Donkey Kong 3 is a platform shooter released into arcades by Nintendo in 1983. As a sequel to one of the greatest video games of all-time [Donkey Kong] it is a relatively obscure instalment in the series and doesn’t get talked about, or played, much now. Probably because it’s not that great.

Donkey Kong 3 was designed by Shigeru Miyamoto and features an exterminator called Stanley – not Mario – who must spray flying insects, and Donkey Kong, either forcing the latter off the top of the screen or eradicating all the insects to complete a level.

Stanley’s regular spray gun can be upgraded to a ‘Super Sprayer’ by pushing Donkey Kong past a certain point on the ropes he is hanging from, which makes it drop down and can then be collected. The Super Sprayer lasts a limited amount of time but it pushes Donkey Kong up the screen faster when fired at him.

Insects swoop down and try to carry away flowers at the bottom of the screen. Lost flowers decrease the bonus at the end of a round, so it pays to shoot any insects that threaten them.

Donkey Kong 3 features only three different levels and these repeat in sequence, once cleared.

Donkey Kong 3 was a commercial failure in North America, mostly because it coincided with the video game market crash of 1983. It’s not a bad game, but it’s nothing special either. It’s a rather disappointing sequel overall. And if you’re wondering where Donkey Kong 2 was – that was Donkey Kong Jr. (which is a much better game than this, in my opinion).

The game was converted to the NES/Famicom by Nintendo themselves in 1986 and has also been re-released on the Nintendo Wii and Switch online services.

More: Donkey Kong 3 on Wikipedia