Donkey Kong Land III

Donkey Kong Land III
For alternate box art, see the related gallery.
Developer	Rareware
Publisher	Nintendo
Platforms	Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Virtual Console (Nintendo 3DS), Game Boy – Nintendo Classics
Release dates	Game Boy: October 1, 1997 November 1997 1997[?] Game Boy Color: January 28, 2000 Virtual Console (3DS): May 7, 2014[?] October 30, 2014 October 31, 2014[?] February 26, 2015 Game Boy - Nintendo Classics: December 3, 2024 December 4, 2024 December 4, 2024 December 4, 2024 December 4, 2024
Languages	English Japanese
Genre	Platformer
Ratings	ESRB: - Kids to Adults CERO: - All ages[?] USK: - All ages[?] ACB: - General[?]
Mode	Single player
Format	Nintendo Switch: Digital download Game Boy: Game Pak Game Boy Color: Game Pak Nintendo 3DS: Digital download
Input	Nintendo Switch: Joy-Con Joy-Con (horizontal) Nintendo Switch Pro Controller Game Boy: Gamepad Game Boy Color: Gamepad Nintendo 3DS: Gamepad
Serial codes	Game Boy: DMG-AD3E-USA (v1.0) DMG-AD3E-USA-1 (v1.1; VC/NSO) DMG-AD3P-EUR (AD3E) DMG-AD3P-AUS (AD3E) DMG-AD3J-JPN (unreleased) Game Boy Color: CGB-AD3J-JPN

Donkey Kong Land III (also formatted as Donkey Kong Land 3) is a platform game for the Game Boy developed by Rareware and published by Nintendo in 1997. It is closely based on Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, as it repurposes that game's graphical assets and thus features the same characters, enemies, and level environments. It also stars Dixie Kong and Kiddy Kong. Donkey Kong Land III is the third and final entry of the Donkey Kong Land series. Like its two predecessors, Donkey Kong Land III is housed on a yellow cartridge and has specific Super Game Boy enhancements, including a unique border of pocket watches.

The original Game Boy version was never released in Japan, and it instead received a Game Boy Color port in 2000. It is not dual-compatible with original Game Boy units, as evident from the transparent cartridge where it is contained. However, on September 9, 2020, a Japanese prototype of the Game Boy version was leaked. Conversely, the Game Boy Color port was never released outside of Japan.

Like its two predecessors, Donkey Kong Land III was released on the Nintendo 3DS's Virtual Console. The Game Boy Color port was released in Japan on May 7, 2014, while the original Game Boy version was released in Europe and Australia in October 2014 and North America in February 2015. In December 2024, both versions were released in their respective regions on Game Boy – Nintendo Classics for the Nintendo Switch, just over a week following Donkey Kong Land 2's release on the platform.

Story

Announcements of a contest to find the fabled Lost World, which was said to have dominated legends for centuries, attracted "would-be" explorers all over the world to seize the long awaited chance of fame and fortune. Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, and Baron K. Roolenstein all hear of the contest, and the Kongs set out leaving Dixie Kong with her cousin, Kiddy Kong. Dixie wants to prove herself just as worthy as the other participants, so she decides to participate in the contest and takes Kiddy along with her. Kiddy is not that aware about what is going on and decides to follow Dixie into the jungle.

After traveling through the worlds, Dixie and Kiddy are confronted by Baron K. Roolenstein at the end of Tin Can Valley. To access the Lost World, Dixie and Kiddy must collect every DK Coin and Watch. Within the Lost World itself, the Kongs must collect all the DK Coins and the final Watch to engage in the final boss battle against Baron K. Roolenstein. When the Kongs defeat him, they are crowned as the victors of the contest. Baron K. Roolenstein then concedes the remaining six Watches and allows the Kongs to try out the Time Attack mode.

Gameplay

Donkey Kong Land III plays very similarly to Donkey Kong Land 2. The player controls two different characters, Dixie and Kiddy, and only one Kong appears on-screen at a time. Dixie and Kiddy retain most of their abilities from Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! Dixie can use her Helicopter Spin to whirl her ponytail on the ground or glide in midair. Kiddy is heavier and stronger and can defeat strong enemies such as Krumples by jumping on them, whereas Dixie cannot. In each world, the Kongs must complete the levels in order until reaching the world boss, whom the Kongs must defeat to unlock the next world.

As the Kongs explore a level, they must avoid enemies along the way and collect items such as bananas and bear coins along the way. Every Bonus Level is accessed from a Bonus Barrel, and the reward for completing a Bonus Level's objective is a Bonus Coin. Some levels have an Animal Barrel, which transform the Kongs into the pictured Animal Friend, whose abilities are often required to complete a level or to reach hidden areas. Each Animal Friend has their own set of abilities.

Each world has a Wrinkly Refuge, where Wrinkly Kong saves the player's progress, and a Sheepy Shop, which is run by a Bear. If Dixie and Kiddy have enough Bonus Coins, the Bar allows them to play the cards memorization minigame if they have at least a number of Bonus Coins. The Kongs are rewarded a Watch for the first time they complete a challenge in a world. In most levels, there is a Koin guarding the DK Coin, except for underwater levels, where the DK Coin appears by itself like in Donkey Kong Land 2. The Kongs are required to obtain every DK Coin and Watch to access the final World, the Lost World.

Characters

Playable characters

Image		Name	Description
GB	GBC
		Dixie Kong	Dixie Kong is one of the two main protagonists. She can perform a Helicopter Spin to hover above pits and to spin into enemies.
		Kiddy Kong	Kiddy is the younger cousin and sidekick of Dixie. He is the heavier Kong and can defeat stronger enemies such as Krumples with a jump attack.

Supporting characters

Image		Name	Description
GB	GBC
		Wrinkly Kong	Wrinkly is the only supporting Kong in the game. She resides in Wrinkly Refuge, with one appearing in each world. The Kongs can visit Wrinkly to have their game progress saved, always free of charge.
		Bear	Bears operate a Sheepy Shop in every world, where the Kongs can play cards if they have collected enough Bonus Coins. The Kongs can spend bear coins for level hints or to use a Bear's teleportation device, which warps them to the Donkey Kong Country map.

Animal Friends

All four Animal Friends in the game have previously appeared in Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!

Image		Name	Description	First level appearance	Last level appearance
GB	GBC
		Ellie	Unlike her previous appearance, Ellie the elephant can spray unlimited water projectiles from her trunk but cannot carry a barrel using her trunk. Ellie no longer runs away when she sees a Sneek.	Footloose Falls	Rainforest Rumble
		Enguarde	Enguarde the swordfish is the aquatic Animal Friend of the game, and he can defeat enemies by stabbing them with his bill. Unlike Donkey Kong Land 2, Enguarde can no longer perform a super stab.	Seabed Shanty	Deep Reef Grief
		Squawks	Squawks the parrot can fly around the area and use a nut-spitting attack to defeat enemies in his path, including Buzzes.	Minky Mischief	Ghoulish Grotto
		Squitter	Squitter the spider can use a web spit attack and create web platforms to get over abysses or to gain height.	Koco Channel	Haunted Hollows

Enemies

Kremlings

Image		Name	Description	First level appearance	Last level appearance
GB	GBC
		Bazuka	Bazukas appear in later levels of the game. They carry a large bazooka to shoot regular barrels at the Kongs. Unlike Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, Bazukas cannot be defeated because there are no TNT Barrels, which are used to defeat Bazukas in their debut appearance.	Jungle Jeopardy	Barrel Boulevard
		Klasp	Enemies who hide in an explosive TNT Barrel. They always hang from a rope and move back and forth in a fixed pattern. Dixie or Kiddy must avoid moving into a Klasp otherwise it explodes on them, injuring the Kong in play; this is otherwise the only way for the Kongs to defeat Klasps.	Jetty Jitters	Barrel Boulevard
		Kobble	Kobbles are the basic Kremling grunt enemies. The Kongs can defeat them with any attack, but they must still avoid being hit by one.	Red Wharf	Ghoulish Grotto
		Koin	A Koin appears in most levels and guards a DK Coin, which is attached to their shield. It wears a bucket on its head to protect itself from jump attacks. To defeat a Koin, the Kongs must pick up a nearby Steel Barrel and throw it behind Koin at a wall; the Steel Barrel rebounds and hits Koin from behind, which defeats it and rewards the DK Coin to the Kongs.	Red Wharf	Ghoulish Grotto
		Kopter	Kopters carry two large helicopter blades which they spin to hover in the air. Unlike Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, the Kongs can defeat a Kopter by jumping on it.	Footloose Falls	Ghoulish Grotto
		Krimp	They are small Kremlings with large teeth. Krimps move back and forth, repeatedly opening and closing their mouth. The Kongs cannot roll into Krimp from the front, else it bites and injures the Kong. To defeat a Krimp, the Kongs must either jump on it or roll into it from behind.	Koco Channel	Rainforest Rumble
		Krumple	Krumples are strong, muscular Kremlings that Dixie cannot defeat directly, although Kiddy can defeat a Krumple by jumping on it. Krumples can also be defeated by an Animal Friend or a barrel.	Jetty Jitters	Ghoulish Grotto
		Krusha	Krushas are the direct successor to Klobbers, as both are Kremlings who hide in a barrel. When Dixie or Kiddy approach a Krusha, it pops out and runs after the Kong. Krushas cannot hurt the Kongs directly, and they attempt to knock them into a pit or a hazard. Dixie or Kiddy can jump on a Krusha to force it back into its barrel. The Kong can then pick up the barrel containing Krusha and throw it to defeat the enemy.	Liftshaft Lottery	Barrel Boulevard
		Kuchuka	Kuchukas are idle Kremlings who hide inside a barrel, and they attack by throwing small bombs at the Kongs. Like Bazukas, they cannot be defeated because there are no TNT Barrels, and must be avoided by the Kongs.	Stalagmite Frights	Ghoulish Grotto
		Rekoil	Rekoils bounce on their tail either in one spot or back and forth. The Kongs can defeat them with a jump attack.	Total Rekoil	Ghoulish Grotto
		Skidda	Skidda are Kremlings who only appear in snow levels. They slide across the icy ground and can be defeated from any attack.	Black Ice Blitz	Tundra Blunda

Other enemies

Image		Name	Description	First level appearance	Last level appearance
GB	GBC
		Bazza	Bazzas are barracudas who indefinitely swim in a straight line from one hole to the next. They can be defeated by Enguarde's stab.	Seabed Shanty	Deep Reef Grief
		Booty Bird	They are fat birds with an item stored in their belly, such as a bear coin. To obtain the item, the Kongs must defeat the Booty Bird.	Ford Knocks	Bazuka Bombard
		Bounty Bass	Bounty Basses are fat fish enemies found in the coral levels. Unlike their appearance in Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, Bounty Basses do not contain an item. Like the other underwater enemies, Bounty Basses can be defeated by Enguarde.	Seabed Shanty	Haunted Hollows
		Bristles	Bristles are porcupine enemies whose quills protect them from jump attacks. Dixie or Kiddy can defeat them by rolling in front.	Liftshaft Lottery	Ghoulish Grotto
		Buzz	Buzzes are mechanical wasps who appear throughout the game. They are invulnerable to both Dixie's and Kiddy's attacks, and Buzzes can be defeated from a barrel or an Animal Friend.	Ford Knocks	Ghoulish Grotto
		Karbine	They are owl-like robotic enemies that wield large carbines (hence their name). Karbines are always in the background, shooting fireballs at Dixie and Kiddy. The Kongs must avoid being hit by the fireballs.	Karbine Kaos	Barrel Boulevard
		Koco	Kocos are clownfish enemies who swim around aimlessly. They can be defeated by Enguarde.	Seabed Shanty	Haunted Hollows
		Lemguin	Lemguins jump out of underground holes and slide on the icy ground, just like penguins do. Their beak and even their back side are the parts of their body that harm the Kongs. They can be defeated by stomping them on the top.	Polar Pitfalls	Tundra Blunda
		Lurchin	They are urchin enemies with spiky shells to protect themselves, even from Enguarde's stab. Lurchins have a squish core, which they repeatedly open and close their shell within. Enguarde can defeat a Lurchin by stabbing it in the center.	Seabed Shanty	Haunted Hollows
		Minky	Minkys are monkeys who throw acorns to attack the Kongs. Minkys cannot be defeated, and the Kongs must avoid taking damage from their acorns.	Minky Mischief	Simian Shimmy
		Nid	Nids are jumping spiders with a plank of wood on their back. If Dixie or Kiddy sit on a Nid, it bounces them to a higher area. Nids are more like an ally because they are required for the Kongs to progress.	Minky Mischief	Simian Shimmy
		Niknak	Niknaks are beetle enemies which stay in one spot while in midair. The Kongs can jump from them to get across gaps.	Ford Knocks	Rainforest Rumble
		Sneek	Sneeks are rats and one of weakest enemies in the game. They walk aimlessly on the ground, and the Kongs can defeat them with any attack.	Red Wharf	Ghoulish Grotto

Bosses

Image		Name	Description
GB	GBC
		Barbos	Barbos is a large Lurchin and the first boss of the game, and it is fought at Barbos Bastion from Cape Codswallop. The Kongs transform into Enguarde for the battle. Barbos attacks by releasing three Lurchins, one of which stops in front of Enguarde. He must stab the Lurchin once it is open, causing the Lurchin to bounce off the wall and hit Barbos.
		Bleak	Bleak is a large snowman and the second boss, and he is fought at Bleak Magic from Primate Plains. During the battle, Bleaks stand in one spot, shooting large snowballs from his hat at the Kongs. Dixie or Kiddy can attack Bleak by throwing a barrel at him. After being hit four times, Bleak gets defeated.
		Arich	Arich is a large spider and the third boss, and it is fought at Arich Attack from Blackforest Plateau. Arich attacks by either descending at the Kongs or by spitting small balls of venom at them. The Kongs must jump on Arich four times to defeat it.
		KAOS	KAOS is a robot programmed by K. Rool to destroy Dixie and Kiddy. It is the fourth boss and is fought at Krazy Kaos from Great Ape Lakes. During the battle, KAOS attempts to roast the Kongs by releasing flames from below. The Kongs must quickly run under KAOS before it releases a flame from its pipe. After some time, KAOS stops in the center of the arena and starts to send out blade-like platforms. This gives Dixie and Kiddy a chance to attack KAOS, by jumping on his head. The Kongs must quickly jump from the platforms before KAOS sends out a punching glove to knock them off.
		K .Rool	K .Rool is the main antagonist of the game. He is the fifth and last boss who is fought twice: first at K Rool Duel in Tin Can Valley, and later at K Rools Last Stand in the Lost World. During the first battle, K .Rool tries to attack the Kongs by shooting electric beams at them, and he also uses his jetpack to fly around the area. To attack K .Rool, Dixie or Kiddy must throw a barrel at him. K .Rool gets defeated after being hit four times. In the second battle, K .Rool retains most of his attacks except that he also throws bombs. When K .Rool is defeated again, the Kongs complete their adventure.

Items and objects

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Image		Name	Description
GB	GBC
		Banana	There are numerous bananas floating in every level. If the Kongs collect 100 bananas, they get an extra life, and the counter resets to zero.
		Banana Bunch	By collecting a Banana Bunch, Dixie or Kiddy are rewarded ten bananas. Banana Bunches are less common than regular bananas.
		Bear coins	Collectable currency that Dixie and Kiddy can use at the Sheepy Shop for Bear's teleportation service or to play cards for the first time.
		Bonus Coins	One appears at the end of every Bonus Level or by completing its objective. The Kongs are required to collect them to play the cards challenge in each world.
		DK Coins	They are large, golden coins with the "DK" logo. A DK Coin is guarded by a Koin in every level (except underwater levels, where the DK Coin is found by itself). Dixie and Kiddy are required to collect the DK Coins to enter the Lost World.
		Extra Life Balloons	These balloons grant an extra life to the Kongs if they collect it. They are usually hidden or in hard-to-reach areas.
		KONG Letters	A set of four letters found in every level, in order from K to G. If the Kongs collect all four KONG Letters, they earn an extra life.
		Watch	The Kongs are rewarded a Watch for completing a cards challenge the first time for each world. Like DK Coins, the Watches are also required for entering the Lost World.

Barrels

Image		Name	Description
GB	GBC
		Animal Barrels	By entering an Animal Barrel, the Kongs are transformed into the pictured Animal Friend.
		Barrels	These are objects that the Kongs can pick up and throw to attack enemies If a barrel is thrown on the ground, it rolls until hitting a wall.
		Barrel Cannons	These barrels have an opening in the top and are found in midair. The Kongs can blast from them to reach higher areas or to get across gaps. Barrel Cannons often appear in midair.
		Booster Barrels	When Dixie or Kiddy enter a Booster Barrel, it blasts up like a rocket, and upon reaching a certain height, usually at a platform, the Booster Barrel blasts out the active Kong. Booster Barrels only appear in a few levels, all of which they appear throughout.
		DK Barrels	Like Donkey Kong Land 2, every DK Barrel in the game appears in midair. If Dixie or Kiddy are missing their partner, they can jump at a DK Barrel to release the missing Kong. The DK Barrels have no effect if both Kongs are present.
		Ghost Barrels	Ghost Barrels appear in cave areas, and they are similar to Auto-Fire Barrels except they constantly vanish and reappear. Some Boo Barrels point in the direction of a Buzz, and the Kongs must wait for these Boo Barrels to disappear to avoid being blasted into a Buzz.
		Steel Barrels	Steel Barrels are similar to regular barrels except they can bounce off walls. A Steel Barrel is required to defeat the Koin of a level.
		Tracker Barrels	A type of Barrel Cannon which the player can move left or right as it automatically blasts Dixie or Kiddy in midair. It automatically follows the Kongs until they land.
		Warp Barrels	Warp Barrels take the Kongs to the end of a level. They are found at the start in just the Cape Codswallop levels. Warp Barrels are invisible and are only revealed when the Kongs enter one.

Levels

The overworld map of Donkey Kong Country in Donkey Kong Land III.

There are six worlds in Donkey Kong Land III, and each of them have six levels and a boss level. Each level has a similar theme to those from Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! There are two Bonus Levels in every regular level.

Levels and Bonus Areas
Cape Codswallop
#	Level	Type of level	Music theme
1	Red Wharf	Stilt	Stilt Village
2	Seabed Shanty	Coral	Water World
3	Ford Knocks	Stilt	Stilt Village
4	Total Rekoil	Mill	Mill Fever
5	Koco Channel	River	Enchanted Riverbank
6	Liftshaft Lottery	Mill	Mill Fever
7	BOSS LEVEL: Barbos Bastion	Coral	Big Boss Blues
Primate Plains
#	Level	Type of level	Music theme
8	Coral Quarrel	Coral	Water World
9	Minky Mischief	Tree	Treetop