Blast Barrel
- Not to be confused withBooster Barrel.
| Blast Barrel | |
|---|---|
 | |
| First appearance | Donkey Kong Country (1994) |
| Latest appearance | Donkey Kong Bananza (2025) |
| Variant of | Barrel Cannon |
ABlast Barrel,[1][2][3] also known as anAuto-Fire Barrel,[4][5]Auto-blast Barrel,[6]Cannon Barrel,[7] orBooster Barrel,[8] is a common type ofBarrel Cannon that appears throughout theDonkey Kong Country series. It is represented by a symbol on the side of thebarrel depicting a white outline of an explosion.
History[edit]
Donkey Kong Country series[edit]
Blast Barrels first appear inDonkey Kong Country. When a character jumps into a Blast Barrel, it automatically launches them in a predetermined direction. The Blast Barrel can launch theKongs at great distances and often allows them to reach a location that cannot be reached by other means. The Kongs cannot control when or in what direction they are fired, as the launch is purely automatic. InDonkey Kong Country, Blast Barrels are also used to send the Kongs tobonus rooms or near the end of the level; theGame Boy Advance version and sequels replace them withBonus Barrels andWarp Barrels, respectively, although Blast Barrels with the former's functionality are reused as ofDonkey Kong Country Returns.
Blast Barrels lack the explosion symbol inDonkey Kong Land 2 andDonkey Kong Land III. The steel rims on their entrances are also colored white in most games sinceDonkey Kong Land. InDonkey Kong 64, all Barrel Cannons look like Blast Barrels, even though only a few function like them.
Blast Barrels return inDonkey Kong Country Returns,Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D,Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, and theirrespective Nintendo Switchports, looking and acting the same as in the original version ofDonkey Kong Country. These games also contain Blast Barrels with skull heads displayed on them, which instantly self-destruct after they launch the characters.
Skylanders: SuperChargers[edit]
In the Wii U version ofSkylanders: SuperChargers,Turbo Charge Donkey Kong's "Barrels of Fun" ability haves him fire himself out of aArrow Barrel to a Blast Barrel that shoots him down to the ground. Additionally, the "Bonus Stage Boosters" specialtymod for Donkey Kong's vehicle, the Barrel Blaster, is based on Blast Barrels.
Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge[edit]
Blast Barrels also appear inMini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge, where they are present alongside Barrel Cannons inBarrel Blast Jungle andone level of theStar World. They function just like in the past games, automatically shooting a character in a certain direction once entered.
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle[edit]
Blast Barrels appear in theDonkey Kong Adventure mode ofMario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle. They can be used by pressing
while standing next to them, and are used to launchDonkey Kong,Rabbid Peach andRabbid Cranky to a certain part of the area they are in. There are also three Golden Blast Barrels that transport the characters to a bonus area where they can earn a newweapon.
During the final battle withMega Rabbid Kong, the heroes must unlock and reach a golden Blast Barrel to deliver the final blow to Mega Rabbid Kong.
Mario Kart Tour[edit]
A Blast Barrel makes a cameo on theBarrel Hanafudaglider inMario Kart Tour, which itself uses the same Blast Barrel artwork fromMario Hanafuda.
Mario Strikers: Battle League[edit]
In version 1.1.0 ofMario Strikers: Battle League,Diddy Kong uses a Blast Barrel for hisHyper Strike, Barrel Boom.
Donkey Kong Bananza[edit]
Blast Barrels reappear inDonkey Kong Bananza, where their symbol is made of pink and cyan neon rather than being painted on.
Gallery[edit]
Sprite fromDonkey Kong Country
Sprite fromDonkey Kong Land
Sprite fromDonkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
Sprite fromDonkey Kong Country (Game Boy Color)
Sprite fromDonkey Kong Country (Game Boy Advance)
Sprite fromDK: Jungle Climber
The SuperCharged Barrel Blaster inSkylanders: SuperChargers
Screenshot fromMini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge
Skull Blast Barrel fromDonkey Kong Country Returns
Screenshot fromDonkey Kong Bananza
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | 自動式タル大砲[?] Jidō-shikitaru Taihō | Automatic Barrel Cannon | |
Taihō Bareru | Cannon Barrel; compareBarrel Cannon | ||
| German | Kanonenfass[?] | Cannon Barrel | |
| Italian | Barile-cannone automatico[10] | Automatic barrel-cannon | |
| Barile auto-fuoco[11] | Auto-fire barrel | ||
| Barile a scoppio[12] | Burst barrel | ||
| Barile Autopilota[13] | Autopilot Barrel | ||
| Barile a reazione[14] | Reaction barrel, same asBooster Barrel | ||
| Barile esplosivo[15] | Exploding barrel |
Notes[edit]
- InTanked Up Trouble ofDonkey Kong Country, one Blast Barrel self-destructs as it fires the Kongs (predating those ofDonkey Kong Country Returns), but only in the original version.
- In theDonkey Kong Country television series, there areTNT Barrels that bear a resemblance to Blast Barrels.
References[edit]
- ^1995.Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest instruction booklet.Nintendo of America (American English). Page18Media:DKC2 Manual 18-19.jpg.
- ^2010.Donkey Kong Country Returns instruction booklet.Nintendo of America (American English). Page 18.
- ^"It's a Blast Barrel that puts you into a 1-Up Balloon guessing game." – November 1994.Nintendo Power Issue 66.Nintendo of America (American English). Page 11.
- ^1996.Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! instruction booklet.Nintendo of America (American English). Page 24.
- ^2005.Donkey Kong Country 3 (Game Boy Advance) instruction booklet.Nintendo of America (American English). Page 28.
- ^June 1997.Nintendo Magazine System (AU) Issue #51. Page 60.
- ^2007.DK: Jungle Climber instruction booklet.Nintendo of America (American English). Page 14.
- ^2007.Donkey Kong: Jungle Climber instruction booklet.Nintendo of Europe (British English). Page 14.
- ^2007. ドンキーコング ジャングルクライマー (Donkī Kongu Janguru Kuraimā) instruction booklet.Nintendo (Japanese). Page 19.
- ^1994.Donkey Kong Country Italian manual. Page 16.
- ^1996.Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! Spanish-Italian booklet. Page 52.
- ^1997.Donkey Kong Land III Spanish-Italian manual. Page 49.
- ^2005.Donkey Kong Country 3 European booklet.Nintendo of Europe. Page 121.
- ^2007.Donkey Kong: Jungle Climber Italian manual. Page 14.
- ^2010.Donkey Kong Country Returns Italian manual. Page 23.
- Barrels
- Donkey Kong Bananza objects
- Donkey Kong Country objects
- Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest objects
- Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! objects
- Donkey Kong Country Returns objects
- Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze objects
- Donkey Kong Land objects
- Donkey Kong Land 2 objects
- Donkey Kong Land III objects
- DK: Jungle Climber
- Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge objects
