Donkey Kong 3 is sort of forgotten when it comes to classic arcade games. The only thing people really
remember is that there was some guy named Stanley in it, and, of course, Donkey Kong. This game is really a classic upward shooter, very similar to an Atari game  loved (Demon Attack), where you must shoot DK to
stop him from falling to the ground and also shoot insects that fly at you. You must shoot DK enough times until he is forced so high that the beehives collapse and you move on to the next level, or you must kill all the enemies in the level, whichever occurs first (usually forcing DK up, up, and away). DK slowly slides down the vines toward you, making things tougher. Certain bees explode and shoot back as they do when you kill them, which makes things more interesting. You want to protect your Pansers (okay, they're flowers that look almost exactly like Pansers) from being stolen by these insects. It's now available for the e-Reader, at the hefty price of $1 (it was also a NES game).

This Review is rated on the scale of 0-4 stars, with zero being pathetic and four being excellent. This
game will not just get a free pass for its small price, though I won't hate it for that reason, either.

Graphics: **

I really don't have much to say about most NES games' graphics. Let's face it, they're not pretty on today's
standards, yet they weren't bad on NES standards. I'm sure most of you don't care what the graphics in this
game are like, as you probably expect them to be of NES quality, and they are.

Sound: *

The music in this game isn't that great; it's not annoying, but it sure can't stand up next to the famous Donkey Kong title screen music. NES games and even some arcade games had some great tunes, but you
won't find any here. I kind of like the music when you beat a level, but not really that much.

Difficulty: *

Donkey Kong 3 is a really strange game; sometimes, you can beat a level simply by jumping and shooting your spray gun continually and repeatedly, but other times, you'll be swarmed by enemies and be spending more time trying to avoid them than being able to shoot DK. It's generally very easy in certain levels, while very hard in others. I'm not saying it's easiest in level 1, then a little harder in level 2, a little harder in
level 3, and so on. No, the layout of the level determines its difficulty, as well as whether the spray can power-up falls to the floor (this wild card can make things much easier on you). Level 2's design makes it the easiest. Level 1 and 3 are the same design, being of medium difficulty. Level 4 is the hardest. I think at level 5 the pattern starts over again. It may seem strange that level 6 is easier than level 4, but that's the way DK3 goes.

Controls: ***1/2

The controls are really, really easy. You use the Control Pad to control Stanley and the A button to shoot your spray gun. The only thing that may be slightly bad about the controls is that you must remember that Up on the Control Pad jumps, not A. That may be a little confusing to a DK and DK Jr. player, but that's the way it is. It's not really that bad, actually.

Gameplay: **

I've pretty much explained the gameplay already. I should add that if you protect all your Pansers (okay,
flowers), you get 5000 bonus points, as well as a smaller number of points for each Panser you keep
protected, which are important in order to get 30,000 points and an extra life (but no extra lives for
60,000 points, 90,000 points, and so on). Anyway, as for the quality of the gameplay, I'd say it's not bad.
While I personally prefer the platforming action of DK and DK Jr., this kept my interest for a little while, and that's saying something for a non-sports game.

Replayability: *

The trouble with DK3, like the other two DK arcade games before it, is that the game is meant to cost a
quarter. It's supposed to be very short, and also repetitive. It may be good fun for a little while, but that's about it.

Fun Factor!: *1/2

DK3 isn't going to get you really excited about it. It's not like you're going to cheer after beating the fifth round like it actually means something (though if you want to cheer about that, feel free to do so). It's just a little short game that is a little fun, but not fun enough to keep you playing for a long time, or even a medium amount of time.

OVERALL: *1/2

Donkey Kong 3 is very short, and that's pretty much what hurts it. Sure, its gameplay is not that bad, and
you'll be surprised that it really isn't that much worse than DK and DK Jr., though I'd rank both of those two games above this one. This game is way too short for it to be considered a worthwhile deal if you pay even $5 for it. If you can get it for $1 or less, or perhaps even $1.50, then buy it. If not, skip it.

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