I kind of understand why the third of the SNES DKC trilogy gets overlooked; it released after the arrival of the N64 and was overshadowed by the 3D revolution, and as the third series entry the wow factor had diminished somewhat.

Still though, I think it deserves more credit than it gets. It may not have been a game-changer like DKC1 or a masterpiece like DKC2, but it's still an extremely well made platformer. Its levels have immense variety, with almost every stage introducing either a new mechanic or a clever twist on an existing one, and in keeping with its forebears, its controls are tight and its audiovisual presentation is fabulous.

More than almost any other game I can think of, DKC3 is a real victim of its circumstances, largely forgotten because it happened to release in the midst of bigger and more notable events in gaming history, and during a sharp swing away from 2D. Had it arrived even a year earlier, I think it would be remembered much more positively.

Am I alone in this, or does anyone else think it's unfairly overlooked?

Sorry curly, I'm not in the same camp... While I still enjoyed it, it felt so-so compared to DKC and especially DCK2. Perhaps it had to do with the baby kong being your partner, or the weird focus on bears and beavers as main side characters, but it didn't feel as special. It lacked the exciting feel and beats of 2 as well as the challenge. DKC 2 had some tough but fun stages, plus... Stickerbrush Symphony.

Oh I agree DKC2 is better, I just feel DKC3 is still a very good game in its own right. :P

Fair point. The problem I am having now though is that I can't remember much from it... I recall the color crystal matching mini game and the baby elephant as one of the new playable animals, but not much else. I really need to replay it some time.

It's the one SNES DCK that I didn't play. I had moved on to the new systems by the time it had come out.

Don't hate me but I still haven't played it, maybe is because that baby monkey has a horrible design, the overall artstyle feels a little bit off and the OST is clearly inferior to the previous ones. I guess I need to give it a chance.

Yes, it's my favorite in the franchise.

Well, I love pretty much the entire Donkey Kong Country series (except Returns) but I've played and enjoyed DKC3 a lot more than the previous.

I bought the trilogy on Wii VC. I loved 1 and 2. But 3 was a mess of generic platforming, terrible music, and incohesive design. Of course the graphics improved a considerable amount but imo, that's all it had going for it. And I really didn't like Chunky Kong or Baby Kong, whatever you call it.

Not a particularly popular Youtuber but still very isightful video about this game. While it might seem like just a comparison video, he weighs in many of the pros and cons of this entry.