Donkey Kong Country (Game Boy Color)

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Donkey Kong Country
US box art
Developer Rareware
Publisher Nintendo
Platform(s) Game Boy Color
Release date Europe November 17, 2000
USA November 20, 2000[1]
Japan January 21, 2001
Genre Platformer
Rating(s)
ESRB:E - Everyone
PEGI:3 - Three years and older
CERO:A - All ages
Mode(s) 1–2 players
Media
Game Boy Color:
Game Pak
Input
Game Boy Color:

Donkey Kong Country is a 2000 Game Boy Color remake of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System game of the same name. While its graphics and sounds are downgraded to fit the handheld system's more limited capabilities, several new elements are also added. It acts as a spiritual successor to the Donkey Kong Land series of Game Boy games. It would later be succeeded by another remake for the Game Boy Advance.

Story[edit]

The game's manual features an abridged version of the story from the original game's manual. During a stormy night, "hero-in-training" Diddy Kong is overpowered by the Kremlings, who proceed to trap him in a barrel, toss him into the jungle, and steal Donkey Kong's banana hoard. In the morning, Donkey Kong is woken up by a smug Cranky Kong, and vows to find Diddy, beat the Kremlings, and reclaim his bananas.

Gameplay[edit]

Unlike the original game but like the Donkey Kong Land series, only one Kong appears on screen at a time. If both Kongs are in the group, the one not in play is represented by a DK Barrel icon at the bottom-left corner. By pressing Select Button, the player can switch characters, which shows the Kong in play being moved to the DK Barrel icon while the other Kong moves out to appear on-screen. When one Kong in a pair gets hurt, he falls off the screen rather than running away like in the original. The main game only supports single-player, though multiplayer-supporting minigames are present. Otherwise, the basic gameplay is the same as the original.

Characters[edit]

The Kongs[edit]

There are a few Kongs who help Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong along their journey, and they each appear in one of the supporting locations.

Playable
Image Name Description
Donkey Kong Donkey Kong The main character of the game, Donkey Kong is stronger and heavier than his partner, Diddy Kong, and can defeat stronger enemies. He also has his own move, the Hand Slap which can defeat certain enemies and reveal hidden objects.
Diddy Kong Diddy Kong Diddy is the best friend and sidekick of Donkey Kong. While he is not as strong as his partner, Diddy is faster, but his light weight prevents him from being able to defeat more powerful enemies in a single jump.
Supporting
Image Name Description
Candy Kong Candy Kong Candy is the love interest of Donkey Kong. She hosts a mini-game challenge at Candy's Challenge in each world.
Cranky Kong Cranky Kong Cranky Kong was the original Donkey Kong from the Donkey Kong arcade game. He resides at Cranky's Cabin, where he provides various pieces of advice to Donkey Kong and Diddy along their adventure. Cranky regards himself as the greatest video game hero, and does not believe the Kongs can complete their adventure without his assistance.
Funky Kong in Donkey Kong Country (Game Boy Color). Funky Kong Funky Kong operates a flight service at Funky's Flights, where he allows Donkey Kong and Diddy to use the Jumbo Barrel to travel throughout areas of Donkey Kong Island that they have already visited.

The Good Guys[edit]

Aside from the supporting Kongs, Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong are also assisted by Animal Friends during the game. Each Animal Friend is imprisoned within an animal crate depicting a silhouette of their face. The Animal Friends only appear in certain levels, and the Kongs cannot take them to other levels. Every Animal Friend has their own unique abilities.

Image Name Description First level appearance Last level appearance
Rambi from Donkey Kong Country (Game Boy Color). Rambi Rambi is first found halfway through the first level. He can defeat most enemies by running into them, as well as break entrances to hidden Bonus Levels. Jungle Hijinxs Manic Mincers
Enguarde in Donkey Kong Country for the Game Boy Color. Enguarde Enguarde appears in most of the underwater levels. With his sharp bill, Enguarde can defeat most aquatic enemies in his path. Coral Capers Poison Pond
Winky the Frog in Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color. Winky Winky has a high jumping ability that allows him to reach higher areas, namely Bonus Levels. Winky can defeat most enemies by jumping on them, including Zingers. Winky's Walkway Rope Bridge Rumble
Sprite of Expresso in Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color. Expresso Expresso has the ability to run fast and to glide across the air, although he cannot attack enemies. Due to his long legs, Expresso is unaffected by Klap Traps moving under his legs. Temple Tempest Misty Mine
Squawks in Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color. Squawks Squawks only appears in the level Torchlight Trouble, where he holds a lamp to light the path forward for the Kongs. Squawks is the only Animal Friend that the Kongs cannot ride and the only one without an animal token. Squawks cannot be defeated by any enemy. Torchlight Trouble

Enemies and obstacles[edit]

Various types of enemies appear throughout the levels, attempting to get into Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong's way. The Kremlings are the main enemies of the game.

Image Name Description First level appearance Last level appearance
Army sprite in the Game Boy Color version of Donkey Kong Country Army An armadillo enemy that rolls up into a ball and charges at the Kongs to attack. Donkey Kong can defeat them from either a jump or roll attack. If Diddy either jumps or cartwheels into a curled up Army, the enemy is forced out of its curled posture. Diddy can defeat Army if it is not curled up. Ropey Rampage Platform Perils
Bitesize in the Game Boy Color version of Donkey Kong Country Bitesize A small piranha enemy that like other underwater enemies, cannot be defeated by the Kongs. Enguarde can defeat Bitesizes and most other underwater enemies. Coral Capers Poison Pond
Chomps sprite in the Game Boy Color version of Donkey Kong Country Chomps A large, green shark enemy that are larger than Bitesizes, but otherwise act the same, and they can also be defeated by Enguarde. Coral Capers Croctopus Chase
Sprite of Chomps Jr. in the Game Boy Color version of Donkey Kong Country Chomps Jr. A small, blue shark enemy and a smaller variant of Chomps. They act similar to Chomps except they are smaller and slightly faster. Coral Capers Poison Pond
Clambo in the Game Boy Color version of Donkey Kong Country Clambo A clam enemy that attacks by spitting out pearls at the Kongs. They do not move around and are usually in a corner outside of the main path. They cannot be defeated by Enguarde. Coral Capers Clam City
Sprite of an attacking Croctopus from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Croctopus An octopus enemy that quickly treads through water to hit the Kongs. Usually, they move in fixed patterns around blocks of coral reef, while the ones in Croctopus Chase go in a set path after the Kongs once they pass them. Like Clambos, they cannot be defeated. Coral Capers Croctopus Chase
Sprite of Gnawty from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color. Sprite of a red Gnawty from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Gnawty A beaver enemy that is common, but is one of the weakest enemies. They simply walk around back and forth and can be defeated from any attack. Gnawties have a rare, red variant that ride on a Millstone, and contrarily they are invulnerable to any form of attack. Jungle Hijinxs Platform Perils
Klaptrap in Donkey Kong Country for the Game Boy Color. Sprite of a green Klaptrap (appearing in Boss Dumb Drum) from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Sprite of a brown Klaptrap from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Klap Trap Klap Traps are small, four-legged crocodiles who repeatedly open and close their jaws while moving in the Kongs' direction. Because of this, the Kongs cannot attack Klap Trap by rolling into it from the front. Klap Traps can either be defeated from behind or if jumped over. They appear green in Boss Dumb Drum. Klap Traps have a rare, brown variant that jump at the same time as the Kongs do. Stop & Go Station Loopy Lights
Klump in Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color. Klump Klump is a strong, burly enemy that wears military gear. Klump's helmet defends itself from Diddy's jump attack, although Donkey Kong can defeat a Klump by jumping on it. Both Kongs can use a roll attack to defeat a Klump. Jungle Hijinxs Platform Perils
Krash in Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color. Krash A Kritter who rides in a mine cart. Krashes ride in the opposite direction of the Kongs, attempting to crash into them. Donkey Kong and Diddy must avoid Krashes by jumping over them. In Mine Cart Madness, some Krashes are in a stationary mine carts, and the Kongs can jump on them to defeat them and take over the mine cart. Mine Cart Carnage Mine Cart Madness
Kritter in Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color. Sprite of a teal Kritter from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Sprite of a brown Kritter from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Sprite of a red Kritter from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Sprite of a jumping green Kritter from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Sprite of a walking green Kritter from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Kritter Kritters are the grunt soldiers of the Kremling Krew. They are one of the weakest enemies along with Gnawty. The color of a Kritter determines its movement behavior: the standard, gray (green in Boss Dumb Drum) ones walk forward, while teal ones jump while moving forward or rarely staying in place. Some, colored brown, act similar to teal ones but do an occasional higher jump and most often stay in place, while others, also colored brown in Orang-utan Gang and gray in Forest Frenzy, walk forward before doing a long forward jump. Another type appears red in Bouncy Bonanza and green in Rope Bridge Rumble and Loopy Lights, jumping left and right. Jungle Hijinxs Loopy Lights
Krusha in Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color. A gray Krusha from Donkey Kong Country for the Game Boy Color. Krusha Krushas are strong, muscular Kremlings, and there are green Krushas and the uncommon gray variant. Diddy cannot defeat Krushas without using a barrel. Donkey Kong can defeat green Krushas by jumping on them, but performing a roll or a Hand Slap attack are ineffective. Gray Krushas are stronger than the green ones and can only be defeated from a barrel. Millstone Mayhem Platform Perils
Manky Kong in Donkey Kong Country for the Game Boy Color. Manky Kong Manky Kongs are orangutans who were exiled from the Kong Family. They attack by throwing an unlimited number of barrels at Donkey Kong and Diddy. Both Kongs can defeat them by their jump and roll attack. Orang-utan Gang Loopy Lights
Mini-Necky in Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color. Mini-Necky A small vulture that attacks by spitting nuts at the Kongs. Some Mini-Neckys move up and down while spitting nuts. They can be defeated by either a roll or a jump attack. Winky's Walkway Necky Nutmare
A Perched Necky in Donkey Kong Country for the Game Boy Color. Necky in Donkey Kong Country for the Game Boy Color. Necky A vulture enemy who either throws nuts at the Kongs from high platforms or flies across the level. The flying Neckys can be bounced on to reach higher areas. Jungle Hijinxs Platform Perils
Rock Kroc in Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color. Rock Kroc Rock Krocs dash back and forth rapidly while the Stop & Go Barrels are set to "Go", and the Kongs get injured when they come in contact with a Rock Kroc. Donkey Kong and Diddy cannot pass the Rock Krocs safely unless the Stop & Go Barrels are set to "Stop", causing the Rock Krocs to briefly curl into a ball until the Stop & Go Barrels return to "Go". Rock Krocs are invincible and cannot be defeated. Stop & Go Station
Slippa in Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color. Slippa A red coral snake that slithers along the ground in caves and other subterranean areas. They are one of the weaker enemies and can be defeated by any attack. Reptile Rumble Misty Mine
Squidge in Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color. Squidge A jellyfish type enemy that swims up and down through underwater areas in zigzag lines. They can be defeated by Enguarde. Croctopus Chase Poison Pond
Zinger in Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color. Zinger Zingers are wasps and very common enemies who appear in almost every level. The Kongs cannot defeat Zingers themselves and must use either a barrel or an Animal Friend to defeat them. The Kongs must usually avoid the Zingers along the way. Unlike the original, all Zingers are yellow regardless of behavior. Ropey Rampage Platform Perils
Obstacles
Image Name Description First level appearance Last level appearance
A Black drum from the Game Boy Color remake of Donkey Kong Country Graphic of a black drum on the sprite layer in Elevator Antics, Misty Mine, and Necky Nutmare from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Graphic of a black drum on the background layer in Elevator Antics and Misty Mine from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Black drum A drum obstacle that fires out an indefinite supply of a specific enemy, such as Slippas and Gnawties. They can only be destroyed from a TNT Drum. They are a smaller variant of Dumb Drum. Winky's Walkway Necky Nutmare
Sprite of a cannonball from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Cannonball Giant iron balls that fall across the screen sequentially when K. Rool performs his floor-slam attack. Gang-Plank Galleon
Sprite of a coconut launched by Mini-Necky from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Sprite of a coconut launched by Necky, Master Necky, and Master Necky Snr. from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Coconut The favored projectiles of the Necky family, they may be launched straight horizontally or in bouncing arcs. Jungle Hijinxs Necky's Revenge
Sprite of the Crownerang from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Crownerang K. Rool's primary weapon, his own crown. When he throws it, however, he renders himself vulnerable to stomp attacks. Gang-Plank Galleon
Sprite of a millstone from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Millstone Millstones are enormous invulnerable stone wheels ridden upon by Gnawties. Millstone Mayhem Temple Tempest
Mincer in Donkey Kong Country for the Game Boy Color. Mincer Mincers are spiked tire obstacles who either move in a pattern or remain in a single spot. They are invincible and must be avoided by the Kongs. Torchlight Trouble Manic Mincers
Tiles of an oil drum in Torchlight Trouble and Necky Nutmare from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Tiles of an oil drum in Oil Drum Alley from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Oil drum Oil drums resemble black drums except for their taller appearance and ability to emit fire. The word "OIL" is embedded on them. Torchlight Trouble Necky Nutmare
Sprite of a pearl from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Pearl Projectiles shot in numbers from one to five at once in straight lines by Clambos. Coral Capers Clam City

The Bosses[edit]

At the end of every world, the Kongs must fight a boss, each guarding a portion of the stolen bananas. Most of the bosses are a larger version of an enemy.

Image Name Description Level appearance
Sprite of Very Gnawty Very Gnawty A giant Gnawty that jumps around, trying to hit the Kongs. Donkey Kong and Diddy must jump on it five times to defeat it. For each hit, Very Gnawty bounces and moves around faster. Very Gnawty's Lair
Sprite of Master Necky Master Necky A giant Necky that creeps his head out from one of four corners of the screen, spitting large nuts at the Kongs. Master Necky spit nuts faster each time he is jumped on. Donkey Kong or Diddy can defeat the boss by jumping on his head five times. Necky's Nuts
Sprite of Queen B. Sprite of an enraged Queen B. from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Queen B. A giant Zinger who flies around the arena. The Kongs can attack her with a barrel. When hit, Queen B. temporarily turns red and moves up and down in a wavy pattern before returning normal. She must be hit five times to be defeated. Bumble B. Rumble
Sprite of Really Gnawty Really Gnawty A boss who looks and acts similar to Very Gnawty. Really Gnawty can move faster and jump a lot higher than Very Gnawty. The Kongs must jump on Really Gnawty five times to defeat it. After each hit, it performs a consecutive amount of high jumps corresponding to the total amount of times it has been hit. Really Gnawty Rampage
Dumb Drum's sprite in the Game Boy Color version pf Donkey Kong Country Dumb Drum A giant black drum that attempts to crush the Kongs. After that, Dumb Drum sends out a pair of a specific enemy before continuing its attempt to crush the Kongs. The order in which Dumb Drum releases the enemies are: Kritters, Slippas, Klap Traps, Klumps, and Armys. The boss is defeated once the Kongs defeat every enemy. Boss Dumb Drum
Sprite of Master Necky Snr. Master Necky Snr. Master Necky Snr. is a similar boss to Master Necky except he is stronger. He spits nuts much faster than Master Necky. Each time Master Necky Snr. is hit, he spits out one more nut than the previous turn. The Kongs can defeat Master Necky Snr. by jumping on it five times. Necky's Revenge
King K. Rool from Donkey Kong Country (Game Boy Color). King K. Rool The final boss and main antagonist, King K. Rool has stolen Donkey Kong's banana hoard. He has a variety of attacks, including throwing his crown, jumping at the Kongs, and causing cannonballs to rain from above. After King K. Rool throws his crown, the Kongs can jump on his head to attack him, before K. Rool puts his crown back on. Gang-Plank Galleon

Items[edit]

Image Name Description
A Banana from the Game Boy Color version of Donkey Kong Country Bananas Bananas are the equivalent to coins from the Super Mario series, as collecting 100 of them gives the Kongs an extra life. They are the most common item of the game.
A Banana Bunch in the Game Boy Color version of Donkey Kong Country Banana Bunches Banana Bunches grant ten bananas when collected. They are less common than normal bananas and often appear in Bonus Levels and hidden areas.
Sprite of a Green Banana from Donkey Kong Country Green bananas Green bananas appear in a few levels, marking the general location of a DK Sticker Pack. Once the DK Sticker Pack is collected, the green bananas are replaced by a normal banana bunch.
Sprite of a giant banana from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Giant bananas A giant banana is held by each boss. Claiming one marks the completion of one of the game's worlds.
Sprite of an animal token of Enguarde from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Sprite of an animal token of Expresso from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color An animal token of Rambi from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Sprite of an animal token of Winky from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Animal tokens Animal tokens are small tokens that depict one of the Animal Friends (excluding Squawks). If three animal tokens depicting the same Animal Friend are collected, the game redirects the player to a bonus area where they control the corresponding Animal Friend. In the area, the Animal Friend must collect as many Mini Animal Tokens depicting them within a time limit in exchange for extra lives.
Sprite of the mini Animal Token counter of Enguarde from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color; aside from the "x[number]" placement ones, the collectible ones actually use animated background tiles showing the same pixel mapping, but with a slightly different palette and no transparency to avoid sprite overflow, so using the counter - which is on the sprite layer - for simplicity. Sprite of the mini Animal Token counter of Expresso from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color; aside from the "x[number]" placement ones, the collectible ones actually use animated background tiles showing the same pixel mapping, but with a slightly different palette and no transparency to avoid sprite overflow, so using the counter - which is on the sprite layer - for simplicity. Sprite of the mini Animal Token counter of Rambi from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color; aside from the "x[number]" placement ones, the collectible ones actually use animated background tiles showing the same pixel mapping, but with a slightly different palette and no transparency to avoid sprite overflow, so using the counter - which is on the sprite layer - for simplicity. Sprite of the mini Animal Token counter of Winky from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color; aside from the "x[number]" placement ones, the collectible ones actually use animated background tiles showing the same pixel mapping, but with a slightly different palette and no transparency to avoid sprite overflow, so using the counter - which is on the sprite layer - for simplicity. Mini Animal Tokens Hundreds of Mini Animal Tokens fill the Animal Friend-themed bonus stages. For every hundred collected, an extra life is earned.
Sprite of a big Animal Token of Enguarde from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Sprite of a big Animal Token of Expresso from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Sprite of a big Animal Token of Rambi from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Sprite of a big Animal Token of Winky from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Big Animal Tokens A single Big Animal Token is hidden in each of the Animal Friend-themed bonus stages. Collecting it doubles the held amount of Mini Animal Tokens.
A red Life Balloon in Donkey Kong Country for the Game Boy Color. A 2-Up Balloon from the Game Boy Color version of Donkey Kong Country A Blue Balloon from the Game Boy Color version of Donkey Kong Country Donkey Kong Balloons Similar to 1-Up Mushrooms from the Super Mario series, these balloons give the Kongs extra lives when collected. The balloons come in three different colors: red, green, and blue. Red Life Balloons are the most common and give one extra life, the less common green 2-Up Balloons give two lives, and the rare Blue Balloons give three lives.
The letter K in Donkey Kong Country for the Game Boy Color. The letter O in Donkey Kong Country for the Game Boy Color. The letter N in Donkey Kong Country for the Game Boy Color. The letter G in Donkey Kong Country for the Game Boy Color. K-O-N-G Letters Four of these special objects are hidden in every level, and each of them are a letter of the word "KONG". If the Kongs collect all four letters in a level, they are rewarded with an extra life. Each letter is found in order, meaning that the letter K is found first in the levels, then the O, then the N, and lastly the letter G. In the "Spell it Out!" Bonus Level challenges, there are circling letters that the Kongs must jump in a certain order to spell out a word.
The sprite of a DK Sticker Pack from Donkey Kong Country on Game Boy Color. DK Sticker Packs New items that are hidden in certain levels with their positions marked by green bananas. They unlock images in the Sticker Book.
Sprite of a Banana Coin from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Coins Coins appear as the goals of Candy's Challenge.

Objects[edit]

Mechanisms[edit]

Image Name Description
Enguarde Box in the Game Boy Color version of Donkey Kong Country Expresso Crate in the Game Boy Color version of Donkey Kong Country Rambi Crate in the Game Boy Color version of Donkey Kong Country Squawks Crate in the Game Boy Color version of Donkey Kong Country Winky Crate in the Game Boy Color version of Donkey Kong Country Animal crates These crates contain a certain Animal Friend, which is indicated by a silhouette of their face on the side. Aside from Squawks, the animal crates transform the Kongs into the pictured Animal Friend.
Sprite of an Arrow Sign from Donkey Kong Country Arrow Signs These signs indicate the Kongs are approaching the end of a stage.
Sprite of an elevator in various underground areas from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Sprite of an elevator in Stop & Go Station from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Sprite of an elevator in Millstone Mayhem from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Sprite of an elevator in Elevator Antics from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color
Sprite of an elevator in Blackout Basement from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Sprite of an elevator in Trick Track Trek from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Sprite of an elevator in Tanked Up Trouble from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color
A Falling Platform from the Game Boy Color version of Donkey Kong Country Sprite of an elevator in Platform Perils from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Sprite of an elevator in Platform Perils from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Sprite of an elevator in Platform Perils from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color
Elevators Many lifts appear throughout the game with many different designs and behaviors. Although a few of them are stationary, some move back and forth over gaps, and some move vertically. In later levels, there are platforms with an arrow on them, and when the Kongs step on the platform, it moves in the direction that the arrow is pointing. There are other moving platforms in later levels such as Tanked Up Trouble, which has a platform that runs on fuel canisters.
Sprite of an Exit sign from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Exits These signs indicate the Kongs have reached the end of a stage.
A Mine Cart in the Game Boy Color version of Donkey Kong Country Background tiles of a tipped Mine Cart from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Mine Carts Mine Carts only appear in two levels, and when the Kongs enter one, it automatically starts moving along the track. While riding a Mine Cart, the Kongs can jump with the Mine Cart to go over broken parts of the track. Sometimes there are tipped over mine carts that appear as obstacles along the tracks.
Sprite of a rope from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Ropes Ropes are objects that appear in many levels, and the Kongs can climb up and down them. Many of them swing over wide abysses, so the Kongs can use them to cross the gaps. In Slipslide Ride, there are white and blue ropes that automatically send the Kongs up and down respectively.
A tire from the Game Boy Color version of Donkey Kong Country Half of a tire from the Game Boy Color version of Donkey Kong Country Tires Tires bounce the Kongs to higher areas. There are half tires, which are stuck in the ground, and full tires that can be pushed around.

Barrels[edit]

Throwable barrels
Image Name Description
Sprite of a Barrel from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Regular Barrels Regular Barrels are the most common type of barrel, and the Kongs can pick it up and throw it. If the barrel hits the ground, it starts rolling, useful for defeating an enemy or opening a secret passage.
A DK Barrel in Donkey Kong Country for the Game Boy Color. DK Barrels DK Barrels are the most common barrels in the game, as a few of them appear in certain areas of every level. If either Donkey Kong or Diddy are missing from the group, the active Kong can break a DK Barrel to release the other Kong. DK Barrels can also be picked up and used like Vine Barrels.
A TNT Barrel from the Game Boy Color version of Donkey Kong Country TNT Drums TNT Drums are a type of barrel that explode after being thrown into an enemy or surface. They are often used to destroy powerful enemies or break a fragile wall leading into a Bonus Level.
A Steel Keg in the Game Boy Color version of Donkey Kong Country Steel kegs Steel kegs are silver barrels that act like normal barrels, but are more durable. Steel kegs can roll into an unlimited number of enemies and bounce off walls. The Kongs can jump on a rolling steel keg to ride it.
Enterable barrels
Image Name Description
A Barrel Cannon from the Game Boy Color version of Donkey Kong Country Barrel Cannons These barrels are common and appear in nearly every level. They can shoot the Kongs over gaps or to other Barrel Cannons. Some may also move in a specific direction as first seen in Barrel Cannon Canyon.
A Blast Barrel from the Game Boy Color version of Donkey Kong Country Blast Barrels This is a type of Barrel Cannon that automatically fires the Kong when entered. Additionally, some Blast Barrels send the Kongs to a bonus room or near the end of the level.
Sprite of the Jumbo Barrel from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Jumbo Barrel The Jumbo Barrel can be entered in Funky's Flights, where it flies the Kongs to any place in Donkey Kong Island that they have visited.
A Blast Barrel from the Game Boy Color version of Donkey Kong Country Spin Barrel The Spin Barrel is found at Candy's Challenge, and serves as a warp to the challenge itself.
Triggerable barrels
Image Name Description
Sprite of a Star Barrel from Donkey Kong Country for the Game Boy Color. Continue Barrels A Continue Barrel is a checkpoint in the middle of every level, except boss levels. If both Kongs are defeated anytime after breaking the Continue Barrel and restart the level, they continue from where it was activated.
Tiles of a Roulette Barrel from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Tiles of a Roulette Barrel from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Tiles of a Roulette Barrel in Candy's Challenge from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Roulette Barrels Appearing in certain Bonus Levels, Roulette Barrels float in the air in groups. Depending on the challenge, they may switch between displaying different items which stop when touched, and as such need matched (or in some cases spell the word "KONG"), or they may switch an Extra Life Balloon around in a shell game-type manner where the final location must be guessed.
Sprite/tiles of a Stop Barrel from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Sprite/tiles of a Go Barrel from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Stop & Go Barrels These barrels appear only in Stop & Go Station, where they are used to control the Rock Krocs' movements. By default the barrels are on the "Go", and the level has a green lighting. The Rock Krocs are active while the barrels have the "Go" setting. If the Kongs jump at a Stop & Go Barrel, every barrel changes to the "Stop" setting for a few seconds, causing the Rock Krocs to stop moving temporarily and the lighting to turn red.
Tiles of an on ON/OFF Barrel from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Tiles of an off ON/OFF Barrel from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color ON/OFF Barrels ON/OFF Barrels only appear in Loopy Lights and act almost like Stop & Go Barrels, except they affect the lights in the level. While the barrels are set to "OFF", the lights in the level are off. The Kongs must jump at an ON/OFF Barrel to change the setting to "ON", allowing them to see ahead.
Sprite of a one-spot fuel canister from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Sprite of a two-spot fuel canister from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Sprite of a four-spot fuel canister from Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Color Fuel canisters Fuel canisters only appear in the level, Tanked Up Trouble, as a fuel supply for the platforms that the Kongs ride. Donkey Kong and Diddy are required to jump at every fuel canister along the way because the platform quickly runs out of fuel. If the platform runs out of fuel, if falls off the tracks, and the Kongs lose a life.

Supporting locations[edit]

During their adventure, Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong are assisted by three other members of the Kong Family who operate their own location in every world.

Name Description
Cranky's Cabin
Cranky's Cabin
This area is ran by Cranky Kong, who gives random level hints while rambling about how the 8-bit era was better than the 16-bit era.
Funky's Flights
Funky's Flights
In this special area, the Kongs can meet Funky Kong and use his Jumbo Barrel to travel to any unlocked world.
Candy's Challenge
Candy's Challenge
The area is operated by Candy Kong, and the Kongs must go through a Bonus Level and collect a golden coin.

Levels[edit]

Like Super Mario World, Donkey Kong Country's levels and worlds are accessed from a world map. The main overworld is Donkey Kong Island, where the Kongs can travel between the worlds they have visited. Every world has a progression system where the Kongs must complete a level to unlock the next and so forth until reaching the boss level at the end. Every world has five to six levels. After the Kongs complete the boss level, they unlock the next world. The Kongs can return to the main Donkey Kong Island map by either defeating the world boss or by renting Funky's Jumbo Barrel.

A head of either Donkey Kong or Diddy Kong appear on the location of every world and level that either Kong has completed. A Kritter head appears only on the next level or world that the Kongs have not yet completed. In the Super Nintendo version, there is a glitch in single player mode where if Diddy completes a level and then Donkey Kong completes it afterward, his head does not appear on that level.

Most levels have Bonus Levels in them, two or three on average. They allow the Kongs to collect items and prizes. While it is optional for the Kongs to enter the Bonus Levels, entering every Bonus Level is required for 101% completion. Unlike the Super Mario series, the Kongs are not required to traverse a whole level to reach the end boss.

Levels and Bonus Areas
Kongo Jungle
# Level Bonus Areas Type of level Music theme
1 Jungle Hijinxs 2 Jungle DK Island Swing
2 Ropey Rampage 2 Jungle DK Island Swing
3 Reptile Rumble 3 Cave Cave Dweller Concert
4 Coral Capers 0 Underwater Aquatic Ambiance
5 Barrel Cannon Canyon 2 Jungle DK Island Swing
6 BOSS LEVEL: Very Gnawty's Lair 0 Boss arena Bad Boss Boogie
Monkey Mines
# Level Bonus Areas Type of level Music theme
7 Winky's Walkway 1 Walkway Life in the Mines
8 Mine Cart Carnage 0 Minecart/Mineshaft Mine Cart Madness
9 Bouncy Bonanza 2 Cave Cave Dweller Concert
10 Stop & Go Station 2 Mineshaft Mine Cart Madness
11 Millstone Mayhem 3 Ruins Voices of the Temple
12 BOSS LEVEL: Necky's Nuts 0 Boss arena Bad Boss Boogie
Vine Valley
# Level Bonus Areas Type of level Music theme
13 Vulture Culture 3 Forest Forest
14 Tree Top Town 2 Treetops Treetop Rock
15 Forest Frenzy 2 Forest Forest
16 Temple Tempest 2 Ruins Voices of the Temple
17 Orang-utan Gang 5 Jungle DK Island Swing
18 Clam City 0 Underwater Aquatic Ambiance
19 BOSS LEVEL: Bumble B. Rumble 0 Boss arena Bad Boss Boogie
Gorilla Glacier
# Level Bonus Areas Type of level Music theme
20 Snow Barrel Blast 3 Snow Ice Cave Chant
21 Slipslide Ride 3 Ice cave Kremlantis
22 Ice Age Alley 2 Snow Ice Cave Chant
23 Croctopus Chase 0 Underwater Aquatic Ambiance
24 Torchlight Trouble 2 Cave Cave Dweller Concert
25 Rope Bridge Rumble 2 Treetops Treetop Rock
26 BOSS LEVEL: Really Gnawty Rampage 0 Boss arena Bad Boss Boogie
Kremkroc Industries
# Level Bonus Areas Type of level Music theme
27 Oil Drum Alley 4 Factory Fear Factory
28 Trick Track Trek 3 Walkway Life in the Mines
29 Elevator Antics 3 Cave Cave Dweller Concert
30 Poison Pond 0 Underwater Aquatic Ambiance
31 Mine Cart Madness 3 Minecart/Walkway Mine Cart Madness
32 Blackout Basement 2 Factory Fear Factory
33 BOSS LEVEL: Boss Dumb Drum 0 Boss arena Bad Boss Boogie
Chimp Caverns
# Level Bonus Areas Type of level Music theme
34 Tanked Up Trouble 1 Walkway Life in the Mines
35 Manic Mincers 2 Cave Cave Dweller Concert
36 Misty Mine 2 Mineshaft Mine Cart Madness
37 Necky Nutmare 1 Cave Cave Dweller Concert
38 Loopy Lights 2 Mineshaft Mine Cart Madness
39 Platform Perils 2 Walkway Life in the Mines
40 BOSS LEVEL: Necky's Revenge 0 Boss arena Bad Boss Boogie
Gang-Plank Galleon
# Level Bonus Areas Type of level Music theme
41 BOSS LEVEL: Gang-Plank Galleon 0 Ship Gang-Plank Galleon

Bonus games[edit]

Crosshair Cranky Barrel O' Kremlings
Funky Fishing in the Game Boy Color version of Donkey Kong Country.

The remake features two bonus games, which can be played single-player or two-player.

Crosshair Cranky[edit]

Crosshair Cranky is a shooting game where the players need to hit Kremlings with coconuts.

Funky's Fishing[edit]

Funky's Fishing (or just Funky Fishing) is a minigame where players compete to catch fish while avoiding reeling in garbage. They can also use the fish to try sinking each other's boats.

Differences from original[edit]

Diddy Kong in Necky Nutmare, a level exclusive to the Game Boy Color remake
  • The GBC version prompts the player to select a language before going to the title screen; in the SNES version the language select menu is found in the file select. Also unlike the SNES version, all of the text will be in the selected language instead of having menus still in English.
  • There are three different title screens.
  • There is no two-player option for adventure mode.
  • The mode selection menu is reminiscent of Donkey Kong 64's.
  • Much like the Donkey Kong Land games, only one Kong appears at time. A DK Barrel icon is shown if both Kongs are in a group.
  • In the German version, many levels' names were changed to ones that more closely resemble their English names.
  • DK Sticker Packs are newly collectible photographs hidden in a level of each world. They are viewable from the Sticker Book, and can even be printed from the Game Boy Printer.
  • Due to the graphical limitations, the stormy weather effects in the levels Ropey Rampage and Snow Barrel Blast are not present in this version. Also, the misty effect in Misty Mine is portrayed as a slow-pulsing lightening of the screen.
  • The light in Torchlight Trouble does not have a beam of light, but rather lights up the whole screen.
  • The level Winky's Walkway has been extended with some more enemies and a different layout.
  • Millstones are much smaller, and the Gnawties don't sit in the center hole, but rather on top of the millstone.
  • A new level called Necky Nutmare has been added in Chimp Caverns.
  • The Kongs do not ride the Animal Friends; rather, they transform into them when jumping on the animal crate. If an Animal Friend comes in contact with an enemy, it reverts to Donkey Kong or Diddy Kong, who cannot transform back into the Animal Friend unless they find another animal crate.
  • The Kongs do not travel between levels on the world map along dots in a straight line, but rather following paths, similar to Donkey Kong Land.
  • Two mini-games have been added: Funky hosts a fishing game known as Funky's Fishing (which would be later reprised in the GBA remake) and Cranky hosts a shooting game called Crosshair Cranky.
  • Two additional difficulties have been added: the first one removes DK Barrels and the other removes Star Barrels. After beating the game in the normal difficulty, the player has to replay the game with each new difficulty in the same file to achieve 101% completion.
  • Most of the music and sound effects were taken from Donkey Kong Land or downgraded for Game Boy Color. Most notably:
    • "Forest Frenzy" is an entirely new composition in this game.
    • "Misty Menace" was removed, with "Minecart Madness" being used in its place for the levels that used the theme.
    • Snow Barrel Blast and Ice Age Alley use "Ice Cave Chant", while Slipslide Ride uses the Kremlantis theme from Donkey Kong Land. "Northern Hemispheres" was removed.
    • DK's Tree House uses the Donkey Kong Land title screen theme.
    • The "bonus level loss" theme is similar to the ones used in Donkey Kong Country 2 and 3.
  • The warping Blast Barrel in Mine Cart Carnage was removed.
  • The game saves automatically after completing a level. As a result, Candy's Save Point was replaced by Candy's Challenge where Donkey Kong or Diddy must complete a challenge in each world.
  • The staff credits shows various screenshots instead of taking place in DK's Treehouse. The cast of characters no longer appears in the game.

Glitches[edit]

Main article: List of Donkey Kong Country glitches

Quotes[edit]

Main article: List of Donkey Kong Country quotes

Reception[edit]

The Game Boy Color remake was praised for taking a graphically-impressive title and putting it to the platform in a complete and technically competent form, in contrast to other unsuccessful attempts at directly porting or remaking home console games for handhelds.

Reviews
Release Reviewer, Publication Score Comment
Game Boy Color Frank Provo, Gamespot 9.1/10 "Donkey Kong Country is one of the most playable and replayable Game Boy Color games ever created. Despite being a little rough around the edges, Donkey Kong Country once again proves that stereotypes and misconceptions can be broken. The quality of a game doesn't rest with what system it's on, but with those who make it. As such, Donkey Kong Country may be on the Game Boy Color, but it's still as impressive and pertinent as it was in 1994 on the Super Nintendo."
Aggregators
Compiler Platform / Score
GameRankings 90.38%

References to other games[edit]

  • Donkey Kong 64: The Select Screen is a digitized version of the Donkey Kong 64 one.

Staff[edit]

Main article: List of Donkey Kong Country staff#Game Boy Color version

Gallery[edit]

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Donkey Kong Country.

Media[edit]

For a complete list of media for this subject, see List of Donkey Kong Country media.
Audio.svg Theme
File infoMedia:DKC GBC Theme.oga
Help:MediaHaving trouble playing?

List of pre-release and unused content[edit]

It has been requested that more images be uploaded for this article. Remove this notice only after the additional image(s) have been added. Reason: Mode selection and early victory animation

On September 9, 2020, a Game Boy Color prototype for Donkey Kong Country leaked to the internet.[2] The file is timestamped July 17, 2000, four months before the retail release of the Game Boy Color version. The prototype has several differences from the retail version.

Differences[edit]

  • Only the Adventure and Option modes are accessible, suggesting that the Link-Up and Bonus modes were not yet or in the process of being implemented.
  • Like the original Super Nintendo version, accessing every bonus room in a level adds an exclamation mark after the level's name. In the retail Game Boy Color version, the level name is highlighted red instead.
  • Diddy's victory animation involves him throwing his cap up once rather than repeatedly.
  • In the prototype build, Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong can roll through crawlspaces. This was fixed in the retail version.
  • Candy's Challenge is inaccessible.
  • In Very Gnawty's Lair, Very Gnawty's starting position is closer to the Kongs than in the retail version.
  • The moment that Very Gnawty is defeated, the Giant Banana and Kongs' victory animation is shown. In the retail version, this is only shown once Very Gnawty pants repeatedly and faints. After this, the game resets.
    • Even after resetting the game and reopening the game, Monkey Mines is inaccessible, but like the retail version, once Kongo Jungle is completed, Gangplank Galleon is shown from a distant view on the world map, and Kongo Jungle is marked by a Kong head instead of a Kremling head.
The notice displayed when Donkey Kong Country's Game Boy Color prototype is booted in Game Boy mode
Prototype
The notice displayed when Donkey Kong Country is booted in Game Boy mode
Final

The message that is shown when booting the game in Game Boy mode is longer in the prototype than in the final version.

The options menu for Donkey Kong Country's Game Boy Color prototype
Prototype
The options menu for Donkey Kong Country's Game Boy Color remake
Final

The prototype version has a Title option in the Options menu. Selecting it changes the option to Title 2, 3, 4, and lastly 5 before switching back to Title 1.

The location of Jungle Hijinxs' Sticker Pad in the prototype of Donkey Kong Country's Game Boy Color remake
Prototype
The DK Sticker Pack location in Jungle Hijinxs in the Game Boy Color port of Donkey Kong Country.
Final

The sprite for a DK Sticker Pad is much smaller in the prototype. When either Kong collects a DK Sticker Pad, it is not added to the total, but instead floats up and offscreen.

Ropey Rampage's second bonus room in Donkey Kong Country's Game Boy Color prototype, in which the question marks are  not shown after the Red Balloon alternates between the barrels
Prototype
Ropey Rampage's second bonus room in Donkey Kong Country's Game Boy Color remake, after the Red Balloon has stopped moving between the barrels
Final

In a Stop the Barrel! minigame, after the prize stops alternating between the barrels, the red question mark sprites do not appear on-screen.

Gallery[edit]

Names in other languages[edit]

Language Name Meaning
Japanese ドンキーコング2001
Donkī Kongu 2001
Donkey Kong 2001

German Donkey Kong Country
-

References[edit]

External links[edit]