Donkey Kong 3: Dai Gyakushū

Donkey Kong 3: Dai Gyakushū (ドンキーコング3 大逆襲) is a game developed by Hudson Soft in 1984. The game had versions for the NEC PC-6001mkII/NEC PC-6601, NEC PC-8801, and Sharp X1, all of which had differences between each other (palette and flow of gameplay, respectively). The same year, Hudson had released and would release Punch Ball Mario Bros. and Mario Bros. Special, respectively. This was the last Donkey Kong game until Donkey Kong on the Game Boy.

Unlike Punch Ball and Special, the game was not released on the FM-7 - a version was planned and possibly even completely programmed, but was canceled for unknown reasons.

The game was lost for many years, but the Sharp X1 version later was found in December 2017 at an online auction. In February 2018, the game was finally made available to the world via emulation. An emulation of the PC-8801 version was released in January 2019.

Gameplay
Like Mario Bros. Special and Punch Ball Mario Bros., the game is not a port, but more of a semi-sequel to Donkey Kong 3. Stanley the Bugman's ability to jump is removed, along with the need to protect plants, making it much closer to a traditional shooter, à la Galaga.

Enemies come down from the top of the screen in groups of five, swooping to the bottom and trying to target Stanley. After swooping around a bit, the enemies will exit the screen (usually from the bottom, though sometimes from the sides) and loop back around to the top. This will continue until Stanley dies, shoots Donkey Kong to the top of the screen, thus completing it, or kills the five insects, all of which take two hits apiece to kill. If Stanley kills all five insects before any of them loop back to the top of the screen, a flag reminiscent of one from Rally-X will appear, and shooting it will net him 1,000 points.

There are twenty new stages, looping back at Stage 21. Every five stages a Bonus Stage comes up, where Stanley must spray all the bugs before the time runs out. The game sees him chase Donkey Kong into the countryside, through space, and eventually into a city on an alien planet, with no conclusion to the story.

Stage 1: On the Highway
A highway at sunset, with mountains in the distance.

Stage 2: On the Strange Bridge
A very long highway bridge, sunset is still visible.

Stage 3: On the Country Road
A curvy road is visible on the right side of the screen, surrounded by hills. Appears to be night.

Stage 4: The Aliens
A blank, tan background with green and black aliens that seem to be coming towards Donkey Kong and Stanley.

Stage 5: In the U.F.O.
Seems to take place inside a UFO. Presumably, the aliens from Stage 4 have kidnapped Donkey Kong and Stanley, however the battle between the two continues to play out.

Stage 6: Leaving the Earth
Appears to take place in space with Earth in the background, presumably inside the UFO, though it is not visible here.

Stage 7: In the Astron Belt
An asteroid belt appears in the background.

Stage 8: Around the Saturn
The planet Saturn appears in the background.

Stage 9: A Mysterious Planet
An unknown planet appears in the background.

Stage 10: On the Desert
On an unknown desert, with what seems to be the moon in the background. Presumably, Donkey Kong and Stanley, along with the aliens, have landed on the mysterious planet shown in Stage 9.

Stage 11: By the Pyramid
A large split in the ground is visible in front of a pyramid.

Stage 12: In the Cave
A long pathway with swirling walls completely encircling it.

Stage 13: At the Active Volcano
Appears to be a somewhat overhead view of an active volcano erupting.

Stage 14: In the Active Crater
Appears to take place near an active crater.

Stage 15: At the Dome
Takes place near a dome-shaped building.

Stage 16: On the Ground Picture
Appears to take place near some sort of Nazca Line-type image on the ground.

Stage 17: At the Runway
Takes place near a runway.

Stage 18: A Mushroom Cloud
Appears to take place in front of a mushroom cloud. The background is completely blank, and thus no further context is provided.

Stage 19: At the Sunset
Takes place during a sunset, with only the sun and some birds being visible.

Stage 20: In the City
Takes place in the middle of a large city. Several buildings are shown in the background, as well as what seems to be lightning. Stars are also visible.

Main programmer

 * Fumihiko Itagaki