Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: June 1986
When people think of classic arcade shooters they don't usually think of Donkey Kong. However, that's just what Donkey Kong 3 is. The forgotten third game in the trilogy is memorable for just how different it is from the first two games. First off there is no Mario. By this time he had graduated from the Donkey Kong franchise and was starring in his own games. Second it eschews the platforming from the first two games for single-screen shooting action. You now play as a gardener named Stanley out to protect his flower garden from a tired-looking DK. It's an odd premise and definite departure from the first two games, but it's much more fun that people give it credit for.
The easiest way to describe it is a cross between Galaxian and Defender. The main objective is shooting DK in the crotch until he reaches the top of the screen, but besides him there are diving insects everywhere. These insects also have a mind to steal Stanley's flowers. If you can make it through the levels without losing any flowers you get a big point bonus. This is an old arcade game of course so it's important to get as many points as possible. So this game because a bug shootout like Galaxian and an object saver like Defender.
As odd as it sounds it all works. DK is a big target, but there's enough going on around him that it's always a challenge. In one level caterpillars block your shots. In another level the jumping platforms don't go all the way across in the middle which causes some new strategizing. DK will start to climb down if you don't shoot him fast enough, so you have to figure out a way to shoot him while constantly moving. It all adds up to some old-fashioned frantic arcade fun which is replicated almost perfectly on NES. That system really was great at classic arcade conversions.
I am going to rank Donkey Kong 3 fairly high. I know that it gets mediocre reviews, but I think it is a fun game. It might've done better without the Donkey Kong connection at all. Because it is a Donkey Kong game people expect a certain style. It doesn't meet that expectation so it ends up getting underrated. I can understand why people feel that way. It is, however, a fun game in its own right. I am ranking it at #34 right below Video Pinball. That's a respectable rating I think and still well into the green section. I recommend checking it out if you never have before. It's still a relatively cheap black box game, and now it's on Switch Online. You should check it out. Just don't go into it thinking it's going to be anything like the firsts two games.
NES Quality Percentage: 13/22 or 59.1%
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