DONKEY KONG COUNTRY 3: Super Nintendo's 16-bit Swan Song | GEEK CRITIQUE

A long, long time ago... this is a story about bad criticism.
Thanks to Khimyra for sponsoring this episode! Use my code, "GEEK," to save 10% on your order at www.khimyra.com/
SUPER huge thank-you to Cameron Reigle for the ultra high-res Rare Archipelago art! All the fine detail in that piece is awesome. He sells prints! www.inprnt.com/gallery/broken...
Soundtrack restorations courtesy of Jammin' Sam Miller. These are awesome! He's found the original samples to reconstruct how the music WOULD have sounded, without the SNES's hardware limitations. Phenomenal work! • Donkey Kong Country 3 ...
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[@TheCartoonGamer8000]

The sheer AMOUNT you went through to scrub out Kiddy Kong from this entire video is absolutely stupefying.

[@alanlee67]

What kind of name is even "kiddie" Kong. It's like they forgot the book report was due and did it the morning before class

[@djChris_]

@@alanlee67 nahhh bro more like last minute

[@ahmedalkadhim9806]

I only ever cleared this game (103%) in co-op mode. My friend played Dixie. Imagine how I feel right now having waited all this time to hear someone share my pain, only to have the whole video not even mention the dumbass even once?😂😂😂

[@austinreed7343]

Dinky Kong

[@IfOUGHTpIRANHAz]

Who?

[@TheDigitalDanceMediaLibrary]

Y'all are totally missing the meaning behind the game's subtitle...It's called 'Dixie Kong's *DOUBLE* Trouble', because Dixie is all on her own without a partner character, which means that, proportionally speaking, she's encountering and taking on DOUBLE the TROUBLE because she's doing it all by herself without being one half of a duo! It's basic math, people!!!

[@007scraps]

nah, it refers to what diddy and donkey does to dixie after the game ends.

[@matthewwhoseph6437]

​@@007scrapslmaoooo

[@user-gw4oz1rk3i]

What about kitty kong?

[@matthewwhoseph6437]

@@user-gw4oz1rk3i who? You mean kiddy?

[@user-gw4oz1rk3i]

@@matthewwhoseph6437 YES!

[@zerastardust1712]

I love how Dixie is the only playable Kong in this game. It would be pretty lame if she had some ugly baby with her the whole time.

[@thunderboargames8369]

kiddy kong

[@JohnSmith-zw8vp]

Don't you make her cry! And don't make Kiddy throw a temper tantrum!

[@junkvideos4527]

You must be kiddyin’ that’d be a nightmare

[@FreakinSweet1987]

This magnificent bastard just made a 54 minute video, retconned the existence of Kiddy Kong, and played it completely straight-faced the entire time as if it's always been the timeline we're living in. This. This is how you do April Fool's.

[@RoseSupreme]

Adding to that, the video abruptly ended the moment Dixie was about to bust open a tag barrel.

[@CassiDS]

It didn't even occur to me that this was a joke video until after I read this comment.

[@Tiggster-qr8mw]

@@CassiDS yeah, so idk if anything that was said here is actually reflective of TGC’s thoughts, since this is a joke video

[@freddyfazbear1334]

No joke, that’s one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen

[@ObservationofLimits]

Ahhh. Coming across this 9 months later the joke made no sense.

[@0ctopusComp1etely]

I legit missed the elephant-in-the-room joke for about 5 minutes AFTER we figured out Which Brothers Bear Is Best. Had to pause the video and yell "WAIT A MINUTE!" while I frantically googled to make sure I hadn't gone crazy, as memories spontaneously flooded back of my best friend playing the game like... twenty years ago? And I remembered. Ooooohhhh, I remembered. You nearly had me, Geek Critique. You ALMOST had me. You thought I FORGOT, didn't you? Just tried to gloss over his contributions? Hand-wave his presence like it was nothing? BUT NO. I wouldn't forget. I could NEVER forget. ....About Benny being the Best Brother Bear! I mean, he's basically Bjorn, but lets you ride for free from the get-go! Objectively better already. AND he has no issues for you to fix. Dude has his life together, unlike his broken, resentful brother, or really most of the Brother Bears. He's a real inspiration for us all. Just an awesome guy living his best life. I sure wish Dixie had gotten someone like him as a partner on her journey. Someone who could really have her back, and be a memorable Player 2, ya know? Oh, well...

[@BahhBahhBrownSheep]

@@Giran023 you said this already

[@Andres-is3lj]

so you just made the same tasteless joke as the video

[@appleando752]

@@Andres-is3lj It's not tasteless. How dare you insult Benny Bear like that.

[@kruggsmash]

I got 45 minutes into this video without realizing that Kiddie wasn't mentioned or shown a single time. this is great.

[@iammek]

anddddd subscribed

[@FindingsOfAnArmouredMind]

I was 23 minutes in and didn't realize until someone mentioned it AND that it was April's fools on the comments..

[@Isa-vi5rt]

It was so weird reading the comments because of this, almost felt like an alternative timeline. Thanks for explaining it!

[@tomahilaire3921]

I was also wondering why Kiddie wasn't. Nor was he shown in any of the clips. After watching the video, there still isn't an explanation.

[@GearGolemTMF]

I first noticed it when you got the boat from Funky then again when I saw the edited title screen. I'm 45min in and just thought "Hey wait a minute, has he mentioned Kiddy? I don't even think I saw the game over screen XD. Edit: Meant to reply to the first top comment but this works too lul. How did we get 45 minutes in before we noticed?!

[@shawntraub7249]

13:23 "...given how truncated this was..." while talking about the elephant. Gold tier pun.

[@ChronoMoogle]

The whole video had me on my toes “when does he mention him?” then, I started to see details like only footage with Dixie being shown, a certain someone being edited out of the title screen and even a replaced sticker art on the cartridge. The ending of the video was the cherry on top, this is brilliant!

[@raiiban]

The way you avoided showing or mentioning he who shall not be named, even ending the video like 1 frame before he would have been busted out of that barrel was just masterful. I applaud you for having so expertly avoided any mention or image of him, even going as far to photoshop and print out a new sticker for the cartridge.

[@lilysoryu3991]

I was wondering what was up with the sudden ending. Brilliant

[@PC2000]

Ha ha, I didn't even catch that last part! Brilliant.

[@skibot9974]

1984 wasn’t an instruction manual!

[@DopestDope24]

Holy shit I didn’t realize

[@Mallowigi]

It's called cancel culture. Oh poor poor poor Ki

[@justinc.5591]

“I’M A DUUUDE!” - Funky Kong, 1996

[@GODDAMNLETMEJOIN]

I love Kiddy's rage scream when you die as him. It's silly and helps diffuse frustration in the game's harder levels.

[@SS2GohanisBomb1]

Who's Kiddy?

[@TheRealEthanavos]

Wdym? This is Dixie's game.

[@eduardoaguero1220]

ONly in the SNES version, because it's not a baby crying it is Tom getting bear trapped.

[@eternaljoa]

I want the scream to be louder

[@JohnSmith-zw8vp]

His tantrums are the BEST...lose life...sequence...EVER.

[@pedrosilvalopez5157]

The way you Thanos'd Kiddy Kong out of existence is just metal.

[@MerelyAFan]

One of the greatest triumphs of DKC3 is that if effectively pulls off a theme of venturing out into the unknown. DKC1 was essentially the Kongs defending their serene and beautiful territory against the Kremling intrusion, with Krekmkroc Industries Inc being an example of what DK Island could become if K Rool and company aren't stopped. DKC2 was the inverse, putting our heroes behind enemy lines; featuring darker settings and haunted (sometimes literally) landscapes that they have to survive in. The Northern Kremisphere is thus a departure from both, emphasizing it being almost a frontier to explore, down to even the main musical theme being neither friendly nor foreboding, but almost mysterious. You don't know much about this new land, but both the Kongs and you the player are drawn into seeing more of it. The more open section of the hub world is an extension of that, inviting one to really look over it like a cartographer poring over a map of a new land. And in a way, I think even the level design itself fits that theme in a gameplay sense. Rare was experimenting with stage gimmicks in a 2D platformer like few developers ever had, and that (given the genre's hibernation over the next dozen plus years) few would to the same extent until relatively recently. DKC3 is a game about going into uncharted territory in both a thematic and meta sense, and while the eventual discovery isn't always perfect (see certain level gimmicks and the resolution of KAOS) its central identity is a worthwhile and distinct one.

[@MaxOakland]

Beautiful. Put it on a t-shirt

[@TheGms24]

The amount of work to cut out Kiddie's existence entirely 🤣🤣🤣🤣 to even cropping him out of the cartridge, you're a hero and this is probably one of your best critiques 👍

[@megamike15]

the fact he made the first funky kong visit so seemless despite you know it's two clips edited together is wild.

[@schlamuffenimperator9460]

My brother was a fan of Kiddy Kong. I never got why. At least Chunky Kong (who is related to him) is fun by being a big brawny scaredy cat.

[@robbiewalker2831]

@@Giran023 I say Donkey Kong Jr. should've been brought back in the game. Because having "Kiddy Kong" exist undermines the point of replacing Donkey Kong Jr. with Diddy Kong.

[@Lunar994]

I'm fine with Kiddy Kong. I'm no fan of him, but I don't hate him either.

[@grammarmaid]

Who??

[@Pacmanfan-po9rn]

So glad Dixie got her own solo game!

[@charlesman8722]

Shame it sucked

[@michaelhockaday7426]

​@@charlesman8722it didn't suck

[@papersonic9941]

Gotta appreciate Josh's commitment to the bit that he had to play most of the game with only one hit.

[@ethanchang8342]

What “bit”? I’m fairly certain Dixie was the only playable character in DKC3

[@_nayrb]

@@ethanchang8342I think you forgot about Kiddy Kong. Kiddy Kong is the other playable character.

[@ethanchang8342]

@@_nayrb who the hell is Kiddy Kong?

[@TekDoug]

@@_nayrbr/woosh

[@NotSpecialDude]

While its certainly keeping with the spirit of April 1st to do an entire hour review without once mentioning Kiddy; I actually find that to be the HARSHEST rebuke of the character. Kiddy is so inconsequential both in-game, in-story, and in-franchise that his removal changes nothing. And the fact it would probably take 20 or so minutes before the average viewer caught on is telling.

[@redfoxoffire]

Well, he's not inconsequential in-game. He brings back Donkey's heavyweight mechanic from DKC1, Dixie can throw him to smash through cracked floors, and he can skip on water.

[@NotSpecialDude]

@@redfoxoffire With the exception of Donkey's heavyweight mechanic, most of that is contextually useful. Outside of a few bonus barrels, skipping on water or breaking through floors is rarely useful. The former being more useful if only for the bee chasing segments. Ironically, I'd wager his most useful trait is that he has Diddy's max run speed, but he is in the game which wasn't designed to be blitzed like the other two.

[@redfoxoffire]

@@NotSpecialDude Yes, but "contextually useful" still means it's not inconsequential. Consider that you literally can't get to the true end of the game without Kiddy.

[@Mike14264]

@@redfoxoffire that thing with Kiddy's water-skipping is kinda like knowing that you can stack mushroom blocks over the swirly clouds in Super Mario Bros. 2 to stand on them. It's so underutilized, if it wasn't for the facts that it's mentioned in the manual and that a bonus or two can be obtained by that method (but also by using Dixie's helicopter twirl, making it go under most people's eyes even more), most folks wouldn't even know about it. Then again, that mechanic in SMB2 is so unknown, I think I only learned of it through an article or so, and then never heard about it ever again. Heck, even now, I can't find a single mention of it!

[@redfoxoffire]

@@Mike14264 Yeah, so what? I never claimed it was some superpower. It's just a thing he can do that can sometimes help. I'm not trying to say Kiddy is amazing (I don't like him as a character any more than anyone else), just that he has gameplay value.

[@theadventuresofdonny7122]

Wow. I was expecting more April Fool's tomfoolery but instead got one of the greatest Geek Critique episodes yet. Awesome revisiting on one of my absolute favorite games. DKC3 was no joke the first DK game I actually completed in it's entirety. I LOVE the brother bears and exploring the world map, and had a ton of fun with the level gimmicks.

[@linkthepig4219]

Great game, even if there's only one playable character for some reason

[@autobotstarscream765]

@@linkthepig4219 All you need is Dixie, the best Kong, and her meat shield that keeps her alive.

[@tree4318]

so why did you like this video then? He basically trashed one of the best games ever made

[@dingdongism]

@Square Planks Your didn’t watch the video, did you?

[@tree4318]

@@dingdongism I'm glad you think you're psychic but I watched the video, and played all 3 games extensively throughout my entire life.

[@tetermc]

Still find it funny that both Diddie and Dixie appear in the trilogy more than Donkey Kong himself.

[@Sam_T2000]

would it have been lame to replace Kiddy with Donkey Kong? they still could’ve framed it as Dixie’s adventure, with Donkey Kong as the sidekick… but his mere presence might’ve overshadowed her… but he’s M-F’n’ Donkey Kong, so I don’t think I’d have cared 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@Gestersmek]

It's weird that you didn't mention the removal of the partner system. It feels really jarring, especially since it was effectively the health system as well. One hit now means instant death no matter what, a surprisingly harsh turn from the extra hit you could take and replenish in the last two games. I guess they had already stuck Funky Kong to his role in the final game, but it would've been nice if you could partner up with him or something.

[@chrisbeach423]

I have played all these games hundreds of times and never even noticed until I read this comment 🤣 wow

[@Henrique.Souza0601]

Hahahahahahah dude I had to read 3 times until I realized what you meant

[@chrisbeach423]

@@Henrique.Souza0601 no one took my bait lol but I listened to the video at work the first time and never saw that kiddy wasn’t in the video or noticed he wasn’t mentioned 😂

[@Thefufflylord]

I completely agree. I think it was meant to be subversive and show how much faith Rare had in Dixie Kong as a character and her mechanics. Dixie Kong is an enduring favourite for a lot of fans and it was only right she got her own game. Furthermore, you have to admit there is something powerful about letting Dixie carry the torch and save her boyfriend and DK all by her lonesome. It's was the kind of female empowerment that for commonplace in the 90s, without needing to draw attention to it and certainly not make it political. I guess they might have considered giving her an extra hit, but I think that would carry the risk of making Dixie seem not as tough as Diddy or Donkey (in a game difficulty sense I mean). Or maybe Rare felt confident enough in their player base that they'd appreciate the new challenge. Still, it's odd that Candy Kong wasn't considered, or perhaps another new kong? That could have worked, provided Rare remembered this was Dixie's game and she was the star. I'm sure they would, I mean, why else would they let her star in her own game?

[@DKCfan10]

The hell do you mean "partner system"? We see plenty of footage from the other 2 games, and not once do Donkey or Diddy have any partners with them.

[@jakoblinton2053]

Ya know, I always found it weird how Dixie never got her own partner in this game. Like in the previous two, we got to play as the titular character with a new face to come along on the ride. Dkc1 gave us Diddy, and dkc2 gave us Dixie. I guess rare couldn't come up with anyone for this game. It was pretty frustrating having to die in one hit. Really makes ya wish they added someone else. Like sure, the games perfectly fine without it, but it would have been very welcome to have any kind of partner no matter who it was. Just image what kind of character the geniuses at rare could have come up with if they just felt like putting in the effort. A character that would be as celebrated, and revered as the rest of the DK cast. If only . . .

[@VLikaru]

I think having her partner up with DK would of been an ok choice too.

[@mystman1210]

@@VLikaru Yeah they could have made it so you find Diddy or DK early in the game. Then maybe later you find the other and have *three* partners! How cool would that have been?

[@drnanard9605]

@@VLikaru nah, we already got Donkey.. But what about, like, a young version of Donkey? He could be burly, but inexperienced. Maybe not a full fledged actual baby Kong lol, that would be silly, but, you know, something along those lines

[@pianoman021]

@@VLikaru that’s what I thought the point was with her partner Ki…oh wait. Where was I?

[@bandband4498]

"Dixie kongs independent adventure" is such a strange title. Wouldn't it be awesome if it was called "Dixie Kongs funky frenzy" instead and had playable Funky Kong?

[@DyscordServant]

This was a great re-critique and I love the fresh perspective you now have. I also find it funny that you went this whole video without bringing up Kiddy Kong once.

[@adrianpadin1840]

He even intentionally skips the DK barrel at 47:34 just so Kiddy wouldn't show up on screen

[@MexicanSheepMan]

Who is Kiddy Kong?

[@SEGARetroBR]

I thought he was trying to avoid mentioning Kiddy to do it later and complain about how he didn't like the character, but no, not a mention at all. It left me curious about his opinions on him. I mean, if Kiddy is not even mentioned and he went out of his away to omit Kiddy from even the game cartridge itself, of course he doesn't like him, but I'd like to hear him saying why.

[@SpiderGoblin2012]

@@SEGARetroBR It's more than likely because his opinion on the character is one of the only things that didn't change since the original video. He put a bit more focus on him there, and bringing him up again might've ruined the pacing of this more positive take on the game. Or it could just as easily be because this video came out on April Fool's, and his exclusion combined with everyone half expecting a "gotcha" was the joke. Either way, it's awesome

[@VampyreBassist]

When I first watched this, i was just listening to it so I missed out on the fact Kiddy Kong is edited out and everything. Even on the cartridge in the beginning.

[@TheMr.L01]

I'm surprised that you didn't bring up that advertisement calling the game "Donkey Kong Country 3, starring no one." Weird that they wouldn't acknowledge Dixie in her own game.

[@PennyMcNickles]

@@Giran023 maybe they could've put a new character thats like donkey kong but bad at it, inexperienced, like a kid essentially, but that's dumb isnt it

[@regisphilbin529]

Kiddy is GOATed. Diddy's agility and Donkey's power. Front-carry, water-skip. Absolute unit and legend.

[@Caydiem]

"Diddys agility" You having a giggle, m8? Kiddy is slow as hell.

[@BinarySecond]

@@Caydiem gitgud

[@NightmarePikachu]

@@Caydiem Kiddy has the exact same speed as Dixie.

[@chanceneck8072]

I liked the water-skip mechanic. Sure, it´s hard to get used to, but it sure as hell trained my gamer skills.

[@carterherbert1829]

Who’s Kiddy

[@JoyContent2]

*~unable to comment because I don't exist in this timeline~*

[@bookishdelight]

This... wow. At least for me, this is the chilling creepiness of the end of the Sonic '06 review, blown up to 54 minutes. Right down to literally the very last second (which I have replayed no less than a half-dozen times while re-enacting banderas.gif). And seriously, bravo for that, to you and the editors. I like to think of myself as someone who's able to wield spite (or perhaps in this particular case, therapy?) pretty well as fuel for my creative work, but my mouth is still hanging open in awe of what I've witnessed here. :D I also thoroughly appreciate your message of missing forests for trees when it comes to evaluating creative works because of your personal biases. In another life, I was a "professional" games critic for the better part of a decade and I fell into the same trap with not only games, but media itself--and only recently (we're talking literally this week) came to the same conclusion you did. The former is quite easy! And while emotionally understandable, it's so easy to close yourself off to new experiences as you get older unless you sometimes just... get out of yourself for a little while. Anyhoo, I sometimes do wonder if DKC3 would have been any more palatable to the masses if it'd starred two Kongs like the other ones. I mean, yeah, you and I both know Dixie was GOAT then and is now, but maybe it'd just been too early to ask her to carry an entire game all on her own, y'know?

[@hadesKIU]

I haven't seen this entire video yet, and while what I have watched has felt strangely different and inexplicably unsettling... The end of the Sonic '06 review wasn't just creepy: It was full blown cosmic horror.

[@KruelAidMan]

@@hadesKIU the whole "retrospective making amends" gave me the sense of...dread...that we might be getting a surprise retirement announcement but I'm so glad this isn't the case. So...uh...wen _Thousand Year Door_ ?

[@noelleonhart]

I really like the symbolism of the whole video, that being the absence of Kiddy Kong. One of the talking points in your DKC3 critique was a segment of shamelessly bashing Kiddy because he replaced the other two Kongs. Leaving him completely out of this video is symbolic of how your perspective has changed, and how you're looking at the game through a more fair-more mature-lens. Even if he's part of the game, him being present is inconsequential to the game's quality. At first when I saw the modified title screen without Kiddy in it, I thought it was going to be played off as a joke. However, the more I started to understand that this video was about letting go of childhood bias, the more I started to understand what him being absent was paramount to this video's thesis. At an age of not yet 25, I've never really strayed too far from playing video games that conform to what I think a video game SHOULD BE based on experiences that I've had with them since my childhood, but this video has had an impact on me. Maybe I, too, need to be more patient with the games I play, and give games I would have never considered myself liking a change. As always, TGC, keep up the quality work. You have a true gift.

[@mattcolewilson]

This is an extremely great analysis of both a video game and of games analysis as a whole. Wonderful job! It also took me a VERY LONG time to realize that something was missing. Glanced at the comments and was like "wait, what?... who?... oh, oh! Holy shit. Hahahaha."

[@theyakkoman]

Fun fact about the Bear Brothers Björn and Benny: They're named after the guitarist and pianist/keyboardist, aka the two song-writers of ABBA (the two B's in ABBA stands for Björn and Benny (The A's stand for Anni-Frid and Agnetha, the female singers). Someone at Rare was probably a fan, Rare being British and Abba being HUGE in Britain, and found out that Björn's name means Bear and that it would be fun to tie that in with the Bear Brothers theme of DKC3.

[@paulgilbert5278]

That actually makes sense

[@thomgizziz]

ABBA was huge everywhere...

[@KruelAidMan]

@@paulgilbert5278 my my, how could Rare resist it?

[@TheicMoggy]

I would say Björn is more of a lyricist and Benny is a composer. I think their pianist/guitarist comes second to that aspect of their contributions

[@Transparencyboo]

Great video, thanks for the shout-out. It's very interesting how we usually get caught up in old ideas and impressions, taking them all for granted. We started the production of our Donkey Kong Country 3 video when we realized how we had kinda just taken for granted that it was the worst one without giving it any thought. It seems to be this sort of universal idea that every franchise needs to have that one "bad" game that is categorized as the worst, which needlessly affects our assumptions of and approach to it. There are probably a lot of interesting and enjoyable games lost in this mindset. Keep it up!

[@GeekCritique]

Hey, thank *you* for making such an awesome video in the first place! That really was the catalyst that got the wheels turning on this, and inspired me to finally take it off the backburner, haha. Like I said, you do AWESOME work (we just watched "Capturing the Frozen Flame" yesterday and it was glorious), and I hope you find all the success you deserve!

[@Transparencyboo]

Glad you liked Capturing the Frozen Flame, that's probably the one we're the most proud of!

[@TheCD123]

This was a great watch, seeing you return to thoughts and opinions you once held so strongly mirrors my own experience going through my 30s. My opinions are less rigid now, because I realized that stating an argument that leaves no room for any other perspectives doesn’t mean I’ve settled the case-it just means I closed myself off from learning more. Thanks for this, again, it was great.

[@Verlisify]

45:05 Holy shit I just realized Kiddie wasn't only being ignored in the commentary but it was completely deliberate to not pick up a single buddy barrel the entire review and go solo Dixie

[@DKVine]

You know, sometimes I wonder what would have happened had Dixie's aunt and uncle ever danced at the Enchantment Under the Fish Food Frenzy dance. Too bad that stranger Kiddy Klein rolled into town, invented water skipping, and ruined everything between them before mysteriously vanishing in under a week.

[@BigBoy257]

What are you talking about man

[@RdCrestdBreegull]

@@BigBoy257 get with the program

[@Covarr]

I recently replayed Metroid Fusion, and I liked it a LOT better than I remembered. I still have some pretty serious complaints about a few aspects (constant railroading, the ways a lot of the paths are hidden), but... On the whole I liked it more than I disliked it. So, yeah, this video resonates with me pretty hard in a way. Fusion was my DKC3.

[@adrianpadin1840]

As someone whose first Metroid game was Fusion, I was so confused by your contribution to that review. I thought everybody loved that game, maybe because when I played it as a kid I was too young to know anybody who had played Super when it came out. I can understand now why people who loved Super would hate how linear Fusion is, but I love both games for completely different reasons. I'm glad you've come around to one of my favorite games ever!

[@colingznetworkplus4618]

Great game Metroid Fusion is

[@lajeandom]

Metroid Fusion is probably the best Metroid game after Super Metroid. I played all of them several times and the scenario and setting, graphics, ambiance, music, gameplay, everything is just top notch in Fusion.

[@Mathlink2695]

As a kid I never got my hands on DKC1 and 2, only had 3 and hear the legends of the first two games. DKC3 became kind of a family tradition and everyone loved playing it at home, so when I grew up and decided to replay it with my brother as two adults, we went on a huge nostalgia trip while still being surprised at how good the game still held up. Of course I ended up playing DKC1&2 eventually and loved every second of them, but I can't deny all the love and nostalgia I still hold up for 3, so it always saddened me how everyone saw it as so inferior, and I remember watching your video about it way back and agreeing on a lot of points, thinking maybe it wasn't as good as I remembered? So I'm really glad to see you liking it now!! Honestly, everytime I go back, the game only REALLY starts for me when I beat the second boss and get the boat upgrade (fun fact, I've always had arachnophobia, so this boss was always a trial for me as a child, despite how goofy it looks), and it really isn't the best DKC game, but I hold it really close to my heart and that soundtrack will always bring me back to the best times. Also, Rockface Rumble is up there for me with Stickerbush Symphony and Aquatic Ambience when it comes to legendary songs, that's literally my top 3 for DK. Awesome video man, keep up the good work!!

[@jwadeashby]

The puns! The alterations! This was a brilliant script and a wonderful video. And I'm glad you had the guts to discuss the only possible elephant in the room.

[@JustAndre92]

Assuming he hasn't already, this video is gonna make Hyle Russell's heart grow three sizes when he sees it. Also, the use of the word "truncated" at 13:23 was done as an intentional pun and there's not a damn person on this Earth - Josh included - who can convince me otherwise.

[@GeekCritique]

I figured it would be funnier if I just didn't acknowledge it. ;)

[@DKVine]

Just Andre

[@Mike14264]

@@GeekCritique some of the best jokes are done just like that ;) Oh, you also did the wink. Shoot.

[@zacharyburt5537]

@@GeekCritique Puns are always funnier if they aren't acknowledged. I don't know why so many people feel the need to pause for a second afterwards.

[@Exellocks]

"I liked the geek critique before they sold out" - April 26, 2014

[@GeekCritique]

One of the deepest self-referential jokes I've ever made, and you caught it. Nice work!

[@Exellocks]

@@GeekCritique I remember it because when I watched the video the reference came from, I left a comment saying exactly that, and despite the video being old, you hearted my comment! So thanks for that, and I'm glad we've both come full circle!

[@66777jason]

This is a seriously amazing video. Obviously the lengths you went to not show the Cursed Kong, but the writing and editing too. I can't imagine how much time it took to make this.

[@Thefufflylord]

I'm seeing a lot of comments mentioning how odd it is that Dixie is alone in this game, a first for the series. While I can't confirm this, I think it was Rare's way of being subversive, once again, and showing how much faith they had in Dixie Kong as a character and her mechanics. Dixie Kong is an enduring favourite for a lot of fans and it was only right she got her own game. Furthermore, you have to admit there is something powerful about letting Dixie carry the torch and save her boyfriend and DK all by her lonesome. It's the kind of female empowerment that for commonplace in the 90s, without needing to draw attention to it and certainly not make it political. I guess they might have considered giving her an extra hit, but I think that would carry the risk of making Dixie seem not as tough as Diddy or Donkey (in a game difficulty sense, I mean). Or maybe Rare felt confident enough in their player base that they'd appreciate the new challenge. Still, it's odd that Candy Kong wasn't considered, or perhaps a new kong? That could have worked, provided Rare remembered this was Dixie's game and she was the star. I'm sure they would, I mean, why else would they let her star in her own game?

[@peytonjackson855]

I’m immensely hyped. Plenty of creators can make a low effort video to release on April 1st and pass it off as a joke, but so few can come up with a genuinely engaging, amazing, and enjoyable video which shows real growth, while still having an hilarious joke to go with it. That’s why I love this Channel.

[@GeekCritique]

Appreciate'cha! :D

[@DarkWingSpartan]

True story, I once gave Josh a bunch of money to make him pledge (on-stream) to never slander the good name of Kiddy Kong ever again (you might be able to find that VOD if you look hard enough). I guess I got my wish.

[@NotSpecialDude]

Shoulda known a wish involving the kongs would be treated like a wish on a monkey's paw. Not sure why though... Diddy's game is Number 2 and the rest of the cast are apes.

[@expithesocfurry4099]

Slander the name of who now?

[@kamencj]

is that why he's not mentioned once in this video?

[@roosterboots4684]

A wish made on a monkey's paw

[@NinjaRodent]

The level of dedication it took to make a 50+ minute video where you acknowledge and fix your less than stellar criticisms of DKC3 while maintaining the running gag for April 1st is commendable. 10/10 good sir!

[@patdav56]

i love seeing the creators ive watched for years continue to grow as people, correct or reflect on what they were like years back, noticed how much they've changed and how their perspective has changed. you are genuinely one of my favorite content creators and i love watching your content whenever i can. you have a mix of objective and subjective views you discuss, and make a note that this isnt a universal experience, its yours, and i respect the hell out of it. no joke, i kinda make it a tradition to watch your Metroid critique series about once a year, and heck hearing you go onto what makes a metroid game to you, what each game does right and wrong, all with those atmospheric metroid music tracks in the background, i genuinely tear up like im listening to one of the most influential speeches ive heard ever about game design and enjoyment, and it made me go and play all the way through Super Metroid and Fusion for the first time ever. keep it up Geek Critique, i cant wait to watch whatever comes next down the pipeline

[@BagMonster]

There is no war in Ba Sing Se, and there is no partner in DKC3.

[@irwegwert]

This is the kind of April Fools content that I love, where it's just great on its own with some silly stuff running through the background. Glad to see such an interesting perspective on DKC3!

[@GeekCritique]

Haha, thanks! It's what I'll always aim for if I do a video for this holiday.

[@Verlisify]

45:33 he even edited out kiddie from his old video playback for this part. Holy cow

[@jacksonw6742]

DKC3 is my favorite of the original trilogy! While I know people have problems with it, I have always loved it for its always creative and distinct levels. DKC2 is wonderful, but it's difficulty is something that reaches infuriating levels near the final act of the game. DKC3 (with the exception of Krakatoa) has a smoother difficulty curve.

[@ValiTheSaltMan]

Same

[@CostaApostolou]

Your opinion is your opinion but you’re definitely in the the minority, this game is a disgrace to the other snes dkc games.

[@ericwright3798]

I also loved it. I had no idea so many people hated it and I'm really not sure why

[@ObservationofLimits]

I think the only thing that really gave me problems was one of the vehicle upgrades. I either missed the related text for it or something but I was confused as hell for several days.

[@manuelpatino7863]

Bit of a bummer that Dixie was all alone for this adventure. But, hey, better on her own that to give her an ugly, hideously modelled companion that would only pale in comparison to Donkey and Diddy. Neat move, Rare. Neat move 🙌

[@Mike14264]

...I love that THIS was the April Fool's joke of the whole video.

[@AlexArtsHere]

@@Mike14264 What are you talking about? What April Fool's joke?

[@Mike14264]

@@AlexArtsHere if you know, you know :)

[@Mallowigi]

Yeah Cranky was really missing in this game

[@G.L.999]

@@Mallowigi Kiddy was missing too.

[@jacobmonks3722]

Why do I feel like you released this on April 1st semi-intentionally? Jokes aside, I think this is one of the most important videos you've made. It demonstrates that we often think of ourselves and our opinions as infallible, and that if something doesn't appeal to us there must be something wrong with it. While it's kind of embarassing to see just how many people fall into that hole so deep they will seemingly never see the light, it's also good to see that for most of those people it's just a matter of time. It's healthy and humbling to look at yourself over the years and find where you might have missed something big, or where there was some experience your past self hadn't yet had that would recolor their perspective. I myself went through this after I graduated college, where I wanted so desperately to go back in time and tell 19-year-old me that he didn't understand how the world worked, and even after a few years, I still don't understand everything. Change is good, and remembering what made you change is what defines us on this planet. Didn't mean to get so philosophical there at the end. This was a great watch. Thank you TGC!

[@Mike14264]

Yeah... This was a really insightful video. Makes us remember that, as a whole species on this planet, our opinions vary! And when they're just opinions, more often than not, it's all a matter of taste. There's no right or wrong... but there is a possibility for understanding the other side. Ah, and as for the April Fools' bit... well, what can I say? Dixie singlehandedly carrying a whole game on her back was a bold move by Rare. Kinda strange not giving her a cool Kong partner at least. Oh well.

[@TomGallagherSuperboyBeyond]

Seeing this video pop up in my subs made me go back and watch your entire Donkey Kong Country Critiques playlist. It was a fun time. Thank you.

[@MindBodyWhole]

First timer to your channel…couldn’t be more impressed. Love the nostalgia and commentary. Stella work Geek.

[@pyrrhickong]

I was about two and a half when DKC3 came out. My mom loved the series, I watched them all growing up, it taught me how to read. Some of my most vivid memories come from KAOS Core, spending hours upon hours just trying to beat a single handful of levels. I learned how to read in part from the Donkey Kong Country 3 strategy guide, associating whatever I saw on-screen with what I saw in the manual. And a big factor was that there was a character who WAS smaller, who was just learning but had a ton of potential, who was annoying but tried their best in spite of things. They weren't as cool as DK or Diddy, but they fit into the unique environment that DKC3 showed off, and let me feel comfortable in it. While my tastes have definitely shifted to loving 2 the most, DKC3 was almost certainly my favorite of the trilogy as a kid (and hey, all three are in my Top 100 games, so that's not bad company any way you slice it! Just y'know, one's in the Top 5 and the others... aren't!). So I just wanna say, thank you to... ... huh. I... actually don't remember. I thought there was something to this game but... it's really hazy. I guess I just projected myself as Dixie's friend, someone for her to guide through the game, as a kid... nostalgia's a powerful thing, I suppose. It feels like something's missing... but I've matured. I'm better than I was before. And in spite of everything, I guess that intangible just does not exist. And Barrel Drop Bounce is in this game and that level SUCKS, so I guess... yeah. You were right all along! Thanks for reminding me about that seven years later! Great video, I feel like a changed person! Bachelor is the Brothers Bear who is best, though.

[@Dustin_VG]

This is like one of those movies where two guys hate eachother, but then they go on a road trip or something and realize they had more in common than they realized. Fabulous video, man.

[@Dustin_VG]

Also, I can’t help but feel like something is missing from this video. Might just be my imagination, though.

[@danielbetts9759]

Firstly, let me just say in a library of excellent episodes this is one of your very best in terms of delivery, editing and voice work top notch stuff. However, i also cannot deny that one of the other reasons i really enjoyed it was seeing one of my all time favourite games getting a warmer response. Your original Donkey Kong Country 3 video was actually one of the first i watched as i was getting in to the idea of KZbin being this source of quality gaming analysis so its really neat to see you revisit both the game and the video. It was great to see you reference the soundtrack a few times as well as go a bit deeper on it, its certainly one of my favourites. What i said above about it being not just my favourite game in the franchise but one of my favourite games of all time is true though, i mean objectively i can say that is partially down to the nostalgia i have for it but the games aesthetics, design philosophy, soundtrack and over world really resonate with me. I really hope one day we can see this graphical style have an indie revival although i will confess my ignorance on how easy or hard it would be to make. You know, my daughter is eight years old which is the same age i was when i played this and honestly i haven't talked to her about my love of it or pushed her to play this or any other game but its interesting to see that, despite even more competition for attention than in 1996, she is drawn to this game more than any other 16 bit title just as i was all those years ago.

[@lowtech42]

I LOVE THIS!!! DKC3 was my favorite in the series and I'm glad you finally came along to do it justice! Granted I was a kid and it was the first one I was exposed to, but even after playing through them in reverse order I'm still the most emotionally attached to the girl and big baby monkeys. don't get me wrong, I recognize that 2 is the peak in a lot of ways, definitely musically, I just keep coming back to 3's world and the post-game. those horns and xylophone in the into UGH 😩

[@Willrocks23]

One thing that has always bothered me about this game is it’s subtitle: “Double Trouble”. Doesn’t really make a whole lot of sense when this is the only game in the entire series to only feature one protagonist. Guess it was a good idea though, because they likely ran out of good designs for Kongs at that point. Like what, have Dixie pair up with a baby who has hands as big as their face? Yeah right.

[@CrappyBlue]

i always figured it was due to both dk and diddy being missing. something like "double the mystery, double the trouble!"

[@chibacityblues2003]

I always assumed that it was called Double trouble because Dixie is on her own! That means that instead of two people sharing the danger, Dixie has to face twice the usual trouble!!!

[@Mallowigi]

Wait until you see the other members of the DK cr... family! It's just a circus at this point.

[@Mallowigi]

It's irrelevant, there are plenty of games like this, like "The legend of Zelda", "Metroid" etc. It's still Donkey Kong's Country.

[@ImmacHn]

Place your hand on your face...

[@Solharath]

The sheer refusal.

[@Stuffgamer1]

DKC3 has always been my favorite of the series, and I'm glad to see you come around to recognizing some of its high points. I can't blame you for not making it your #1 though. I was 7 when this game came out, so as far as my crappy memory is concerned, I grew up with all three games side-by-side. I've always loved exploration and completion in gaming, so this title speaks to my tastes more than any other to include Retro's efforts. I'm kind of impressed how hard you worked to leave Kiddy out of this video altogether, though. Not interested in revisiting that character, eh?

[@Deku2424]

This an awesome video. Always love long form retrospective videos. Also I love how much effort you put into avoiding showing any Blue Onesies in the video (even if I do think they kinda need to be talked about to understand why some people got frustrated at this despite me personally not minding it). Also putting Minecraft music when you mentioned that björn means bear in some Scandinavian languages (notable Swedish) was an amazing touch

[@therealfanmaster7097]

The real april fools joke is that Josh made a real episode for this.

[@Tiggster-qr8mw]

And the superstar saga video is still not out after over a year since paper mario

[@Eclipsmon8421]

Out of the people I was subscribed to, there were more people NOT making an april fools video, than people making an april fools video this year.

[@stanzacosmi]

and that for a game called dixie kong's double trouble, theres a serious lack of a player 2

[@UmbreonMessiah]

Never thought I'd see the day where you'd give DKC3 it's due, but I was pleasantly surprised when I saw that notification in my e-mail. I was never invested in DKC when I was young; I didn't own a SNES. But having seen your previous installment of it all those years ago left me thinking there was something you just weren't covering. It *felt* incomplete in a way I couldn't put my finger on. I'm glad to say this video slaps some Flex Tape over that old video. This video is emblematic of why I adore what you do. ...BUT SERIOUSLY HOW DID YOU GO THE WHOLE VIDEO WITHOUT ONCE MENTIONING KIDDIE KONG!?

[@VLikaru]

who?

[@BigBoy257]

#ReleaseTheKiddyKut

[@rileyallred3905]

@@Giran023 I think I've seen you post that same comment almost a dozen times.

[@henryve5625]

You mean funky kong?

[@RoseSupreme]

@@Giran023 Mate, shut up.

[@nilesloughlin6845]

I feel like it’s been 7 years since one of your videos got pushed by KZbin’s algorithm to my main page’s feed, but here we are today, and you’re still going strong! I think I just now realized how much I missed watching your videos, man. You’ve always been so positive, optimistic, friendly, and approachable in how you write your scripts and share your thoughts, and yourself. It’s always reminded me of my childhood, and myself, in a way. I think you’re a good roll model (at the very least, I look up to you). I was nice to watch one of your videos again, after all this time. And a bang up job of one at that! I think the reflection of childhood bias and maturity over time, not missing the forest for the trees, is such an important thing to keep salient and in perspective. I definitely try to hold those values close, and remember them when I feel like I’ve strayed a bit too far and gotten too closed off into my own head and mind. Keep up the good work GC 😊

[@5starstudios818]

LOVE UR VIDS MANS SWEAR WATCHING THESE TAKES ME BACK WHEN I WAS LIL, YOU CAN TELL HOW MUCH TIME ENERGY & EFFORT U PUT IN KEEP THAT DREAM ALIVE I GOT UR BACK!!! ULL GET A MILLI DONT WORRY ABOUT THE ANALYTICS

[@fakeronjan]

Wonderful revisiting of a good if not great game. Love the title screen and box art, mine looked just like that too.

[@RichardBlaziken]

Whoa, this was unexpected and excellent! You've made me want to finally give DKC3 a try as well, I think I will! Glad to see you back! Also my dude went a whole DKC3 video without even mentioning Kiddy Kong lmao. Don't think I didn't notice!

[@JustAndre92]

Who?

[@VLikaru]

who?

[@GdudeTB823]

The amount of effort and the quality of production on display in this video is easily at the level of a channel ten times your size. I'm shocked I hadn't found your videos earlier, but I'm glad I have now. Keep it up!

[@taionalmeida5337]

And what Eveline Fischer done on this soundtrack is Just a bliss to The ears. The synth guitars sounds so powerfull ... I remember Puting this game on sound test and Just leave It there playing cause It was so amazing

[@DestroyerOfAglets]

Oh my god. I got to 26:35 before I realized what he was doing lmao. I kept thinking, 'okay, he's talking about character animation, when is he gonna do it?' And then he didn't.

[@DestroyerOfAglets]

32:30: lmao

[@VLikaru]

@@DestroyerOfAglets 34:26 that cartridge....... its missing its floating banana

[@jokx4409]

Woah! Face reveal! Nah, of course, this isn't the first time we've seen your face, but it's a very different experience when we're so used to seeing footage over it. To be perfectly honest, unlike other KZbinrs, I don't think seeing your face will be as much of an improvement as those. Is it because I don't want to see your face? No. It's because you already managed to put so much emotion and passion into your words that we didn't need to see a face at all. It's one of the things that makes you so great as a KZbinr. If allow myself to fanboy over your channel for a little bit... *clears throat* You're the only one who manages to make me feel the way you feel about a game through the duration of the video. I love SA2 and yet when I watched your video, I was thinking to myself "you know... he's right." You made me FEEL the way you felt about the game. Of course, when they video ended I booted it back up and had a great time, and still disagreed with what you said but you always manage to makes us feel what you feel just with your words. It's hard to describe tbh, but I've yet to come across a youtuber who does the same. That plus your conclusions and intros always find something... positive somehow. For example: During the sa1 review, you focus on ambition, and the fact that for a game of its time, it was amazing, but it did come with a price. You always see it through the creator's vision and it's awesome. You go beyond a critique of the game and go into the creator's mindset and start critiquing THAT instead. For example, instead of critiquing a level because you didn't enjoy it, you start to question *WHY* the creator made it this way and when you find the answer you start to question if this was the right decision given everything the creator knew at the time and putting aside your knowledge of how the end product turned out. THIS is what makes your videos so different from any other retrospectives. I find it funny how you thought it was something as simple as "passion" in your Other M video. HA! As if! Most KZbinrs have passion, you have a talent, and that's very different. No one else could do a geek critique. If someone else wrote the script, we would notice something was off by the end of the video, trust me.

[@GeekCritique]

Thank you so much, and particularly, thank you for this bit: "I love SA2 and yet when I watched your video, I was thinking to myself "you know... he's right." You made me FEEL the way you felt about the game." That feeling where you can see a game through someone else's eyes is something *I* really love getting out of other creators' work. For instance, I never liked Mario Sunshine, and for like 15 years, it was hard for me to see where people who *did* were coming from. Then I watched ExoParadigmGamer's video on it, and had a very similar experience to the one you had with SA2: I still couldn't go play it myself and have much fun, but I *could* understand why it resonated with other people, and that ability to relate carries a great deal of value in my book. I'm glad my stuff has a similar impact on you! :)

[@jokx4409]

​@@GeekCritique Oh I wouldn't say it's just understanding the perspective of someone else. No it's much more. You make me FEEL the way you feel about a game for a short duration. If I expand on my Sa2 thoughts, what really worked for it is how you don't mention tails or knuckles until halfway through the video. You focus on Sonic's playstyle and explain how it was changed a lot from the earlier games, which while I had noticed, still made mo notice more than before. And you went deep into it, pointing the good and bad and overall coming out with a "it's an alright change, but it's still not really great" and I could easily get what you meant. And then you say it's only a 3rd of the game and drop footage of all 3 gameplay styles at once and I immediately felt exhaustion because of how PERFECTLY you had framed it. I had forgotten about tails and knuckles for the first 30 minutes, so when I saw them I was immediately reminded of how far they are from sonic in quality and BOOM I felt what you felt. And that's not just a one-time thing. Sa2 is just an example. If you ask me, all your videos are like that. Plus you go into your own experience when you first heard of the game, first played it, first opinions you heard about it, etc. It seems like you have a history with almost every game you cover even for series you've barely played like metroid. THAT'S what makes you so special and makes a geek critique a geek critique. I guess in short your reviews are the most "biased" I guess? You don't just focus on what's in the game, but how the content of the game makes you FEEL. You focus a lot on the emotional aspect. You always keep it HONEST. If you love a game to death because it's your childhood, you're gonna be clear about it. Your editing is also a big part, not just your scripts. I really don't know how to explain it, but the way you use music, the way you express yourself, I really don't know, but there's this thing that makes us feel what you're trying to say, not just understand it. I'm glad I was able to show you how it is you are special compared to other KZbinrs according to me. Keep it up, and know I'm not the only one who thinks that way. You,re definitely not a youtuber people watch because there's nothing else to watch to pass the time while eating cereals or something. You're exceptional, and it pains me that your channel doesn't have more views and subscribers considering the quality of your content. I know the algorithm doesn't favor putting a lot of time into videos, and I understand it, but it's SUCH a shame considering how great you are. And thanks for the reply! It means a lot to me too! :) P.S. I'm just another fan here begging for a specific type of content, so don't take this seriously, but if you ever want to cover something very different from your usual games, I recommend Ace Attorney. It's not gamey at all, which is why I'm mentioning it specifically, haha. I get into it with about the same approach I would with a novel. Or I guess Kirby would be interesting too, because the games are known not to be difficult, so I'd like to see how much you enjoy it despite of low difficulty. Considering how difficulty is the thing you love most about games, I'd be interesting how you find appreciation outside of difficulty. Maybe not a full retrospective as it's a franchise with a LOOT of games, but I'd still be interested. As I said, I'm just a fanboy yelling here so I'm just a voice among many and you do what you want in terms of content as long as it inspires your creativity and makes you excited to work on the next video.

[@damightybenstein]

You spelled "whoa" wrong.

[@hyrulehomeslice9968]

Your critiquing has hit the next level my man, your way of describing personal feelings and memories mixed with non bias retrospective is balanced in perfect harmony. Thanks for all of the videos over the years and please keep them coming 👌☺️

[@Kenshiro3rd]

DKC3 was my absolute favorite Donkey Kong Country game, due to its exploration, sheer variety, creativity, and inventive level & boss design. And I absolutely LOVED the understated atmospheric soundtrack.

[@richbichrich]

just realized that your absolute commitment to the kiddy kong bit meant that you had to beat this game all the way through without ever taking a hit

[@NicholasNRG]

@@Giran023 whyd you copy paste the same comment multiple times lol we get it

[@demondton96]

I don't even care if this is an April fool's joke, nearly an hour of the geek critique is always a gift

[@froakie1404]

the fact that kiddy kong is never seen once in this video is hilarious

[@sonicrulez6916]

I love how overall, it is, in fact, a COMPLETE re-review of DKC3, and the first traditional TGC episode in forever, and the ONLY off thing about it is that Kiddy Kong isn't there.

[@Dylan_-tu7zk]

I remember seeing the “ Gender trouble “ episode on DKC3, and seeing that you wanted to revisit the game, and was beyond excited. DKC3 is probably my favorite of the trilogy, and I’m so glad you brought up how good water world is. Also, I just realized how barely any of the game changes without you-know-who outside of bonus barrel locations and 1-ups. Like, it took me a solid 20 min to be like “ wow his inclusion barely changes a thing “. Excellent video my guy.

[@d3v1lsummoner]

20:47 was not expecting Tim Rogers's Doom shotgun sfx. Honestly I always felt because you can 'clear' Tokimemo in 4-5 hours it was always a pretty breezy, fast game. Like sitting down to play a boardgame session.

[@inverse_of_zero]

I know I'm a bit late, but better late than never! What a wonderful video.. Thanks for this wonderfully HONEST, heartfelt, and faithful review of DKC3. For me, I like all of the DKC games roughly equally, they all have their pros and cons which roughly balance them all out.

[@Club_Weeg]

I think my favorite thing about DKC3 GBA is something that Josh says which is how it hits the same beats as Tropical Freeze and it really feels like the stepping stone of Wise's composition that people miss that make TF's soundtrack a more natural progression. Granted I also don't know what else he had worked on between the end of the N64 Era and Tropical Freeze so there's likely other things that fill in that gap as well. Also it's super funny I was totally thinking about playing DKC3 GBA finally so I could play those new levels that I've known about for years now. Also cheers to the dedication to the April Fools joke part of the video.

[@ancient7421]

I'll be up front and say that I never grew quite up with Donkey Kong Country. My first home video game console was a GameCube, starring Pac Man World 2 as my first game I owned on a home console, so I definitely wasn't anywhere close to the Super Nintendo era growing up. That being said, I ironically fell into almost the same rut as this. I did eventually play the Donkey Kong Country games at a family member's place who owned a Nintendo 64 and Super Nintendo, and I loved them. I went back to play them years later, and while I still loved the first two, I had no idea there was a 3rd, and when I started playing it, I didn't exactly get very far. I think the comment about the game not placing its best foot forward is probably one of the most accurate statements to be made about Donkey Kong Country 3. I didn't have any rose tinted shades disparaging it, but it failed to hold my attention long enough to get past even the first world. And honestly, I wish I had continued to push through it, so I could have felt the rise and rush you talked about experiencing as you finally broke your way deeper into the game with a more mature mindset about it. Because as it stands, I was just kind of indifferent to it, and honestly it was worse for me, because I figured nostalgia must be the reason I was enjoying the first two as much as I did, which retroactively made me think that they might not be as good as I once thought. I'm glad to see that I'm simply still just a bit of an impatient jackass who can lose interest and put off a game for a substantial amount of time if it fails to grab me. Which is kind of ironic, considering one of my favorite games (Pokemon Mystery Dungeon) is the poster boy for slow starts with great payoff later on,

[@VampyreBassist]

Welcome back Josh. Now one more video for the year and you'll meet your quota, huh? I kid, love your content and always come back to it.

[@tangentfish]

Ha! I totally thought you'd bring up Kiddy right at the end as the grand climax, but you cut it a frame early. Brilliant :)

[@TrappyJenkins]

I dont know if I'm more impressed you spent an hour retrospective without mentioning kiddie Kong once, or the incredible photoshop removing him from every image. Even the cartridge. I had to check to make sure I wasn't crazy

[@rockman2905]

That's the punchline lol

[@garbanzomeatball]

Your dk reviews were how I found this channel i’m hyped as fuck for this

[@GameplayandTalk]

Great, unexpected episode! You've definitely piqued my interest with this one. I skipped over the game when it was new-ish after being unimpressed by its first few stages, but some of the later parts admittedly look pretty good. *Edit: Super clever photoshopping Kiddie Kong out. I had to do a complete double take near the end of the video.

[@MegamanXGold]

Photoshopping who out?

[@tknick90]

I absolutely love your DKC reviews, I’ve watched them all so many times. Love that you went back and revisited 3. Hope to see more DKC content!

[@Konski82]

This is amazing. Thanks for the re-review. I love your editing and music choices and everything. You are a top-tier retro reviewer.

[@huntercrunch94]

I honestly didn't notice until I read the comments that Kiddy was completely absent from the video.

[@VLikaru]

even on the cartridge XD

[@Callumbuddy]

No need to re-evaluate Kiddy Kong if Kiddy Kong never actually existed…

[@dan5827]

Video's like this is why i like your channel so much, You always try to bring a different perspective to even games that you dislike. It was super interesting to hear about how revisiting this changed your mind.

[@zoruacrossing8726]

I must have really, REALLY missed these videos, because seeing this video was a genuine blessing! It's only been, what, 6 months since the Sonic Jam video? It feels like so much longer... and to see you return with such a wonderful video looking back on DKC3 (which, side note, I always found to be the most interesting DKC game to learn about) is a million times better than any "joke" for April 1st. Though, the fact that you pulled off an unironically amazing critique of both the game and your past self, for 50+ minutes, AND tied in the subtle yet incredible joke of removing all traces of Kiddy Kong (ono I broked the illusion) is praise-worthy in and of itself. I guess what I'm trying to say is, your content is always awesome, always exciting, and always a pleasure to watch!

[@ZetsubouSensei005]

I remember when I first saw DKC3 at a Sears with my mom and I had no idea it existed until that day and I refused to leave until we got it.

[@googamp32]

Only Josh would put out such a long and well composed video on the day you don't have to try.

[@polycube868]

And still manage to have a subtle joke hidden inside the video by never showing Kiddy Kong on screen or even mentioning him by name.

[@protohunters]

I think to this day what would've been cool is to have Donkey Kong as Dixie's partner. First game is Donkey and Diddy, second game K Rool takes Donkey Kong because he's the threat only for Diddy and Dixie to beat him. So the third game he goes after Diddy who's beaten him twice, Donkey and Dixie team up. Instead...

[@56Bagels]

Came back to revisit this and caught something I didn't notice the first time: all of the DKC1 and 2 levels that you show ALSO only feature one Kong. You are a genius.

[@Daniboy0826]

This man just successfully denied Kiddy Kong's existence.

[@aortaplatinum]

It took until 34:37 for me to realize Shitflinger McNannerhands was just... mysteriously missing. I thought you had just coincidentally uploaded this on April 1st and were simply holding off on talking about he who shall not be named, the Scrappy Doo of Rareware.

[@Jeemo88]

Man I truly love your content. You're up there with the likes of other KZbin greats likes Jon Bois and Summoning Salt in my opinion. The content may come infrequently, but boy do I love when it comes and the sheer amount of care and love that you put in to your work truly shows. Thank you for making long-form videos!

[@voidvoid7770]

Very nice video, never seen previous ones. And thank you for giving my man Jammin' Sam Miller his credit with the music remasters. He is a Saint.