Donkey Kong Land III
For alternate box art, see therelated gallery.
Developer	Rareware
Publisher	Nintendo
Platforms	Game Boy,Game Boy Color,Virtual Console (Nintendo 3DS),Game Boy - Nintendo Classics
Release dates	Game Boy: October 1, 1997[1] November 1997[2] 1997[?] Game Boy Color: January 28, 2000[3] Virtual Console (3DS): May 7, 2014[?] October 30, 2014[4] October 31, 2014[?] February 26, 2015[4] Game Boy - Nintendo Classics: December 3, 2024[5] December 4, 2024[6] December 4, 2024[7] December 4, 2024[8] December 4, 2024[9]
Languages	English[A] Japanese
Genre	Platformer
Ratings	ESRB: - Kids to Adults[10] CERO: - All ages[?] USK: - All ages[?] ACB: - General[?]
Mode	Single player
Format	Nintendo Switch: Digital download Game Boy: Game Pak Game Boy Color: Game Pak Nintendo 3DS: Digital download
Input	Nintendo Switch: Joy-Con Joy-Con (horizontal) Nintendo Switch Pro Controller Game Boy: Gamepad Game Boy Color: Gamepad Nintendo 3DS: Gamepad
Serial codes	Game Boy: DMG-AD3E-USA (v1.0) DMG-AD3E-USA-1 (v1.1; VC/NSO) DMG-AD3P-EUR (AD3E) DMG-AD3P-AUS (AD3E) DMG-AD3J-JPN (unreleased) Game Boy Color: CGB-AD3J-JPN

Donkey Kong Land III (also formatted asDonkey Kong Land 3)^[11] is aplatform game for theGame Boy developed byRareware and published byNintendo in 1997. It is closely based onDonkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, as it repurposes that game's graphical assets and thus features the same characters, enemies, andlevel environments. It also starsDixie Kong andKiddy Kong.Donkey Kong Land III is the third and final entry of theDonkey Kong Land series. Like its two predecessors,Donkey Kong Land III is housed on a yellow cartridge and has specificSuper Game Boy enhancements, including a unique border of pocket watches.

The original Game Boy version was never released in Japan, and it instead received aGame Boy Colorport in 2000. It is not dual-compatible with original Game Boy units, as evident from the transparent cartridge where it is contained. However, on September 9, 2020, aJapanese prototype of the Game Boy version was leaked. The Game Boy Color port was never released outside of Japan.

Like its two predecessors,Donkey Kong Land III was released on theNintendo 3DS'sVirtual Console. The Game Boy Color port was released in Japan on May 7, 2014, while the original Game Boy version was released in Europe and Australia in October 2014 and North America in February 2015. In December 2024, both versions were released in their respective regions onGame Boy - Nintendo Classics for theNintendo Switch, just over a week followingDonkey Kong Land 2's release on the platform.

Story[edit]

Announcements of a contest to find the fabledLost World, which was said to have dominated legends for centuries, attracted "would-be" explorers all over the world to seize the long awaited chance of fame and fortune.Donkey Kong,Diddy Kong, andBaron K. Roolenstein all hear of the contest, and the Kongs set out leavingDixie Kong with her cousin,Kiddy Kong. Dixie wants to prove herself just as worthy as the other participants, so she decides to participate in the contest and takes Kiddy along with her. Kiddy is not that aware about what is going on and decides to follow Dixie into the jungle.

After traveling through the worlds, Dixie and Kiddy are confronted by Baron K. Roolenstein at the end ofTin Can Valley. To access the Lost World, Dixie and Kiddy must collect everyDK Coin andWatch. Within the Lost World itself, the Kongs must collect all the DK Coins and the final Watch to engage in the final boss battle against Baron K. Roolenstein. When the Kongs defeat him, they are crowned as the victors of the contest. Baron K. Roolenstein then concedes the remaining six Watches and allows the Kongs to try out theTime Attack mode.

Gameplay[edit]

Donkey Kong Land III plays very similarly toDonkey Kong Land 2. The player controls two different characters, Dixie and Kiddy, and only oneKong appears on-screen at a time. Dixie and Kiddy retain most of their abilities fromDonkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! Dixie can use herHelicopter Spin to whirl her ponytail on the ground or glide in midair. Kiddy is heavier and stronger and can defeat strong enemies such asKrumples by jumping on them, whereas Dixie cannot. In each world, the Kongs must complete the levels in order until reaching the world boss, whom the Kongs must defeat to unlock the next world.

As the Kongs explore a level, they must avoid enemies along the way and collect items such asbananas andbear coins along the way. EveryBonus Level is accessed from aBonus Barrel, and the reward for completing a Bonus Level's objective is aBonus Coin. Some levels have anAnimal Barrel, which transform the Kongs into the picturedAnimal Friend, whose abilities are often required to complete a level or to reach hidden areas. Each Animal Friend has their own set of abilities.

Each world has aWrinkly Refuge, whereWrinkly Kong saves the player's progress, and aSheepy Shop, which is run by aBear. If Dixie and Kiddy have enough Bonus Coins, the Bar allows them to play thecards memorization minigame if they have at least a number of Bonus Coins. The Kongs are rewarded aWatch for the first time they complete a challenge in a world. In most levels, there is aKoin guarding theDK Coin, except for underwater levels, where the DK Coin appears by itself like inDonkey Kong Land 2. The Kongs are required to obtain every DK Coin and Watch to access the final World, the Lost World.

Characters[edit]

Playable characters[edit]

Image		Name	Description
GB	GBC
		Dixie Kong	Dixie Kong is one of the two main protagonists. She can perform aHelicopter Spin to hover above pits and to spin into enemies.
		Kiddy Kong	Kiddy is the younger cousin and sidekick of Dixie. He is the heavier Kong and can defeat stronger enemies such as Krumples with a jump attack.

Supporting characters[edit]

Image		Name	Description
GB	GBC
		Wrinkly Kong	Wrinkly is the only supportingKong in the game. She resides inWrinkly Refuge, with one appearing in each world. The Kongs can visit Wrinkly to have their game progress saved, always free of charge.
		Bear	Bears operate aSheepy Shop in every world, where the Kongs can playcards if they have collected enoughBonus Coins. The Kongs can spendbear coins for level hints or to use a Bear's teleportation device, which warps them to theDonkey Kong Country map.

Animal Friends[edit]

All four Animal Friends in the game have previously appeared inDonkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!

Image		Name	Description	First level appearance	Last level appearance
GB	GBC
		Ellie	Unlike her previous appearance, Ellie the elephant can spray unlimited water projectiles from her trunk but cannot carry a barrel using her trunk. Ellie no longer runs away when she sees a Sneek.	Footloose Falls	Rainforest Rumble
		Enguarde	Enguarde the swordfish is the aquatic Animal Friend of the game, and he can defeat enemies by stabbing them with his bill. UnlikeDonkey Kong Land 2, Enguarde can no longer perform a super stab.	Seabed Shanty	Deep Reef Grief
		Squawks	Squawks the parrot can fly around the area and use a nut-spitting attack to defeat enemies in his path, includingBuzzes.	Minky Mischief	Ghoulish Grotto
		Squitter	Squitter the spider can use a web spit attack and create web platforms to get over abysses or to gain height.	Koco Channel	Haunted Hollows

Enemies[edit]

Kremlings[edit]

Image		Name	Description	First level appearance	Last level appearance
GB	GBC
		Bazuka	Bazukas appear in later levels of the game. They carry a large bazooka to shoot regularbarrels at the Kongs. UnlikeDonkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, Bazukas cannot be defeated because there are noTNT Barrels, which are used to defeat Bazukas in their debut appearance.	Jungle Jeopardy	Barrel Boulevard
		Klasp	Enemies who hide in an explosive TNT Barrel. They always hang from a rope and move back and forth in a fixed pattern. Dixie or Kiddy must avoid moving into a Klasp otherwise it explodes on them, injuring the Kong in play; this is otherwise the only way for the Kongs to defeat Klasps.	Jetty Jitters	Barrel Boulevard
		Kobble	Kobbles are the basic Kremling grunt enemies. The Kongs can defeat them with any attack, but they must still avoid being hit by one.	Red Wharf	Ghoulish Grotto
		Koin	A Koin appears in most levels and guards aDK Coin, which is attached to their shield. It wears a bucket on its head to protect itself from jump attacks. To defeat a Koin, the Kongs must pick up a nearbySteel Barrel and throw it behind Koin at a wall; the Steel Barrel rebounds and hits Koin from behind, which defeats it and rewards the DK Coin to the Kongs.	Red Wharf	Ghoulish Grotto
		Kopter	Kopters carry two large helicopter blades which they spin to hover in the air. UnlikeDonkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, the Kongs can defeat a Kopter by jumping on it.	Footloose Falls	Ghoulish Grotto
		Krimp	They are small Kremlings with large teeth. Krimps move back and forth, repeatedly opening and closing their mouth. The Kongs cannot roll into Krimp from the front, else it bites and injures the Kong. To defeat a Krimp, the Kongs must either jump on it or roll into it from behind.	Koco Channel	Rainforest Rumble
		Krumple	Krumples are strong, muscular Kremlings that Dixie cannot defeat directly, although Kiddy can defeat a Krumple by jumping on it. Krumples can also be defeated by an Animal Friend or a barrel.	Jetty Jitters	Ghoulish Grotto
		Krusha	Krushas are the direct successor toKlobbers, as both are Kremlings who hide in a barrel. When Dixie or Kiddy approach a Krusha, it pops out and runs after the Kong. Krushas cannot hurt the Kongs directly, and they attempt to knock them into a pit or a hazard. Dixie or Kiddy can jump on a Krusha to force it back into its barrel. The Kong can then pick up the barrel containing Krusha and throw it to defeat the enemy.	Liftshaft Lottery	Barrel Boulevard
		Kuchuka	Kuchukas are idle Kremlings who hide inside a barrel, and they attack by throwing small bombs at the Kongs. Like Bazukas, they cannot be defeated because there are noTNT Barrels, and must be avoided by the Kongs.	Stalagmite Frights	Ghoulish Grotto
		Rekoil	Rekoils bounce on their tail either in one spot or back and forth. The Kongs can defeat them with a jump attack.	Total Rekoil	Ghoulish Grotto
		Skidda	Skidda are Kremlings who only appear in snow levels. They slide across the icy ground and can be defeated from any attack.	Black Ice Blitz	Tundra Blunda

Other enemies[edit]

Image		Name	Description	First level appearance	Last level appearance
GB	GBC
		Bazza	Bazzas are barracudas who indefinitely swim in a straight line from one hole to the next. They can be defeated by Enguarde's stab.	Seabed Shanty	Deep Reef Grief
		Booty Bird	They are fat birds with an item stored in their belly, such as a bear coin. To obtain the item, the Kongs must defeat the Booty Bird.	Ford Knocks	Bazuka Bombard
		Bounty Bass	Bounty Basses are fat fish enemies found in the coral levels. Unlike their appearance inDonkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, Bounty Basses do not contain an item. Like the other underwater enemies, Bounty Basses can be defeated by Enguarde.	Seabed Shanty	Haunted Hollows
		Bristles	Bristles are porcupine enemies whose quills protect them from jump attacks. Dixie or Kiddy can defeat them by rolling in front.	Liftshaft Lottery	Ghoulish Grotto
		Buzz	Buzzes are mechanical wasps who appear throughout the game. They are invulnerable to both Dixie's and Kiddy's attacks, and Buzzes can be defeated from a barrel or an Animal Friend.	Ford Knocks	Ghoulish Grotto
		Karbine	They are owl-like robotic enemies that wield large carbines (hence their name). Karbines are always in the background, shooting fireballs at Dixie and Kiddy. The Kongs must avoid being hit by the fireballs.	Karbine Kaos	Barrel Boulevard
		Koco	Kocos are clownfish enemies who swim around aimlessly. They can be defeated by Enguarde.	Seabed Shanty	Haunted Hollows
		Lemguin	Lemguins jump out of underground holes and slide on the icy ground, just like penguins do. Their beak and even their back side are the parts of their body that harm the Kongs. They can be defeated by stomping them on the top.	Polar Pitfalls	Tundra Blunda
		Lurchin	They are urchin enemies with spiky shells to protect themselves, even from Enguarde's stab. Lurchins have a squish core, which they repeatedly open and close their shell within. Enguarde can defeat a Lurchin by stabbing it in the center.	Seabed Shanty	Haunted Hollows
		Minky	Minkys are monkeys who throw acorns to attack the Kongs. Minkys cannot be defeated, and the Kongs must avoid taking damage from their acorns.	Minky Mischief	Simian Shimmy
		Nid	Nids are jumping spiders with a plank of wood on their back. If Dixie or Kiddy sit on a Nid, it bounces them to a higher area. Nids are more like an ally because they are required for the Kongs to progress.	Minky Mischief	Simian Shimmy
		Niknak	Niknaks are beetle enemies which stay in one spot while in midair. The Kongs can jump from them to get across gaps.	Ford Knocks	Rainforest Rumble
		Sneek	Sneeks are rats and one of weakest enemies in the game. They walk aimlessly on the ground, and the Kongs can defeat them with any attack.	Red Wharf	Ghoulish Grotto

Bosses[edit]

Image		Name	Description
GB	GBC
		Barbos	Barbos is a large Lurchin and the first boss of the game, and it is fought atBarbos Bastion fromCape Codswallop. The Kongs transform into Enguarde for the battle. Barbos attacks by releasing three Lurchins, one of which stops in front of Enguarde. He must stab the Lurchin once it is open, causing the Lurchin to bounce off the wall and hit Barbos.
		Bleak	Bleak is a large snowman and the second boss, and he is fought atBleak Magic fromPrimate Plains. During the battle, Bleaks stand in one spot, shooting large snowballs from his hat at the Kongs. Dixie or Kiddy can attack Bleak by throwing a barrel at him. After being hit four times, Bleak gets defeated.
		Arich	Arich is a large spider and the third boss, and it is fought atArich Attack fromBlackforest Plateau. Arich attacks by either descending at the Kongs or by spitting small balls of venom at them. The Kongs must jump on Arich four times to defeat it.
		KAOS	KAOS is a robot programmed by K. Rool to destroy Dixie and Kiddy. It is the fourth boss and is fought atKrazy Kaos fromGreat Ape Lakes. During the battle, KAOS attempts to roast the Kongs by releasing flames from below. The Kongs must quickly run under KAOS before it releases a flame from its pipe. After some time, KAOS stops in the center of the arena and starts to send out blade-like platforms. This gives Dixie and Kiddy a chance to attack KAOS, by jumping on his head. The Kongs must quickly jump from the platforms before KAOS sends out a punching glove to knock them off.
		K .Rool	K .Rool is the main antagonist of the game. He is the fifth and last boss who is fought twice: first atK Rool Duel inTin Can Valley, and later atK Rools Last Stand in theLost World. During the first battle, K .Rool tries to attack the Kongs by shooting electric beams at them, and he also uses his jetpack to fly around the area. To attack K .Rool, Dixie or Kiddy must throw a barrel at him. K .Rool gets defeated after being hit four times. In the second battle, K .Rool retains most of his attacks except that he also throws bombs. When K .Rool is defeated again, the Kongs complete their adventure.

Items and objects[edit]

Image		Name	Description
GB	GBC
		Banana	There are numerous bananas floating in every level. If the Kongs collect 100 bananas, they get anextra life, and the counter resets to zero.
		Banana Bunch	By collecting a Banana Bunch, Dixie or Kiddy are rewarded ten bananas. Banana Bunches are less common than regular bananas.
		Bear coins	Collectable currency that Dixie and Kiddy can use at theSheepy Shop for Bear's teleportation service or to playcards for the first time.
		Bonus Coins	One appears at the end of everyBonus Level or by completing its objective. The Kongs are required to collect them to play the cards challenge in each world.
		DK Coins	They are large, golden coins with the "DK" logo. A DK Coin is guarded by a Koin in every level (except underwater levels, where the DK Coin is found by itself). Dixie and Kiddy are required to collect the DK Coins to enter the Lost World.
		Extra Life Balloons	These balloons grant an extra life to the Kongs if they collect it. They are usually hidden or in hard-to-reach areas.
		KONG Letters	A set of four letters found in every level, in order from K to G. If the Kongs collect all four KONG Letters, they earn an extra life.
		Watch	The Kongs are rewarded a Watch for completing a cards challenge the first time for each world. Like DK Coins, the Watches are also required for entering the Lost World.

Barrels[edit]

Image		Name	Description
GB	GBC
		Animal Barrels	By entering an Animal Barrel, the Kongs are transformed into the pictured Animal Friend.
		Barrels	These are objects that the Kongs can pick up and throw to attack enemies If a barrel is thrown on the ground, it rolls until hitting a wall.
		Barrel Cannons	These barrels have an opening in the top and are found in midair. The Kongs can blast from them to reach higher areas or to get across gaps. Barrel Cannons often appear in midair.
		Booster Barrels	When Dixie or Kiddy enter a Booster Barrel, it blasts up like a rocket, and upon reaching a certain height, usually at a platform, the Booster Barrel blasts out the active Kong. Booster Barrels only appear in a few levels, all of which they appear throughout.
		DK Barrels	LikeDonkey Kong Land 2, every DK Barrel in the game appears in midair. If Dixie or Kiddy are missing their partner, they can jump at a DK Barrel to release the missing Kong. The DK Barrels have no effect if both Kongs are present.
		Ghost Barrels	Ghost Barrels appear in cave areas, and they are similar toAuto-Fire Barrels except they constantly vanish and reappear. Some Boo Barrels point in the direction of a Buzz, and the Kongs must wait for these Boo Barrels to disappear to avoid being blasted into a Buzz.
		Steel Barrels	Steel Barrels are similar to regular barrels except they can bounce off walls. A Steel Barrel is required to defeat the Koin of a level.
		Tracker Barrels	A type of Barrel Cannon which the player can move left or right as it automatically blasts Dixie or Kiddy in midair. It automatically follows the Kongs until they land.
		Warp Barrels	Warp Barrels take the Kongs to the end of a level. They are found at the start in just the Cape Codswallop levels. Warp Barrels are invisible and are only revealed when the Kongs enter one.

Levels[edit]

The overworld map of Donkey Kong Country inDonkey Kong Land III.

There are six worlds inDonkey Kong Land III, and each of them have six levels and a boss level. Each level has a similar theme to those fromDonkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! There are twoBonus Levels in every regular level.

Time Attack mode[edit]

The Time Attack menu

Polar Pitfalls in the Time Attack mode

The player can unlock the Time Attack mode by completing the game with everyBonus Coin, everyDK Coin, and by defeating Baron K. Roolenstein in the Lost World. This earns them a 97%completion score, and from the file select screen, the player always starts on the Time Attack menu from the save file in which they unlocked it. The player can select the "RE-ENTER GAME" option at the bottom to play the main game.

Time Attack lists twelve levels on a wooden dashboard. Each of these levels do not appear under their usual name but rather named after their theme, such as "Cave" or "Machine". The objective of Time Attack is forDixie Kong orKiddy Kong to complete a level within a time limit. Once this is done in every level, the player completes the game entirely, with a 103% ranking.

When the player starts the level, an on-screen timer appears at the bottom of the screen, keeping track of their time as move through the level. If the player completes the level under the default time or their previous time, it overwrites the previous time. If the player finishes a level below the default time, an exclamation mark appears next to the level's name.

In English releases, the most recent time is displayed on the bottom of the screen (unless the player exits a level with+ or loses a life). This was removed from the Game Boy Color version, a holdover from theJapanese prototype, which did not have enough ROM space to include this feature, and wasn't restored in the final release despite more available ROM space.

Levels and times[edit]

Version differences[edit]

English

Japanese

While the Game Boy Color version ofDonkey Kong Land III is a direct coloredport of the original Game Boy release, it features a few differences.

General changes:

• The player's latest time is no longer displayed onTime Attack.
• Since the Game Boy Color has a faster CPU than the original Game Boy, the game has less slowdown. An example is inClifftop Critters, where less lag eliminates the possibility of the Kongs losing a life from falling too far down.
  • Additionally, the title screen'sJetty Jitters demo is not synchronized, and the Kongs cannot reach the end of the level. This is because of timing differences between the Game Boy and Game Boy Color, which has a faster CPU.
• In the original version, there was a bug where Dixie and Kiddy could enter the Lost World without enoughDK Coins; this was fixed for the Game Boy Color version.

Graphical changes:

• The splash screen and title screen were slightly redesigned.
• The world maps are no longer animated: the water and smoke no longer move, the mills no longer turn, and lights no longer flash from the interior ofWrinkly Refuge andSheepy Shop. This is a holdover from theJapanese prototype, which did not have enough ROM space to include coding for the map animations, and wasn't restored in the final release despite more available ROM space.
• Bear does not have any animation frames.
• The text appears on-screen one character at a time, unlike the original version, which displays all the text at once.
• The screen no longer darkens when paused, making it less clear for when the game is paused.

Revision differences[edit]

Two versions of this game are known to exist for the North American release. They can be distinguished from their two title screens.

v1.0

v1.1

In both v1.1 and the Japanese version, a pit was added at the very end ofTundra Blunda. This was likely done to fix a minor bug that prevents the Steel Barrel from getting stuck if Kiddy goes to the very end and throws it.

v1.0

v1.1

Cheat codes[edit]

Like its predecessor,Donkey Kong Land III has cheat codes that the player can input from the title screen by entering a certain button combination. When the player enters a cheat, a sound effect. The game uses the D-Pad for its button combination unlikeDonkey Kong Land 2, which uses the and buttons. Both versions ofDonkey Kong Land III feature the same cheat codes:

• Pressing,,,, grants Dixie and Kiddy fiftyextra lives.
• Pressing,,,, allows the player to playcards after exiting from the title screen.
• Pressing,,,,,, unlocks every area, except for the Lost World initially. TheWatches,Bonus Coins, and DK Coins are not unlocked. Once the Lost World is reachable, every level in this world is unlocked.
• Pressing either,,, or changes the level shown in the title screen's gameplay demo (which plays after the title screen's music ends). The Kongs eventually die in every gameplay demo, except for the defaultJetty Jitters demo in the original Game Boy version. The demo changes based on the number of times that the player presses the buttons:
  • First time:Rickety Rapids
  • Second time:Whiplash Dash
  • Third time:Deep Reef Grief
  • Fourth time: Resets to Jetty Jitters

Staff[edit]

Main article:List of Donkey Kong Land III staff

Glitches[edit]

Main article:List of Donkey Kong Land III glitches

Pre-release and unused content[edit]

Main article:List of Donkey Kong Land III pre-release and unused content

Reception[edit]

Sales[edit]

According toRare's website, 600,000 copies ofDonkey Kong Land III had been produced as of 1998.^[2]

Gallery[edit]

For this subject's image gallery, seeGallery:Donkey Kong Land III.

• 

  North American logo

• 

  Game Over (Game Boy)

• 

  Coral Quarrel (Game Boy Color)

• 

  Title screen running onSuper Game Boy

Multimedia[edit]

For the complete list of media files for this subject, seeMultimedia:Donkey Kong Land III.

Quotes[edit]

Main article:List of Donkey Kong Land III quotes

Names in other languages[edit]

Notes[edit]

• Despite his name being featured in the title,Donkey Kong does not appear inDonkey Kong Land III. However, he is mentioned in the manual's story and in-game byWrinkly Kong. Aside fromDiddy Kong Racing andits DS remake, this game is the only title of theDonkey Kong franchise that he does not appear in.
• The game's soundtrack consists of 8-bit re-orchestrations of the music fromDonkey Kong Country 3. However, the tracks "Frosty Frolics" and "Pokey Pipes" do not appear; the snow and pipe levels use "Cascade Capers" and "Cavern Caprice" instead, respectively. In addition, "Rocket Run" is programmed into the game—however, it is unused and can only be accessed byROM hacking.

Footnotes and references[edit]

Footnotes[edit]

References[edit]

External links[edit]

Donkey Kong Land III coverage on otherNIWA wikis:

---

NintendoWiki

StrategyWiki

• American website

• Games
• Game Boy games
• Game Boy Color games
• Nintendo Switch Online games
• 1997 games
• 2000 games
• Donkey Kong Land III
• Platforming games
• Nintendo Classics
• Player's Choice
• Rare games

• Articles with unsourced dates
• Articles with unsourced ratings
• Articles with sections that need more images
• Articles with placeholder images
• Articles with unsourced foreign names