"How many other games give you the chance to spray an ape with insecticide?"

Donkey Kong may well have been 'the' platform game that started Nintendo's popularity, but very few gamers today would be able to recall the very different and zany third chapter featuring Stanley the Bugman.

Story - 7/10
There isn't much of a detailed plot like most games of it's time, but still It's interesting. While our Italian plumber friends venture off into the Mushroom Kingdom, Donkey Kong has returned to wreck havoc, and where better a place than a greenhouse garden?

It just happens to be the garden belonging to Pauline ~ the damsel in distress from the first game. Since Mario isn't available, she calls in Stanley the Bugman (who may or may not be related to Mario), and promises him a reward for getting the simian menace out of her greenhouse.

Graphics/Presentation - 7/10
There really isn't much aside from the title screen and a gameplay demo, but the game shows what gaming quality would be coming to American homes as the NES console two years later. Donkey Kong 3 is what you find in most first generation Nintendo games, a dark black background, and a vibrant neon color palette.

The greenhouse gives me the impression that the game takes place at night time; the background is a thin outline of the greenhouse that's like the old style vector games. Apart from the dark blue pyramid staircase, you see some bright green palm trees on the side. Call me crazy, but I like the environment, it brings back nostalgic memories of my childhood years as a Nintendo gamer.

Donkey Kong is as hairy and menacing as he was in the first game, and has a decent amount of animation. The annoying insects are well drawn, including the annoying caterpillars. Stanley himself isn't too far removed from Mario's design, but he is constantly looking up in the sky towards Donkey Kong.

Gameplay - 7/10
Unlike the previous Donkey Kong games, 3 plays more like Space Invaders. You move Stanley around the bottom of the greenhouse while spraying insecticide at Donkey Kong and the insects trying to steal the flowers from the garden.

In order to beat the stage, you must spray Donkey Kong up the butt with your bug spray (yes, it's as funny as it sounds) while avoiding the insects that hover around. Touch an insect and you die. Lose all your flowers and it's Game over. Let Donkey Kong reach the ground and you pass out in fright.

There are only 3 different stage variations, and then it repeats while getting progressively more difficult. The insects start exploding, DK starts throwing coconuts, and the the swarms get bigger. Fortunately to your aid is a super spray item you can pick up that shoots further, kills the pesky caterpillars that are immune to normal spray, and sprays a bit faster. The only downfall is that it runs out after a few rounds and doesn't reappear until you lose a life.

Multiplayer - 6/10
Like most games from the early 80's, the multiplayer feature is consecutive.

Control - 9/10
If you're accustomed to arcade controls, it should be no problem, and fighter fans would be used to using the joystick to jump instead of a button.

Soundtrack/Audio - 7/10
The music and sound effects are like a NES game. There are a few small tunes that play at various points of the game, but it's nothing special. The sound effects are good for NES audio even though they aren't sampled.

Replayability - 6/10
The challenge will always be there. It all depends if you like to play games where the goal is a high score. The game goes forever until you are dead, but you can get far with a bit of practice.

Overall - 7/10
It may be the least know Donkey Kong game next to DJ Jr, but it's fun if you like classic 80's arcade action. I'm not sure you will come across this game as it was not a huge success like the first game, but still there is hope you might find a machine to play. Besides, how often do you get a chance do you get to play a game based around spraying an ape with bug spray?

-Steven

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 01/11/06