Zinger
| Zinger | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Artwork fromDK: Jungle Climber | |||
| First appearance | Donkey Kong Country (1994) | ||
| Latest appearance | Donkey Kong Bananza (2025) | ||
| Member of | Kremling Krew | ||
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- “Where doesK. Rool keep getting these giant Zingers from?”
- —Cranky Kong,Donkey Kong Country 2 (Game Boy Advance)
Zingers, also shortened asZings,[1] are large wasps[2] (erroneously identified as bees[3]) with protective spikes on their abdomen. Zingers are usually colored yellow with black stripes. Zingers first appear inDonkey Kong Country. Zingers were designed bySteve Mayles, who dislikes wasps in real life, and was scared while designing the Zingers.[4][2]
There are some entities similar to Zingers. InDonkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! andDonkey Kong Land III, they were replaced with the roboticBuzzes. InDonkey Kong Country Returns'sTiki Zings have some similarities to Zingers in that they are usually used as indestructible obstacles against the Kongs; however,Flaming Tiki Buzzes are functionally closer in that they can be defeated in special ways, withBlue Hootzes continuing that role inDonkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze.
History[edit]
Donkey Kong Country series[edit]
Donkey Kong Country[edit]
- “Zingers sport spikes on their backs! You can'tjump on them unless you're ridingWinky!”
- —Cranky Kong,Donkey Kong Country
Zingers are common enemies inDonkey Kong Country. The spikes on their back protect them from being stomped by the player characters unless they are ridingWinky. Zingers have to be avoided, such as inForest Frenzy, where most of the level involves moving around Zingers as they move across abysses on a vertical rope. Zingers have four color variations: yellow, orange, pink, and green. Their flight pattern is determined by their color; yellow Zingers fly vertically, orange Zingers fly horizontally, pink Zingers fly in a circular path, and green Zingers fly in a U-shape formation. There is a large Zinger boss namedQueen B. who is fought inVine Valley, inBumble B. Rumble. In thesecond remake, she can summon Zingers in battle.
The game data featuresunused silver and blue palettes of Zingers.
Zinger palettes differ in later versions. In thefirst remake, due to technical limitations, there are only yellow Zingers for every behavior. In thesecond remake, the pink ones now use the previously unused silver coloration, with one of every color including pink and purple appearing during the ending cast roll. Compared to the original unused palettes, the silver and purple ones have swapped wing colors.
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest[edit]
Zingers return inDonkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, acting like they do in the first game. Their design has been tweaked slightly, their pupils are slightly smaller, their legs and mandibles share the same color as their abdomen, which, alongside their legs, sport a slightly different shape. Their buzzing also sounds different from the previous game, being deeper. They only come in two colors in this game: the standard yellow type and the more resistant red variety; although agreen one is also found in thegame's files. MoreAnimal Friends can defeat Zingers than inDonkey Kong Country, includingSquawks' nuts,Squitter's web projectiles, or eitherRattly orRambi stomping them. Zingers cannot be attacked by the Kongs directly, evenTeam up, unlike most enemies, but the invincibility effects of aInvincibility Barrel can defeat them instantly.
Many levels feature Zingers, some of which also fly around in an area of theCrocodile Isle map. One of the level settings is a Zinger hive, with larval and pupal Zingers visible in the background, as well as a lot of honey, despite Zingers being wasps, since real-life wasps cannot produce honey. Most Zinger hives appear inKrazy Kremland, which also has a large Zinger boss namedKing Zing, who becomes a Zinger after many hits and surrounds himself with Zingers to defend himself.
In the ending, Zingers are categorized within theLazy Landlubbers enemy class.
Donkey Kong Country novel[edit]
A single Zinger appears as an antagonist in theDonkey Kong Country novel. Upon entering the Kremling's factory,Donkey Kong,Diddy Kong andCranky Kong eavesdrop on Zinger complaining to his co-workerKlap Trap aboutKing K. Rool's absence. Klap Trap then notices the group and Zinger lunges at Donkey Kong, only to be defeated by being hand slapped (which is not possible in the games).
Club Nintendo[edit]
A Zinger appears in theClub Nintendo comic "Donkey Kong Country" as an enemy of Donkey and Diddy Kong. However, it does not attack the pair until Donkey Kong swears at the wasp. Ultimately, DK defeats the Zinger (which, like every enemy in the comic, is able to speak) by doing a special rolling move and then kicking the enemy. When defeated, the Zinger claims that its stinger is deformed.
Donkey Kong Land series[edit]
Zingers appear in the first two games of theDonkey Kong Land series,Donkey Kong Land andDonkey Kong Land 2. In both games, they are aerial enemies appearing in most levels. Unlike in theDonkey Kong Country series, Zingers do not have distinguishable colors due to theGame Boy's monochrome screen, but they behave exactly like the yellow types.
Uniquely toDonkey Kong Land, Zingers had their sprite changed to vertically oriented instead of horizontal, and their stinger more outwardly faces the Kongs.Expresso can now jump on them without taking damage.
InDonkey Kong Land 2, Zingers are classified under "The Baddies" during the ending cast roll.
Donkey Kong 64[edit]
Zingers are enemies inDonkey Kong 64. They reuse theirDonkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest design, albeit without their antennae due to theNintendo 64’s graphical limitations. Unlike previous games, Zingers are only seen in yellow. They dive-bomb at the active Kong on sight inDK Isles and some of the earlier levels, while other Zingers drop unripe greenOranges upon noticing them. A Zinger can be defeated by an orange, a musical instrument move, or being shot by a projectile. Unlike the dive-bombing Zingers, the orange-dropping ones will generally respawn after defeating them. Zingers also appear inJungle Japes,Angry Aztec,Gloomy Galleon (where one is inside of a mechanical fish),Fungi Forest during the daytime (Bats replace them at night), andCrystal Caves. If a Zinger falls into the sand in Angry Aztec from being defeated, it disappears in a burst of flames without releasing anywatermelon slice.
Zingers have a robotic variety namedMechanical Zingers, which appear inFrantic Factory in place of Zingers.
Donkey Konga series[edit]
Zingers are obstacles featured in the100M Vine Climb minigame ofDonkey Konga. They fly across the screen and can cause Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong to fall off of the vines on contact, before they respawn seconds later. InDonkey Konga 2, Zingers appear in the Busy Beehive background, and larval Zingers appear in the Sleepy Beehive background. Artwork of a Zinger can appear inFreestyle Zone while the player plays theDK Bongos in bothDonkey Konga 2 andDonkey Konga 3.
DK series[edit]
Zingers are enemies inDK: King of Swing (appearing in three levels:Cactus Woods,Lockjaw Falls, andBooster Barrel Skyway) andDK: Jungle Climber. Zingers behave identically in both games and sport updated designs. Their legs and mandibles have been reverted to their brown color and they sport an angry expression in the former game’s artwork, while in the latter game, their spikes and stinger have a silver color, and their wings are more simplistic, lacking veins and sporting a light yellow color. They move by continuously flying back and forth in a set horizontal or vertical pattern. They have spikes on their back and a stinger, which protect them fromDonkey Kong orDiddy Kong's charge attack. If eitherKong touches or performs a charge attack into a Zinger's spikes or stinger, they take oneheart of damage. A Zinger can be defeated by either a charge attack into the front or from theGoing Bananas move.
InDK: Jungle Climber, Zingers appear in most of the levels and across all worlds. They behave largely the same as inDK: King of Swing, but some of them now fly in circles. Zingers can now be taken out with aCrystal Star due to it replacing Going Bananas. Defeating a Zinger grants the player fivegems, though some Zinger yieldBanana Coins upon being dispatched.
Donkey Kong: Barrel Blast[edit]
Zingers inDonkey Kong: Barrel Blast are depicted larger than before and reuse theirDonkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest design, though their wings have no veins and are pale yellow. They are enemies on the racetracksDK Jungle,DK Jungle Falls,DK Jungle Sunset,Scorching Canyon andCranky's Temple. They fly around in a set pattern and can be defeated from one hit. They also appear in two ofCandy's Challenges, whereDonkey Kong needs to beat a set amount of Zingers on thePractice Course before time expires.
Donkey Kong Bananza[edit]
Zingers make a return inDonkey Kong Bananza. They appear in thePlanet Core as well asNew Donk City, behaving identically toBuzzoids, by carrying small chunks of terrain and throwing them at Donkey Kong. They make theirDonkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest death sound when defeated. Their design is based on theirDK: King of Swing artwork with their angry-looking eyes, but with their legs segmented and the tips of their stinger and spikes white.Fossilized Zingers encased in amber can also be found in theFreezer Layer.
In theDK Island & Emerald Rush DLC, astatue of a Zinger can be collected and placed on the deck ofGangplank Galleon.
Super Smash Bros. series[edit]
Super Smash Bros. Brawl[edit]
A Zinger is one of thestickers inSuper Smash Bros. Brawl. It can be equipped to anyfighter inThe Subspace Emissary, making them more resistant toslashing moves by five points.
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U[edit]
A Zingertrophy can be unlocked randomly inSuper Smash Bros. for Wii U. The Zinger’s posed after itsDK: King of Swing artwork. It erroneously claims that yellow Zingers fly up and down and red Zingers in circles based on their behavior inDonkey Kong Country, but some exceptions occur inDonkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, such as those inBramble Scramble andScreech's Sprint.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate[edit]
InSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate, there is a Novice-class Shield-typeprimary spirit of Zinger with no support slots that simply raises a fighter's power without granting any special effects. A Zinger is consumed by one ofGaleem's beams of light during the opening cutscene ofAdventure Mode: World of Light,[5] where itsspirit is located on theDK Island sub-world of theLight Realm map, on theReptile Rumble spot. The spirit'spuppet fighter,Pikachu, has increased throw power, is fought on theΩ form ofThe Great Cave Offensive stage, and onlyUnira spawn during the battle. A Zinger's core can be combined with aPrincess Shroob core to summon a spirit ofQueen Sectonia.
WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase[edit]
InDK Country, one of18-Volt'smicrogames fromWarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase, a red Zinger must be avoided when the player shoots Diddy Kong out of aBonus Barrel.
Unused appearances[edit]
Donkey Kong Racing[edit]
In the canceledDonkey Kong Racing, part of the trailer showed Donkey Kong andTaj racing each other on Zingers in a forest area. This suggests that Zingers would have been rideable vehicles. At the end of the trailer, Taj moves past the slogan "Let's Ride" as he rides a Zinger.
Diddy Kong Pilot (2003)[edit]
Zingers are defensive items in the 2003 build ofDiddy Kong Pilot. If a racer has a Zinger, they can drop it behind to protect them from an incoming Buzz. If a racer flies into the Zinger, their plane briefly crashes onto the ground. A Zinger breaks if a character or object crashes into it. Like Buzzes, it is possible for racers to pick up three Zingers at once. Zingers were replaced byIce Eggs in the final game,Banjo-Pilot.
Profiles and statistics[edit]
- Main article:List of Zinger profiles and statistics
Donkey Kong Country[edit]
| Donkey Kong Country (Game Boy Advance) enemy | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zinger | ||||
      | Worlds | Kongo Jungle Monkey Mines Vine Valley Gorilla Glacier Kremkroc Industries, Inc. Chimp Caverns | Levels |
|
| Scrapbook page | 3 | |||
| Photograph location | InBumble B. Rumble, byHand Slapping the center of the arena | DK Attack point value | 5000 |
DK: Jungle Climber[edit]
- Level appearances
- Little Sun Sun Island
- Tropical Treetops
- Road to Ruins
- Toybox
- Little Lost Island
- Toybox 2
- Panic Factory
- Little Ghost Island
- Falling Falls
- Snowful Slope
- Space A Go-Go
- Toybox 3
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate[edit]
| Spirit #160 Zinger | ||
| Series/game | Donkey Kong Series |
| Type | Primary | |
| Slots | 0 | |
| Class | Novice | |
| Strength / effect(s) | Shield | |
| How to obtain | World of Light (DK Island);Spirit Board | |
| Spirit battle | Opponent(s) | Pikachu |
| Conditions | Rule: Item:Unira
| |
| Stage | The Great Cave Offensive (Ω) | |
| Song | Stickerbush Symphony |
Gallery[edit]
- For this subject's image gallery, seeGallery:Zinger.
Donkey Kong Country
Club Nintendo ("Donkey Kong Country")
Donkey Kong 64
DK: King of Swing
DK: Jungle Climber
Donkey Kong Bananza
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ジンガー[6][7][8] Jingā | Zinger | Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest,Donkey Kong Country (remake) |
| Chinese | 叮格[9] Dīnggé | Phono-semantic matching of the Japanese name;「叮」(dīng) also means "sting" | |
| French | Zinger[?] | - | |
| German | Zinger[?] | - | |
| Italian | Zinger[10][11] | - | |
| Vespa[12][13]:80 | Wasp | Donkey Kong 64 | |
| Ape[13]:71 | Bee | ||
| Korean | 징거[14] Jinggeo | Zinger | |
| Russian | Жужа[?] Zhuzha | Derived fromжужжание (zhuzhzhanie, onomatopoeia for buzzing) | Super Smash Bros. Ultimate |
| Зингер[15] Zinger | Zinger | ||
| Spanish | Zinger[?] | - |
References[edit]
- ^File:Toxic Tower concept.jpg
- ^abWinkySteve (September 28, 2016).Wasps. I don't like wasps. Making Zingers scared me..Twitter (Screen capture). Retrieved May 16, 2024.
- ^"These bees are usually quite busy protecting their assigned area!" – 1994.Donkey Kong Country Player's Guide.Nintendo of America (American English). Page 15.
- ^Early DKC general naming sheetMedia:DKC general naming.jpg
- ^Super Smash Bros. (November 1, 2018).Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - World of Light - Nintendo Switch (01:53).YouTube.
- ^ピンカーのゲーム動画館_実況無しVideo game_Japanese (July 7, 2020).【ドンキーコングランド】エンディング (02:33).YouTube (Japanese). Retrieved November 19, 2024.
- ^くぱべる (February 16, 2021).スタッフロール 【スーパードンキーコング2】Donkey Kong Country 2 - end credits (00:38).YouTube (Japanese). Retrieved November 19, 2024.
- ^レトロゲー・叫ばないホラゲー実況 けーたいぷ (March 2, 2023).GBA版スーパードンキーコングをナメてはいけない #１０(終) (19:49).YouTube (Japanese). Retrieved November 19, 2024.
- ^#END《咚奇剛 蕉力全開 》-DK 島&綠寶石淘金
- ^1994.Donkey Kong Country - Libretto di istruzioni (Instruction booklet). Großostheim:Nintendo of Europe GmbH (Italian). Page 28-29.
- ^Carlos Jose Castro Quinga.In-game name from the ending ofDonkey Kong Country. Italian. Retrieved from YouTube.
- ^Roberto Ferri (March 2000).Official Nintendo Magazine issue 16. Milan:Xenia Edizione S. r. L. (Italian). Page 80.
- ^abRoberto Ferri (April 2000).Official Nintendo Magazine issue 17. Milan:Xenia Edizione S. r. L. (Italian).
- ^[기타 모든 1297개 스피릿 목록 슈퍼 스매시 브라더스 얼티밋]
- ^Donkey Kong Land | Game Boy | Игры | Nintendo.Nintendo of Russia (Russian). Archived March 26, 2015, 05:25:20 UTC from the original via Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 16, 2024.
- Wasps
- Kremling Krew
- Club Nintendo
- DK: Jungle Climber enemies
- DK: King of Swing enemies
- Donkey Kong 64 enemies
- Donkey Kong Bananza enemies
- Donkey Kong Bananza statues
- Donkey Kong: Barrel Blast enemies
- Donkey Kong Country enemies
- Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest enemies
- Donkey Kong Land enemies
- Donkey Kong Land 2 enemies
- Super Smash Bros. Brawl stickers
- Super Smash Bros. for Wii U trophies
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate spirits
