too cool” to look up help.
What really irks me is that they claim to be long time fans of the first two games. They would probably boast that they were playing those games before I was even born (which is possible). But when I was watching that episode, I was thinking "could've fooled me". The jump and grab both control pretty much the same across all games yet Mike was struggling to pick up a beetle and hold onto it. They got angry that they couldn't jump towards an illuminated rat after the fifteenth attempt. And for the love of all that is holy, HOLD Y TO RUN! There were so many more instances of them tripping hard, but I don't have all night.
@@CoinBox170 THIS. It was so painful to watch, knowing they could have done infinitely better, had they just put even a few minutes into looking up the mere basics. And paid at least _some_ attention while playing. And they *can* play games, both having beaten a ton of games that are either flat-out broken, have nintendo hard BS difficulty, or both. Stuff of the caliber that I personally won't ever want to even bother attempting.
Mike is a hypocrite and there various videos about people calling him out on many things(no famous youtubers obviously) I unsubscribe to that channel years ago. Mike is unbearable and he always has to complain and whine in everything whether modern or retro game.
Thank you! I've heard so many people dump on this games over the years, usually for the reasons you highlighted and without any elaboration. It was particularly great to hear you take down the "gimmicky" complaint. One thing that I think is interesting about this game is that you can see how elements that would be prevalent in 3D collectathons are present here. As you said, bottomless pits are not nearly as common. They're almost completely absent from the first half of the game, replaced by hazards that are more thematically appropriate for each stage (saws, piranhas, vats of deadly liquid). Also, bosses rarely cause contact damage unless there's a clear reason for it (like Barbos and her spikes). There's a degree of overworld exploration, and helping out NPCs for rewards. The animal buddies skew away from pure platforming (Rambi and Rattly) and toward puzzle solving (Ellie, Quawks, and Parry). The game's often seen as retreading old ground, but it bridges the gameplay gap between DKC2 and Banjo-Kazooie.
DKC 3 to me added a bunch of interesting ideas to the series while not trying to "beat" what they did in DKC 2. Bobslide rides, a giant saw cutting through a whole forest, pipeline odysseys that confuse your controls, dangerous adventures in gorgeous mountains, a snowball fight kinda making Cranky's Ball game a boss, a very difficult rocket game and small rpg elements in a jump and run game. What's not to love? For me it beats DKC 1 in almost everything personally. DKC 2 from me gets a rating of 11/10, there is no better game in my eyes in all of history. DKC 3 from me gets like a 9,7 rating being one of the defining games of my childhood and youth and still love it today
It might be my favorite in terms of level design. You can see the start of Rareware branching out into the exploration-based gameplay of their N64 era.
I never understood why people dislike this game, I loved all 3 games equally as a kid but I feel maybe 3 was my favorite it's the only DKC game I managed to 100%...well 103% in this case and I didn't even use guides or anything.
Gaming Pal Ollie everyone hates us and I’ve never understood it. Me and my sister and mom love this one and 2 equally, with also loving the first one. But 3 is just amazing. The soundtrack is t as good as 2, but I would argue it might be even more atmospheric and fun. And the open world map is the best part🤟
Synthetic Reality atmospheric? My man I just finished the game today, and the entire final cutscene has a weird fanfare that just doesn’t fit, and the credits just play the bonus room theme!! Not to mention songs like stilt village that sound more like they’re from some bad point and click for children, if you like it because of nostalgia that’s fair, but saying it’s atmospheric?
@Dry Boi we're just gonna have to agree to disagree here dude, I've 103% this game just a few months ago and the only 2 tracks that were even remotely good are treetop tumble and rockface rumble, and they don't even compare to the best songs in DKC1 and 2, I can only see you liking the songs in DKC3 more because of nostalgia, because I have never heard a single person that didn't play DKC3 as a kid and thinks its soundtrack is even remotely on par with that of the first two games
Outstanding video, I played DKC3 the day it came out, and eventually got the 103% completion. 23 years later, I had no idea that 105% was achievable. Thanks for the great work on this review/retrospective.
Unpopular opinion here. I love all 3 of the original SNES Donkey Kong Country games but if I had to choose which one is the best one of the three I'm going to have to say it's this one. The thing that I really liked about this game was the amount of creativity. The variety in the moves for both the Kongs and the Animal Buddies both old and new were one thing but each level offered something new to the table to make it stand out. The game also has the most enemies of any game in the trilogy with each world introducing at least one new enemy. There is even an enemy that you won't encounter until you get to the game's true final world being these 2 short brown crocodile enemies that attack in pairs trying to charge or stomp you. Also I never get the Kiddy hate either. I found him to be a funny and charming one off character. I like how expressive and funny he is and I also like the idea that he is a baby yet he is the type of muscle type character who could go against a Krumple no problem. All the "gimmicks" never really bothered me but instead worked in making the levels stand out and provide a good challenge. Never really is it the game's fault if you screw up but more along the lines you didn't either pay attention to your surroundings or mistimed a jump. The game also has the best bosses I think. Every world now has a boss too much like DKC1 and each boss is now more elaborate in how they are fought having different attack phases to them. It's much better then having to fight Krow twice as a boss with the 6th world having no boss then having 2 battles with K. Rool and while there are 2 K. Rool fights in this game as well at least with the first boss you fight Kaos as well and he has a new head to mix things up and the K. Rool fights again are very creative. Also the music is definitely above average game music I think and still has that Rare seal of quality with very good songs like Cavern Caprice, Water World, Rockface Rumble, Nuts and Bolts, Hot Pursuit, and Cascade Capers to name a few. So yes in my honest opinion this is the best game in the original SNES trilogy. DKC2 is amazing but I can't help but admire the level of creativity that DKC3 put into it's mechanics, it's levels, and it's boss fights which for me makes it the definitive game for me.
It is bizarre that some people go as far as putting DKC 3 as the worst game in the entire DKC franchise. It is light years better than DKC 1 and easily on par with DKC 2 and Tropical Freeze. The creativity, like you mentioned, is off the charts--- Ellie's ability to suck and squirt water, the bear quests, banana birds, lightning world, parrot able to lift barrels, the tiny bird, Kiddy's water skip, etc. The puzzle elements add more layers to an already great franchise. And disliking Kiddy has nothing to do with the quality of the game. That just comes down to more character preference. He controls just fine and compliments Dixie as a big character.
Donkey Kong Country 3 has always been my favorite of the DKC trilogy and I still don't really know why. It just has a charm that I love that feels like it's own thing despite being clearly Donkey Kong.
Found this video in my recommended, Thank you for bringing me back, So many memories, I legit shed a tear because Ill never be able to experience those amazing moments as a child again. Sitting in my room all day under a blanket and the TV, playing nothing but some good ol SNES games. Those were the days.
I completely agree; I love the entire Super NES DKC trilogy, including DKC3. While I don't know if I'd go so far as to call it my favorite entry in the trilogy (I like them all!), it's a really, really good game, and in fact manages to improve on the first two DKC games in some ways.
It's been a long time since I last played this. I remember hating the Simon Says Banana Bird side quest so much and was disillusioned with them reusing level themes, but maybe it's better than I remember. It's possible. I did like some of the gimmicks like the light fish in the water levels, so who knows. It might go from "weakest in the trilogy" to "second best". I also never understood why some people hated Kiddy Kong. The crying always got a laugh out of me, and that Game Over screen kind of disturbs me as I wonder who is opening the door to the dark crib room.
@@bubbythebear6891 Yup, and honestly (in my opinion) it made the games better, as it was cool seeing how creative they could be using the same tile set, but applying different obstacles/challenges.
DKC 2 is one of the best games I have ever played, but 3 is awesome as well. The art is a little different, but still from a technical standpoint, the graphics even more impressive than 2. Great OST again, tons of innovative puzzles and secrets and it's super challenging, way harder than 1 & 2.
i never knew this game wasn't liked/loved until i was told i wasn't supposed to like it - i LOVED this game growing up and put a lot of effort into completing it (Completionist style)
I'm so glad you pointed it out though, because it drove me insane when watching their video, haha. Great review too; DKC3 is my favourite of the trilogy.
One important thing to remember when discussing DKC3 and it's soundtrack is that it was almost entirely composed by Eveline Novakovic (at the time Eveline Fischer) with very minimal involvement from David Wise, the main composer of DKC 1 and sole composer of DKC2. It's interesting to note, however, that the GBA port of DKC3 had a completely new soundtrack composed for it, this time entirely done by David Wise. A great listen for anyone who wants to hear Wise's take on the game's sound design (the first level's track stands out in particular, named Stilt Village).
When I got my snes, DKC3 was the game I got with it so it was my introduction to DKC which is why I have such fond memories of this game and my favorite DKC.
I wish they brought back the free-roam overworld system from 3. That was always my favorite part of the game. Hopefully, if there's a third game in the Donkey Kong Returns sub-series, they bring back the overworld exploration rather than have the sprites move on a fixed path.
DKC3: 1. The general vibe is steampunk+saturday morning cartoon themed 2. Bonus area are all access via bonus barrels as opposed to the combination of bonus barrels and secret passages from the previous games. 3. The tabogan levels are bad, even worse than the auto-scrolling mine cart and rollercoaster gimmick stages from the previous games 4. A lot were not a fan of bonus barrels being the reward for escorting Parry the bird to the end of a stage, if they fail the bonus stage, they will have to redo the entire level just to have another chance. 4. I wish Kiddy's water jumping move was used more in creative ways instead of just being used in I believe 2 or 3 stages, the same goes with his piggyback floor slam, only used in port levels
On graphics. 16:37 This is the most beautiful looking game on the SNES, especially in sections with water. Those water reflections on the first level. The transparency effect in the waterfall levels. The design and color of the coral reefs of the underwater levels. The art direction as a whole is gorgeous! On music. 12:39 I disagree on what he said about Stilt Village (first level) music. It's a well composed theme that fits the design of the first level. Not as great as Jungle Hijinx (DKC1 first level), but in my opinion better than the first level of DKC2. The soundtrack as a whole is underrated. It has some great themes such as Treetop Tumble (tree climbing level music), Nuts and Bolts (factory level music), Water World (underwater music) and Big Boss Blues (K. Rool music). But the overall best track goes to Rockface Rumble (cliff level music).
Others have stated they enjoy Stilt Village as well. I'm surprised as it sounds like a half finished piece to me, like an instrument or two are missing. But I think music may also be the most subjective thing to try and review, so what do I know haha :)
I believe that really was the intention of the composer for Stilt Village. Instruments are minimal but focused more on the melody to be catchy which she achieved. You're right that when it comes to opinions about game soundtrack, it is subjective.
Interesting points. Now I ask this to the haters. Name one thing DKC 2 does better than 3 outside of the soundtrack. In DKC 3, the kong pair is more balanced( big and small vs 2 small), the graphics are more polished, the levels have more variation and creativity( puzzles, moving saw blades, mice in wheels, owls shooting fire balls, etc), the bosses do not rehash and they take more thought to beat, the secrets are expanded upon(banana birds, bear quests, vehicle upgrades, cave puzzles) and there is more replayability. The cheat codes enable more difficulty and other creative ways to play the game( Christmas bonus stages anyone?) DKC 2 is no doubt a masterpiece, but DKC 3 is easily on par with the 2nd, if not even better in some ways. DKC 1 is light years below these two. It had useless secret rooms and 2 and 3 just expanded on it so much.
bro, I loved this game when it released. I had friends that hated on it because the star was Dixie, even though she is one of the best protagonist in any game ever.
After re-playing all 3 games on the Switch I have to say that this one is my favourite simply for the level difficulty. The levels feel more fun than frustrating while still not being super easy. I actually couldn’t re-play all of DK2 because I couldn’t get past the giant bee boss and was wondering how I ever did it as a kid because it seems impossible. The bosses in DK3 by comparison were challenging, but not to the extent of that damn giant bee. My only gripe is that everything seems to be ‘kiddified’. The enemies and new animal buddies are all rounded and kind of goofy looking so it feels more like a little kid’s game. But overall I enjoyed it the most out of the three games.
Code HARDR will get you just one life per level and a final score of 103. TUFST will give you no extra life and no save spot on each level with a final score of 105 and Cranky's trophy!!
I rented this as a kid back in the day and didn't bother to finish it because of Kiddy Kong but when the Wii VC came out I was already over and done with the Kiddy Kong hate. I buckled down and finished this game and surprisingly I enjoyed DKC3 more than DKC2, DKC1. DKC3 was more enjoyable to 105% than the previous games, DKC3 even on the hardest difficulty is pretty forgiving and respects the player's patience. Example is how you can save, Saving is free at all times also you can leave a location at any time to save your progress so if you had school, work, or wanted to take a break because of a certain challenge was getting to you... You can just stop right there, save and come back to it when you're ready. DKC1 and 2's OST and graphics are amazing but DKC2 is always considered the best but DKC2 has too many dark songs which isn't bad but there are times when I just say "Oh DKC2 put a fuckin' smile on your face you edgy boi.". DKC3 has a more varied soundtrack also the graphics are better giving out more lovely colours to look at and all kinds of techniques to make the world come to life. Also I've always loved forests, winter and mountains so there is that bit of appeal to me.
DKC3 was the perfect way to up the ante on the first two titles. 8 year old me mastered DKC, 10 year old me handled the rise in difficulty that came with DKC2. When it came to DKC3, RARE went all out for its core DKC fans and introduced 12 year old me to many gaming tropes that are now commonplace (collectables, secret maps, open world, side quests and even speedrunning). I cannot praise this title enough.
I overall do like DKC3, and I'm glad someone else has pointed out that it's really not as bad as people say. There are a few levels that I really don't like (Poisonous Pipeline, Lightning Lookout, and Konveyor Rope Klash, for example), which I feel holds DKC3 back in comparison to the rest of the series, but I still think it's a great game.
Name one thing DKC 2 does better than 3 outside of the soundtrack. In DKC 3, the kong pair is more balanced( big and small vs 2 small), the graphics are more polished, the levels have more variation and creativity( puzzles, moving saw blades, mice in wheels, owls shooting fire balls, etc), the bosses do not rehash and they take more thought to beat, the secrets are expanded upon(banana birds, bear quests, vehicle upgrades, cave puzzles) and there is more replayability. The cheat codes enable more difficulty and other creative ways to play the game( Christmas bonus stages anyone?) DKC 2 is no doubt a masterpiece, but DKC 3 is easily on par with the 2nd, if not even better in some ways. DKC 1 is light years below these two.
Over the years I have appreciated the game more. The problem is it had to follow perfection. I didn't have too many problems with Kiddie, but something was missing from this one
I liked this video. Most of people are extremely severe with this game, but back in the day it showed us what the SNES was really capable of. If it used the FX chip it would have been splendid. Although most of us agree that this is not the best DKC game (being that DKC2), I dare to say this is the best in terms of originality, and that's what makes this game unique. Every level tries to show us something new, sometimes it tries too hard but well, we just can't complain about it, given the fact that we've almost seen everything in the first 2 parts. Great game in my opinion. Definitively a must-have in any collection.
Name one thing DKC 2 does better than 3 outside of the soundtrack. In DKC 3, the kong pair is more balanced( big and small vs 2 small), the graphics are more polished, the levels have more variation and creativity( puzzles, moving saw blades, mice in wheels, owls shooting fire balls, etc), the bosses do not rehash and they take more thought to beat, the secrets are expanded upon(banana birds, bear quests, vehicle upgrades, cave puzzles) and there is more replayability. The cheat codes enable more difficulty and other creative ways to play the game( Christmas bonus stages anyone?) DKC 2 is no doubt a masterpiece, but DKC 3 is easily on par with the 2nd, if not even better in some ways. DKC 1 is light years below these two.
Maybe it's because I played DKC3 less than DKC2.... But, I almost feel like DKC3 is the hardest game in the series. As opposed to being easier. Sure, the earlier levels might be a bit easier. But I feel like there's more hard levels overall than the rest of the games. But, in a weird way. I feel like that's a good thing. It makes playing the series in order more interesting. Since there's actually somewhat of a difficulty curve for all the games together. Also... there's something I'm mildly surprised you didn't comment on. I notice the bosses in this game are actually creepier looking than the past games.... Though, the level themes being somewhat dark is nothing new. Since DKC had the haunted house levels, and the castle level. But yeah, the bosses kind of shifted toward a different direction.
I replied to another comment like this, so I'll just paste it here: "The enemies, bosses, Brothers Bear, and Kiddy Kong are all stupid looking. The villain's plan is stupid. The story is boring because it's just you wandering around to looks for people you don't even know are in trouble, so there's no real stakes and no motivation to care about what you're doing. The Southern Kremisphere is so mundane compared to the iconic and distinct DK Island and Crocodile Isle. Most of the songs are boring and forgettable. No fast character. You can't simply exit levels stage right, nor do you get a bonus for jumping into the goal; it's an inconvenience that's the worst of both worlds. The final battles suck because it's just K. Rool flying side to side and not attacking, so it's like he's not even paying attention to you; DKC2's were so much better because K. Rool had so many attacks (and attacks) and constantly made you dodge, so it was way more stimulating because it was constantly asking of your skill. You get DK coins the exact same way every time instead of them being hidden numerous ways. Only 1 way to get into bonus rooms. Most level secrets are easy to find. 30/40 levels don't have pits. No sections of shooting out of shitloads of barrels. Less ropes (and none side by side or grid-like) and no hooks. We don't have any on-point enemy placements like flying enemies coming at you in a V-formation, krooks/mini-neckies on both sides of you as you ascended K. Rool's Keep, or falling onto enemies after coming back from bonus rooms/save barrels. Level terrain has less up/down variance, meaning that if you were to draw a line for everywhere you can stand, DKC3's levels would be closer to being a straight line; the levels look plain and boring. Levels have fewer aesthetic tiles, meaning simpler environments with less going on that are more boring to look at. Many level gimmicks get in the way of platforming instead of accentuating it; they just take up your time and aren't actual challenges like throwing barrels into mice, and then we have annoying ones like the reversed controls, constant lightning, and koindozers aplenty. In scrolling levels, the camera doesn't move with you, locking you at the game's pace as compared with DKC2's levels where you had to outrun something. And the problem with paring back so many mechanics is that while each 1 might not seem like such a big deal, when you put it all together, the gameplay is monotonous, especially with the less complicated level visuals; levels would simply LOOK better if all that stuff was put back in because then there'd be some needed variety in the visuals."
Glad I found this channel, the reviews are just the right amount of "in-depth" and opinion vs facts. It would be a pain but you might want to cut out all of your breaths, they come in a bit loud after each line you say.
My favorite of the trilogy. I have been waiting for Kiddy's return ever since (which was supposed to happen in Donkey Kong Racing for the NGC, but that was never meant to be). While I love the New DKC games, they cling too much on DKC 1 and don't seem to notice DKC 2 and 3 are actually better games.
I have the PAL version for my SNES and don’t recall any frame-rate issues. I’ll have to try it again because I don’t remember seeing slow-down - certainly not to the extent shown in this video.
I like this game. When it came out I was like 7 years old and soooo excited when my father brought it for me from the rental place. BUT! I really don't like that the "reserved" Kong is mostly in strange positions or never stops walking or rolling in place. Look at Dixie at 11:17. That really annoyes me.
Yeah, the second character movement seemed a lot more odd in this game than I remember seeing in the first too. Kiddy looks exceptionally dumb when Dixie is hovering as well. I'm not really sure why the code was changed as it seemed perfectly fine in 1 and 2.
DKC3 is so underrated because, DKC2 was so hard near the end. I never finished it and by the time I discovered a DKC3 came out, I was playing MGS and Tomb Raider.
The reason for Kiddy Kong is that they wanted this to be Dixie's game, so they didn't want to use Donkey, who would be more experienced. So they made the bigger Kong a baby.
I didn’t like Kiddie Kong at first, but he does grow on you. I never played DKC 3 back in the day, but I recently bought it on 3DS. I was and still am a big fan of the series, but I had a PlayStation by the time DKC 3 came out. So far I think it’s a very good game. A top tier platformer from SNES days.
Following DKC 2 was never going to be easy. With the 5th generation already underway, Kiddie being an unappealing character and a soundtrack missing David Wise, I get why this game has a weird reputation. It's still good, but a bit of the magic was lost in this game. I wonder how people would regard DKC 3 if they played before DKC 2
Name one thing DKC 2 does better than 3 outside of the soundtrack. In DKC 3, the kong pair is more balanced( big and small vs 2 small), the graphics are more polished, the levels have more variation and creativity( puzzles, moving saw blades, mice in wheels, owls shooting fire balls, etc), the bosses do not rehash and they take more thought to beat, the secrets are expanded upon(banana birds, bear quests, vehicle upgrades, cave puzzles) and there is more replayability. The cheat codes enable more difficulty and other creative ways to play the game( Christmas bonus stages anyone?) DKC 2 is no doubt a masterpiece, but DKC 3 is easily on par with the 2nd, if not even better in some ways. DKC 1 is light years below these two. It has pointless secret rooms and is much less polished than the latter two games.
Voan Siam They thought the original was on a new 32-bit Nintendo console, too. It just blew people's minds that graphics like is could be on the SNES. I don't even ink they use a special chip.
"You mean I haven't been playing it on the PlayStation? I should have known something was up when the disc tray was mysteriously replaced by a cartridge slot."
This game is a classic too! With VERY clever level design, and oh my gosh, isn't this one of the most GORGEOUS games on the Super NES?!? I really love Donkey Kong Country 3 as well, not AS much as Diddy's Kong Quest, but all the same, Dixie Kong's Double Trouble is every bit as nostalgic to me as the other two. Great soundtrack too, even though it wasn't composed by David Wise, this time. (Wise DID come back to do the GBA version's music, however.)
i bought the GBA version 6 months ago and i like it better than the SNES which ive been playing for over a decade. Entirely new soundtrack which i highly rate, i didnt know the GBA soundchip could sound good. Also in the GBA they added a whole new world called Pacifica :)
A lot of the GBA songs are better (first level for example), but some are worse, too, like the tree and underwater levels completely changing the dark mood (though the water level is a good remix of the water level of the first game in its own right). Wish we could have a version with the best from both or choice of music for each level.
I was one of those guys who hated how DK wasn't playable. Thought it was a dumb design how Donkey Kong is only playable once in the whole series. I guess Rareware really only liked designing cute childish characters.
I'm so glad to see you review talkin so positively of what I think is the greatest game of the DKC trilogy. I also want to point out that I love the underwater music and that mountain or Cliff level music or whatever so much I thought they would be perfect for a video I had uploaded more than a decade ago that is now in a compilation I uploaded a few days ago.
I always loved the gameplay, the Visuals were great, but loved DKC2 visuals the most. Personal Preference. This game was just WAY harder than the previous two towards the end, and I was never able to finish as a kid. Good video, thanks for giving DKC3 some love too. edit: also a fellow fat cat owner. ^^
I think it's as good as the first two. My only complaints are more clunky head jumping and the third person segments . I love it for its setting and atmosphere, level design, more intricate boss fights and open world feel. And never understood the hate for Kiddy. Sure it's not a good character design but it doesn't hinder the game. For ppl who say it's too stupid a design, you're playing a series about primates saving bananas from crocodiles.
Kiddy is a necessary evil because DKC3 is intended to be Dixie's debut game and her own leading role. It's why they couldn't just have DK as the "big guy" in the duo as many people desire, because he would overshadow her. Perhaps Rare didn't have enough faith in Dixie as they did with Diddy to stand out in her own leading role so they had to dumb down the partner a bit? Or maybe the Rare B-team just couldn't come up with a design on par with the A-team?
Obscure Media I always liked Kiddy Kong, actually. Thought his design was awesome as a kid. I still find him a funny and charming character, I *really* don't get the hate some people have been giving for this game in later years
I agree with most of what you say. However, I would say DKC 2 and 3 are light years better than DKC 1. It was still a good game, but the hidden secret rooms were first nothing and 2 and 3 greatly expanded on the formula.
I had 1 and 3 growing up and i love 3 way more than 1 growing up cause my dkc1 cartridge battery died and i could've played it in one sitting compared to 3 with the battery save. I still loved the atmosphere and the progression through the world
The northern kremisphere / DKC Canada is my favorite setting out of the trilogy. I would say that this ranks second in the series (DKC being my favorite due to nostalgia). That being said, DKC2 does do some things a bit better over 3 (Dixie and Diddy combo, sometimes less gimmicky level design). Never really cared for the darker vibe of DKC 2 though.
Did you play Cranky's bonus stages? It seems they aren't required for full completion, which seems weird, as I always played them. And that is why I liked the snowman boss: we finally used what you'd learned in those gamed. I suspect any reduction in animation is just due to how much more complicated those games are on the hardware.
DK3 made much success here in Brazil, the SNES were still selling here, and the stores made a bundle with the cartridge, and me and my game pals think that DK 1 is the less good of the trio
DKC3 is my second favorite of the trilogy. The set design is more rooted in North American exteriors, I love seeing the Kongs on a summer camp tour of Canada. While not as fantastical as DKC2 levels, the graphics here are the best.
DKC3 is my jam. Loved it in the 90's, although I have to admit I had that game before DKC2, so the wow-effect from the insane graphics update was with DKC3 and not DKC2 like most people. However, the music is eerie and mysterious and I love it. Terrific levels too IMO
DKC 2 is imo still by far the best 2d platformer ever made. But DKC3 was also an amazing game and imo did not deserve the hate it got the last few years. The problem it had was simple: It had to follow up a legendary game like DKC2 and could not live up to its standard.
DKC 1 and 3 have quite a few weak bosses in my opinion, but DKC2's bosses are easily a step above Rayman Origins'. I do think Rayman Origins/Legends have good level design but Rayman himself isn't quite as satisfying to use as the Diddy/Dixie combo. DKC Tropical Freeze on the other hand has some of the best level design I've ever seen in any game ever, and it damn near topped DKC2 for me the first time I beat it, but the only thing holding it back is the occasional bit of spectacle where you just have to wait and watch whats going on. Awesome experience the first time, but when speedrunning or doing time trials it just bogs down the pace. DKC2's levels on the other hand age like fine wine, they just get more satisfying to play every time.
Where does this opinion stem from than DKC 2 is the best of the 3? It's easily my least favourite. & best plat former ever made? You must be smoking some crack
What a good night to see the final review of the trilogy with the most underrated game of the series. The worst part is that the GBA version doesn't have any story either and that's strange. Wow the reviews we're so good with the game and with this review now i understand why. I have to disagree with you in the opening level track but well everyone has his/her musical tastes. Many people complaints about the banana birds and the bears sidquest too and i myself did it when i first played but now that i like completing the games that's not al issue anymore. I've never experienced any slowdown on my playthrough back in 2011 that's weird. The game retains so many of the charm of the original games and that's good. I've actually liked the K-3 boss battle (well that was thanks to the Swanky's tent minigame that i ended liking the 3D Gameplay) but yes it's tedious like you said. Kaos was a neat facade for a boss and the part that K. Rool says that he used his wife's metal pans and everything in her kitchen was the highlight of the fight. Krematoa i can define it in 2 words SCREW IT Elie's level it's the worst for me. But oh well the game it's really underrated and the GBA version like i said has the Pacifica World that comes before the "final" world. And it's weird that you didn't showed at least 1 warp. This game it's awesome i like a lot more than in 2011 a great final game for the trilogy and a splendid sendoff. Great video like always Kris dude keep up the great work
I get some flack for liking this one better than DKC 1 but, man, that level variety. Flippin' love it. I'll always wish it was just Diddy who got kidnapped and we got a DK and Dixie adventure but Kiddy has his charm too.
Really happy to see a thorough positive review. This is a great game just not as iconic as DKC2 but honestly I find it more fun to play than DkC1 it has quality of life changes with saves and really is the most forgiving for newcomers which is nice.
I enjoyed this game alot as a kid for how different it looked n felt. It had a home vibe to it. Also I didn't know about the bananas being shaped like letters were hints. I just mashed a bunch of buttons until I progressed through the area, or found hidden shortcuts, or learned as I went. For some reason I use to have alot of dreams about being a player in this game
As someone who actually finished DKC3 on actual SNES (while the other two through emulation) this comprehensive analysis of DKC3 really warms my heart. For me, DKC3 is the reason why SNES is the beast of 16-bit. The gameplay started lightly but gradually shifted into hardcore difficulty (notably once we arrived at Krematoa). The music is also need to be praised. Though not as ambient as previous DKC, the entire music fits the scene perfectly. And the graphic was the thing where I could brag my friends when they shifted to Playstation. Yeah, I find people dissing DKC3 are biased and unfair. I like the entire trilogy as the series is the reason why Nintendoes what Sega Doesn't...
Good points. I bring this up to the haters. Name one thing DKC 2 does better than 3 outside of the soundtrack. In DKC 3, the kong pair is more balanced( big and small vs 2 small), the graphics are more polished, the levels have more variation and creativity( puzzles, moving saw blades, mice in wheels, owls shooting fire balls, etc), the bosses do not rehash and they take more thought to beat, the secrets are expanded upon(banana birds, bear quests, vehicle upgrades, cave puzzles) and there is more replayability. The cheat codes enable more difficulty and other creative ways to play the game( Christmas bonus stages anyone?) DKC 2 is no doubt a masterpiece, but DKC 3 is easily on par with the 2nd, if not even better in some ways. DKC 1 is light years below these two. It has pointless secret rooms and is much less polished than the latter 2.
This game was the best on the SNES by far. A platformer with an awesome map not totally linear and with multiple overworld vehicles. DO not see why it was considered the stepchild. It was the best DKC game. Even better than 2. And definitely better than 1. 1 did not have secret world in it. This does and so does 2 so it rocks.
The DK coins aren't "extra". You need all DK coins to get the Gyrocopter. The Gyrocopter is NOT unlocked by beating Knautilus (the second K. Rool battle), Knautilus grants a DK coin for completing it, and therefore, if you already got every other DK coin, you'll get the Gyrocopter after being Knautilus. If you got the banana bird queen cutscene, you got everything in the game and 103% completion.
Except, 103% isn't everything unless you mean the collectibles and not specifically the highest possible finishing percentage.
@@TheRealSlimPiggy no but if you input the cheat code HARDR before starting a new game, you lose all checkpoint and DK barrels for the whole game, and if you reach full completion again you get 105% instead of 103%.
@@TheRealSlimPiggy beats me. If they wanted to go for a more satisfying number they should have used 110%, like the old saying "gotta give it a 110%."
it's possible to get 105%, you have to play on hard mode, which you need the cheat, and it has no save barrels, and dk barrels, which means you start with both kongs at the beginning of the lvl and if you lose one its gone for that entire lvl
@Xavier 1984 Inaccurate. The code HARDR removes just the DK barrels. The max percent for that mode is 104%. The code TUFST removes DK barrels and checkpoint barrels, and has the max percent of 105%.
I like to say that all 3 DKC games on SNES are like diamonds. No matter which one if your favorite, you still have a diamond.
Great way to put it
I think the snowman bossfight is supposed to be a robot or animatronic of some kind because:
1. He explodes when he's defeated. What kind of snowman does that?
2. His laughter is a short loop, almost like a recording of some kind.
3. He glitches when you hit his weak point.
4. Why would be vulnerable to snowballs ?
5.it fits with the industrial theme of the game.
It is VERY underrated. When I was a kid, this game was never ever criticized: everybody just loved it, myself included. Ah, and opening your video with “Rockface Rumble” playing in the first scenario was awesome. You just got a new subscriber. Keep rocking!
Same. I remember when it came out people loved it as much as the other DKC games, it was years later on social media that I started to see some criticism, that was weird.
Incredible. Finally a review that is not extremely severe with this great game. Even though DCK2 Will be always my favorite game, this is at least, in my top ten also. Kongratulations on another great video! :)
DKC* typo, i know.
To this day, don’t understand why DKC3 got bad press. Every bit as great a game as DKC2 in my opinion. Have such fond memories playing this on Christmas Day when it released.
It's "bad" because it's not the first two and because it's "kiddy".
foxymetroid It’s kiddy? Eh?? Or do you mean it HAS Kiddy? (Because personally, think he plays better than DK in the original)
Everything about the game was great imo- fantastic overworld, great level designs, perfect visuals, and a great soundtrack (though in that respect, not as strong as the soundtrack for the first two games)
@@andyc6542 By "kiddy", I mean it's brighter and more "cartoony" than the previous entries. Still a great game, but some people were of the "bright+colorful=for teh babyz" mindset.
foxymetroid Oh, that makes sense. And you’re right- it is slightly more colourful and maybe more cartoony than the other two. Still absolutely love it though, and it still plays like a dream!
dkc2 is the best game in the trilogy, but 3 is also great.
i think the hatred towards kiddie stems more towards the marketing at the time, which heavily pushed kiddie as the star, despite being dixies game. the ads were stupid, and like so many like it, miss the point. also the footies do not look great at all.
aside from that last complaint, and the complaint that dixie cant hoist him as easily like she could diddy, i don't mind him. hes my least favorite of the playable kongs, but i dont hate him. hes passable. besides nothing can ever come close to the iconic duo of donkey and diddy, and dixies just as strong, just stiff competition from what came before.
There's 1 more completion bonus:
Beat the game with 105% and getting a better time than Cranky's 5:15 get's you the "IMMORTAL MONKEY!" rating, and a cool Kung-Fu Cranky animation!
I was an active gamer back when this game came out. I have to say, I never would have known the game had a bad reputation. We already owned DKC 1 and 2, and when we got DKC 3, it was pretty much exactly what we expected. I don't remember if we had the N64 yet or not, but I do remember that my Mom and I suffered from motion sickness on early 3D games at first, so we kept going back to the SNES for a couple years until we got used to it. I think a lot of people just enjoyed playing as Diddy. Although I think that's odd, because my Mom's favorite character was Donkey Kong, and my favorite was Dixie Kong. When we got this game, we kept mistakenly calling Kiddie "Donkey Kong" at first, because they played similarly. In fact, I don't really think it would have affected things much at all if the game had been about Donkey and Dixie rescuing Diddy.
I believe in the Japanese version he is called Dinky Kong :D
Thank you for the subtitles man, it helps a lot, im not an english speaker so watching videos is hard, your subtitles help me watch your videos 🖤
No problem!!
I agree, more TH-cam creators should do this, that's one of the reason why I subbed instantly, keep going !
I agree, I plan to add subtitles to all my tutorials and update videos. I have seen the massive lack of subs on youtube, and I would even add them for others if more creators would allow that in their settings.
I'm not even kidding when I say that the ambience and music from the first levels is the reason why I stopped playing this game for years. Something about it was really displeasing, and I can't put my finger on it. I really regret it, because I beat the game recently and I enjoyed the rest of it. I think this game gets unfairly criticized a lot
DKC3 was my first favorite game so aesthetically pleasing, this game is extremely nostalgic
Right on!
17:30 Looks like a realistic ocean reef,.. in a temperate fresh water lake.
“As I’m playing the Japanese version, I have no idea what is going on” killed me
:)
I love this game and was surprised at the negativity towards it. This game felt SO refreshing after the punishing difficulty and darkness of DKC2. The music and the breezy island atmosphere felt so good, and the graphics! This game is easily one of the best looking on the system. Such a beautiful game, I almost felt a little emotional seeing those waterfall levels here again. This game is noticeably easier than its predecessors which just serves to make it all the more enjoyable IMO. It is a FUN GAME! Gone is the stress of trying to beat several levels in order to save. Kiddy is easily the most charming Kong yet and I love the kiddy vibe throughout. The rail levels and other fast paced levels are a blast. Each level feels like an accomplishment in gaming development. I wouldn’t hesitate to cal DKC3 a masterpiece and an essential title on the snes, a beautiful swan song for the og country series and a beautifully mature late period snes game. Love love love it.
"The last phase requires the player to dodge an increasing number of spike attacks. The patterns are complex"
*avoids every wave of spikes by sitting in one spot*
Ha! Yeah my memory of the encounter while writing the script was clearly a little off.
Refreshing to see this game reviewed in a positive light. It’s great fun and one of the most underrated games on the snes.
Somebody show James and Mike this video so they can know how poorly they played this
CoinBox170 normally I stick up for them even when they play poorly, but after watching this I agree with you. They need to start doing research before they play. At least learn the basic controls of the game. Mike is always saying “I never read instructions when I was a kid because that’s like reading at school”. Well, Mike, that’s fucking dumb. Enjoy being shitty at some of the most basic video games because of it. James to be fair does break out instructions sometimes. But I think Mike feels like he’s “too cool” to look up help.
What really irks me is that they claim to be long time fans of the first two games. They would probably boast that they were playing those games before I was even born (which is possible). But when I was watching that episode, I was thinking "could've fooled me". The jump and grab both control pretty much the same across all games yet Mike was struggling to pick up a beetle and hold onto it. They got angry that they couldn't jump towards an illuminated rat after the fifteenth attempt. And for the love of all that is holy, HOLD Y TO RUN!
There were so many more instances of them tripping hard, but I don't have all night.
@@CoinBox170 THIS. It was so painful to watch, knowing they could have done infinitely better, had they just put even a few minutes into looking up the mere basics. And paid at least _some_ attention while playing.
And they *can* play games, both having beaten a ton of games that are either flat-out broken, have nintendo hard BS difficulty, or both. Stuff of the caliber that I personally won't ever want to even bother attempting.
Mike is a hypocrite and there various videos about people calling him out on many things(no famous youtubers obviously) I unsubscribe to that channel years ago. Mike is unbearable and he always has to complain and whine in everything whether modern or retro game.
After reading these comments, I want to watch that James & Mike Let’s Play. XD
Thank you! I've heard so many people dump on this games over the years, usually for the reasons you highlighted and without any elaboration. It was particularly great to hear you take down the "gimmicky" complaint.
One thing that I think is interesting about this game is that you can see how elements that would be prevalent in 3D collectathons are present here. As you said, bottomless pits are not nearly as common. They're almost completely absent from the first half of the game, replaced by hazards that are more thematically appropriate for each stage (saws, piranhas, vats of deadly liquid). Also, bosses rarely cause contact damage unless there's a clear reason for it (like Barbos and her spikes). There's a degree of overworld exploration, and helping out NPCs for rewards. The animal buddies skew away from pure platforming (Rambi and Rattly) and toward puzzle solving (Ellie, Quawks, and Parry). The game's often seen as retreading old ground, but it bridges the gameplay gap between DKC2 and Banjo-Kazooie.
You're welcome!
DKC 3 to me added a bunch of interesting ideas to the series while not trying to "beat" what they did in DKC 2. Bobslide rides, a giant saw cutting through a whole forest, pipeline odysseys that confuse your controls, dangerous adventures in gorgeous mountains, a snowball fight kinda making Cranky's Ball game a boss, a very difficult rocket game and small rpg elements in a jump and run game. What's not to love? For me it beats DKC 1 in almost everything personally. DKC 2 from me gets a rating of 11/10, there is no better game in my eyes in all of history. DKC 3 from me gets like a 9,7 rating being one of the defining games of my childhood and youth and still love it today
It might be my favorite in terms of level design. You can see the start of Rareware branching out into the exploration-based gameplay of their N64 era.
I never understood why people dislike this game, I loved all 3 games equally as a kid but I feel maybe 3 was my favorite it's the only DKC game I managed to 100%...well 103% in this case and I didn't even use guides or anything.
Gaming Pal Ollie everyone hates us and I’ve never understood it. Me and my sister and mom love this one and 2 equally, with also loving the first one. But 3 is just amazing. The soundtrack is t as good as 2, but I would argue it might be even more atmospheric and fun. And the open world map is the best part🤟
Synthetic Reality atmospheric? My man I just finished the game today, and the entire final cutscene has a weird fanfare that just doesn’t fit, and the credits just play the bonus room theme!! Not to mention songs like stilt village that sound more like they’re from some bad point and click for children, if you like it because of nostalgia that’s fair, but saying it’s atmospheric?
@Dry Boi we're just gonna have to agree to disagree here dude, I've 103% this game just a few months ago and the only 2 tracks that were even remotely good are treetop tumble and rockface rumble, and they don't even compare to the best songs in DKC1 and 2, I can only see you liking the songs in DKC3 more because of nostalgia, because I have never heard a single person that didn't play DKC3 as a kid and thinks its soundtrack is even remotely on par with that of the first two games
Outstanding video, I played DKC3 the day it came out, and eventually got the 103% completion. 23 years later, I had no idea that 105% was achievable. Thanks for the great work on this review/retrospective.
Unpopular opinion here. I love all 3 of the original SNES Donkey Kong Country games but if I had to choose which one is the best one of the three I'm going to have to say it's this one. The thing that I really liked about this game was the amount of creativity. The variety in the moves for both the Kongs and the Animal Buddies both old and new were one thing but each level offered something new to the table to make it stand out. The game also has the most enemies of any game in the trilogy with each world introducing at least one new enemy. There is even an enemy that you won't encounter until you get to the game's true final world being these 2 short brown crocodile enemies that attack in pairs trying to charge or stomp you. Also I never get the Kiddy hate either. I found him to be a funny and charming one off character. I like how expressive and funny he is and I also like the idea that he is a baby yet he is the type of muscle type character who could go against a Krumple no problem. All the "gimmicks" never really bothered me but instead worked in making the levels stand out and provide a good challenge. Never really is it the game's fault if you screw up but more along the lines you didn't either pay attention to your surroundings or mistimed a jump. The game also has the best bosses I think. Every world now has a boss too much like DKC1 and each boss is now more elaborate in how they are fought having different attack phases to them. It's much better then having to fight Krow twice as a boss with the 6th world having no boss then having 2 battles with K. Rool and while there are 2 K. Rool fights in this game as well at least with the first boss you fight Kaos as well and he has a new head to mix things up and the K. Rool fights again are very creative. Also the music is definitely above average game music I think and still has that Rare seal of quality with very good songs like Cavern Caprice, Water World, Rockface Rumble, Nuts and Bolts, Hot Pursuit, and Cascade Capers to name a few. So yes in my honest opinion this is the best game in the original SNES trilogy. DKC2 is amazing but I can't help but admire the level of creativity that DKC3 put into it's mechanics, it's levels, and it's boss fights which for me makes it the definitive game for me.
You're not the only one, 3 is my favorite of the original DKC trilogy.
I prefer DKC2 over this, but I still prefer DKC3 over DKC1.
Hero of Legend I love all 3 of them. I think we should all just agree that DKC is an awesome trilogy
@@mordec1016 3 and 2 are light years better than 1.
It is bizarre that some people go as far as putting DKC 3 as the worst game in the entire DKC franchise. It is light years better than DKC 1 and easily on par with DKC 2 and Tropical Freeze. The creativity, like you mentioned, is off the charts--- Ellie's ability to suck and squirt water, the bear quests, banana birds, lightning world, parrot able to lift barrels, the tiny bird, Kiddy's water skip, etc. The puzzle elements add more layers to an already great franchise. And disliking Kiddy has nothing to do with the quality of the game. That just comes down to more character preference. He controls just fine and compliments Dixie as a big character.
DKC 2 and 3 were such a part of my childhood. I started playing them with my 4 year old now :)
I loved this game. I enjoy the trilogy but DKC3 will always be the most nostalgic to me since I played it over and over again.
Donkey Kong Country 3 has always been my favorite of the DKC trilogy and I still don't really know why. It just has a charm that I love that feels like it's own thing despite being clearly Donkey Kong.
Found this video in my recommended, Thank you for bringing me back, So many memories, I legit shed a tear because Ill never be able to experience those amazing moments as a child again. Sitting in my room all day under a blanket and the TV, playing nothing but some good ol SNES games. Those were the days.
Always been my favorite one of the trilogy, and I adore the OST and environments! Thanks for such a nice video on my beloved DKC3!
I completely agree; I love the entire Super NES DKC trilogy, including DKC3. While I don't know if I'd go so far as to call it my favorite entry in the trilogy (I like them all!), it's a really, really good game, and in fact manages to improve on the first two DKC games in some ways.
I never understood the hate. This game was magical to me in a way the previous two games weren't. Completing it 100% was a joy.
It's been a long time since I last played this. I remember hating the Simon Says Banana Bird side quest so much and was disillusioned with them reusing level themes, but maybe it's better than I remember. It's possible. I did like some of the gimmicks like the light fish in the water levels, so who knows. It might go from "weakest in the trilogy" to "second best". I also never understood why some people hated Kiddy Kong. The crying always got a laugh out of me, and that Game Over screen kind of disturbs me as I wonder who is opening the door to the dark crib room.
Didn't the previous two games reuse the level themes a lot as well?
@@bubbythebear6891 Yup, and honestly (in my opinion) it made the games better, as it was cool seeing how creative they could be using the same tile set, but applying different obstacles/challenges.
This is a breath of fresh air. Thank you so much for making this video, I've always felt alone in my love for this game.
You're welcome :)
Its only a vocal minority
DKC 2 is one of the best games I have ever played, but 3 is awesome as well. The art is a little different, but still from a technical standpoint, the graphics even more impressive than 2. Great OST again, tons of innovative puzzles and secrets and it's super challenging, way harder than 1 & 2.
i never knew this game wasn't liked/loved until i was told i wasn't supposed to like it - i LOVED this game growing up and put a lot of effort into completing it (Completionist style)
"In fact, the game is littered with banana-hints" Take notes, James and Mike.
I somehow doubt Mike will ever see this video haha.
I'm so glad you pointed it out though, because it drove me insane when watching their video, haha.
Great review too; DKC3 is my favourite of the trilogy.
This game looks so good, they thought it was a Playstation game.
It makes me laugh how people say they don’t have any nostalgia for this game while its the most nostalgic game of all time, for me that is.
One important thing to remember when discussing DKC3 and it's soundtrack is that it was almost entirely composed by Eveline Novakovic (at the time Eveline Fischer) with very minimal involvement from David Wise, the main composer of DKC 1 and sole composer of DKC2.
It's interesting to note, however, that the GBA port of DKC3 had a completely new soundtrack composed for it, this time entirely done by David Wise.
A great listen for anyone who wants to hear Wise's take on the game's sound design (the first level's track stands out in particular, named Stilt Village).
When I got my snes, DKC3 was the game I got with it so it was my introduction to DKC which is why I have such fond memories of this game and my favorite DKC.
I wish they brought back the free-roam overworld system from 3. That was always my favorite part of the game. Hopefully, if there's a third game in the Donkey Kong Returns sub-series, they bring back the overworld exploration rather than have the sprites move on a fixed path.
DKC3:
1. The general vibe is steampunk+saturday morning cartoon themed
2. Bonus area are all access via bonus barrels as opposed to the combination of bonus barrels and secret passages from the previous games.
3. The tabogan levels are bad, even worse than the auto-scrolling mine cart and rollercoaster gimmick stages from the previous games
4. A lot were not a fan of bonus barrels being the reward for escorting Parry the bird to the end of a stage, if they fail the bonus stage, they will have to redo the entire level just to have another chance.
4. I wish Kiddy's water jumping move was used more in creative ways instead of just being used in I believe 2 or 3 stages, the same goes with his piggyback floor slam, only used in port levels
DKC3 was a good game, it just had the unfortunate circumstance of having to follow up DKC2, which were some absolutely enormous shoes to fill.
On graphics. 16:37
This is the most beautiful looking game on the SNES, especially in sections with water. Those water reflections on the first level. The transparency effect in the waterfall levels. The design and color of the coral reefs of the underwater levels.
The art direction as a whole is gorgeous!
On music. 12:39
I disagree on what he said about Stilt Village (first level) music. It's a well composed theme that fits the design of the first level. Not as great as Jungle Hijinx (DKC1 first level), but in my opinion better than the first level of DKC2.
The soundtrack as a whole is underrated. It has some great themes such as Treetop Tumble (tree climbing level music), Nuts and Bolts (factory level music), Water World (underwater music) and Big Boss Blues (K. Rool music). But the overall best track goes to Rockface Rumble (cliff level music).
Others have stated they enjoy Stilt Village as well. I'm surprised as it sounds like a half finished piece to me, like an instrument or two are missing. But I think music may also be the most subjective thing to try and review, so what do I know haha :)
I believe that really was the intention of the composer for Stilt Village. Instruments are minimal but focused more on the melody to be catchy which she achieved. You're right that when it comes to opinions about game soundtrack, it is subjective.
Interesting points. Now I ask this to the haters. Name one thing DKC 2 does better than 3 outside of the soundtrack. In DKC 3, the kong pair is more balanced( big and small vs 2 small), the graphics are more polished, the levels have more variation and creativity( puzzles, moving saw blades, mice in wheels, owls shooting fire balls, etc), the bosses do not rehash and they take more thought to beat, the secrets are expanded upon(banana birds, bear quests, vehicle upgrades, cave puzzles) and there is more replayability. The cheat codes enable more difficulty and other creative ways to play the game( Christmas bonus stages anyone?) DKC 2 is no doubt a masterpiece, but DKC 3 is easily on par with the 2nd, if not even better in some ways. DKC 1 is light years below these two. It had useless secret rooms and 2 and 3 just expanded on it so much.
This rocks, you rock. This game never gets looked at fairly.
Thanks man!
bro, I loved this game when it released. I had friends that hated on it because the star was Dixie, even though she is one of the best protagonist in any game ever.
I love its darker tone and creepy music which fits the theme fir the journey to fight Fran. K. Rool
After re-playing all 3 games on the Switch I have to say that this one is my favourite simply for the level difficulty. The levels feel more fun than frustrating while still not being super easy. I actually couldn’t re-play all of DK2 because I couldn’t get past the giant bee boss and was wondering how I ever did it as a kid because it seems impossible. The bosses in DK3 by comparison were challenging, but not to the extent of that damn giant bee. My only gripe is that everything seems to be ‘kiddified’. The enemies and new animal buddies are all rounded and kind of goofy looking so it feels more like a little kid’s game. But overall I enjoyed it the most out of the three games.
"He also looks like my fat cat, when he sits down." Hilarious!
I honestly like DKC 3 more than the other 2 actually.
DKC 1 AND DKC2 IS WAY BETTER THAN DKC 3.
@@woodycole1754 I like what I like. In actuality, I love all 3.
Code HARDR will get you just one life per level and a final score of 103. TUFST will give you no extra life and no save spot on each level with a final score of 105 and Cranky's trophy!!
I rented this as a kid back in the day and didn't bother to finish it because of Kiddy Kong but when the Wii VC came out I was already over and done with the Kiddy Kong hate. I buckled down and finished this game and surprisingly I enjoyed DKC3 more than DKC2, DKC1.
DKC3 was more enjoyable to 105% than the previous games, DKC3 even on the hardest difficulty is pretty forgiving and respects the player's patience.
Example is how you can save, Saving is free at all times also you can leave a location at any time to save your progress so if you had school, work, or wanted to take a break because of a certain challenge was getting to you... You can just stop right there, save and come back to it when you're ready.
DKC1 and 2's OST and graphics are amazing but DKC2 is always considered the best but DKC2 has too many dark songs which isn't bad but there are times when I just say "Oh DKC2 put a fuckin' smile on your face you edgy boi.". DKC3 has a more varied soundtrack also the graphics are better giving out more lovely colours to look at and all kinds of techniques to make the world come to life. Also I've always loved forests, winter and mountains so there is that bit of appeal to me.
DKC3 was the perfect way to up the ante on the first two titles. 8 year old me mastered DKC, 10 year old me handled the rise in difficulty that came with DKC2. When it came to DKC3, RARE went all out for its core DKC fans and introduced 12 year old me to many gaming tropes that are now commonplace (collectables, secret maps, open world, side quests and even speedrunning). I cannot praise this title enough.
I overall do like DKC3, and I'm glad someone else has pointed out that it's really not as bad as people say. There are a few levels that I really don't like (Poisonous Pipeline, Lightning Lookout, and Konveyor Rope Klash, for example), which I feel holds DKC3 back in comparison to the rest of the series, but I still think it's a great game.
Name one thing DKC 2 does better than 3 outside of the soundtrack. In DKC 3, the kong pair is more balanced( big and small vs 2 small), the graphics are more polished, the levels have more variation and creativity( puzzles, moving saw blades, mice in wheels, owls shooting fire balls, etc), the bosses do not rehash and they take more thought to beat, the secrets are expanded upon(banana birds, bear quests, vehicle upgrades, cave puzzles) and there is more replayability. The cheat codes enable more difficulty and other creative ways to play the game( Christmas bonus stages anyone?) DKC 2 is no doubt a masterpiece, but DKC 3 is easily on par with the 2nd, if not even better in some ways. DKC 1 is light years below these two.
Over the years I have appreciated the game more. The problem is it had to follow perfection. I didn't have too many problems with Kiddie, but something was missing from this one
I liked this video. Most of people are extremely severe with this game, but back in the day it showed us what the SNES was really capable of. If it used the FX chip it would have been splendid.
Although most of us agree that this is not the best DKC game (being that DKC2), I dare to say this is the best in terms of originality, and that's what makes this game unique. Every level tries to show us something new, sometimes it tries too hard but well, we just can't complain about it, given the fact that we've almost seen everything in the first 2 parts.
Great game in my opinion. Definitively a must-have in any collection.
Name one thing DKC 2 does better than 3 outside of the soundtrack. In DKC 3, the kong pair is more balanced( big and small vs 2 small), the graphics are more polished, the levels have more variation and creativity( puzzles, moving saw blades, mice in wheels, owls shooting fire balls, etc), the bosses do not rehash and they take more thought to beat, the secrets are expanded upon(banana birds, bear quests, vehicle upgrades, cave puzzles) and there is more replayability. The cheat codes enable more difficulty and other creative ways to play the game( Christmas bonus stages anyone?) DKC 2 is no doubt a masterpiece, but DKC 3 is easily on par with the 2nd, if not even better in some ways. DKC 1 is light years below these two.
Maybe it's because I played DKC3 less than DKC2.... But, I almost feel like DKC3 is the hardest game in the series. As opposed to being easier. Sure, the earlier levels might be a bit easier. But I feel like there's more hard levels overall than the rest of the games.
But, in a weird way. I feel like that's a good thing. It makes playing the series in order more interesting. Since there's actually somewhat of a difficulty curve for all the games together.
Also... there's something I'm mildly surprised you didn't comment on. I notice the bosses in this game are actually creepier looking than the past games.... Though, the level themes being somewhat dark is nothing new. Since DKC had the haunted house levels, and the castle level. But yeah, the bosses kind of shifted toward a different direction.
i think DKC2 is actually a lot harder
I've played DKC 3 more than DKC 2 and yes, I find DKC 3 is definitely harder than the previous game
I think DKQ is harder.
4:32 ... Snakes?
Just played the original trilogy and your reviews are pretty good
I really don't understand all the hate about this game. I love this game! Thank you for this video!
You're welcome!
I think the whole trilogy is a masterpiece.
I replied to another comment like this, so I'll just paste it here:
"The enemies, bosses, Brothers Bear, and Kiddy Kong are all stupid looking. The villain's plan is stupid. The story is boring because it's just you wandering around to looks for people you don't even know are in trouble, so there's no real stakes and no motivation to care about what you're doing. The Southern Kremisphere is so mundane compared to the iconic and distinct DK Island and Crocodile Isle. Most of the songs are boring and forgettable. No fast character. You can't simply exit levels stage right, nor do you get a bonus for jumping into the goal; it's an inconvenience that's the worst of both worlds. The final battles suck because it's just K. Rool flying side to side and not attacking, so it's like he's not even paying attention to you; DKC2's were so much better because K. Rool had so many attacks (and attacks) and constantly made you dodge, so it was way more stimulating because it was constantly asking of your skill. You get DK coins the exact same way every time instead of them being hidden numerous ways. Only 1 way to get into bonus rooms. Most level secrets are easy to find. 30/40 levels don't have pits. No sections of shooting out of shitloads of barrels. Less ropes (and none side by side or grid-like) and no hooks. We don't have any on-point enemy placements like flying enemies coming at you in a V-formation, krooks/mini-neckies on both sides of you as you ascended K. Rool's Keep, or falling onto enemies after coming back from bonus rooms/save barrels. Level terrain has less up/down variance, meaning that if you were to draw a line for everywhere you can stand, DKC3's levels would be closer to being a straight line; the levels look plain and boring. Levels have fewer aesthetic tiles, meaning simpler environments with less going on that are more boring to look at. Many level gimmicks get in the way of platforming instead of accentuating it; they just take up your time and aren't actual challenges like throwing barrels into mice, and then we have annoying ones like the reversed controls, constant lightning, and koindozers aplenty. In scrolling levels, the camera doesn't move with you, locking you at the game's pace as compared with DKC2's levels where you had to outrun something. And the problem with paring back so many mechanics is that while each 1 might not seem like such a big deal, when you put it all together, the gameplay is monotonous, especially with the less complicated level visuals; levels would simply LOOK better if all that stuff was put back in because then there'd be some needed variety in the visuals."
Glad I found this channel, the reviews are just the right amount of "in-depth" and opinion vs facts.
It would be a pain but you might want to cut out all of your breaths, they come in a bit loud after each line you say.
My favorite of the trilogy. I have been waiting for Kiddy's return ever since (which was supposed to happen in Donkey Kong Racing for the NGC, but that was never meant to be). While I love the New DKC games, they cling too much on DKC 1 and don't seem to notice DKC 2 and 3 are actually better games.
DKC3 is my personal favorite game for any Nintendo game hell I still play it to this day
I have the PAL version for my SNES and don’t recall any frame-rate issues. I’ll have to try it again because I don’t remember seeing slow-down - certainly not to the extent shown in this video.
I like this game. When it came out I was like 7 years old and soooo excited when my father brought it for me from the rental place. BUT! I really don't like that the "reserved" Kong is mostly in strange positions or never stops walking or rolling in place. Look at Dixie at 11:17. That really annoyes me.
Yeah, the second character movement seemed a lot more odd in this game than I remember seeing in the first too. Kiddy looks exceptionally dumb when Dixie is hovering as well. I'm not really sure why the code was changed as it seemed perfectly fine in 1 and 2.
DKC3 is so underrated because, DKC2 was so hard near the end. I never finished it and by the time I discovered a DKC3 came out, I was playing MGS and Tomb Raider.
The reason for Kiddy Kong is that they wanted this to be Dixie's game, so they didn't want to use Donkey, who would be more experienced. So they made the bigger Kong a baby.
Great review and very in depth! Though I actually enjoyed some of the difficulty spikes in the game. Such as the snowman fight and the reverse water.
Thanks mate!
Loved this game, had no idea people didn’t like it until years later.
Took me the whole video before I heard that you’re actually saying “Sneeks”. Every time I kept thinking “They’re RATS, not SNAKES, gosh dang it!” XD
You weren't alone haha :)
I didn’t like Kiddie Kong at first, but he does grow on you. I never played DKC 3 back in the day, but I recently bought it on 3DS. I was and still am a big fan of the series, but I had a PlayStation by the time DKC 3 came out. So far I think it’s a very good game. A top tier platformer from SNES days.
One of my favorite games of all time. Thank you for doing it justice!
Following DKC 2 was never going to be easy. With the 5th generation already underway, Kiddie being an unappealing character and a soundtrack missing David Wise, I get why this game has a weird reputation. It's still good, but a bit of the magic was lost in this game.
I wonder how people would regard DKC 3 if they played before DKC 2
Name one thing DKC 2 does better than 3 outside of the soundtrack. In DKC 3, the kong pair is more balanced( big and small vs 2 small), the graphics are more polished, the levels have more variation and creativity( puzzles, moving saw blades, mice in wheels, owls shooting fire balls, etc), the bosses do not rehash and they take more thought to beat, the secrets are expanded upon(banana birds, bear quests, vehicle upgrades, cave puzzles) and there is more replayability. The cheat codes enable more difficulty and other creative ways to play the game( Christmas bonus stages anyone?) DKC 2 is no doubt a masterpiece, but DKC 3 is easily on par with the 2nd, if not even better in some ways. DKC 1 is light years below these two. It has pointless secret rooms and is much less polished than the latter two games.
This is the one I grew up with.
Donkey Kong Country 3 looks and plays so good the critics actually thought it was a PlayStation game? Wow just wow.
Voan Siam They thought the original was on a new 32-bit Nintendo console, too. It just blew people's minds that graphics like is could be on the SNES. I don't even ink they use a special chip.
..Why though? It looks way worse than DKC2
@@Zangelin no
"You mean I haven't been playing it on the PlayStation? I should have known something was up when the disc tray was mysteriously replaced by a cartridge slot."
@@foxymetroid Yeah if only Sony and Nintendo never depart. The SNES PlayStation would had been something cool.
This game is a classic too! With VERY clever level design, and oh my gosh, isn't this one of the most GORGEOUS games on the Super NES?!? I really love Donkey Kong Country 3 as well, not AS much as Diddy's Kong Quest, but all the same, Dixie Kong's Double Trouble is every bit as nostalgic to me as the other two. Great soundtrack too, even though it wasn't composed by David Wise, this time. (Wise DID come back to do the GBA version's music, however.)
I believe David Wise composed new songs for all the SNES tracks that he didn't write or he shared authorship of.
i bought the GBA version 6 months ago and i like it better than the SNES which ive been playing for over a decade. Entirely new soundtrack which i highly rate, i didnt know the GBA soundchip could sound good. Also in the GBA they added a whole new world called Pacifica :)
Wow so donkey Kong country 1 is chopped liver
A lot of the GBA songs are better (first level for example), but some are worse, too, like the tree and underwater levels completely changing the dark mood (though the water level is a good remix of the water level of the first game in its own right). Wish we could have a version with the best from both or choice of music for each level.
I absolutely hated the gba soundtrack. It's the main reason I won't play the gba version again. It felt so generic.
The country setting makes it my favorite of the trilogy
I was one of those guys who hated how DK wasn't playable. Thought it was a dumb design how Donkey Kong is only playable once in the whole series.
I guess Rareware really only liked designing cute childish characters.
I'm so glad to see you review talkin so positively of what I think is the greatest game of the DKC trilogy.
I also want to point out that I love the underwater music and that mountain or Cliff level music or whatever so much I thought they would be perfect for a video I had uploaded more than a decade ago that is now in a compilation I uploaded a few days ago.
I always loved the gameplay, the Visuals were great, but loved DKC2 visuals the most. Personal Preference.
This game was just WAY harder than the previous two towards the end, and I was never able to finish as a kid.
Good video, thanks for giving DKC3 some love too.
edit: also a fellow fat cat owner. ^^
I think it's as good as the first two. My only complaints are more clunky head jumping and the third person segments . I love it for its setting and atmosphere, level design, more intricate boss fights and open world feel.
And never understood the hate for Kiddy. Sure it's not a good character design but it doesn't hinder the game. For ppl who say it's too stupid a design, you're playing a series about primates saving bananas from crocodiles.
Kiddy is a necessary evil because DKC3 is intended to be Dixie's debut game and her own leading role. It's why they couldn't just have DK as the "big guy" in the duo as many people desire, because he would overshadow her.
Perhaps Rare didn't have enough faith in Dixie as they did with Diddy to stand out in her own leading role so they had to dumb down the partner a bit? Or maybe the Rare B-team just couldn't come up with a design on par with the A-team?
Never thought of that but it's a very good theory! Ot definitely does help lift Dixie
The worst part of Diddy for me it's how they marketed the game with him as the main character when it was the Dixie's game.
Obscure Media I always liked Kiddy Kong, actually. Thought his design was awesome as a kid. I still find him a funny and charming character, I *really* don't get the hate some people have been giving for this game in later years
I agree with most of what you say. However, I would say DKC 2 and 3 are light years better than DKC 1. It was still a good game, but the hidden secret rooms were first nothing and 2 and 3 greatly expanded on the formula.
I had 1 and 3 growing up and i love 3 way more than 1 growing up cause my dkc1 cartridge battery died and i could've played it in one sitting compared to 3 with the battery save. I still loved the atmosphere and the progression through the world
:(.
@@bezoticallyyours83 dw by the time I was 10 I could beat dkc 1 in one sitting
The northern kremisphere / DKC Canada is my favorite setting out of the trilogy. I would say that this ranks second in the series (DKC being my favorite due to nostalgia). That being said, DKC2 does do some things a bit better over 3 (Dixie and Diddy combo, sometimes less gimmicky level design). Never really cared for the darker vibe of DKC 2 though.
Did you play Cranky's bonus stages? It seems they aren't required for full completion, which seems weird, as I always played them. And that is why I liked the snowman boss: we finally used what you'd learned in those gamed.
I suspect any reduction in animation is just due to how much more complicated those games are on the hardware.
DK3 made much success here in Brazil, the SNES were still selling here, and the stores made a bundle with the cartridge, and me and my game pals think that DK 1 is the less good of the trio
DKC3 is my second favorite of the trilogy. The set design is more rooted in North American exteriors, I love seeing the Kongs on a summer camp tour of Canada. While not as fantastical as DKC2 levels, the graphics here are the best.
Again, a wonderful review. It is refreshing to see you covering everything a game has to offer without too much spoilers. Thumbs up!
DKC3 is my jam. Loved it in the 90's, although I have to admit I had that game before DKC2, so the wow-effect from the insane graphics update was with DKC3 and not DKC2 like most people. However, the music is eerie and mysterious and I love it. Terrific levels too IMO
DKC 2 is imo still by far the best 2d platformer ever made.
But DKC3 was also an amazing game and imo did not deserve the hate it got the last few years.
The problem it had was simple: It had to follow up a legendary game like DKC2 and could not live up to its standard.
DKC 1 and 3 have quite a few weak bosses in my opinion, but DKC2's bosses are easily a step above Rayman Origins'. I do think Rayman Origins/Legends have good level design but Rayman himself isn't quite as satisfying to use as the Diddy/Dixie combo.
DKC Tropical Freeze on the other hand has some of the best level design I've ever seen in any game ever, and it damn near topped DKC2 for me the first time I beat it, but the only thing holding it back is the occasional bit of spectacle where you just have to wait and watch whats going on. Awesome experience the first time, but when speedrunning or doing time trials it just bogs down the pace. DKC2's levels on the other hand age like fine wine, they just get more satisfying to play every time.
Where does this opinion stem from than DKC 2 is the best of the 3? It's easily my least favourite. & best plat former ever made? You must be smoking some crack
@@AlexKidd Its my opinion. Live with it.
Rayman Legends takes the cake tho
I pretty much agree with everything that was said here, it really is an amazing game. Although if you ask me Super Mario RPG was the SNES's swan song.
Ooo, Mario RPG, good pull :)
I'd argue Kirby's Dreamland 3.
What a good night to see the final review of the trilogy with the most underrated game of the series. The worst part is that the GBA version doesn't have any story either and that's strange. Wow the reviews we're so good with the game and with this review now i understand why. I have to disagree with you in the opening level track but well everyone has his/her musical tastes. Many people complaints about the banana birds and the bears sidquest too and i myself did it when i first played but now that i like completing the games that's not al issue anymore. I've never experienced any slowdown on my playthrough back in 2011 that's weird. The game retains so many of the charm of the original games and that's good. I've actually liked the K-3 boss battle (well that was thanks to the Swanky's tent minigame that i ended liking the 3D Gameplay) but yes it's tedious like you said. Kaos was a neat facade for a boss and the part that K. Rool says that he used his wife's metal pans and everything in her kitchen was the highlight of the fight. Krematoa i can define it in 2 words SCREW IT Elie's level it's the worst for me. But oh well the game it's really underrated and the GBA version like i said has the Pacifica World that comes before the "final" world. And it's weird that you didn't showed at least 1 warp. This game it's awesome i like a lot more than in 2011 a great final game for the trilogy and a splendid sendoff. Great video like always Kris dude keep up the great work
3:25 i played this game for countless hours in my childhood and i would die without knowing this, im having an existential crysis right now...
You should review Returns and Tropical Freeze. Those games are even more refined with every level feeling truly unique, though fun.
Those are next :) I hope you stick around!
"He also looks like my fat cat when he sits down" LOL best line and image of the whole video
I get some flack for liking this one better than DKC 1 but, man, that level variety. Flippin' love it. I'll always wish it was just Diddy who got kidnapped and we got a DK and Dixie adventure but Kiddy has his charm too.
DKC3 is awesome, have owned it since 1996 and never got an fps dip as far as I know? So that seemed strange to me
I only played a on virtual console, and the only slowdown I experienced was the waterfall part with the barrels.
3:28 the water roll is actually not needed. As a kid I didn't know about this mechanic and still somehow reached the bonus barrel.
Really happy to see a thorough positive review. This is a great game just not as iconic as DKC2 but honestly I find it more fun to play than DkC1 it has quality of life changes with saves and really is the most forgiving for newcomers which is nice.
Dude this was my favorite game of the original DKC trilogy.
Right on!
I enjoyed this game alot as a kid for how different it looked n felt. It had a home vibe to it. Also I didn't know about the bananas being shaped like letters were hints. I just mashed a bunch of buttons until I progressed through the area, or found hidden shortcuts, or learned as I went. For some reason I use to have alot of dreams about being a player in this game
As someone who actually finished DKC3 on actual SNES (while the other two through emulation) this comprehensive analysis of DKC3 really warms my heart.
For me, DKC3 is the reason why SNES is the beast of 16-bit. The gameplay started lightly but gradually shifted into hardcore difficulty (notably once we arrived at Krematoa). The music is also need to be praised. Though not as ambient as previous DKC, the entire music fits the scene perfectly. And the graphic was the thing where I could brag my friends when they shifted to Playstation.
Yeah, I find people dissing DKC3 are biased and unfair. I like the entire trilogy as the series is the reason why Nintendoes what Sega Doesn't...
Good points. I bring this up to the haters. Name one thing DKC 2 does better than 3 outside of the soundtrack. In DKC 3, the kong pair is more balanced( big and small vs 2 small), the graphics are more polished, the levels have more variation and creativity( puzzles, moving saw blades, mice in wheels, owls shooting fire balls, etc), the bosses do not rehash and they take more thought to beat, the secrets are expanded upon(banana birds, bear quests, vehicle upgrades, cave puzzles) and there is more replayability. The cheat codes enable more difficulty and other creative ways to play the game( Christmas bonus stages anyone?) DKC 2 is no doubt a masterpiece, but DKC 3 is easily on par with the 2nd, if not even better in some ways. DKC 1 is light years below these two. It has pointless secret rooms and is much less polished than the latter 2.
This game was the best on the SNES by far. A platformer with an awesome map not totally linear and with multiple overworld vehicles. DO not see why it was considered the stepchild. It was the best DKC game. Even better than 2. And definitely better than 1. 1 did not have secret world in it. This does and so does 2 so it rocks.
Finally, someone speaks the truth!
DAMN...Didn't realize DK3 is such a masterpiece. Now I have to play it again!