4. Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong’s Double Trouble!
Though it didn’t hit the lofty heights of the stellar titles that preceded it, Donkey Kong Country 3 still stands tall with its impressive size and ambitious level design. As one of the last major games for the SNES, everything in Donkey Kong Country 3 seemed like it was taking a bold step forward. Neither of the Kongs from the original title are featured, several key figures like Rambi and the Zingers are completely absent, and the world map feels like an adventure unto itself, loaded with hidden areas and side quests.
The bosses are worth special mention, as they are some of the most unique in the franchise. The beetle-munching sentient barrel Belcha is a particular highlight, while Arich the terrifying tarantula still looks spectacular all these years later. And no matter how much you may try to deny it, Bleak the evil snowman is hilarious and glorious, and will hopefully make a return to the franchise someday (ideally in his own spinoff title, fingers crossed).
If the major measuring stick of a Donkey Kong Country game is its gimmick levels, DKC3 had some of the best, as well as a few of the worst. Lightning Look-Out, a stage taking place under the constant threat of a thunderstorm, keeps players on their toes as they scramble to grab something to shield themselves with, while Poisonous Pipeline sends the Kongs into an underwater labyrinth with inverted controls. One of those concepts is clever, the other more of a nuisance.
In this way, Donkey Kong Country 3 has grown to become something of a black sheep in the series, getting a full head of steam with innovative ideas, before faltering on elements that end up being cumbersome. It’s a refined taste that is arguably lacking in the intrinsic charm of the first two titles, but based on its own merits, remains an excellent adventure worth experiencing.
