Why People Hate Donkey Kong Country 3 

Comparing the two best songs of 1 and 2 with the worst song of 3 is just not fair. David Wise is a genius. And his soundtracks are out of this world. But the soundtrack of 3 has some really good tracks on its own. Also I really love the alpine setting of 3. such a welcome change of scenery.

DKC 3 is actually my favorite. It reminds me to the summer camp I went to for a few years as a kid.

All I can say is that just from the overworld map, this game felt 100 times bigger than either game before it. The music, while different in style, did wonders in painting the picture of a massive world. Also, you can ride vehicles in the overworld map. In a SNES platformer. Let's not forget how epic that is.

All 3 games have minor flaws but as a trilogy they compliment each other really well and will be games I'll always come back to

I don't care what people say, I still love DKC3. It's still my favorite out of the three.

I loved all three DKC. They were my childhood

Many people don't know this, but many songs in DKC 1 were composed by Evangeline. "Voices of the Temple", "Forest Frenzy", "Treetop Rock", "Northern Hemisphere", & "Ice Cave Chant" were composed principally by her. So her own compositional style is a part of the classic DKC soundscape. DKC 3's OST is certain different from the first two games, more so in being more mellow, less melody-driven (more-so than ironically her own compositions for DKC 1), and more lightheartedly bouncy especially in the baseline and percussion instruments than many songs in DKC 1 and 2, but the OST for the third game isn't bad.

You didn't quite get to this, but the level design from a hollistic standpoint tends to be what really divides the fandom. DKC3 was made by Rare's newer/recently hired devs who were working with established tools and equipment while the A-team was developing the tools and games for the N64. As such, they kinda pushed the third entry in ways you wouldn't expect. It's why a lot of levels feel "gimmicky" while older games got a free pass. But moreso than the gimmicks, 3 has a strong air of "adventure elements" to it, from the collectables and open world map exploration to stages that sometimes double back on themselves and encourage finding out of the way secrets that literally require trekking off the beaten path. The Ravine and Factory stages in particular hold some fantastic map exploration themes and rewards. Blazing Bazookas has what I call "The Highway" - a central path in the midpoint of the level that has multiple routes to explore and multiple things to do, all contained in a rather square area of map as opposed to having to make linear or vertical progress in the level. You can speed ahead to the next portion of the "level", double back for a bonus level, explore off to one side for a DK coin, and explore off another branch for some coins and bananas. Krack-shot-kroc takes things a step further with a minigame which features one of, if not the only, genre shifts from 2-D SNES platformer to FPS. It's just such a wild and interesting game and I wish people got over it not being "DKC2, but harder" and met it as it greeted you - as a slightly goofy, slightly strange platformer with some wild and untested elements to it.

Honestly, If the reputation is as you make it sound to be, then I'd say DKC3 is probably a bit underrated in the fandom. I always viewed DKC1 as the weakest. DKC3 may have a different tone with ost and design, but that's not an inherently bad thing. And the game as far as I remember still has the typical DKC gameplay that I always knew. I'd say DK64 is far more worthy of being considered a "Black Sheep" on the Donkey Kong franchise than DKC3.

I'm probably one of the very few, but I see absolutely nothing wrong with this 3rd installation. I had as much fun with it and loved it as much as the first and second game. I'm not one to look deep and "science" a game out though. I just play them as they are and like I said, I really enjoyed this one.

Really, It's because no one ever wanted to play as kiddy kong. His existence is a blight upon the earth.

I'm not a musician, but its safe to say Fischer has something that goes from funky whacky to uncanny nervous creep, while David is more about a more relaxed 'n melancholic sound, I like both but I must say I'm a bitch for DKC 2 soundtrack

While I prefer the dkc2 sound, I'll take Fischer's dkc3 ost over wise's gba version for most levels. It's good on it's own merits and has a cohesive feel, wise's version feels like just a collection of random songs that don't fit well together.

This game rocks! Still playing it today

I think the reason why people think the levels in DKC3 are so gimmicky is not because of how *many* gimmick levels there are, but how *intrusive* those gimmicks can be. The Blue Squacks level, the Waterfall Barrel level (I'm bad with names), the Purple Sewer level (with the reverse controls), and the Rocket level are all prominent examples of this, especially the latter two which require the player relearn how to control their characters for levels that give you no room for error. On another point, I think a strong reason in why people think the DKC3 soundtrack is so different is because of the difference in instruments, where DKC 1 and 2 had many intense tracks or foreboding ambients accompanied by many hard drums and trumpets, DKC 3 is mostly limited to the boss music, underwater levels and factory levels to convey "darker tones", with the instruments in almost any other context being more cherry in nature.

The music might be different compared to the previous few games, but it still fits the aesthetic of the stages and games to a large extent. It isn’t like playing Mario Galaxy music while walking through a paper Mario world. And as for the game being more lighthearted, wouldn’t that match with Rare’s tone for the later 90s? DK64, Banjo, and Conker had dark themes at moments, but they were functionally bright games for a wide majority of the time, especially early in the games.

I honestly couldn't beat this game as a kid. It was so gaddamm difficult

Dkc3 is my favorite. And that’s for a lot of reasons 1: Dixie kong is just great 2: I love the setting, I have a massive bias to northern forest locations and never cared much for tropical settings 3: I love the music, I prefer the more atmospheric take for it 4: I like the bosses, may be easy but I just like them 5: I know I said location already but, ya location, it’s a massive bias 6: I don’t think the gimmicks are that bad, I like a lot of them Among other reasoning but that’s the big ones I think

DKC3 was so much fun, I loved it from start to finish and will probably play it again soon.

Dk3 is a classic!!! It definitely up the ante as far as level design, music and boss battles.. plus the endless amount of secrets ...an the map design traveling collecting an exploring the world's map was super dope!! Literally each dk game 1-3 did something different an each holds a special place in my memory

In liked all three games on SNES but i do admit that 3 was a different beast. Soundtrack has such a huge impact on how a game makes you feel and partly how memorable it is. One and two nailed it in that department.

I think the difference between dark and light is also reflected in the color palette, DKC1 and 2 had a lot of muted and darker colors that gave it a more “organic” and realistic feel, DKC3 color palette is far bright and saturated, which isn't a bad thing, but does give it a different atmosphere.

This is so strange to hear that people hated this game for more than just not being DKC2. Back in the day, this was actually my favorite game due to the atmosphere and melancholia of it.

really cool how you tried being as objective as possible with the direct comparison categories, and thus, I completely agree with your conclusion in the end. However, if I made one change to your analyses I would make a 4th category about level design...cuz that's a big reason I see a lot of ppl hate on DKC3 for. They say 3's level design slows you down as a player a lot more and in a way it is a different design philosophy from 1 & 2. To an extent I can see that being true, and it makes sense too since DKC3's level design is by a different team than the first 2 games. However, I just wanna say that I do enjoy the level design of DKC3 nonetheless! Ppl overly hate on it imo. But yeah. DKC3 is rad and underrated.

I liked the Analysis, the only problem I had is that when it came to the comparisons with the music, you used 2 ambient tracks from the first 2 games and then a peppier track from the 3rd. I think your best bet was to do a comparison with either the peppier tracks from the first 2 or compare an a slower song from 3 with the slower tracks.

DKC3 is the best of the trilogy in my opinion, it was a xmas gift back in 1996. It felt like a true adventure game with tons of secrets and exploration.

I think the problem people have with DKC3 is that the game feels slower in comparison with it's predecessors, not only with the implementation of Kiddy but also the design of the levels itself, I think this also explains the comments of "it has too many gimmicky levels" it's not that it has too many, the thing that people dislike is that they are "slow gimmicks" like auto-scrolls while DKC 1 and 2 had more "fast gimmicks" like the minecart stages. This "too slow" problem combined with the different tone and music made a lot of fans dislike the game in my opinion

Still think DKC 3 is way better than the first DKC. More variety and collectibles. DKC felt bland and boring even if it had the better soundtrack lead by David Wise

I've never heard Water World before. When I heard the SNES version, I thought, "okay that's kinda fitting the theme." Then I heard David Wise's version and got chills all over. He definitely has a back for adding atmosphere and ear candy to his music

Okay, warning: Words ahead! I'm not sure who's representative of "the hardcore DKC fans" in this video because over on DK Vine, where I've roamed for nearly two decades, it's practically consensus that DKC3 beats DKC1 and Returns, and I'd never dream of characterizing it as "forgotten" by hardcore series fans. By gamers in general or even Nintendo fans, sure. I really appreciate someone standing up and saying that DKC3 isn't appreciably more "gimmicky" than 2. I always see the "gimmicky" excuse thrown at DKC3 to disparage it, and I've never heard anyone manage to, in the same argument a) explain why "gimmicky" is inherently bad and b) accurately classify DKC3 as "gimmicky." When asking viewers to compare a SNES and GBA tracks and judge "which is more DKC-like," I feel like it's not exactly fair to include a GBA track that largely remixes a DKC1 track. Most of DKC3's tracks are not remixes. While David Wise is my favorite gaming composer ever and the GBA soundtrack has some incredible bangers, it's really hurt by a lack of depth (he was apparently given very tight deadlines and budgets). This leads to several tracks being recycled, and they really don't fit many of the locations they're used for. On the topic of music, I feel like it's worth noting that Eveline Novakovic (nee Fischer) composed roughly a third of DKC1's soundtrack, including fan favorites like Forest Frenzy, Simian Segue (the map theme), Ice Cave Chant, and Forest Frenzy. There's a common narrative among DKC3 detractors that they brought in some newcomer to the series to do DKC3 (this video isn't saying that, but it's always good to combat that misinformation). Speaking of revisionist history about DKC3, it's popular to say how it got overshadowed by the 64 and was ignored upon release. And it didn't sell as well as its predecessors or Super Mario 64, but those were all among the best-selling games ever up to that point in history. The figure often given for DKC3 is that it sold 2.89 million in North America and Japan. It's safe to assume that it may have also sold a few copies in Europe, Rare's native continent and one of the biggest gaming markets in the world. That would be considered a success today for all but the most high-budget games, and was certainly a runaway hit at the time. It also reviewed really well, with a common consensus being that it was a great swan song for the SNES. It's just so frustrating seeing video game content makers just confidently state as fact things to the effect of "in the shadow of Super Mario 64, DKC3 faded into obscurity," when you can pull up a bunch of 8.5 and 9/10 reviews from the '90s, and it was selling millions of copies.

My biggest issues revisiting dkc3 was that the physics of the game felt so different. Jump height, running, throwing objects. All of this made me feel like I was learning to play a whole different game. My 2nd big issue is the enemies. Some from previous games were made much worse and the newer enemies really don't fit well.

I didn't grow up with DKC3 as much as the first two, so that prob affects how I feel about it, or that I just didn't play it as much. Having completed it [and reviewed it], it's still a good game, but with really strange design flaws. I felt that the bonus stages, while fun, were a bit too punishing and it was hard to go back and retry them [1 and 2 didn't really do that a lot]. The gimmicks were some of the coolest and most unique in the series, but sometimes they could be really difficult. In fact, it's almost surprisingly more difficult than DKC2 to me, even with more simplistic levels like Barrel Drop Bounce being about as frustrating as, say, Lighting Lookout according to a recent game design video I saw. Also I prefer DKC2's music by a big stretch. Don't let this dissuade any of you from playing 3, there's still a lot to like about it, but it prob is my least favourite of the original trilogy.

Don't really understand the hate this game gets, or for that matter Kiddy Kong. I love the beautiful atmosphere of the Northern Kremisphere too.

DKC2 felt more of a sequel than DKC3.

Last 10 seconds was a plot twist ending rofl.

My older siblings had dkc and dkc2, but I got dkc3 so it was always "my" game. As an adult I kinda see what everyone is complaining about, but I also enjoy the more puzzle like stages the third game has, like squeals on wheels as an example. It's a different game for sure, but how do you expect to follow the masterpiece that is dkc2?

dkc3 is a game of subtle unease, darkness, and atmosphere. also wow, comparing the best chill songs from 1 and 2 against the most durdling and bombastic song from 3 is really really classy.

0:03 Wow I never knew Queen Elizabeth thought Donkey Kong Country 3 was Irish 🎶 Na na na na na na Lizzies in a box In a box Lizzies in a box 🎶

That music comparison was completely unfair. DKC1 and 2 had their own share of funky and goofy music. You took the two best from the first two and compared them to a theme intentionally goofy. Try the underwater theme, the forest theme, or the waterfall theme, or even the banana bird cave theme. Plus, there are a lot of awesome exciting themes as well. DKC3’s soundtrack is not pirate or jungle themed, sure. It’s got more of a mix of lumberjack style and science style themes, which are fitting (bears and K. Rool).

I actually replayed all 3 of them this past month, For me it was the enemy designs that did it for me, and the bosses, a lot of them came off annoying to me. BUT I'd say my personal order is DKC2 > DKC3 > DKC1 DKC1, the controls were just very slidy, and the more obnoxious levels were far from ones I wanted to commit to.

One of my favorite games/series as a kid was the SNES DK Country games but when I mention them it's usually 1 & 2. Although I did like 3, it wasn't even close to being as good as the first 2.

The problem for me isn’t that dkc3 has too many gimmicky levels it’s that dkc3’s gimmicky levels are used to often in their respective level and then never brought up again. And that the gimmicks in dkc3 are always way too in your face.

Part of the reason I dislike 3 is because it lacked Diddy Kong as a playable character; from a gameplay perspective, he was always the most satisfying one to use (for me, anyway). Also, I find the gimmicks in 3 to be much less fun than the ones in 2, with stages like Squeals on Wheels and Door Drop Dash grinding momentum to a halt and Rocket Ride just completely changing the gameplay.

You had me at the opening text lmao. To me DKC3 feels like a camping trip, you're in pine forests, there are snowy mountains to climb, the first level is a lake, a nice little romp after the darkness of the last 2 games.

Ok with this I confirm I somehow prefer things that most people consider "bad" like Banjo-Tooie or this game for example. I personally considered this game to ve the very best of the series, the gimmicky levels were a plus for me because that meant it never was repetitive, the change in environment from a tropical jungle to a North American landscape was really welcoming and as for the game's tone... I don't know why people say that previous games had a dark tone in general, I've always considered DK games to be goofy (and even cringy in the case of King K.Rool). The only problem is the music because nothing tops Wise's soundtrack.

I've been playing through them on Switch lately and have just made it to 3. While I played all as a kid, I remember playing 3 the most but never finishing it. It feels like the mechanics were mastered in 2 and 3 was where they had run out of the original ideas and just went in a new direction and I like it.

I think a lack of originality may also have to do with it I really enjoyed the crazier and crazier stage themes towards the end of the game And I really liked the idea of side quests, map exploration and things to do on the map The race in world 2 was awesome Trying to beat the race and get all the secrets is a fun challenge I like to do on that level I really love the little intro to the game, all the characters introducing themselves to you and getting tossed into the overworld for the first time The dialogue in this game is awesome, and I love the ending cutscenes in this game so much I also really love the environments in this game and the general atmosphere I like nature so that’s probly why Swanky’s bonus game is awesome His dialogue kind of gave me the impression the game would be different in each world, leading me to be disappointed, but I love this minigame I also like how there’s no funky’s flights Maybe it makes the game easier, but I liked that I could take the game at my own pace But certain aspects don’t hold up so well Animal friends (besides Ellie) are lame in this game (+no rambi) I really wish there was at least 1 new animal friend, or the animals were given new moves/abilities, or just something more was done with the animal friends in this game I really loved learning they had supermoves in dkc2, and it changed the way I played them, so I was hoping something similar would happen here The bear coins felt pointless to me Outside of completing some side quests and being forced to spend 2 in razor ridge, they don’t do anything The bear coins are fine for what they are, but you could play the whole game without ever using them, except at razor ridge Something I don’t like about the overworld exploration is you only get to make 2 choices: whether you play worlds 3 or 4 first, and whether or not you unlock krematoa You don’t get the helicopter until you’re pretty much 103% done with the game, and when you do get it, all you can do is find a few secret caves and the mama banana bird And there’s no cheat code to unlock the helicopter from the start Idk it’s inclusion feels pointless to meh when you only use for one thing And not necessarily a complaint, I didn’t think this game was that hard I’m not saying I beat this game on 1 life or anything, no, I died a lot But I never raged at the game and the hardest levels never took me too long to beat I think the hardest level is twin tyrant tussle It’s also annoying to 100% But to wrap it up, I loved dkc3 I don’t know whether I liked it or diddy’s Kong quest more

I remember when this came out people where gearing up for the next gen of consoles. PSX had just came out and the 64 was coming right about the time it DKC3 was coming out. As for the theme, for me it was the new characters that put me off. The spritework didn't feel quite the same and it made every enemy feel weird in comparison. The gameplay was the same so I got over it quick though.

Hear's my take on this: Yes, of the 3 games, this feels the most gimmicky even though it has the same amount as 2. Most are creative but a few are not great and can slow down the pace of the game. Eveline's music style is more darker and moody compared to David Wise's style which is more energetic and loud. I love them both. David did compose a few tracks for this game and you can immediately tell the difference. The title screen, file select, brother bear, and bonus round themes were composed by him. I love the tone to this game. It's different from the first two games and very atmospheric. I disagree and feel that 3 has the darkest tone to it while the other games are more bright and happy. I still love this game despite fans hating it. Yes, Kiddy Kong 4 life. Haha.

The Stickerbrush Symphony part made me laugh, because my brother and I noticed that when playing levels with that music, it was oddly loud compared to the other tracks in the game. I prefer DKC3 over the first two games.

The DKC3 aquatic theme is terrifying, and those stages are the principle reason I never replayed the game.

My biggest complaint about DKC3 is that they completely took out the challenge in locating the DK Hero Coins... all you had to do was find the steel keg and hit Koin from behind with it. That's it. In DKC2 it was more of a scavenger hunt for them... and some levels were REALLY difficult to locate them. FINALLY finding the Hero Coins in Kannon's Klaim and Chain Link Chamber are still among my most triumphant moments as a gamer. I just didn't get the same feeling from DKC3 at all.

You forgot to talk about a crucial element: Art and Color. The color palette of DKC3 in general is extremely saturated and vivid losing the organic feel that gave realism to the previous installments. Also, color pallets themselves and enemies and level visual designs were not as tastefully created. As a highly visual person I just found it ugly and could not feel compelled to play further like I did with DKC1 and DCK2. There was surely NOT the feeling of "wow, this level was so mesmerizingly beautiful. I can't wait to see the next". They totally missed the Artistic/Visual mark for me.

DKC 3 was the first one I played, but I thought it was the same composer for all three.

I never hated this game myself and never understood why it got so much hate. Maybe because I barely played the second game

I am a huge FAN of DKC 1,2 and 3. Love them all!!! DKC 2 is my fave of the three and in my top two games of all time with Banjo Kazooie as well. I don't understand why DKC 3 having a different feel is a complaint. It's awesome as a game AND awesome it has it's own theme/identity. I love Super Mario games too but Super Mario Galaxy 2 feels too similar to the original. And only like New Super Mario Bros. for the DS in the 'New Super Mario Bros.' series in a major SENSE, New Super Mario Bros. Wii onwards feels the same as the DS New Super Mario Bros. To me 'feels' like a major EXTENSION of the 'same' game just with different levels and power ups. 'New Super Mario Bros.' Series are good but no where near as good as the NES and SNES Mario games as they each 'feel' different and 'unique' to one another. DKC 1,2 and 3 are all FANTASTIC and 'feel' 'unique' in their own ways. I don't want there to be two extensions of DKC 1 where the levels are different no, I want completely different experiences with each game that are completely 'different' games. DKC 1,2 and 3 are amazingly AWESOME games with their 'own identities.'

I loved the music for this game

Hey! Music Teacher here! To better explain the musical difference between DK 1+2 and 3 here’s my breakdown…. The original two games had atmospheric soundtracks. This is mainly because the sounds were often layered to create the effect. Sounds were written in both major and minor keys but the real difference is how all of the instruments worked together to build a cohesive, atmospheric soundtrack. The soundtrack on DC3 had a different style entirely…Nothing seemed layered, Music was bouncy and uptempo and very few of the tunes were ever layered or in a minor key. Songs also didn’t build up with layers. Because of that, the music seemed too straight forward and didn’t match the atmosphere at it. It would be like taking the Star Wars soundtrack and replacing it with the soundtrack from Looney Tunes. It wouldn’t work.

This video raises a good question, but I don't feel like it actually cut to the heart of the matter at all. There's SOMETHING about the game that drives general apathy, and it's not the specific quantifiable complaints that you mentioned. Even Land with its game boy jank gives me that DKC hook in a way this game never quite did...

Stilt Village is literally the only song in DKC3 to have a bouncy tone. All the other themes match with the familiar themes of 1 + 2.

Efectivamente es un juego excelente, notoriamente más fácil que sus predecesores y con un ambiente más alegre y creo que eso afecto a los fans, diría que fue la evolución de los villanos o la villanía en sí, digo en el dkc1 se puede ver como en teoría se van apoderando de la isla Kong, te roban las bananas, los vences liberando zonas y te enfrentas al líder, el ambiente de las minas, los templos y la selva tienen una gran atmósfera fuera de los niveles y al entrar se siente coherente la transición y los malos parecieran que tienen como objetivo saturar la isla, en el dkc2 la lava, el castillo, el parque de diversiones, la atmósfera y la música es como si de verdad estás en un ambiente peligroso o "de mala muerte", mucho más que en la primera entrega, sin considerar que la dificultad es efectivamente mayor, y luego llega el dkc3 que disminuye la dificultad bastante, tiene colores más cálidos por si mismo, no se siente peligro en ningún momento, incluso el gameover es la "cuna para los bebés" que es más infantil. Como plataformas lineal es divertido, pero si fuiste un purista de la evolución del 1 y el 2, entendería perfectamente porque no te gusto el cambio realizado en el 3.

Out of everything in DKC3 that didn't hit the mark, the overworld is the one thing that could have saved the same. It would have been so cool if you got more choices for progression, it was a big disappointment to find out that there was only one place where you got to choose what order you do each world. It would have been a great opportunity to add onto the vehicles and exploration. I kinda wished you went more into your opinions instead of crunching numbers, you can keep the number crunching but its more interesting to try and decipher why something might be 'grim' or a stage might be 'gimmicky' rather than counting how many were gimmicky and how many were light/dark. I mean, the gimmicks themselves should matter more than the sheer number of them.

Whoa, I never realized this. The music at 5:58 sounds VERY similar to Super Mario RPG's 'The Sword Descends and the Stars Scatter' opening sounds. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-vRGrH4MKpIA.html

For such a big game, DKC3 also has a low variety in level themes, by which I mean the background/tileset/music combination that makes up a level, such as the Waterfall levels or the Factory levels. DKC1 had 11, not counting variations like Ropey Rampage's storm across its 33 levels [jungle, cave, underwater, mine catwalks, mines, temple, forest, tree village, Snowy Peaks, ice cave, factory] DKC2 had 14 across its 39 levels, some with unique music variants [Deck, Rigging, Ship Hold, Volcano, Mine shaft, Swamp, Brambles, Hive, Roller Coaster, Haunted Wood, Library, Iceberg, Castle, Jungle] DKC3, meanwhile, has 40 stages but only 12 themes with little visual variation besides an occasional palette swap. [Stilt Village, Mill, Snowy Field, Hollow Tree, Riverbank, Underwater, Waterfall, Factory, Pipeline, Cliffside, Cave, Jungle]

I think you kind of messed up with this one most people hate donkey Kong country 3 for it's excessively hard gameplay it's to such a degree that it doesn't feel like you lost because of your own skill issues but because the game is just poorly made they put a lot into it but it also seems like a rush job at some areas especially the last two worlds it's also just kind of confusing because donkey Kong players weren't used to this format its sometimes confusing on how to play it beyond that the last complaint I've seen is just in excessive amount of collectibles to 100% complete the game it's extremely hard to beat this game because of the poor game design and then they add so many collectibles in that it's almost impossible you'd have to dedicate a lot of your life to this just to get through it and most people aren't that dedicated

Good analysis! DKC3 does get way too much hate. I rented this one when I was a kid after playing the first two games. I definitely didn't like it as much as the first two games back then, but it may have also been that I was burnt out on 2D 16-bit platformers and it was just "more of the same". However, this game grew on me years later when I played it again as an adult. Sure I didn't like some of the level gimmicks, but it is still a solid game. I still prefer DKC2 overall, however, DKC3 is still pretty good. To be honest, though, I prefer Davis Wise's soundtrack overall. Although, some music on the GBA version isn't as good. The music they chose for Ripsaw Rage in the GBA version just doesn't fit the level at all!

One thing I personally don't like, is having to go back and forth between all the different "brother bears" 🙄 and needing all the DK coins to get the gyrocopter and such.. Just annoying

For me it was all about the enemies. The baddies in DKC3 feel like they were pulled from an entirely different game, and so DKC3 feels like it was not originally intended to be a Donkey Kong Country game and that decision came later. Like some DKC assets like Dixie, the K-O-N-G letters, and Enguarde got dropped in halfway through project completion. It is also missing a lot of the assets we expect in a DKC game: no Kremlings, no Zingers, heck, most of the action barrels we are used to seeing are absent. There is so much that is different that it feels jarring, again like this was not supposed to be a DKC game. It's still a very good and fun game, and when somebody comes over to my house and wants to play a two-player game on my Switch, DKC3 is often what we play.

I'd say that the music in the first two games are objectively better than the third game. But whether the music actually sucks in the third game is subjective. You don't see people doing VGM remixes of DKC3 as much as DKC1 and DKC2.

I think the best reason for me is DKC 2 was way too hard especially the hot air baloon levels and the second reason is it was called donkey country 1 2 3 but you could only play as donkey in the first one!!

I feel like people jump through hoops trying to make DKC3 seem weaker when it has just as many pros and cons as 1 and 2.

*donkey kong favorites list:* DKC 2 sitting proudly at the top DKC 1 & 3 having an entire civil war DKC returns & tropical freeze not being relevant right now

I like DKC3, not as much as the others but I thinks it’s an oddly pleasant experience. Also, the soundtrack is pretty nice

Your intro hooked me and it's refreshing to see creators jump right into the video. Just subscribed!

I remember what I really loved about DKC3 as a kid was the overworld vehicles... lol. I don't know why but I remember having more fun completing it than DKC1 or 2, even if I wished the MCs were Donkey and Diddy and/or Dixie.

Dkc 3 relatively has fewer gimmicks than 2, but the gimmicks in 3 are just slow and tedious. 2's gimmicks are usually just a cool way of traversal/killing enemies. 3 involves more waiting

Great video

Premise of the video is baseless and completely wrong

I suppose the thing about the gimmicks is that DKC3's gimmicks are _more_ gimmicky. Things like trying not to be scared away by mice, and feeding a fish so it doesn't eat you instead. By comparison, the most gimmicky gimmick I can think of in DKC2 is riding on hot air balloons. BTW, what is that music comparison?

4:10 what soundtrack was that?

What a crap...🤔 nobody hates DK3! Its the best, and technically advanced game of the trilogy. Soundtrack obviously better in 1 & 2, but thats all. I play Snes nearly every day since 25 years! DK3 rules! 👊

For me, it was the goofy tone of the game, as well as nerfing the challenge of collecting DK coins that felt like a copout. Regarding the music: Eveline Fischer is an extremely capable composer, but the first level of every DKC game is like a book cover, first impressions are everything. The music on level 1 on the first two games felt like an overture to a grand epic adventure. On DKC3, the trombone melody and the stubby bass pattern sound like it's making fun of Kiddie Kong's weight and lack of grace, like "here's a fat fuck of a monkey, oh and he's the side main character of the game btw". Having said that, I really like this game for what it is, I like the Northern Kremisphere overworld and the banana bird collectible. The series was done dirty though and never truly recovered IMO.

What set DK3 apart from 1 and 2 for me was just how weird a lot of the enemies looked. Instead of cute rats in DK2, we got these realistic looking rats. Instead of the cute Zingers, we got these robo buzzsaw Buzz bees. Instead of the cute looking Klaptraps and Klampons, we got this really wierd dog creature Krimp. Most of the enemy changes in DK3 look strange and morphed compared to the more cute enemies in 1 and 2.

5:15 background music name?

Bro DKC3 is great, stop hating this game

It’s just that DK2 is so majestic that it’s just an impossible act to follow. It’s the video game equivalent of the Beatles.

I think using the word “Gimmicky” as inherently bad is wrong. Gimicks can be fun, even if drastic.

When I was a kid, I actually thought that King K. Rool, Kaptain K. Rool, and Baron K. Roolenstein were different characters. It wasn't until I saw King K. Rool using Kaptain K. Rool's vacuum gun attack in SSBU that I realized that they're the same character using different personas.

I really hated the forced puzzle gimmiks. One Kong holds lever, other Kong runs through door. Viewtiful Joe 2 did this too.

DKC3 did a lot of things that kept the formula fresh. The music, the gameplay, the art is different because it's supposed to be more than just DKC 2, part 2. I liked the RPG elements to it and the exploration. The mellow tunes are refreshing and memorable (maybe a bit less iconic than the typical ones everyone knows)

Okay, okay, the part where he says when did they stop playing the music and his mind is blown, lol awesome

Its easy to call it gimmicky, but it was the games third installment in the series. They wanted to give us some fresh takes on what a DKC level could be. If it was exactly the same critics would think it was stale. I have always liked the third the best tbh, from the more involved over world, no longer just go straight lines, it offered a sense of exploration not seen in previous games. Even some zones let you free roam, example being first zone you could freely swim around. It wasnt apparent and known what the brothers bear trading questline order was and that gave you an extra dimension of "oh I have this item now, who do I trade it in too?" It wasnt 100% linear either, after you got your hovercraft, you have some freedom on what levels you could accomplish. Kiddy Kong....I really have no argument there, he wasnt a good character and didnt accomplish anything intresting by putting a freaking crying baby in the game, his usefulnes would be his water skip and its what 2 levels you used it in, and the fact that to break ground you had to use Dixie to have that ability, reinforcing hes not the one to use. Honestly I think Dixie was so OP with hair spin that Kiddy just got outshined.

I'm surprised nobody mentions Baby Kong. As a kid I thought he is ugly and annoying and didn't want to play as him.

I'm playing this game for the first time currently and while it does feel a little different, I have absolutely no problem with it. Some of the final levels are a pain but overall I'm thoroughly enjoying it

When I was a kid in the 90s I remember getting DKC1 for Christmas I played it and I loved it then 1995 came around and did not know DKC2 was out because when I went to school my friend said he got DKC2 so when he told me that I was so excited because I know my parents would buy it for me so when they did I was excited because I was like yes I'm about to go through a new game with Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong just to find out he was replaced by Dixie Kong that disappointment really got me as a kid which is why DKC1 is still my favorite till this day as a grown man you know it's like waiting for a sequel for a brand new Sonic game and when that sequel comes you thinking that you're going to be playing at Sonic but in reality it's going to be Tails teaming up with Amy rescuing Sonic from dr. Robotnik and then when the Third sequel comes it's going to be Amy and Knuckles teaming up rescuing Sonic and Tails just making a point 😂😂😂

People hate on DKC3 music but it gave us the Peach's Castle theme from Super Mario 64

I had DKC3 as a 16 yr old when it came out on SNES way back. I didn’t appreciate it too much then especially after the masterpiece that was DKC2. I didn’t care for Kiddy Kong and I hated that Rambi was gone. Now at 42 yrs old, I’ve been playing old NES and SNES games on my daughter’s Nintendo Switch. Playing DKC3 for the first time in 26 years, I can now say this game is way more deserving of love than what I gave it. It’s a highly sophisticated and highly inventive platformer with some mesmerizing graphics for an SNES game. The soundtrack definitely doesn’t hold up to that of the first 2 games (although not terrible by any means). Overall, excellent game. And I no longer dislike Kiddy Kong.

DKC3 was the best. DKC2 was almost as good. DKC1 was great, but the collectibles from the following two spoiled us.

One thing I would've liked in DKC3, more opportunities to ride animals, between level 1 (Lakeside Limbo) and level 29, there are NO opportunities to ride animal buddies, you transform into them.

As someone who has played the oldskool trilogy DKC games, DKC3 is indeed a "strange" family member of the bunch, but it's still part of the family that gave me a cool adventure to play. TBF, whenever I played as kiddy I went "hell nah" since dixie is OP with her twirling hair and yeah some levels do feel off, it still is a fun game. The game design is more slow paced for DKC3, as in DKC1 & 2 you can mostly just book it till the end without too many autoscrollers, DKC3 still has some parts where you need to play slow. But that ain't a bad thing perse, unless you wanna speedrun it, it doesn't destroy the flow that much. I just feel like people are just hating on DKC3 mainly because DK or Diddy weren't the playable characters. I'm so glad you pointed out that DKC2 had the more gimmicky levels, cause that's been a thing I've had in the back of my mind for years. I enjoyed the "open" overworld from DKC3, the flag addition showing that you had enough bonus coins and collected the DK coin was a welcoming addition that my childbrain understood compared to the exclamation mark from DKC2. It did things better at various spots when it comes to guiding the player along. DKC1 & 2 had a better overall theme though, 1 feeling you're traversing an island, going through jungles, caves, mountains, catacombs, it felt like you were actually on kong island, whereas the pirate theme of 2 made it feel unique as in you're traversing through enemy territory. DKC3 didn't had that feel in the overworld for me though, you it didn't feel like you were on a specific terrain in overall that can coexist themewise. But for all the flak it's given, people should just try to do what the developers tried to achieve and that's to enjoy the 3rd adventure in an awesome trilogy. It's one of the best oldskool platforming franchises for the snes and I'm glad I was able to play them growing up :) terrfic vid!