Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble

"DKC3 is a worthy final entry in the venerable platforming series, and one that will be fondly remembered in years to come."

The Donkey Kong Country series is going out on a decidedly high note. Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble is the third and final game of the heretofore excellent platforming series, and it pulls off this role adeptly, both as a showcase for everything that was fun about the previous games and as a terrific play in its own right. If you've followed the series from the beginning, you know what to expect: high-quality “2.5D” graphics, cleverly hidden secrets, outstandingly designed levels, enemies and bosses, and a nigh-unlimited fun factor. The simple story involves long-time enemies the Kremlings gaining a new, mysterious leader named KAOS. Donkey and Diddy Kong go to investigate their new territory, the Northern Kremisphere, but don't return for some time. So, returning heroine Dixie Kong and her burly cousin Kiddy Kong take it upon themselves to find them.

Graphics/Design: 10/10
True, the N64's 3D graphics have been around for a few months now, (and for the PlayStation and Saturn, over a year) but in these, the dying production days of the SNES, the developers of Donkey Kong Country 3 have squeezed as much graphical quality out of the system as possible. The “2.5D” aesthetic has been taken from the former titles and improved even more, with meticulously crafted environments and smooth animations. It really is a sight to behold.

Also very much like its forerunners, Donkey Kong Country 3 features a large number of varied areas to traverse on your journey, and each feels fresh and imaginative. From cavernous, desert barns to beautiful riverside paths to clanging metal factories, everything looks, plays and feels right. An important part of the series has always been the hidden bonus stages, and these return in full force in Donkey Kong Country 3, with some of the most cunning hiding spots for them yet.

Music/Sound: 10/10
Donkey Kong Country 3 takes a somewhat different feel with its music score befitting of its lush natural world, as opposed to the dark dangerous island that was Donkey Kong Country 2's setting. You'll still hear catchy, beat-driven melodies, but there's a lot more ambience and mood behind it. And as surprising as it sounds, it works perfectly.

Unlike the fairly major departure in music, the game's sound effects remain nearly identical to the prior games, which in this case, is a very good thing. If you've played any other Donkey Kong Country games, you can expect the same level of excellence. If not, suffice it to say, they work flawlessly.

Gameplay: 10/10
The heart of any Donkey Kong Country game, or any game, for that matter, is obviously its gameplay. With that being said, the Donkey Kong Country series has always been a series exemplary of this fact. With that said, Donkey Kong Country 3 is no different. If you haven't played any of the previous titles, (you really should) it is very similar to a Mario game. Once again, you'll be travelling the world map on your way through a ton of platforming stages. Each stage comes with some environmental variation that ensures no level is ever the same as the last. Your two characters, Dixie and Kiddy, can be switched at any time (they have a couple of different abilities, nothing too major) and function as a sort of life system. If you get hit, your partner will disappear and you'll have to find a DK barrel to get him/her back, otherwise it's game over on your next hit.

To spruce things up a little bit from the typical platforming experience, Dixie and Kiddy have a few tricks up their sleeves. Both Kongs have horizontal attacks as opposed to just jumping on enemies' heads eternally, one can pick up and throw the other to find out-of-the-way secrets and as a powerful attack, and dozens of items can be found and picked up for use as throwing weapons. What's always been the most important to the games are the animal buddies. Throughout the game you're given the opportunity to ride (and sometimes transform into) your animal friends. Returning favourites include Enguarde the Swordfish, who will give you a method of attack underwater, Squitter the Spider, who can use webs both as projectiles and platforms, and Squawks the Parrot, an avian who can shoot eggs as well as drop barrels on unsuspecting foes. There are new recruits, too, but more on that later.

As is now standard with the series, there are a few excellent boss battles that are at all times challenging, rewarding and fun. Rounding out the gameplay is the collection of a few bonus items. By finding and completing bonus stages and defeating special enemies, you'll earn Bonus Coins and DK Coins with which to unlock extras throughout the game. Other extra-unlocking collectables include Banana Birds, which can be found by fulfilling a musical puzzle, provided you can find their hidden caves, and a fairly large trading quest with some new bear characters.

The biggest gameplay change comes in the execution of the world map. Instead of just being set on one path for the entire game, you're given a water craft with which to find your destination. As you progress through the game you can upgrade your boat, allowing you to cross rocks, waterfalls and the like so you can explore new areas. This modification is fairly welcome, because it makes the world feel a lot less static and more alive. Most of the core gameplay of the earlier titles remains intact, and with a series like Donkey Kong Country, this is perhaps its greatest strength.

This is to say that the core gameplay of the Donkey Kong Country series really couldn't be improved upon, and that it's about as fun as it's going to get. With so many different twists in each of the levels, and so many additions to your abilities, it never feels like you're playing the same game. And the “twist” is used literally, as many of the stages are seriously twisted. Surprises range from a toboggan ride down an enemy filled slope, to a climb through an enormous tree while a giant saw tears through it, to guiding a rocket into fuel barrels as it carries you to the top of a mountain. This game, and this series, to be exact, is probably the most fun you'll have on your SNES.

Innovation/Play Control: 9/10
Like Donkey Kong Country 2 before it, Donkey Kong Country 3 mostly expands on what its precursor created, rather than create entirely new concepts. The new animals are some of the best in the series, including Ellie the Elephant, who can pull and throw barrels from far away with her trunk, as well as spray water, and Parry the Parallel Bird, who, rather than attack, will float above your head and grab out-of-reach items while you fight to keep him alive. The weight system returns from the original game, so while Kiddy can take out stronger enemies, Dixie can jump higher and farther. This concept has been transplanted into the throwing system of Donkey Kong Country 2. Now, Kiddy can throw Dixie farther, but Dixie can throw Kiddy such that he can break weak walls and floors. Combining these with the boat system, new unlockables, and lots of new enemies and twists, and you have a respectably creative game that unfortunately depends on older games for inspiration a little too much.

After the perfect control scheme that was to be found in Donkey Kong Country 2, there really was no reason to change it for Donkey Kong Country 3. So in other words, this is the pinnacle of SNES control.

Replay Value/Challenge: 9.5/10
The game is just about as long as Donkey Kong Country 2, which is a good length for a platformer, actually. About 40 levels, 7 boss fights, some hidden areas, and a plethora of secret items to collect heighten the replay value considerably. Donkey Kong Country 3 is also helped by just how fun it is, ensuring you'll keep playing long after your first time.

The first two games were some of the most finely balanced games ever made, so it goes without saying that this instalment is as exceptional. Great introductory levels, a suitable learning curve and some blink-and-you're-dead final levels make Donkey Kong Country 3 perfect, difficulty-wise.

Overall: 9.5/10 (not an average, rounded to 10)
Donkey Kong Country 3 is the most fitting conclusion to such an amazing series as you can possibly find. Stellar audio and visual presentation, lots of finely-tuned gameplay, and being just plain fun make it and the rest of its trilogy an absolute must-own for anyone who still appreciates their SNES.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 07/18/08

Game Release: Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble (US, 1996)