Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!
- "Donkey Kong Country 3" redirects here. For other uses, see Donkey Kong Country 3 (disambiguation).
- "Super Donkey Kong 3" redirects here. For the Petit Maze game, see Super Donkey Kong 3 (Petit Maze).
| Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 For alternate box art, see the related gallery. | |||||||||||
| Developer | Rareware | ||||||||||
| Publisher | Nintendo | ||||||||||
| Platforms | Super Nintendo Entertainment System/Super Famicom, Virtual Console (Wii, Wii U, New Nintendo 3DS), Super Nintendo Entertainment System – Nintendo Classics | ||||||||||
| Release dates | Super Nintendo Entertainment System: November 18, 1996[1] November 1996[2] November 1996[3] 1996[4]Super Famicom:  November 23, 1996[5]Nintendo Power: September 30, 1997[6]Virtual Console (Wii): December 24, 2007[7] December 25, 2007[8] December 25, 2007[9] October 21, 2008[10]Virtual Console (Wii U): October 30, 2014[11] October 30, 2014[12] November 26, 2014[13] February 26, 2015[14]Virtual Console (New Nintendo 3DS): May 9, 2016[15] June 2, 2016[16] June 2, 2016[11] June 2, 2016[17]Super Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Classics: December 18, 2020[18] December 18, 2020[19] December 18, 2020[20] December 18, 2020[21] December 18, 2020[22] December 18, 2020[23] | ||||||||||
| Languages | English Japanese French (Europe) German | ||||||||||
| Genre | Platformer | ||||||||||
| Ratings |
| ||||||||||
| Mode | 1–2 players | ||||||||||
| Format |
 Cartridge CartridgeSNES:  Game PakWii:  Digital download Digital download Digital download Digital download | ||||||||||
| Input | SNES: Wii:  Joy-Con (horizontal) | ||||||||||
| Serial code | SNS-A3CE-USA | ||||||||||
- Kids to Adults
- All ages
- Three years and older
- All ages
- General
- “Dixie Kong Meets KAOS in a Wild New Adventure!”
- —Tagline
Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! (also referred to as simply Donkey Kong Country 3)[25] is the third installment in the Donkey Kong Country series released in November 1996. It was developed by Rareware and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and Super Famicom. It is a sequel and direct follow-up to Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, which followed Donkey Kong Country. The game stars Dixie Kong and her toddler cousin, Kiddy Kong, as they travel through the Northern Kremisphere on an adventure to save Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong from the villainous Kremling Krew and its new leader, KAOS.
In 2005, a remake of the game was released for the Game Boy Advance, and in 2007/2008, the original version was ported to the Wii's Virtual Console. On November 25, 2012, for reasons unknown, Donkey Kong Country 3 and its predecessors were delisted from the Wii Virtual Console,[26] but on October 30, 2014, the games were relisted in Europe and Australia. Around the same time, the games were released for the Wii U's Virtual Console in Europe and Australia, in Japan on November 26, 2014, and in the United States and Canada on February 26, 2015. For handhelds, Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! was ported exclusively to the New Nintendo 3DS's Virtual Console in May/June 2016. It was made available on Super Nintendo Entertainment System – Nintendo Classics for the Nintendo Switch on December 18, 2020.
A similar game was released for the Game Boy in 1997, Donkey Kong Land III, and it shares the same characters and settings.
This game's soundtrack was released on Nintendo Music on January 6, 2025.
Story[edit]
Months after the events of Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, the Kongs were back at DK Island, still celebrating their victory over the K. Rool and the Kremlings. Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong often slung up a hammock, played some music, and drank banana milkshakes while soaking up the sun. Dixie often joined alongside them.
One morning, Dixie found that Diddy was not in his room. This surprised her as it was unusual for Diddy to be up so early. She found a note on a table that read:
- Dear Dixie, Gone exploring the islands with DK, Back tomorrow! --Diddy
Dixie recalled a few other times where Donkey Kong and Diddy had the same plan, and every time the two Kongs would never travel farther than the beach. Dixie went to look for them at the beach, soon realizing that it was too quiet for them to be nearby. As the sun set, Dixie went to bed. The next morning, Dixie checked Diddy's place and found that he had still not returned. She began worrying over what trouble that Donkey Kong and Diddy got into. The entire day passed and the Kongs still did not return. The third morning, Donkey Kong and Diddy had still not returned, so Dixie went to the southern shores of DK Island and swam to the nearest mainland at the Northern Kremisphere, looking for them.
Dixie briefly visits Wrinkly Kong, who confirmed that she saw Donkey Kong and Diddy pass, but Wrinkly did not know where they went. She suggested that Donkey Kong and Diddy visited Funky's Rentals. As Dixie leaves, Wrinkly asks her to search for Banana Birds along the way.
When Dixie visits Funky, he is busy working on an invention, making use of the various unusual items in the shop. Funky explains to Dixie that Kiddy was the only visitor that he had all week. He points across to Kiddy, who is chewing on an old spare tire. Dixie agrees to take Kiddy along with her, and they leave. Funky tells them to look out for any random items which he can make use of, and he also tells them to visit the Brothers Bear for help.[a]
As they travel through the worlds, Dixie and Kiddy encounter different Kremlings than before. At the end of Mekanos, the Kongs first encounter KAOS, who was believed to be the new leader of the Kremling Krew at the time. Later during their adventure, Dixie and Kiddy encounter KAOS again at Kastle Kaos, which is at the end of Kaos Kore. During the battle, it is revealed that KAOS was a puppet of Baron K. Roolenstein all along. After defeating Baron K. Roolenstein, KAOS breaks down and releases Donkey Kong and Diddy. It is revealed that they were trapped to be used as a power source.
The Kongs eventually discover the lost world, Krematoa, where they meet the local Brother Bear, Boomer. Dixie and Kiddy must recover the five cogs found in each level of Krematoa and return them to Boomer's Bomb Shelter. Boomer inserts them on a machine, which causes the Knautilus to rise from the center lake. Dixie and Kiddy enter it and engage in a second boss fight against Baron K. Roolenstein. The Kongs defeat him again, but Baron K. Roolenstein manages to escape again.
After acquiring every DK Coin, the Kongs return to Funky's Rentals, and he builds the Gyrocopter for them. With the Gyrocopter, the Kongs can access the remaining few secret caves to the last of the Banana Birds. After freeing every Banana Bird, they carry the Kongs up in the sky to the Banana Queen. All of the Banana Birds sing to destroy the evil barrier that imprisoned the Banana Queen. Dixie and Kiddy's adventure ends with the Banana Queen pursuing after Baron K. Roolenstein and dropping a large eggshell on him.
- ^ At the very start of the game itself, Dixie goes to Wrinkly's Save Cave. During the start of the game, neither Wrinkly nor Funky mention Donkey Kong and Diddy. During the first interaction with Funky, he does not mention for Dixie to be on the lookout for random items, nor does he mention the Brothers Bear. This information is found in the instruction booklet only.
Gameplay[edit]
Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! combines elements from both Donkey Kong Country and Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest. As a platformer, the objective is for the two playable characters, Dixie Kong and Kiddy Kong, to reach the end of every level. Each world has either five or six levels and a boss level at the end. The boss level must be completed to unlock the next world.
The game retains the tag-team system, where two Kongs appear on-screen and follow each other through a level at the same time. Dixie Kong and Kiddy Kong are the playable characters, and the Kong in front is the one controlled by the player. If the lead Kong is hit by an enemy or a hazard, they run away, and the player takes control of the other Kong. If the only Kong in play is also hit, they lose an extra life and are returned to the world map, where they can re-enter the level. If a Kong is missing, they can be recovered from a DK Barrel, a few of which appear in every level. The player can press the 
button to switch between Kongs.
Some basic moves shared between Dixie and Kiddy include swimming, jumping, and climbing. The Kongs can jump to defeat enemies or to go over small gaps. Both vertical and horizontal ropes are the objects that the Kongs can climb. Dixie and Kiddy cannot perform either move while swimming. Most enemies can also be defeated if the Kongs roll into them. The Kongs can perform a slightly longer jump by rolling off a ledge and jumping in the air.
Both Dixie and Kiddy have unique abilities which only they can use. Dixie can use her Helicopter Spin to glide in midair until hitting the ground. She can also use the move on the ground to spin into enemies. Kiddy is slower, stronger, and heavier than Dixie. Kiddy can perform a roll instead of spin. Kiddy holds a barrel in front unlike Dixie, who carries a barrel over her head. By doing so, Kiddy can protect himself from an enemy, which gets defeat upon hitting into the barrel. Kiddy can throw barrels farther than Dixie. In some of the levels, Kiddy can perform a Water Skip to bounce on the water surface, often needed for reaching higher areas.
A few of the moves involve both Kongs. The team up move involves Dixie or Kiddy carrying the other Kong on their shoulders, whom they can throw at another enemy or area. The team up works differently depending on which Kong is held. Dixie cannot move fast by carrying Kiddy due to his weight. She can throw Kiddy at a crack in the ground to break it open, allowing them to enter a small area. Dixie can throw Kiddy to a wall and ride onto him to perform a Roll Attack involving both Kongs. Kiddy can carry Dixie around with ease. He can throw Dixie farther, although she is not heavy enough to break parts of the ground. If Kiddy throws Dixie to a higher platform, both Kongs can move up to there.
The game features greatly expanded map gameplay compared to the previous and following Donkey Kong Country installments. Unlike previous games where the world maps consisted entirely of linear paths, Donkey Kong Country 3 allows players to freely move while piloting their vehicle on the overworld or in water section of the world maps. This feature allows players to go off the intended path and explore sections of the map to reveal hidden Secret caves. The player's original vehicle, the Motor Boat can initially only access a limited portion of the overworld but as the player progress and defeat bosses, they will collect items that will upgrade the boat and allow it to reach further sections of the map. The game also features a greater amount of sidequests. The Northern Kremisphere is inhabited by the Brothers Bear, who usually challenge the Kongs to bring them an object or complete some task. Completing the Brothers Bear's errands will reward the Kongs with hints on the game's secrets and items necessary for 103% Completion.
Controls[edit]
| Basic controls | |
|---|---|
| Action(s) | Controls |
| Walk | 
|
| Climb | |
| Swim faster vertically | 
|
| Jump | 
|
| Swim | |
| Launch from Barrel Cannon | |
| Helicopter Spin (Dixie Kong) | 
|
| Roll (Kiddy Kong) | |
| Pick up barrel | |
| Throw Kong when teamed up | |
| Run | + 
|
| Throw barrel | Release
|
| Throw barrel upwards | Release + 
|
| Set down barrel | Release + 
|
| Helicopter Spin in midair (Dixie Kong) | Hold in midair
|
| Water Skip (Kiddy Kong) | Roll onto water then just before touching water
|
| Team up (Both Dixie Kong and Kiddy Kong) | 
|
| Split up when teamed up | |
| Dismount (while riding Animal Friend) | 
|
| Switch Kongs (Both Dixie Kong and Kiddy Kong) |
|
| Switch players (Two player team) | |
| Pause game | 
|
| Animal Friends | |
| Action(s) | Controls |
| Lift barrel (Ellie or Quawks) |
|
| Draw in barrel (Ellie) | |
| Spit coconut (Squawks) | |
| Stab (Enguarde) | |
| Shoot web (Squitter) | |
| Throw barrel (Ellie or Quawks) | Release
|
| Throw barrel upwards (Ellie) | Release +
|
| Set down barrel (Ellie) | Release +
|
| Suck up water (Ellie) | + / 
|
| Shoot water (Ellie) | / 
|
| Shoot upwards (Ellie) | + / +
|
| Flap (Squawks or Quawks) |
|
| Form web platform (Squitter) | → / → / →
|
| Aim web platform (Squitter) | + → / + → / + →
|
| Swim (Enguarde) |
|
| Dash (Enguarde) | Hold , then release
|
| World map | |
| Action(s) | Controls |
| Move |
|
| Speed up vehicle |
|
| Honk horn |
|
| Exit vehicle | /
|
| Enter level/area | /
|
Characters[edit]
Most of the characters and enemies in the game are shown under Dixie Kong's Photo Album, which appears in the end credits after the Kongs complete Kastle Kaos.
Crucial Kongs[edit]
| Playable | ||
|---|---|---|
| Image | Name | Description |
|
Dixie Kong | Dixie is the girlfriend of Diddy and is the main character of the game. Her main attribute is her ponytail, which she can use to glide across the air. |
|
Kiddy Kong | Kiddy is the toddler cousin and sidekick of Dixie. He is both stronger and heavier than Dixie, and can throw her to higher areas. |
| Supporting | ||
| Image | Name | Description |
|
Cranky Kong | Cranky Kong is the original Donkey Kong from the arcade games. Unlike the previous two games, he is not a supporting character but instead rivals Dixie or Kiddy in Swanky's Sideshow. |
 
|
Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong | Donkey Kong and Diddy have the same role. During a fishing trip, they get taken and become a power source for KAOS. Dixie and Kiddy go on an adventure to find both of them. |
|
Funky Kong | Funky runs a vehicle rental service, Funky's Rentals, where Dixie and Kiddy can lease a vehicle to travel around the main Northern Kremisphere map. At first, the Kongs can only rent the Motor Boat from him, but as they obtain certain items, he uses them to construct more vehicles, allowing Dixie and Kiddy to access more worlds. |
|
Swanky Kong | Swanky runs a ball-throwing minigame at Swanky's Sideshow, where the Kongs' opponent is Cranky Kong. |
|
Wrinkly Kong | Wrinkly resides in a cave, titled Wrinkly's Save Cave, where she saves the Kongs' adventure progress and provides refuge for the rescued Banana Birds. |
First-Class Friends[edit]
The Animal Friends return to help the Kongs along their journey. There are a few returning Animal Friends, such as Enguarde, Squawks, and Squitter, but a few others, such as Ellie and Parry, make their debut. Every Animal Friend has their own set of abilities.
| Image | Name | Description | First level appearance | Last level appearance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Ellie | Ellie the elephant is a new Animal Friend that replaces Rambi from the first two games. Although she is not as strong, Ellie is able to pick up barrels with her trunk and draw them toward her. She can also use her trunk to draw in water and shoot water projectiles at enemies. Ellie is afraid of Sneeks and runs away whenever she sees one. Ellie is used in the boss fight against Squirt. | Lakeside Limbo | Stampede Sprint |
|
Enguarde | Enguarde the swordfish returns from the first two Donkey Kong Country games and retains his role and supercharge attack from Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest. Enguarde can defeat most underwater enemies with his pointed bill. He is encountered in most levels with a body of water, even ones that take place on a boardwalk. Enguarde is used in the boss fight against Barbos. | Tidal Trouble | Poisonous Pipeline |
   
|
Nibbla | Although usually an enemy, there is a Nibbla in Fish Food Frenzy which somewhat has the role of being an Animal Friend. Nibbla's mood is represented by its color. As Dixie and Kiddy go through the level, they must keep Nibbla fed with Kocos, otherwise it slowly becomes angrier until becoming bright red and biting the lead Kong. | Fish Food Frenzy | |
|
Parry | Parry the parallel bird is a small Animal Friend who flies directly above Dixie and Kiddy. It can defeat Booty Birds by flying into them, although any other enemy, especially Buzzes, instantly defeat Parry upon contact with it. If Dixie and Kiddy pass the No Animal Sign with Parry, they earn a large reward, such as a Blue Balloon or a Bonus Barrel. | Squeals on Wheels | Stampede Sprint |
|
Squawks | Squawks the parrot can fly the Kongs through a level. Most enemies, including green Buzzes, can be defeated from Squawks's coconuts. Squawks is often required to reach high areas where the Kongs cannot go by themselves. | Springin' Spiders | Swoopy Salvo |
|
Purple Squawks | A purple relative of Squawks who cannot spit coconuts, but is able to carry a barrel in its talons. | Low-G Labyrinth | Buzzer Barrage |
|
Squitter | Squitter the spider can shoot web projectiles to attack enemies and create temporary web platforms and jump from them to reach hidden areas. Squitter appears in every factory level, and is prominently featured throughout Krack Shot Kroc. | Fire-Ball Frenzy | Tyrant Twin Tussle |
Brothers Bear[edit]
Throughout their adventure, Dixie and Kiddy come across several cabins, each having a Brother Bear. Each world has a Brother Bear, usually no more than one. Most Brothers Bear either are facing an issue, and ask the Kongs for their help, or they help them access a Banana Bird Cave.
| Image | Name | Description | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Baffle | This code-breaker resides in Kaos Kore. The Kongs can help him solve a puzzle by giving the mirror to him. The code reveals the location of Kaos Kore's Banana Bird Cave. | Baffle's Code Room |
 |
Barnacle | Barnacle is a shell collector who lives in Lake Orangatanga. The Kongs can trade him a Shell for his Banana Bird. | Barnacle's Island |
 
|
Barter | Barter is a Brother Bear who lives in a swap shop near K3. The Kongs can trade the mirror to him for a No.6 wrench, which Björn needs to repair his chairlifts. | Barter's Swap Shop |
 |
Bazaar | Bazaar runs a general store to the left of Funky's Rentals. He sells a few items, including a shell and a mirror. | Bazaar's General Store |
 |
Bazooka | Bazooka is a war veteran who lives in Mekanos. He owns a cannon named Big Bessie, which can be loaded with a bowling ball to blast the Kongs up to a Banana Bird Cave. | Bazooka's Barracks |
 |
Benny | The twin brother of Björn, Benny runs the chairlifts in Razor Ridge. He allows the Kongs to freely use his chairlifts to cross to the other side of the world. | Benny's Chairlifts |
 |
Björn | The twin brother of Benny, Björn runs the second set of chairlifts in Razor Ridge. When the Kongs visit Björn, they find that his chairlifts are not operational. With the No.6 wrench, Björn is able to fix his chairlifts, and the Kongs can go up to a Banana Bird Cave. | Björn's Chairlifts |
 |
Blizzard | Blizzard lives in the snowy mountains of K3. Because he lives far away, Blizzard cannot make it to Blue's birthday party, so he gives a present for the Kongs to deliver to Blue. | Blizzard's Basecamp |
 |
Blue | Blue lives in a beach house in Cotton Top Cove. He is depressed because nobody came to his birthday party, so when they Kongs arrive to his house with Blizzard's present, he cheers up and unwraps it, only to find a bowling ball. Having no use for it, Blue returns it to Dixie and Kiddy. | Blue's Beach Hut |
 |
Blunder | Blunder is found in a cabin to the west of the Kremwood Forest. Like Baffle, visiting him is optional, although Blunder provides hints of where Krematoa is located. | Blunder's Booth |
 |
Boomer | Boomer is found at a bomb shelter in Krematoa. Each time the Kongs pay a certain number of Bonus Coins to Boomer, he detonates a pile of boulders that blocks the path to one of the levels. | Boomer's Bomb Shelter |
 |
Bramble | Bramble is a botanist found on the main Northern Kremisphere map, near Cotton-Top Cove. He is not happy about the air pollution caused from Mekanos' factories, but after defeating KAOS the first time, the factories are shut down. If the Kongs give Bramble a Flupperius Petallus Pongus, he gives them a Banana Bird. | Bramble's Bungalow |
 |
Brash | Brash is an athletic jock who lives in Kremwood Forest, and boasts a record of completing Riverside Race in the fastest time. When Dixie and Kiddy beat Brash's time, he becomes furious and starts throwing a tantrum, causing a log to fall into the riverbank and form a bridge to a Banana Bird Cave. | Brash's Cabin |
Other[edit]
| Image | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Banana Queen | The Banana Queen is the mother of the Banana Birds. She can only be encountered once Dixie and Kiddy earn the Gyrocopter and fly into the clouds, where she was sealed away by Baron K. Roolenstein. Once the Kongs return with every Banana Bird, they sing and free the Banana Queen from her barrier. |
Enemies[edit]
| Kremling Kreeps | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Image | Name | Description | First level appearance | Last level appearance |
 
|
Bazuka | These Kremlings carry large round bazookas from which they fire barrels. Switch Barrels can change the type of barrels they shoot. In Criss Kross Cliffs, there is a Bazuka who vertically shoots barrels, which Dixie and Kiddy must bounce on to progress up the level. | Blazing Bazukas | Tyrant Twin Tussle |
|
Klasp | Klasps are Kremlings who hide in a TNT Barrel while holding on to horizontal ropes. Klasps always move in the direction of the Kongs, and some Klasps are faster than others. | Kreeping Klasps | Criss Kross Cliffs |
  
|
Knocka | These Kremlings in green barrels are the successor to Klobbers from Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest. Knockas act the exact same as Klobbers: they tr | ||