A long, long time ago... this is a story about Baby Kiddy Kong and Dixie. Back TGC on Patreon: / geekcritique Twitch: / geekcritique Facebook: / geekcritique Twitter: / tgcritique
If you're about to make a comment because I implied that Star Fox Adventures was better than Ocarina of Time, then you probably skipped to DKC3 and didn't watch the rest of this season. I was re-using a graphic from the first episode. You'll find it at about 11:30 here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-6X1y8BwQLmU.html
Hmm. You know strangely enough, the implication you make that Star Fox Adventures is an excellent Zelda game is totally true. Better that OOT? That's subjective, which means your opinion is quite valid as anyone else's. I remember thinking that SFA was excellent for a Zelda game when I completed it back in dem dayz. Your opinion might be unpopular, but I can tell it's the opinion of a seasoned gamer (unlike many of the comments one can encounter on youtube).
funny enough, I always called Star Fox adventure, the legend of star fox. lol. Also, DKC3 was always my favorite of the series because it was more about thinking and executing then being all out races to the finish, and my least favorite levels where the ones that were just that, races to the finish.
Actually I came down here to talk about why DKC3 might have been less than awesome- it seems Nintendo and Miyamoto in particular were getting fed up with being shown up with their own IP. Their third party policy on that seems to be "Do it justice, but don't.... outshine us on things we don't find important, okay?"
And on that note... watching Cranky Kong whine about lawyers is exactly the kind of backhanded talk I'd expect them to sneak in about Nintendo if the allegations are true.
You can post a link at a certain time of a video so that people instantly see what you wanna show them! Just right click, "copy video url at current time" and there u go! That way we don´t have to search and you don´t have to tell us the time!
And then DKC5 would be all the Kongs get kidnapped, so the pet rock teams up with a mysterious skull of unknown origin and one of Lopez's wrenches to compete ... no wait, that was a Red vs Blue sub plot, sorry. DKC5 would be all 4 Kongs get kidnapped, Cranky blames K.Rool, but for once he's innocent, so Cranky and K.Rool head out together to rescue the Kong clan, only, PLOT TWIST! K.Rool actually did kidnap the Kongs, and has now lured Cranky to his stronghold and... To Be Continued... ...in DKC6 where Funky and Candy Kong, the last of all the free Kongs, team up to free ... er, everyone else from K.Rool.
I remember that I also thought very much about DKC 4. I always thought that Kiddy will be the main hero but all the enemies are baby versions of all Kremlings. I am happy that I was wrong.
In DKC7, DK is cursed to a broken form of immortality, doomed to awaken from his grave, time and time again. Over the centuries, he accumulates the scars of lifetimes as each incarnation builds upon the labors of the last. Heroes, cowards, villains; Donkey Kong becomes all these things and more, until one day he awakens on a mortuary slab with only one clue to his identity. A tattoo is scrawled across his back, telling him to check his journal and to seek out Pharod Kong. Alas, the book is nowhere to be found and our hero has no idea where to find the elusive ape. His identity forgotten in the passing of ages, the Nameless Kong undertakes a great quest to discover who and what he is.
I actually appreciated DKC3 for its weirdness and I'm really glad the team did their own thing instead of trying to replicate what made 1 and 2 work. The soundtrack is also underrated imo.
I find myself listening to dkc music more. It kinda grows on you. Dkc3 gets rough criticism only because it came after two masterpieces of games. It’s a high bar to reach but at least what we got is unique and fun on its own.
@@GodhandPlusOne Diddy has one of the best motion controls in all history of 2D platforming video games. How you can control him through the stages - all his agility, speed, lightness, and grace - is almost flawless. He's always been the primary character to play with in DKC1 and DKC2. Dixie and Donkey, on the other hand, are much slower and heavier but they complemented Diddy with gliding and strength abilities, respectively. In my opinion, DKC3 is flawed because they put two secondary characters together, one of them being the worst one yet to maneuver (Kiddy).
Pretty strange coming back here knowing you’d be making fun of a bunch of it in another 7 years. It’s cool being able to see these two videos though, this one definitely has that classic feeling of your older videos when the runtime was a lot shorter, and the new one shows how far you’ve come and is a great example of your modern stuff.
DKC3 was my favorite of the series, I know most people like 1 and 2 specially more. But to me DKC3 was more unique, with more exploration and new ideas.
DKC3 Was actually my favorite of the trilogy. It was very different. The music makes you feel inside of the adventure. And levels needed more strategies.
These were all fair criticisms of DKC3. The majority opinion over at DK Vine has always been that DKC3 was the second best of the trilogy and more polished than the original (at least until Tropical Freeze dethroned it from the number two slot), but it's certainly down to what you prefer. DKC1 is definitely more kinetic and fluid than DKC3, but the puzzle solving of DKC3 was a nice change of pace. A good way of looking at it is that each DKC is designed around the personality and abilities of the main Kong, and this is very much the kind of game that Dixie would want to star in. As far as Kiddy goes, we have a theory that he was kind of designed to be stupid and not as appealing as any of the other Kongs. Why? Because they had to end the need to give the sidekick their own game. This was the end of the trilogy. Kiddy was never going to get a Donkey Kong Country 4 to star in. Diddy and Dixie were each worthy of hero quests. Kiddy was a dumb baby who probably won't remember this adventure when he gets older. The chain was broken here, allowing DK and Diddy to become permanent fixtures again beginning with DK64. Why Kiddy over, say, having Donkey in the sidekick role? Because then he would overshadow Dixie's starring role. At the end of the day, we can't help but have fond feelings for DKC3. It was definitely a step-down from DKC2, but it also did a lot of things better than that game. It lacked a cohesive theme and the genuine emotions that DKC2 stirred, but I'll be damned if Parry the Parallel Bird and the Brothers Bear aren't some of our favorite characters from the trilogy. The Northern Kremisphere also had a somewhat eerie feel to it. It wasn't enemy territory, but it wasn't quite friendly either. It was uncharted territory, which made the exploration on the map screen all the more enticing (and terrifying at times, especially when you discovered the Queen Banana Bird for the first time)
Being as objective as I can, I'll agree that DKC3 is definitely a superior game to DKC1. My preferences just mean that I have a lot more fun with the original. And yeah, the way each DKC game fits its star is something I really need to remember to include in the wrap-up video, because it got lost in the script editing here. That's an AWESOME theory on Kiddy, that I'm surprised I don't remember hearing you guys discuss before. Now I'm trying to imagine a DKC4 released in late '97 and starring Kiddy...
A fan box art image was made describing that very thing: "Donkey Kong Country 4: Kiddy Kong's Super Cool Game of Awesome"!LOL I do agree with that theory very strongly - DKC 3 wanted to end the need of sidekicks getting their own games; Donkey's presence would have overshadowed Dixie, and Diddy's presence would have just been a rehash of DKC 2, so... in all fairness toward Kiddy, I do believe he was the appropriate sidekick for Dixie. By the way, are you at all familiar with the fan-made "Donkey Kong Country 4: The Kong's Return"? It stars Donkey, Diddy, Dixie and Kiddy - all equal this time, and you can choose which pairing you want at any barrel! It may be unofficial, but it's fun. I've watched videos on it... maybe you have, too!
DKC3 is definitely an acquired taste I think. Kind of weird tasting at first, but after you've rolled it around your mouth for a while you start to appreciate just how different it tastes. I'm honestly glad we have this to cap off the Donkey Kong Country trilogy, because you can at least say the third game wasn't just more of the same. There's an actual reason to play this, and after the masterstroke that was DKC2, that's saying something.
The most memorable for me would have to be Brash Bear. He's connected to one of the only speed-focused stages in the game, and I thought it was hilarious how pissed he got when I finally beat his time.
In DKC1, when the bigger character dies, you think "Oh God, I'm screwed." In DKC3, when the bigger character dies, you think "Thank God I can still do the hair helicopter."
I just started playing for the first time ever a couple of days ago. I like it quite a lot. Defo think the music is lacking though. I like the first game best, but might be because that's the only one of them I had as a kid, didn't even know there was a third one back then.
I personally think DKC3's music is awesome. The only "song" I find annoying to the highest level is the one in the first level, third and the Kreeping Klasps. The rest is very good. The music is really a strength of the whole trilogy. My preferences: Jungle levels : DKC1 > DKC2 (Lost World) > DKC3 water levels : DKC3 > DKC1 > DKC2 Ice Levels : DKC1 (outdoor ice levels) > DKC2 > DKC3 cave levels : DKC3 > DKC1 DKC2 = N/A (excluding lava and ice cave levels) Factory levels : DKC1 > DKC3 DKC2 : N/A Bramble levels (DKC2) = Mountain levels (DKC3) > Tree platforms levels (DKC1, Tree Top Town etc.) Haunted woods levels (DKC2) = Tree levels (DKC3 > forest levels (DKC1, World 3) castle levels (DKC2) > Pipeline levels (DKC3) > suspended platform levels (DKC1, like Trick track Trek) River side levels (DKC3) > Temple levels (DKC1) > marsh levels (DKC2) Levels with a unique song : Haunted Hall (DKC2) > Slipslide Ride (DKC1) > Rocket Rush! (DKC3) > Screech's Sprint (DKC2) Yes, music is of another style in DKC3 (They are not in the tropical area in that game) but it is great nonetheless, same for the other 2 games. I don't think there is any SNES game with a better soundtrack than those three except Chrono Trigger.
I actually love this game as one of my favorites on snes. It's northern atmosphere and feeling is beautiful and charming still to this day. The gimmicks are what gave this game a unique personality and for the reasons listed above I have a lot of nostalgia for this game and would like to replay it some day. Never played the 2nd but the 1st and 3rd were amazing as well and they had their own feel. If they were all the same it would be boring. I couldn't pick a favorite.
Personally DKC2 is my favorite of the trilogy: I loved the levels, the music, the perfectly balanced duo of Diddy and Dixie, the music, the bonuses, the bosses and the music! The original game was definitely the best for speed running and the music was great too! 3rd game is the perfect finale for the trilogy with every level being unique from one another!
Just because it's on the tailcoats of an excellent franchise doesn't make it great by default. It's like Terminator 3, it had similar ingredients to the first two, but it doesn't live up to the momentum they built up or break the same ground that they did.
I really like DK3. I've enjoyed all 3 DK's since I was young. I rate them: DK 9/10, DK2 10/10, DK3 9/10. DK3 was fun and inventive. The levels were creative and the world was fun to explore. I like that it wasn't the same old, same old but tried to be more of a thinking game. I love them all for what they bring.
I love DKC3 the game is beautiful, the soundtrack is so much fun, the functions and mechanics between the kongs are very creative, very different from each other. Boss fights are creative, the rpg system on the world map. I don't understand the problem with Kiddy, he's fun. I miss him at the games. Functions and themes of the most diverse in the game, I find it technically better than the trilogy. To me it's as good as DKC2
This is honestly my favorite of the series. The music, the hub areas (especially the first one and the woods where you fight the spider), hanging out in Wrinkly's cave....the whole experience felt very welcoming to me.
I love DKC3 but still, I like this review a lot. I appreciate a point of view that is not completely bloated and filled with hate on a game. When I watch reviews its either people saying good things about a game or bad things about a game. This video however took a look at both sides of the coin and explained perfectly why DKC3 is not like the other two.
First of all, KAOS is pronounced "CHAOS". Secondly, the overlying theme with the Kremlings and their allies is that almost all have been genetically altered, hence the final villain being Baron K. RoolENSTEIN! And third, the idea here is that Donkey and Diddy are missing, so Dixie and Kiddy are searching the entire Northern Kremisphere for them.
First of all, there’s no need to be pedantic about his pronunciation. It’s not that big of a deal Secondly, he clearly addresses the overlying theme and states that the problem was that it wasn’t as cohesive as it could have been (he specifically mentions that only a handful of the enemies and one world, Mekanos, really adhere to the theme) Thirdly, no one needed you to explain the plot. It was impossible to miss. And the developers more than likely decided on the characters before they created the plot so it’s a moot point anyway
DKC2 is my favorite game of all time with Brambles "Stickerbrush Symphony" being my favorite video game soundtrack of all time. I also loved DKC3 so, I especially enjoyed playing during the holiday season with the holiday themed items cheat codes, which u failed to mention. :(
Negatives of DKC3: 1. Overall Art Design being inferior to 1 & 2 (most notably for enemy designs) 2. Music is also not as good when compared to both of its predecessors 3. Kiddy Kong and his special move to roll jump on water is limited to a small amount of levels 4. Collecting Banana Birds Positives of DKC3: 1. Innovative Level Design concepts and surpassing DKC1 in the department (and even 2!) 2. Boss Fights are more creative and are the best in the trilogy 3. Ability to choose from World 3 (Cotton Top Cove) and World 4 (Mekanos) on which one to tackle first 4. Manageable 100% Completion due to the "two bonus barrels/coins per level" limitation; easily obtainable DK Coins instead of being 'cryptically' hidden 5. Difficulty within the reasonable limits for the 'Lost World' 6. A Trading Sequence with the Brothers Bear is a plus (unlocks additional banana birds) 7. Swanky's Sideshow Minigame for being too much fun Honorable Mentions: 1. Interactive Overworld Map provides more freedom 2. Ability to Save your game's progress at any given point 3. Main K. Rool Fight for not being extremely challenging 4. Gyrocopter Award for collecting all 41 DK Coins
Stephen P I would recommend watching a video called Donkey Kong Country 3 Remake or Rebreak by a RU-vidr called ExoParidemGamer for a review that looks at the two versions in depth. As for my opinion, I think the music's better in the GBA version with the exception of a few tracks in a few levels, and because of my Music-headed self, I like GBA version more, but Swanky's Minigame is better in the SNES version. Also, I enjoy Pacifica (The GBA-exclusive world) so I guess I like the GBA version of DKC3 More.
I liked most of the negatives you give in DK3. I think the music is just as good, just a bit different and light hearted. Level 1 in DK3 is one of my favs
As far as the Banana Birds providing a retroactive explanation for why the Kremlings stole Donkey Kong's banana hoard goes, there's a really great video called "In The Mind of: King K. Rool" that provides an alternate explanation that, while it doesn't hold up in light of _Returns_ and _Tropical Freeze's_ additions to the series lore, is a lot more compelling if you only view it in light of the first game (plus a synopsis of the character arc K. Rool undergoes over the course of the whole series, to boot). Definitely give it a watch if you haven't already.
This was a bit of a harsh review. I always thought DKC3 was a great game. Maybe not as strong as DKC2 particularly with the music, but still great with all the different levels. I’m surprised a lot of people are critical of this game.
@ArtBuffalo People seem to think that if you think DKC3 is the worst in the trilogy you INSTANTLY hate it. No, it's still a good game. Just 1 and 2 are better/more fun.
Interesting memory attached to this one... My parents and I went to Toys R Us for some reason. A gift for a cousin? DKC3 was playable on a tv in the gaming section...remember when that was a thing? I wasn't into gaming at the time, I was only 6 or so years old, but I remember walking by, maybe even playing it, and being really wowed by the visuals. I didn't know the different between Snes and N64, that's how naive I was about gaming. But when all is said and done, this was probably the last outing my parents and I went on before they got divorced. I also see it such a 90s outing, so it's one that really stands out in my memory!
Fantastic wrap up to this trilogy of videos! You definitely did them justice and I can tell that their was so much passion put into them, great job man! :)
I never understood the stigma behind this game and Kiddy Kong, I always thought DKC was much better and more enjoyable than DKC 1. DKC2 is clearly the best but 3 was a much better game than everyone gives it credit for.
I love DKC 1 and 2...they're my childhood....but DKC 3 is my absolute favorite game of all time. I don't see why people bag on it....the whole series is so good but 3 had my favorite music and atmosphere. Not saying much though because 1 and 2 are right up there with it.
Seriously though...if you love DKC 1 & 2 so much, how could you not like DKC 3? Just because of kiddy? That's a really bad reason to ignore that this game improves everything that the first 2 games did. This is the greatest game of all time!
Bah, DKC3 is Rare's best Super Nintendo game. I love the variety of levels, it really makes DKC1's basic "just run to the right" stuff look kind of dated in comparison... and the graphics are the best of the trilogy, too.
ABlackFalcon It certainly isn't but it comes close to DKC2. It improved the item collection aspect but DKC2 is a tighter game overall, i'd describe it as hardcore even and i guess that's what put a lot of ppl off. DKC3 in comparison was a breeze if you didn't collect stuff and for some ppl too many collectibles is a bad thing (main reason DK64 is the worst DK game for some, i liked it better than DKC3 though), specially after what DKC2 accomplished.
Ebani I was able to beat DKC2 more than DKC3 when I was a kid, and I'm pretty sure I played both equally. I remember Bleak being a huge blockade for me.
5:48 There's no way they could have done that without Donkey stealing all of Dixie's thunder. MistareFusion explained that when he did his disseciton of this game.
Despite its weirdness, I really enjoy the game for what it is and appreciate the variety of the stage "gimmicks," as well as its Northern landscape and aesthetic. I felt DKC2 already moved away from the "kinetic gameplay" of its predecessor, which irked me back when I first played it, so I didn't feel any disappointment there. Rare probably should have had Donkey Kong rather than Kiddy Kong, yes. It would have been great to have Donkey Kong finish up the series himself, but Rare most likely felt that including him would have meant putting Dixie Kong into a secondary role again and they wouldn't have that, of course.
+Jacob R DKC1 was MUCH more linear than DKC2, yes, but I think the sequel struck a good balance. Let me put it like this. When I think of DKC2's gimmicks - ghost ropes, rising toxic fluid, freezing water to run across, wind - most of them CHANGED UP the gameplay, but they didn't slow it down or impede you, and they weren't often used for puzzle-solving. The only ones that slowed things down were Red Hot Ride and I guess Glimmer's Galleon, to an extent. Compare that to many of DKC3's gimmicks - hiding behind metal plates from Krack-Shot, a purple tunnel that reverses your control, taking out Squeals to open doors, taking out Squeals so an elephant can pass, solving a barrel puzzle to get a DK Coin - most of them really COULDN'T be blasted through the same way that the prior games could be. YMMV on what you like about the series, but like I said, I think DKC2 struck the best balance, because it could be played and enjoyed in either style. I don't know, if Nintendo's marketing department was insisting that a female character couldn't be the star anyway, maybe DK could have come back in a co-starring role? Like, still have it be Dixie's game with her as the default lead Kong, but market DK as being BACK and on equal footing with her? By the way, thanks for the substantial and thought-provoking comment. It's nice to get one of those in this sea of Pokémon comments I'm digging through. xD
+The Geek Critique Thanks for responding and the complement. I’ll elaborate more, then. “Linear?” All the DKC games are ultimately linear, though DKC3 had a point where there is a choice on which world to complete next. I don’t want argue semantics but did you mean verticality? DKC1’s horizontality allowed its designers to create levels that could be completed swiftly without being impeded, mostly according to the character’s run speed and player’s ability, as you already know, and I loved that. There were exceptions that slowed the pace deliberately, and those levels had verticality. Yes, DKC2 added much more of this verticality compared to its predecessor, and this consequently slowed the overall pace of the gameplay as running isn’t the ultimate speed determining factor now, rather the level with some “gimmick” setting and slowing the pace often. I must admit that I think it was slowed down more often than its predecessor than are willing to admit, aside from those two levels you mentioned. Off the top of my head, there are such encumbering miscellaneous “gimmicks” in many levels like disappearing ghost ropes, slow moving controllable barrels, total obscuring darkness, wind that moves against your direction (you didn’t mention that part), and, the worst, very slow moving hot-air balloons that require waiting on thermal vents to continue forward (had to mention it again). Most of K. Rool’s Keep levels are all vertical and also set its own pace with "gimmicks” like a rising floor, rising wind, rising acid, vertical chain ropes, and all with obstacles and projectiles in every direction which usually requires a pause for quick decision-making. The bramble levels are slower paced due to tedious meandering barrel puzzles, rope climbing, and an overall 360 degree level design. The hornet nest levels are an attractive mix of both verticality and horizontality, though with a sticky encumbering honey used as a progression device. Even more, every additional controllable animal buddy (Squawks, Squitter, and Rattly) were designed according to the new emphasis on verticality, and as such slowed down the pace of the game whenever they were required. Squawks must climb upward or descend slowly and maneuver around moving obstacles or projectiles, sometimes even slower because it is carrying our new hero and heroine, Squitter must slowly and deliberately create web platforms to progress, and Rattly is so vertically inclined that it constantly and awkwardly bounces up and down on the ground when moving forward. As an aside, bonus levels are now required to be completed in order to reach all the game’s content, forcing many uninspired and easy bonus levels on players while slowing game progression down. Was this ultimately disappointing to me? No, because, while I loved DKC1’s physics and pace, I grew to appreciate DKC2’s slower pace because its increased variety created more suspense and challenge. That can make it feel faster than it really is sometimes. Indeed, I felt DKC3 took the same approach and I felt just as satisfied because of its quality level design. If the pace was ever slowed down or impeded, it was to add some suspense or variety, which I was already open to, and there never was anything as offensive as the pace of DKC2’s Red-Hot Ride. Admittedly, DKC3's pace may be slightly slower overall just due to Dixie and Kiddy’s running speed, which I am assuming is slower than Diddy just based on sight and feel alone. Still, I could generally run through all the levels, including the ones you mentioned, with a quick pace without feeling impeded, just as in DKC2, but perhaps that is because I am experienced and know the level layout enough to enjoy moving around such obstacles. I said I liked the DKC3 despite its “weirdness.” I should elaborate on that as it’s related to pace in a way. Story-wise, DKC3 doesn’t have the sense of urgency that its predecessor has. It doesn’t seem to want to despite its premise and is more akin to DKC1 in that regard: a fun adventure through the countryside that doesn’t even care to establish who the ultimate villain is until its climax. DKC2, in contrast, makes its sense of adventure, purpose, and urgency known immediately as the game is launched, that is, from the blasting fanfare, title and title screen, overworld layout, and ominous letter from K. Rool. Further, the threatening art design, moody soundtrack, and varied level design are fully unified behind this immediacy in order to instill the emotional drive in the player to continue pressing forward (or upward) towards our captured hero and gaming icon, Donkey Kong. This is beautifully utilized when, near the expected end of the game, Donkey is cruelly teased and taken away, leaving the player angry and horrified. It is an effective sleight of hand by crafty and deliberate designers. That being said, should DKC3 have tried to attempt something similar when it was done so well in DKC2? No. It made more sense to go back to something more lighthearted and silly, as in DKC1. But Rare didn’t, at least not fully. Instead, the initial premise of the game was finding our missing heroes, Donkey and Diddy, in the Northern Kremisphere, who, unbelievably, have probably somehow allowed each other to be captured despite DKC2’s events. The game never makes it clear and comes off as a crude facsimile of its inspired predecessor with no emotional effect, and, even worse, betrays the serene Northern landscape and ambient soundtrack of the game, subconsciously throwing players off. I think it’s a primary cause of the game’s disjointedness, or “weirdness,”compared to DKC2. I would have preferred Dixie, Kiddy, and some of the Kong family go on a summer vacation up North, only then to discover that the Kremlings have taken control of the countryside from the benevolent Brothers Bear under a new leader, a mad scientist, later revealed as K. Rool, who has finally uncovered the mysterious connection between the bananas and Banana Birds and is now using it to fuel his evil science (which ties nicely into his previous stealing of Donkey’s banana horde in DKC1). It is up to Dixie and Kiddy to reunite the captured Banana Birds from the clutches of his devious minions throughout the land to break the seal that holds their ancient Banana Queen, the power behind the power of the banana, who can defeat K. Rool once and for all. It did sort of play out that way, though.
Huh, it kind-of blew my mind when you explained that all of the new animal buddies in DKC2 emphasize the new verticality of the game. And yeah, none of them are good for rushing through DKC1 style (although Squawks is actually fairly fast when he isn't weighed down by the Kongs). I can't believe I never noticed that.
@@jacobr1671 Both of your comments are quite underrated and an excellent summation of the differences in design philosophies for the first two games. I've recently been getting into the DKC series and while I find myself enthralled with the first entry, I cannot seem to connect well with the second entry despite knowing how enamored the fanbase is with it. I'm not here to dispute its quality but I simply cannot get into the game and I feel that it is exactly for all of the reasons you outlined. There appears to be very little dissent to the "DKC2 is the best and a masterpiece" narrative so it leaves me wondering if I even like 2D platformers to begin with. But on the other hand I adore the classic Megaman and X series of games, whose level design largely focuses on your characters abilities as opposed to introducing gameplay altering gimmicks at regular intervals, all while keeping the pacing fast. DKC1 to me happens to be the most in line with that philosophy and ends up being my favorite.
When playing it, one of my biggest gripes is that almost every single enemy sprite looks out of place, and doesn't help to convey any cohesive, or satisfying tone/mood.
I kinda of like this game more than dkc2. Dkc2 is a great game and I love the speed. I really love the stages and environment more in this game. I also love how you can collect items in this game to progress the story. Though of all three games dkc1 is my favorite.
I agree with you. While I respect a lot about the design and feel of DKC2, I must admit feeling a little bit bored with all the levels being really dark and gritty. The other games were a little more diverse.
DKC2 > 3 > 1. Don't get the hate for the 3rd tbh. The odd one out of the bunch is the first, not the third. Looking back, DKC1 feels like a test subject, while DKC2 is where they used the results of those tests do it properly, and then DKC3 is just more of the 2nd with minor changes.
This is my favorite one, but that's just because it's the only one I've ever played. I have a crush on Dixie (I know that's weird considering she's a cartoon ape) and she's definitely the best. I use Kiddy in risky situations just to save Dixie. Also, David Wise made the music for the GBA version, which in my opinion is better in every way than the SNES one.
Well said. I've always had trouble articulating how the gimmicky nature of DKC3 was different from that of of the first two. I've ended up settling for "...it just kind of...is". To me, it comes down to finesse. I fell in love with the first one because, between the music and the simplistic design, it felt like you were in the middle of the jungle. By the time they got to this one, all the atmosphere was gone. No more sunsets and lush forests, just carnival games and snowmen.
DKC2 was the very dictionary definition of "tough act to follow." Any game charged with the task of being a follow-up to that masterpiece has my undying sympathy.
Oh my gosh, you totally got me at 3:40, I was surprised that the video so abruptly ended, did like a triple take at the timeline, and when you continued I did a big LOL!
You know, I never noticed the commercials saying that as a kid (nor did I notice the whole biker guy theme with a rep of Dixie in the bitch seat.... SNES game commercials being what they were at the time, I figured it was just some silly skit with a loose connection to primates to tie in with the game's focus). Granted, it's easy to assume that they meant it's "featuring" Kiddie Kong, rather than "starring" in the more literal sense of him in the main role. Dixie's name is already in the title, so saying it's starring her just sounds redundant. Still, they could've said "featuring" instead of "starring" in the first place, but I'd say it was just a slip. And yeah, I wasn't too fond of the baby either. There really didn't seem to be a point to him when Donkey could've filled the exact same role. However, I guess that DKC sequels were establishing a trend of letting the new character take the mantle because the previous star(s) were put out of commission. Needless to say, it was Dixie's time to shine, and in giving her a new partner, someone at Rare must've decided to go back to having a bulky character like the first game did while not necessarily having it be Donkey himself. With this in mind, we should probably be thankful there wasn't a Donkey Kong Country 4.... whether that's because DKC3 was less successful than its predecessor, or it was simply the timing with the SNES being phased out (and 2D platformers along with it), I'm not sure, but if DKC4 did happen, you can bet that Kiddy would've taken the starring role just because of the pattern.
I'm pretty sure Rare knew there'd be an effectively 0% chance of DKC4 being existing. The fact that they made Kiddy much less memorable or likable than Dixie or Diddy pretty much proves that they never thought of him being a potential star.
3 is great imo. It doesn't have the serious tone of 2 and it doesn't play quite as fast but it was very unique and adventurous for what it was and pretty much every level had a new fun gameplay gimmick. As far as gameplay goes, in my opinion it is by far the most innovative.
The original dkc was the reason I purchased the snes. When 2 came out I couldn’t believe how amazing it was. Still my favorite game of all time. I couldn’t wait to get 3 and boy was I disappointed.
Funny enough, DKC3 is my favorite of the bunch even to this day. I grew up with all three and the atmosphere of DKC3 seemed the most inviting to me. The bizarre, cartoony-ness style of DKC3 seemed such a drastic turn point in the series that you could barely tell it's a DKC game. But it's fine because I like stuff that's different, especially if the new stuff works.
As far as just simply beating the games I think the third was just barely below the other two. But for completing I loved this game and found it more fun to get every collectible than the other two. the first game had issues on this part because of some bonuses being almost impossible to find without a guide, and the second game frustrated me with having to pay funky Kong to go to other areas.
DKC3 is my favourite of the 3. Tropical Freeze is my favourite overall, but man.. DKC3 is so good. I understand there are criticisms of it, but I have always had the most fun with it, I think the difficulty is the most balanced, the levels are the most varied (although DKC2 comes pretty close), the graphics are the best, and most varied.. I could go on. A lot of this stuff is subjective, but DKC3 will most likely always be my favourite from the original trilogy.
DKC3 is my favourite SNES game, and it's one of my favorite game ever like Spyro and Crash Bandicoot. When I was little I didn't undestand English, so I never finished the game 100% because for me was impossible to find "The Lost World" although I spent a lot of hours for find the reason I can't get more 78%. Some years ago (about 20 years after the first time I played it) I discovered how to do in a casual youtube video, so I took back the console from the attic and I finished it to 100% for my first time. It was very exciting.
Yo, Josh. I love your gag of showing the audience where you are in the scripts vs. where you are in the games. It is a clever way of making your point. I came here from your amazing Metroid critiques and and glad I found your channel. Keep up the great work, man.
You know, I owned all three DKC games as a kid and absolutely loved all three. I could flip a coin on my favorite. I do hate Kiddy Kong, but I adore the world, the mini-games, and the secrets. This game felt amazingly large at the time, and I still adore it.
I loved the exploration and added story stuff with the bears. As a kid I was always so excited to get to a new bear or a new Banana Bird cave or a new vehicle. I can see what you're saying about the level design now, but I did enjoy the puzzle solving, and I really like Ellie and her ability to shoot water.
i really dug the country theme of this game, reminded me of going to a mountain resort or something of the sort, i like that the whole game had a flavor to it like that, kind of like how much they pushed the ice theme with tropical freeze
I always have a soft spot for this game. I personally don't mind the slower pace the game's levels had since I really liked the more puzzle/exploration oriented design they had and I'm surprised you did not mention the game's bosses since they are, in my opinion, the best bosses in the original SNES trilogy.
Yeah, I should have mentioned the bosses. I don't think as a whole they're as strong as DKC2's, but they're definitely memorable. Barbos is probably one of my favorite bosses in the trilogy.
I love how DK1 and many stages from DK2 are really fluid. You just keep running, bouncing, jumping till the end if you want to, DK3 really frustrated me in this aspect as a kid.They could really have used more from Kiddie's skills as rolling around and bouncing on water.
I"m not with you but i see what you mean yes refined in graphics complex mechanics puzzle platformer maybe but the music in dk 2 rocks bramble blast enchanted wood and the worlds are just mystic
I will never understand why you couldn’t play as donkey Kong twice in his own trilogy. The only thing I hate about dkc3 is kiddy Kong, there was no reason to create him and not letting us play as DK. Still love dkc3 but it makes it harder than it should to look back at this game
David Wise DID do some music in DKC3. He just didn’t do a lot of it. He did certain ones like Brothers Bead, the bonus area, and the title screen music. Your point about the music, however, still stands.
I spent hours and hours with my friends playing DK3. Felt this game was more challenging than the previous DK's Can't see I enjoyed it less, I think all three games are, in their own way, gems. My son loves these games also, so I achieved my lifegoal.
DK3 is an awesome game actually! I love it, the levels are creative and fun. Not a fan of the character "kiddy kong" either but it doesn't ruin the game for me. I like they added the unlockables and the more open map between worlds. I remember when I was a kid I was initially disappointed getting this game, I think because N64 was out, but I did cone to really appreciate it. I think the timing of its release has a lot to do with why its overlooked
Personally speaking, I adored DKC3, largely down to associating it with a period of my life- Remember getting it for Christmas the year of release; one of the last Christmases I remember being too excited to sleep for as a kid, so it stands as a poignant time in life for me as it marked the transition from childhood to adulthood.
6:22 PLEASE go listen to the song from the GBA version of the first level. It completely makes up for this point and is one of my favorite tracks in the entire series.
I would say DKC1 has the best songs, DKC2 has the better visuals, animations, etc and DKC3 has the better mechanics. For me it's like if they fulfill each other, so I can't say I prefer one, but I have more memories of DKC3. Who knows why. Well, that's just my personal opinion anyways.
2:00 Was there ANY boy in 1996 who had a problem with Dixie Kong getting her own game? It was just another Donkey Kong Country game starring a girl Kong, what? I didn't assume that malicious intent on the part of the marketing anyway, I thought they were just promoting the new Kong character.
Although this game was different than the first 2, i feel like it still captured the mystique of donkey kong! There's something about the DK lore that I can never get enough of. I'm hoping they make a new DK for the switch. Maybe they can take. A darker take on the series. Making it more serious
I loved the exploration concept of the overworld a lot to be honest, even the music. DKC3 was awesome; I only played DKC2 when I was in high-school on an emulator. Never knew it existed, but boy was it great.
Hang on- You're critiquing the STORYLINE???!!!? This is a platformer- Storyline is essentially a byproduct and a secondary thought to gameplay and level design (both of which DKC3 excel at) To me- The order of best to worst in the trilogy is DKC2, DKC3 and the original in last place- The level design of the original DKC was too repetitive and not as innovative as DKC3...
Andy C I would.rank them in the same order but looking at it from a nostalgic perspective: DKC I is the most iconic/rememberable. I still know every single level although I haven't played it in years. While I barely remember a dozen of lvls from DKC III . True story. I think the games progressed with age just like we got older so new challenges were needed. Hope you know what I am sayin. I think we can all agree that DKC II is the best one.
Donald Trump Oh, I hear you. Can’t for the life of me understand why this game is almost dismissed by some- the controls are as smooth as ever, and the level design is just as great as the previous two in a lot of instances. On top of that, it’s every bit as graphically stylish as DKC2. And the overworld map is great too! Personally, I prefer DKC3 over DKC Returns and Tropical Freeze- as much as I enjoyed both games, didn’t like the fact you couldn’t separately control your partner, and really don’t like the new enemies compared to the (iconic) Kremlings.
I would rank them the same way. DKC2 is the definitive version of the trilogy imo because of the polished controls, the level layout as it allows for unique level gimmicks without slowing down the gameplay, the atmosphere, and of course the music. I find myself coming back to this game every year and never getting tired of it. DKC3 has a lot going for it as the gameplay is practically identical to DKC2 just with different mechanics with the team up throw. Sometimes though the level gimmicks do slow the gameplay like in Ripsaw Rage (despite that being my favorite level in the game) which I can understand might deter some but it never bothered me. However, the toboggan levels REALLY should've been tweaked to be a little slower because they are way too fast (I'm looking at you Stampede Sprint). As for atmosphere, the overworld is appealing and some of the levels like the tree, waterfall, and cliff levels do feel like they belong in a DKC game, others just seems a little out of place like the mill, pipeline, or factory levels. The music is hit or miss as there are some good tracks like the music in the cliff levels and the snow levels, but some are just kind of bland like in the mill levels or the riverside levels. It's obviously a matter of taste but I think everyone can agree that the way Lakeside Limbo started off musically was just terrible (thank god it was changed in the GBA port because it's a lot more fitting). While I do come back to this game from time to time, I do find myself speedrunning through some of the less desirable levels like Kong-Fused Cliffs and Squeals on Wheels. DKC1 is my least favorite of the 3. Obviously it was the first one so we shouldn't expect perfection, but as time goes on I noticed more and more problems with this one. After playing DKC2 and DKC3 a lot it seems a little off not to have a team up through, but that wasn't thought of the first game so it's not the game's fault. The mechanics are fine and work as intended so I have no problem with them, except when it comes to the animal buddies. Rambi and Enguarde are fine, but Expresseso's gliding is a little off as depending on where you started flapping you'll either just make or miss a ledge. Winky's jumping seems a little off to considering how rapidly he descends when compared to Rattly. As for the levels, while this is the most streamlined of the trilogy, it makes for really boring and unmemorable level designs. Majority of DKC2 and DKC3's levels have unique attributes to them that allowed them to stick out from other levels that use the same level layout. DKC1 does attempt this, but majority of the levels that use the same pallets play the same and the small gimmicks implemented rarely makes the levels stand out.That's why I can remember 98% of DKC2 and DKC3's levels but less than half of DKC1 levels. The atmosphere is fine and is fitting for a DKC game, but I find it less appealing than in DKC2 and DKC3 as DKC2 had a more darker theme so the colors reflected that while still making Diddy and Dixie the focus and DKC3 was much more vibrant and appealing to the eye, DKC1 had a lot of dark green, beige, and dark brown colors which is kind of ugly to look at. Plus, imo, the music in this game is worse than in DKC3 and can't hold a candle to DKC2. I only find myself humming to 2 tracks in the entire game being Aquatic Ambiance and the first jungle level. The rest of the soundtrack is just so drab and uninteresting that I found myself just putting DKC2 music over it. I haven't play DKC1 since 2010 on the Wii shop and that only because I won a free Wii Shop gift card from work and I it was the only SNES game that I was vaguely interested in that I didn't already buy. It just feel like a chore coming baack to DKC1.
Zangelin Even in that regard- the first two games essentially had no story at all. Just don’t get the critique. I mean- you wouldn’t criticise a Mario game based on its non-story, surely..
Wow, talk about not knowing what you're talking about. Few SNES platformers are as tight or well-designed and varied as DKC 3. It wipes the floor with most platformers released as late as 1996 on the SNES.
It's understandable that he doesn't like the character...I just think there's a bit of a exaggeration in calling the game an "anti-climax". And being sincere, I don't ever felt like one or another was the main character (despite the game title), and that's where the game shines for me. It doesn't need to have a main character, they're are a team.
The video explains well the difference between this game and DKC 1/2. After that i trully can understand why someone can dislike this game or even find it the worst of them. But man...it had some incredible ideas and thank god it wasn't a "copy" of 1 and 2. It's actually my second fav after 2.
In my opinion, DKC3 is still better than DKC Tropical Freeze and Returns. DKC Returns is worst in series in my opinion. It tried too much reboot DKC1 elements adding some new features. Level design is good, controls are good if you play 3DS version, but if you play Wii version, they are only ok. Rocket Barrel levels is nice addition for series. Rambi is only Animal Buddy in game what is shame. Squawks is only giving hints for puzzle pieces. Soundtrack is worst in series. Too much remixes of DKC1 songs and most of them are lame. New, original songs are good but some are pretty bland. My favorite songs in Returns are Palm Tree Grove, Weighty Way, Tidal Terror and Furious Fire.
Bobofett 72 This is pretty personal opinion but I list things what makes me think that DKC3 is better game than Tropical Freeze. - Tag-team mechanic and switching to other Kong. This is one of reasons why I like original trilogy more than new ones. In new ones, another Kong feels more like power-up than teammate or sidekick. - Animal Buddies. Tropical Freeze and Returns lacks ridable Animal Buddies outside of Rambi. Animals added more variety to gameplay and they have personality. Ellie is worst of DKC3's Animal Buddies though. - Atmosphere and aesthetics. I like general artstyle of original trilogy more than Returns and Tropical Freeze. In new ones, art style looks very plastic and generic at times. Atmosphere in DKC3 is very warm-hearted but it also has darker twists. Canadian/Pacific Northwest setting is pretty nice. - Controls. Don't get me wrong, Tropical Freeze's controls works fine but they feel heavy and clunky sometimes, especially swimming controls. DKC3 has very fluid controls, on the dry land and underwater. - World Map. This is pretty little thing but noticeable. DKC3 has best world map in series. It is very interactive compared any of other world maps in DKC series. - Collectibles and bonus rooms. DKC3 has better bonus rooms than Tropical Freeze and Returns because they have different quests (Find the Coin, collect stars, kill all enemies etc.) and each one is unique. Bonus Coins and DK Coins are better optional collectibles than puzzle pieces because they unlock new levels (Bonus Coins) and Gyrocopter (DK Coins). Puzzle Pieces unlocks concept art but that's it. KONG letters also have different function. In original trilogy, you get extra lives collecting them. In new games, you unlock Kong Temples. Now it's time list things what DKC Tropical Freeze makes better than DKC3. - Music. Tropical Freeze wins DKC3 in that aspect easily. Soundtrack is one of the best ever. DKC3 also has good music though. - Level Design. Tropical Freeze has awesome level design. It has creative level ideas and brilliant execution. DKC3 has good level design but too much gimmicks at times. Boss Battles in both games are equal for me. DKC3 has very creative and interesting boss battles, like snowman boss fight. Tropical Freeze has more challenging boss fights with multiple sections.
@@metalliholisti3728 I'm honestly glad retro doesn't use animal buddies very much because they were probably the worst parts of the entire series it just felt like they broke the entire flow of the game and I'd much rather play as the kongs
I just recently had some thoughts about this game. Imagine if this game had been turned into a Nintendo 64 game by November of 1996. Also, what if Dixie just had a new heavyweight female Kong as her partner?
Let me explain. When the game came out, I had just recently learned about different computer operating systems. The fact that KAOS is always written in all-caps led me to believe it was an acronym for the software powering the machine, perhaps for "Kremling Automated Operating System." So I pronounced it to put the emphasis on the OS part.
oh...ehhhh.okay, that sounds like a possible explanation for that pronunciation if it were revealed that was the "correct" way to say it. Nice review too. I definitely think DKC3 is a good game, but your critiques of it are fair.
