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SNES GBC GBA Function
Neutral Dpad Neutral dpad Neutral dpad
Menus
  • SNES: Up Dpad and Down Dpad scroll through selections.
  • GBC: Left dpad and Right dpad scroll through selections.
  • GBA: Neutral dpad scrolls through selections.
Map Screen
  • Move your character.
In-game
  • Move your character.
  • On ground: Down Dpad ducks.
  • Underwater: Down Dpad dives faster.
A Button None L button
Menus and Map Screen
  • SNES: Make a selection.
In-game
  • Get off your animal buddy.
  • Switch from Donkey Kong to Diddy and vice versa.
  • Switch between players in two player team mode (SNES).
B Button A button A button
Menus and Map Screen
  • SNES: Make a selection.
In-game
  • Jump (this will also mount your animal buddy if you land on them).
  • Swim upward.
X Button None None
Menus and Map Screen
  • Make a selection.
Y Button B button B button or R button[1]
Menus
  • SNES: Make a selection.
  • GBC and GBA: Cancel a selection.
Map Screen
  • SNES: Make a selection.
In-game
  • Press to roll or cartwheel.
  • Hold down to run.
  • Press to pick up a barrel, release to throw.
  • Hold down to climb vines faster.
  • Press while holding Down Dpad to perform Donkey Kong's hand slap.
Start Button Start button Start button
Menus
  • Make a selection.
Map Screen
  • SNES and GBC: Make a selection.
  • GBA: Open up map menu.
In-game
  • Pause.
Select Button Select button Select button
Menus
  • SNES: Make a selection.
Map Screen
  • GBA: Quit game.
In-game
  • Get off your animal buddy (GBC and GBA).
  • Switch from Donkey Kong to Diddy and vice versa.
  • Switch between players in two player team mode (SNES).
  • Press after pausing to exit a level you have previously finished.
L Button R Button None None
  • No function.

In-game combinations[edit]

SNES GBC GBA Effect
Down Dpad + Y Button Down dpad + B button Down dpad + B button /
R button[1]
Performs Donkey Kong hand slap attack, which defeats most ground enemies and
reveals hidden bananas.
Y Button + B Button B button + A button B button /
R button[1] + A button
If done over a gap, performs a midair jump, effectively allowing your character to jump
much farther than before.
Start Button + Select Button Start button + Select button Start button + Select button Quits a previously completed level.
  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 In the Game Boy Advance version, B button is recommended over R button because R button is used for other functions in the rest of the trilogy.