Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!

Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! 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. 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 Northern Kremisphere on an adventure to save Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong from the Kremling Krew and their new leader, KAOS.

In 2005, a remake of the game was released for 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, 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 Switch Online 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 has the same characters and settings.

Story
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 beach shop. 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.

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 chasing after Baron K. Roolenstein and dropping a large eggshell on him.

Gameplay
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.

Characters
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.

First-Class Friends
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.

Brothers Bear
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.

Items
Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! is filled with many different collectibles.

Trade items
The game features several items that must be traded between the Brothers Bear in order for the Kongs to collect all of the Banana Birds. They are required to trade if the Kongs want to complete their adventure completely. Note that some items are earned from defeating bosses and do not need to be traded with the bears. Below shows the items and descriptions on them, as well as what the Kongs should do with the objects.

Barrels
Various barrels appear throughout the game. They are the main objects in the Donkey Kong Country series, and they have many different purposes. Below is a list of each barrel and a brief description on them.

Funky's Rentals' vehicles
These vehicles can be loaned from Funky Kong to help explore the overworld.

Supporting locations
Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! is filled with various special areas, where the Kongs can meet the other Kongs and Brothers Bear around the island to help out.

Levels
The game features many levels in which the Kongs must travel through to complete the game. The Kongs have to get to the end of each level, excluding the secret levels in Krematoa, in order to meet Baron K. Roolenstein at Kastle Kaos and rescue Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong. Every level, excluding boss stages and Rocket Rush, have at least two or three Bonus Levels in them, which are hidden throughout the levels.

Codes
Players can initiate the code-entering screen by pressing the following sequence at the file selection screen:. Some codes are permanently attached to a file if entered before starting a new game.
 * LIVES – Players are given 50 lives. Entering it before starting a new profile will result in players being ranked "Cheatin' Chump" after beating the final boss.
 * ASAVE – The game automatically saves after each level. Entering it before starting a new profile will result in players being ranked "Cheatin' Chump" after beating the final boss.
 * MERRY – All the bonus levels will have a Christmas theme, turning stars into ornaments and green bananas into presents. Additionally, different bonus level music will play. If entered before starting a new file, the effects will be permanent to that file; if entered before starting an existing file, the effect only lasts until the game is reset.
 * COLOR – Dixie and Kiddy Kong's clothing will turn purple and green, respectively. This also affects the Level Flag. Dixie's gum (seen during her idle animation) will turn from pink to purple. Some enemy artwork seen after entering a Bonus Barrel is changed, and the mirror is now green. Dixie Kong's Photo Album and the credits remain unaltered. If entered before starting a new file, the effects will be permanent to that file; if entered before starting an existing file, the effect only lasts until the game is reset.
 * MUSIC – Enters Dixie Kong's Music Test, where players can choose any in-game music to listen to.
 * WATER – Allows the player to enter the waterfall left of Bazaar's General Store, where there is a secret cave. If the player wins the game, all 85 Bonus Coins will be earned. If entered before starting a new file, the player will always be allowed to enter the waterfall; if entered after starting an existing file, the player can only enter the waterfall until the game is reset.
 * ERASE – The record time for Riverside Race will be deleted on all the files.
 * HARDR – 29 of the 139 DK Barrels will be removed. This code must be entered before starting a new file to work. If the game is fully beaten with this code activated from the start, the player will have a score of 104% instead of the standard 103%.
 * TUFST – All the Star Barrels are removed. If entered before starting a new file, almost all the DK Barrels will additionally be removed; the effects will be permanent to that file. If entered before starting an existing file, the effect only lasts until the game is reset. If the game is fully beaten with this code activated from the start, the player will have a score of 105% instead of the standard 103%.

Lose a Life and Continue
The Kongs should go to Koindozer Klamber. They need to stay at the right of the Bazuka near the Koin. Kiddy must throw Dixie above the Bazuka's cannon, making her hop and fall in the abyss. The player can move Dixie and after this, Kiddy will appear.

Rickety Koin
In many levels, it is possible to attack Koin even with the DK Coin in front it. The player must grab a Steel Barrel and take it to a place where Koin is not visible in the screen and throw it in Koin's direction. The player needs to move after the Steel Barrel as soon as it rolls offscreen. The Steel Barrel will be seen defeating Koin.

Baron K. Roolenstein

 * "NOOO! What have you done? My wife's going to kill me! I used all of her best pots and pans to make him... And then you just cast him aside as if he were a stack of empty tins!"
 * "WHAT!? How dare you! KAOS was my ticket to world domination... And I'd have gotten away with it, if it weren't for you meddling kids!"
 * "Well, you may have roasted my robot, but I'M the master chef around here, and I reckon it's about time your goose was cooked!"
 * "What the blazes!? So, YOU'RE the one who's been scuttling my super secret submarine! This is the LAST time you'll spoil my plans! I'm gonna bash you good!"
 * "Right!!! Look out, you cheeky monkeys!"

Blue

 * "H-h-hello there, Dixie/Kiddy/Kongs, how are you? My name's Blue, p-p-pleased to meet you."
 * "You wouldn't have brought... Oh, I can see you haven't. Never mind."
 * "I-I'm afraid you're a little early for the party, Dixie/Kiddy/Kongs. That's if anybody bothers to come at all."
 * "I get lots of post you know, but it's all bills - not a single card."
 * "What's that red circle on the calendar? Oh - sigh - It's nothing of importance."

References to other games

 * Donkey Kong Country: This is one of the games to which Donkey Kong Country 3 is a sequel. It has many similar gameplay elements and items. Enguarde and Squawks are the only Animal Friends reappearing from this game. Steel Barrels and hidden item caches also return. The main theme music is an arrangement of this game's bonus stage theme.
 * Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest: This game is a sequel to Donkey Kong Country and the other game to which Donkey Kong Country 3 is a sequel. Many items and moves from this game are featured in its sequel.
 * Super Mario 64: Wrinkly Kong can sometimes be seen playing this game, as a rearrangement of Inside the Castle Walls is heard when entering her save cave.

References in later games

 * Donkey Kong Land III: A semi-sequel to Donkey Kong Country 3. It features the same music, level themes, and bosses from Donkey Kong Country 3.
 * Donkey Kong 64: The alarm sound effect from Krack-Shot Kroc is reused for Crocodile Isle, the conveyor belts in the Jungle Japes mine when they are set to "low," and in the minigame Krazy Kong Klamor when the light is on. Kroc from that level also reappears in certain situations. Mill areas are also a part of Fungi Forest. Green bananas also return.
 * Donkey Kong Barrel Blast: Kopter, an enemy from Donkey Kong Country 3, appears as a playable character in this game. A fleet of Rocket Barrels are seen on Cosmic Highway.
 * Donkey Kong Country Returns: Rocket Barrels return.
 * Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze: Water skipping and lightning from Lightning Lookout return.
 * Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: King K. Rool uses his helicopter pack from Donkey Kong Country 3 in this game as one of his attacks. Baron K. Roolenstein, Ellie, and Kiddy Kong and Dixie Kong in a Hover Craft are spirits.

Development
For Donkey Kong Country 3, Rareware's management decided to hand the game to a new set of developers. The game's graphics benefited from new compression techniques and advancements done to the ACM process.

Staff
For the SNES version, David Wise composed the tracks "Dixie Beat", "Crazy Calypso", "Wrinkly's Save Cave", "Get Fit A-Go-Go", "Wrinkly 64", "Brothers Bear", "Bonus Time", "Bonus Win", and "Bonus Lose", while Eveline Novakovic did the rest.

Pre-release and unused content
There are unused sprites in the game. They are sprites of Kracka (which were eventually used in the Game Boy Advance version) and unused sprites of Kopter (some similar sprites are used in Donkey Kong Land III).

Reception
The game was placed 23rd in the 100th issue of Nintendo Power's "100 best Nintendo games of all time" in 1997.

Sales
Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! had fewer sales than the previous two Donkey Kong Country games because it was released at the end of the Super Nintendo's lifespan, and the Nintendo 64 was released the same year. The game was positively received although the soundtrack received a mixed reception.

Trivia

 * This is the only Donkey Kong Country game not to have a Time Attack mode in any version, despite Riverside Race being the only time attack level of the original Donkey Kong Country trilogy.
 * After defeating KAOS for the first time, Dixie and Kiddy use pipes as a short-cut to leave Mekanos, similar to the way pipes are used in the Super Mario Bros. series.
 * Even though the lives counter stops at 99, players can collect more than 99 lives. The counter remains at 99 until the player has fewer than 99 lives. This carries over from the previous game.
 * By pressing while in a Motor Boat, Hover Craft, or Turbo Ski, the Kongs will honk the vehicle's horn. By holding  and then pressing  and, the vehicle's honk will honk out a different tune. The Motor Boat honks out "La Cucaracha", the Hover Craft honks out "Gangplank Galleon", and the Turbo Ski honks out the theme of "".
 * Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! received two manga based around it: one in the series 4-koma Gag Battle, and the other in the series 4koma Manga Kingdom.