It's hard not to feel bad for Kiddy Kong, he was another victim of the child actor cycle; showing so much promise at a young age until the studios stopped hiring him the moment he wasn't cute and marketable anymore.

One minute you're on top of the world, next minute you're washed-up because studios are unfamiliar with the process of aging. With the hand he was delt, it's not surprising he eventually resorted to drugs in order to capture that same high his early career gave him.

In memory of Kiddy Kong (13th March 1992 - 2nd November 2016)
- Beloved 90s icon turned heroine addict. Another sad case of the entertainment industry's cruelty.

Having replayed this again after just finishing a replay of DKC2, I can't see what this game did to gain so many detractors when it plays just fine in the same formula, it's certainly easier than the previous two but I only find the second game all that challenging anyway. I suppose the shift in protagonists and setting upset people back then as well as its status as a late SNES game when the N64 was out in most major markets, except the one the game was made in because fuck Europe lolololol, but that's all pretty silly reasons to feel lukewarm about it in my view.

I think if people go into this one with different expectations about what you're in for, an easier more collection heavy and lightly puzzle-focused affair, you'll have a decent time with it. If you're after the highs of DKC2 with all of its bombast and higher speed platforming, you'll be disappointed as this game is more low-key and laidback, it's well exemplified by how much easier it is to 100% as I was able to find almost every bonus barrel and get every DK coin on my first go with only two exceptions, whereas DKC2 can put them in some extremely cryptic locations and some which are almost necessary to use a guide for a first time as they require going through unmarked invisible walls, DKC3 has nothing on that level and I find the experience of going for 100% a lot less annoying as a result.

Overall, whilst I wouldn't say it's better than DKC2 or the first, it's still a good platformer and not deserving of the hate it gets from some quarters, this isn't a bad game by any means and if you go in with an open mind I believe you'll enjoy it.

Honestly I think this game is superior to the first DKC in many ways. The gimmicks are often unusual, yet they help levels stand out, for better or worse. The music is a step down, and yet, many songs like Rockside Rumble, Water World, or Cascade Capers still go so hard that you end up forgetting some of the more milquetoast tracks. Definitely the biggest mixed bag of the super nintendo DKC trilogy, but that doesn't make it awful or anything, and i still think it's better than Mario world. That enough should tell you it's worth a shot.

For what it's worth: it's more of Donkey Kong Country 2, and that ain't bad. I mean, the music isn't as strong, and the setting is a lot less interesting (Where even are we? Canada? Some sort of tropical island? Canada after the earthquakes made the ocean level rise?), but I just can't let myself be underwhelmed by the overall package, everything that I liked about DKC2's gameplay is more or less still intact. The loop of hunting down bonus rooms & DK Coins to unlock extra levels continues to be enjoyable, and the variety of mechanics keeps the levels fresh. And I know I said the music isn't as good, but actually, the underwater theme knocks it out of the park! Different vibe from Aquatic Ambience, but still very soothing to the soul.

Even Kiddy Kong is okay! Well, for now, anyway. The Kong family suffered a great loss on that fated Autumn. But until then, I'm happy that the clunk I felt while playing as the heavy-type character in DKC1 does not apply to Kiddy. While I can't say I'd pick him over Dixie if given a choice, the controls on him are refined enough that it wouldn't be a big deal to play as him whenever needed. It's a little like they brought over some elements of DKC1 to DKC2's formula, but polished them up to make the best of both worlds.

Of course, all of this means that if you didn't enjoy the platforming and steep difficulty of the previous DKC's, DKC3 is gonna do little to sway you. Conversely, if you DID enjoy DKC2, DKC3 feels like a pretty nice extra set of levels to sink your teeth into. Sometimes, I get the vibe that DKC3 was thrown together in more of a haste, and out of a contractual obligation (like, they signed up for a trilogy of games, something like that), just so Rare could get it out of the way and move on to the N64. Maybe that'd explain why it feels weaker than the rest. Yet even at its weakest, DKC3 still delivers a competent and polished platforming romp. I wouldn't come back to it often, but everytime I would, I wouldn't regret it either.

RIP Kiddy Kong 1996-1996 (Killed by Canada)