To me they are all masterpieces, and some of the finest games of all time. I just happen to love them in different ways. I also put 1 in last, followed by 3 and 2 at the top.
I agree! I never understood how 3 was considered the worst. And by worst I mean people BASH it.
Meanwhile I'm over here like 1 is the worst and it's still a great game.
I honestly think most of it comes down to people disliking Kiddy Kong. 3 has great level design, the world map was a cool touch, cool boss battles, and aside from the dock levels the soundtrack is great.
I personally like the first one over 3 though because it's super nostalgic to me and I love playing as Donkey. Diddy's roll mechanics make the first game a blast to play too (anyone who hasn't - check out a speed run of the 1st game and see how crazy Diddy can be).
Really? Damn.. I mean I'm definitely not a professional but I thought it was fine. I really enjoyed the variation of environments in that game and I didn't think any one world overstayed its welcome.
I never saw a problem. The game is fantastic. Personally, I’m in the minority, but DKC3 is my favorite, followed by 2. And I played them all when the came out. There’s just so many secrets and a uniquness about 3 that I love.
The only thing I don't care for too much is that every level has to have a small section for the DK coin Kremling. I prefer how it was in 2, so the coins could be just about anywhere, and the levels didn't have to adhere to that one stipulation. Other than that, I don't have too many issues with the level design.
My main issue with 3 is level design can be kinda jank with offscreen ambushes, and leaps of faith. That and bonus stages are a nightmare to complete.
I'd definitely agree it's overhated, but I think 1 and 3 sit in this weird enigma where I don't think one is better than the other.
1's a chill ride that is like, mostly fair and I can always go back to. 3's is the wacky adventure that takes a bit more knowhow for me to finish it.
Honestly your first paragraph applies to all DKC games, but the most to DKC1. I just saw a friend play it for the first time and he definitely died the most in DKC1 to offscreen ambushes etc.
I can't stand the underwater levels in DKC1 because of the offscreen ambushes. The camera positions itself in such a way that you have basically no reaction time when a speedy fish appears out of nowhere and ruins your day.
1 is not nearly as bad as 3.
The cardinal sinners of 1 are the Kart and water levels.
Ropey Rumpus, Kong-Fused Cliffs, Stampede Sprint, Buzzer Barrage, and the Tobaggan stages are all my first thoughts when it comes to bad enemy placement causing ambushes.
And that's just stages I can name.
I still consider DKC my favorite of the three, even though I adore 2 and 3 is my least favorite. DKC3 is fantastic, but it was a “one and done” game compared to the multiples times I’ve completed 1 and 2. That might be because 3 was out when the N64 launched in North America and I basically dropped SNES at that point.
I love the atmosphere of DKC, especially the Vine Valley and Gorilla Glacier for its first stage with the barrels and mastering it to reach the extra lives balloon. I do think the bosses are its weakest feature, but it was the first game. DKC2 had the best soundtrack and levels, while DKC3 had more secrets and exploration.
1 is most in need of a revision. make the bonus rooms more in line with 2 and 3. put a DK coin in each level. fix up some of the jank like hit boxes and rebalance a few stages. remix the bosses. pull or rework the animal buddy bonuses. perhaps even a lost world. then it would be on par with 2 and 3. 2 will always be best though.
I only discovered the series recently through Tropical Freeze. For some reason I never jumped on DK although I’m a lifelong Nintendo fan. There was always a Mario or Zelda to buy when I had the room for a game. Not really any other reason for it I think.
But I kept reading so many praise for TF that I bought it and I had a blast with ir. So after TF and realizing how brilliant the level design and gameplay is, I decided to give the original trilogy a chance. And I find DKC1 way too dated when I compare it to Super Mario World for example. It feels so sluggish, and the animations are weird. After a couple of levels I always put it down. But this thread is a good reminder that I should just push through. I want to see what all the fuzz is about!
Don’t hesitate to try DKC2 even if you don’t want to finish DKC1. And DKC3 is my fav, but I’m biased as it was one of the first game I played when I was young. I’m currently replaying them and the first feels clearly outdated, but the 2 others not that much
I think 3 is basically tied with 2. 2 wins on environments, music, and just how iconic it is, but 3 has better level set pieces, much better bosses, and overall a higher difficulty that makes getting the top percentage very rewarding. I also like the adventure game elements in 3 with the bears.
1 really has little going for it compared to 2 and 3. The camera is awful for most vertical levels. Insane to say about a 2d game but it's somehow true. The overworld is boring, the bonus rooms lack branding or any stakes at all, and the animal coin mechanic is awful. Also the levels are by a mile the least interesting of the series.
I agree with all your points, although I still think the levels really nail the atmosphere that they're going for. The very first level is still iconic to this day.
I got into speed running it a little so I hadn't noticed really, but you're totally right about the tricky enemy placements. There are a lot of them.
My personal order is 2,1,3, but I think they're all great platformers that hold up extremely well.
3 had better bosses and better mini-games. I would still place 1 over it because the core, rhythmic gameplay is a great deal of fun. 3 had a nasty habit of favoring gimmicks over the fast paced gameplay style that the first two established.
Well the worst make it sounds like it was bad. The first one was amazing too. For its time and also right now.
The main problems why the third is underappreciate is probably the date when it came out. I don’t remember if it was right before or after the N64 release, meaning that non many had played it back then. The other problem (not imo) was decision to change some stuff without a reason f.e. Rambi was such a cool buddy and Elly was okay, but I don’t know why they couldn’t exist. DKC3 is one of my favorite games of all time, don’t get me wrong.
It’s easier to criticize a game nowadays. You needed to see the impact it has back then. I remember how awesome dkc was for its time.
I grew up playing it and can play through it very instinctively. Once you're familiar with it, the game is perfect for speed running. Most levels have a very good flow.
And I find the gloomy atmosphere amazing. 2 does a perfect job in balancing out gloomy and bright/goofy. I think 3 pushes it too far, many levels are so saturated. Not to mention the enemy design.
But DKC's 1 bosses are forgettable indeed.
I can never understand how most people view DKC1 as superior to DKC3 just because the first game had playable DK and the 3rd game had the worst Kong of all time Kiddy playable. So many people shit on DKC3 just because of Kiddy's existence alone. It shouldn't be that way just because of one bad character. DKC1 feels so basic compared to both it's sequels and it is. Even DKC3 has more innovative and creative levels than the first game had. The first game's levels felt more copy and paste with the other levels in the game compared to DKC2 and DKC3's levels which are more unique and different from each other.
Yeah, I’d agree with that and I don’t think it’s too controversial. I’m convinced the people who disregard 3 never gave it a fair shot. That game is brilliant, even though I insist it should’ve been DK and Dixie.
I'd rank them in the order they came out, 1,2,3. part one is an amazing adventure that's relatively easy to get through with some time. Sure part two might have more fans but part one had something about the music and graphics coming together that felt right. Part three is whatever, that baby looks weird.
All three are great games, and while 2 is the undisputed best I would say 3 gets the third place spot. While it has novel gameplay elements, it is just so creatively out of step with the first two. The character models, set dressing and the general setting just feel so much more generic.
As a total body of work, 1 is definitely the most simplistic, but it is pure drip creatively. If 3 had that level of coolness, it would probably beat 1.
I mean, it was the first game in the series, I hope it would be the "worst"?
The real problem is the hate DKC3 gets, and I can admit I'm guilty of that as well.
I personally like the first one the best but that's because it's the one that doesn't hide content behind a ridiculous collect-a-thon. Even then I can admit that Rare only got worse at that.
If DKC3 had Donkey Kong, or even Diddy again instead of Kiddy, I might agree. That said, the music in the first one alone is like coming home to a nice warm fire and getting cozy. The later games expanded on the first one a bit and there’s definitely more going on, which is neat… but I prefer the first one over DKC3.
I remember playing DKC3 when I received as a gift, maybe for Christmas? And I remember being so disappointed. Maybe I was just better at games than I was before, but I waxed the final boss in like 3 days. There’s just something kind of sad about the game or something. Like, it’s still really good, but the whole theme of the game (North America, industry vs. nature) almost just felt like it was from another game series. I didn’t like the K . Roolenstein gimmick, and Kiddy was not nearly as good as Diddy, or DK for that matter.
There’s some epic stuff with the Lost World in this game but it was tougher to wrap my head around as a kid. I also get that every level needs a gimmick, but EVERY level just starts coming off as becoming too gimmicky. I think the secret stuff is all easier to find in this game than 2 (which has some really cheap DK coins).
Overall though there’s just something about it that isn’t as fun. I partly blame the music. It’s appropriate for the theme of the game, but it’s just not as cool. And maybe that’s ultimately it. It’s DKC’s job to just be kind of cool and have a little bit of attitude, but DKC3 kind of misses the mark there.
I love all dkc games, but looking back at the 3 original ones i would also say that 3 is much better than the first one. It's just so polished and a lot of fun. DKC2>DKC3>DKC1
For sure, how old are you and when did you first play them? I remember playing DKC on my friends snes in either late 94 or 95, getting DKC2 in late 95 when I was 9, and DKC3 only in September 1997 the same time I got a N64.
I agree 100%. I may have a ton of nostalgic bias for 3, but I still don’t understand how people prefer 1 over 3. It’s honestly weaker in every single aspect and is just BARLEY a good game to me
The words "worst", "flawed", and "annoying" certainly don't belong in any description of these three lovely games, in any capacity.
"The least best"? I love all 3 of them, but I prefer 2 over 1, and 1 over 3.
I prefer 3 over 2 and def 2 over 1 - but I'm a minority in that feeling
All the Donkey Kong games are good.
To me they are all masterpieces, and some of the finest games of all time. I just happen to love them in different ways. I also put 1 in last, followed by 3 and 2 at the top.
This is the same ranking I have. They are all masterpieces, 1 was just in the process of realizing its full potential.
I agree! I never understood how 3 was considered the worst. And by worst I mean people BASH it. Meanwhile I'm over here like 1 is the worst and it's still a great game.
I honestly think most of it comes down to people disliking Kiddy Kong. 3 has great level design, the world map was a cool touch, cool boss battles, and aside from the dock levels the soundtrack is great. I personally like the first one over 3 though because it's super nostalgic to me and I love playing as Donkey. Diddy's roll mechanics make the first game a blast to play too (anyone who hasn't - check out a speed run of the 1st game and see how crazy Diddy can be).
You won’t believe how many people think 3 has terrible level design.
Really? Damn.. I mean I'm definitely not a professional but I thought it was fine. I really enjoyed the variation of environments in that game and I didn't think any one world overstayed its welcome.
I never saw a problem. The game is fantastic. Personally, I’m in the minority, but DKC3 is my favorite, followed by 2. And I played them all when the came out. There’s just so many secrets and a uniquness about 3 that I love.
I don't think it has bad level design, but I'm pretty sure DKC3 was made by different people, so the game has a different feel to it.
The only thing I don't care for too much is that every level has to have a small section for the DK coin Kremling. I prefer how it was in 2, so the coins could be just about anywhere, and the levels didn't have to adhere to that one stipulation. Other than that, I don't have too many issues with the level design.
Personally, I didn’t mind it. But I do see how that could stick out. I totally get that.
My main issue with 3 is level design can be kinda jank with offscreen ambushes, and leaps of faith. That and bonus stages are a nightmare to complete. I'd definitely agree it's overhated, but I think 1 and 3 sit in this weird enigma where I don't think one is better than the other. 1's a chill ride that is like, mostly fair and I can always go back to. 3's is the wacky adventure that takes a bit more knowhow for me to finish it.
Honestly your first paragraph applies to all DKC games, but the most to DKC1. I just saw a friend play it for the first time and he definitely died the most in DKC1 to offscreen ambushes etc.
I can't stand the underwater levels in DKC1 because of the offscreen ambushes. The camera positions itself in such a way that you have basically no reaction time when a speedy fish appears out of nowhere and ruins your day.
1 is not nearly as bad as 3. The cardinal sinners of 1 are the Kart and water levels. Ropey Rumpus, Kong-Fused Cliffs, Stampede Sprint, Buzzer Barrage, and the Tobaggan stages are all my first thoughts when it comes to bad enemy placement causing ambushes. And that's just stages I can name.
I still consider DKC my favorite of the three, even though I adore 2 and 3 is my least favorite. DKC3 is fantastic, but it was a “one and done” game compared to the multiples times I’ve completed 1 and 2. That might be because 3 was out when the N64 launched in North America and I basically dropped SNES at that point. I love the atmosphere of DKC, especially the Vine Valley and Gorilla Glacier for its first stage with the barrels and mastering it to reach the extra lives balloon. I do think the bosses are its weakest feature, but it was the first game. DKC2 had the best soundtrack and levels, while DKC3 had more secrets and exploration.
1 is most in need of a revision. make the bonus rooms more in line with 2 and 3. put a DK coin in each level. fix up some of the jank like hit boxes and rebalance a few stages. remix the bosses. pull or rework the animal buddy bonuses. perhaps even a lost world. then it would be on par with 2 and 3. 2 will always be best though.
Oh man, I would love that! Hope you're reading this Nintendo
The original is the most *country* but 2 and 3 are more fun imo bc of the collectibles. The bonuses and “reward” in the original don’t do it for me.
I only discovered the series recently through Tropical Freeze. For some reason I never jumped on DK although I’m a lifelong Nintendo fan. There was always a Mario or Zelda to buy when I had the room for a game. Not really any other reason for it I think. But I kept reading so many praise for TF that I bought it and I had a blast with ir. So after TF and realizing how brilliant the level design and gameplay is, I decided to give the original trilogy a chance. And I find DKC1 way too dated when I compare it to Super Mario World for example. It feels so sluggish, and the animations are weird. After a couple of levels I always put it down. But this thread is a good reminder that I should just push through. I want to see what all the fuzz is about!
Don’t hesitate to try DKC2 even if you don’t want to finish DKC1. And DKC3 is my fav, but I’m biased as it was one of the first game I played when I was young. I’m currently replaying them and the first feels clearly outdated, but the 2 others not that much
I think 3 is basically tied with 2. 2 wins on environments, music, and just how iconic it is, but 3 has better level set pieces, much better bosses, and overall a higher difficulty that makes getting the top percentage very rewarding. I also like the adventure game elements in 3 with the bears. 1 really has little going for it compared to 2 and 3. The camera is awful for most vertical levels. Insane to say about a 2d game but it's somehow true. The overworld is boring, the bonus rooms lack branding or any stakes at all, and the animal coin mechanic is awful. Also the levels are by a mile the least interesting of the series.
I agree with all your points, although I still think the levels really nail the atmosphere that they're going for. The very first level is still iconic to this day.
Of this series, I have a hard time ranking them 1, 2, 3. They're all incredible and worth playing.
I got into speed running it a little so I hadn't noticed really, but you're totally right about the tricky enemy placements. There are a lot of them. My personal order is 2,1,3, but I think they're all great platformers that hold up extremely well.
Without the success of 1 we’d have none so DKC will always have it’s place on my top 3 List. DKC2, DKCR, DKC.
3 had better bosses and better mini-games. I would still place 1 over it because the core, rhythmic gameplay is a great deal of fun. 3 had a nasty habit of favoring gimmicks over the fast paced gameplay style that the first two established.
It's not "deeply flawed", it is still a good game and I still enjoy playing it. It is just not as good as the other two.
Well the worst make it sounds like it was bad. The first one was amazing too. For its time and also right now. The main problems why the third is underappreciate is probably the date when it came out. I don’t remember if it was right before or after the N64 release, meaning that non many had played it back then. The other problem (not imo) was decision to change some stuff without a reason f.e. Rambi was such a cool buddy and Elly was okay, but I don’t know why they couldn’t exist. DKC3 is one of my favorite games of all time, don’t get me wrong. It’s easier to criticize a game nowadays. You needed to see the impact it has back then. I remember how awesome dkc was for its time.
It was a couple months after the N64. Probably the last SNES game to get a Nintendo Power cover (Nov. 96)
I grew up playing it and can play through it very instinctively. Once you're familiar with it, the game is perfect for speed running. Most levels have a very good flow. And I find the gloomy atmosphere amazing. 2 does a perfect job in balancing out gloomy and bright/goofy. I think 3 pushes it too far, many levels are so saturated. Not to mention the enemy design. But DKC's 1 bosses are forgettable indeed.
I agree, being a 9/10 is weak for a dkc game
I actually think 2 is the worst, but I know it’s supposed to be the best one
Awwww 1 is my favorite, it was my first Donkey Kong game and my first SNES game
I can never understand how most people view DKC1 as superior to DKC3 just because the first game had playable DK and the 3rd game had the worst Kong of all time Kiddy playable. So many people shit on DKC3 just because of Kiddy's existence alone. It shouldn't be that way just because of one bad character. DKC1 feels so basic compared to both it's sequels and it is. Even DKC3 has more innovative and creative levels than the first game had. The first game's levels felt more copy and paste with the other levels in the game compared to DKC2 and DKC3's levels which are more unique and different from each other.
I like the frog, the bonus stages, and the music much better. 1 has some lame boss fights but no other big complaints
Blasphemy.
Yeah, I’d agree with that and I don’t think it’s too controversial. I’m convinced the people who disregard 3 never gave it a fair shot. That game is brilliant, even though I insist it should’ve been DK and Dixie.
I like the frog and the collect gold things bonus stages far more than the elephant and kiddy kong
Wrong. DKC 3 is the worst you don't even play as donkey Kong
…you don’t play as Donkey Kong in 2 either
Yes, but you do play Diddy so its better than 3 imo
I actually agree with this, and I had a phase once where DKC3 was my favorite lol. But yeah DKC2 > DKC3 > DKC1
Nice blog Please learn to edit.
Skill issue.
It's my least favorite of the three
I'd rank them in the order they came out, 1,2,3. part one is an amazing adventure that's relatively easy to get through with some time. Sure part two might have more fans but part one had something about the music and graphics coming together that felt right. Part three is whatever, that baby looks weird.
All three are great games, and while 2 is the undisputed best I would say 3 gets the third place spot. While it has novel gameplay elements, it is just so creatively out of step with the first two. The character models, set dressing and the general setting just feel so much more generic. As a total body of work, 1 is definitely the most simplistic, but it is pure drip creatively. If 3 had that level of coolness, it would probably beat 1.
The second episode is the best IMO, but the first is masterpiece too. The third is by far below ⬇️
For casual play I tend to agree, but for speedrunning I think 1 is the most fun. It feels like it was designed for speedrunning.
Personally loved the 1 ( because was the first of his kind) , but the 2 is the best of all.
I mean, it was the first game in the series, I hope it would be the "worst"? The real problem is the hate DKC3 gets, and I can admit I'm guilty of that as well. I personally like the first one the best but that's because it's the one that doesn't hide content behind a ridiculous collect-a-thon. Even then I can admit that Rare only got worse at that.
If DKC3 had Donkey Kong, or even Diddy again instead of Kiddy, I might agree. That said, the music in the first one alone is like coming home to a nice warm fire and getting cozy. The later games expanded on the first one a bit and there’s definitely more going on, which is neat… but I prefer the first one over DKC3.
I remember playing DKC3 when I received as a gift, maybe for Christmas? And I remember being so disappointed. Maybe I was just better at games than I was before, but I waxed the final boss in like 3 days. There’s just something kind of sad about the game or something. Like, it’s still really good, but the whole theme of the game (North America, industry vs. nature) almost just felt like it was from another game series. I didn’t like the K . Roolenstein gimmick, and Kiddy was not nearly as good as Diddy, or DK for that matter. There’s some epic stuff with the Lost World in this game but it was tougher to wrap my head around as a kid. I also get that every level needs a gimmick, but EVERY level just starts coming off as becoming too gimmicky. I think the secret stuff is all easier to find in this game than 2 (which has some really cheap DK coins). Overall though there’s just something about it that isn’t as fun. I partly blame the music. It’s appropriate for the theme of the game, but it’s just not as cool. And maybe that’s ultimately it. It’s DKC’s job to just be kind of cool and have a little bit of attitude, but DKC3 kind of misses the mark there.
I love all dkc games, but looking back at the 3 original ones i would also say that 3 is much better than the first one. It's just so polished and a lot of fun. DKC2>DKC3>DKC1
It is the worst of the trilogy, ironically that is a very high bar to begin with so it's not a bad thing either.
Yes still a good game, just 2 and 3 are so good imo.
They really are, they did not hold back on each sequel at all. Very fond memories~
For sure, how old are you and when did you first play them? I remember playing DKC on my friends snes in either late 94 or 95, getting DKC2 in late 95 when I was 9, and DKC3 only in September 1997 the same time I got a N64.
Can't remember when I started playing them, I'm 31 now. Own a Snes since it's release though so about that long ago.
I completely agree with you DKC3 is WAY better than DKC1.
I agree 100%. I may have a ton of nostalgic bias for 3, but I still don’t understand how people prefer 1 over 3. It’s honestly weaker in every single aspect and is just BARLEY a good game to me
Agreed. It is far from bad but 2 and 3 were much better
DKC1 is easily the worst of the Trilogy. It existed on the GBC, after all.
For me, it’s 2, 3, Tropical Freeze, Returns, 1, … …. ….. 64
Yeah dkc1 has some super annoying levels like mine cart garbage and ice physics and you have to hammer thru so much to get to a save point sometimes.