Donkey Kong 3 was released in arcades in 1984. It is the third game in the "Donkey Kong" arcade series, switching to an action-shooter format rather than a platformer. As Stanley the Bugman, players are placed under Donkey Kong , who has taken over a multi-level greenhouse.
The objective of the game is for Stanley to remove Donkey Kong from the greenhouse, but the big ape isn't willing to leave without a fight. To achieve this, Stanley must jump between levels and use his bugspray to repel the insects sent by Donkey Kong .
The game features various insects such as Buzzbees, Beespies, and Queen Bees that are intent on destroying the flowers below Stanley. These are joined by caterpillars creeping down nearby vines. Additionally, Donkey Kong will also send down projectiles himself in an attempt to stop Stanley's attacks.
Once Stanley pushes Donkey Kong high enough, a can of super bugspray becomes available, allowing for a larger shooting radius and faster movement up the vines. This power-up enables players to progress through the three levels of the greenhouse more efficiently.
The game features an endless loop where Donkey Kong 's beehive is placed on his head after completing all three levels, forcing the player to start again from the beginning. This creates a challenging and replayable experience for players.