curl-6 on 12 May 2020
| Runa216 said: while we're at it, I'd also like to make a case for DKC3 over DKC2. More levels overall (I think it's like 45 levels in DKc3 vs 39 in DKC2) - (Edit - I just did research and it's telling me 52 levels for DKC2 and 48 for DKC3 but that's certainly not right, lemme go look. turns out DKC1 had 40 levels total. 33 normal levels and 7 boss levels. DKC2 has 39 levels and 8 bosses, so 47 levels total. DKC3 has 40 levels plus 8 bosses, so 48 total levels. Only 1 more than DKC2). More things to do/collect - DKC2 had kremkoins and DK koins for collections as well as Banana Koins for currency. DKC3 had bonus koins and DK Koins (Which also required puzzle solving), as well as bear koins for currency. On top of that it ALSO had the brothers bear quests and the banana birds. both of which I personally quite enjoyed. Equal or better level design. - While DKC2 is no slouch, I thought there were more cool gameplay mechanics and more variety in levels, making each and every level in DKC3 seem unique and original, whereas there was a lot of redundancy in DKC2's level designs. I can barely tell a difference between the marsh levels or the hive levels or the coaster levels. More freedom on the World map - It wasn't much, but being able to swim freely to explore or drive motorboats places as the world map opened up was and is a big deal to me. More minigames/side content - I thought the bonus games like Cranky's swank tent was a better minigame than the nonexistent minigames of DKC2 or the trivia. More secrets/codes - another super minor thing, but I really, really enjoyed the codes you could put in on DKC3 compared to the codes in DKC1 or 2. I just liked the changes a lot more. On the flipside, yeah, I know why people like DKC2 a lot better overall. The art direction - the pirate theme and semi-serious tone to it all - was one of the best in the history of all gaming, and the soundtrack might very well be the best soundtrack ever. The art direction and music and tone and visual style is just better in DKC2, no doubt there. I don't personally hate DKC3's art direction, but I understand why the goofier looking art style turned some people off (same people who hated Wind Waker upon its release, I'm sure), but it's not as bad as people seem to act. it just can't hold a candle to 2. The soundtrack to 3 is also phenomenal and atmospheric, it just doesn't even come close to the quality that was 2's astonishingly great soundtrack. Kiddy Kong sucks, though. DKC3 would have been better if that was Donkey Kong That said, the only BAD things about DKC 3 are the art direction and sound design, which I still don't think is bad by any means, it's just not as good as the prior two games in the franchise. I think, from a gameplay perspective, DKC3 is the best of the SNES trilogy. but I think we can all agree that, when it comes to game and level design, Tropical Freeze is the best. (Hurts me to say it, since TF isn't one of my top five favourite games of all time, like DKC2 and DKC3 are...but hey, nostalgia matters.) |
While I don't entirely agree, thanks for this post, very well put and got me thinking.
I'm definitely in the camp that DKC3 is underrated; I actually have trouble deciding which is better between it and DKC1. I don't have an issue with it's art style at all, (and I'm one of those who hated Wind Waker's art style :p) and I do really like the variety in its levels, I guess I just prefer DKC2 due to the combo of Diddy + Dixie over Kiddy +Dixie, and DKC2's soundtrack.
