Summary

Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong’s Double Trouble! (1996) is the final chapter of the SNES trilogy, featuring Dixie Kong and Kiddy Kong in a quest to rescue their captured friends. The game is praised for its graphics and level design, though it faced some criticism for lack of innovation.

• Release Year: 1996
• Genres: Adventure, Platform
• Platforms: New Nintendo 3DS, Super Famicom, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Wii, Wii U
• Developers: Rare
• Publishers: Gradiente, Hyundai, Playtronic

Introduction

Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong’s Double Trouble! is the third installment in the acclaimed Donkey Kong Country series, known for its engaging gameplay and innovative graphics.

Synopsis

Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong’s Double Trouble! is a captivating platform video game developed by Rare and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) in 1996. It’s the third installment of the Donkey Kong Country series and serves as a direct sequel to Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest.

The game’s plot centers on Dixie Kong and her cousin, Kiddy Kong, in their attempts to save the captured Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong from the series’ antagonist King K. Rool. The game is set in the “Northern Kremisphere”, a fictionalized version of northern Europe and Canada.

Trouble is brewing yet again on Donkey Kong Island, and it’s up to Dixie to save the captured Donkey and Diddy Kong and stop the evil Kremlings. Not for Donkey and Diddy Kong who have been captured by a huge robot named Kaos. Dixie Kong must go after her friends but she’s gonna need help.

She visits Funky Kong who’s opened up a boat rental shop by the water who sends Dixie’s baby cousin Kiddy Kong, who though still young, can be helpful. Funky also says that if Dixie Kong can bring him parts, he can make vehicles out of them, he’s even got a special vehicle waiting for Dixie as soon as she can bring him every DK coin in the game.

The game features 8 worlds which comprise a total of 48 levels. Many of the gameplay elements from previous games in the series mark a return in this game, such as barrels, bonus levels which reward the player with special “bonus coins”, DK coins, animal helpers and a multiplayer mode.

Both of the two playable Kongs have unique abilities, such as Dixie’s ability to slow her descent by spinning her ponytail, and Kiddy’s ability to bounce across open water. The Kongs may also pick each other up to throw each other around levels; the impact of the other player-character can reveal cracked floors, hidden switches or secret areas.

Levels in the game include a mixture of platforming, swimming and on-rails levels. They are based around several returning themes including forests, cliff-sides, factories and mountain tops.

The game utilizes the same Silicon Graphics technology from its predecessors, which features the use of pre-rendered 3D imagery. The game received positive reviews upon release; critics praised the visuals and various aspects of gameplay, but most were divided over the game’s soundtrack.

Characters

Alongside Dixie and Kiddy, the game features a variety of characters, including the villainous KAOS, who serves as the new master of the Kremlings.

Gameplay

Players navigate through levels, utilizing unique abilities of each character to overcome obstacles and defeat enemies. The game introduces new gameplay elements such as vehicle-based exploration and the ability to switch between characters.

Conclusion

Despite some criticisms, Donkey Kong Country 3 remains a beloved classic in the platforming genre, offering a satisfying conclusion to the SNES trilogy.

Review Score

8.6/10

Art

Cover Art

Screenshots

Fan Art

Fan Art Style: Normal

Fan Art Style: Retro

Fan Art Style: Modern