Rocket (Donkey Kong Country 3)
| Rocket | |
|---|---|
 Sprite of the rocket from Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! | |
| Appears in | Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! (1996) |
The rocket[1][2] is a barrel-shaped device that is used by Dixie Kong or Kiddy Kong to traverse through Rocket Rush, the penultimate level of Krematoa in Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! Once entered, the rocket slowly descends towards the bottom, with a limited fuel supply that is already shown to be halfway through, and can only be replenished with Fuel Barrels. The rocket can be moved either left or right to avoid obstacles; holding the 
button will slow down the descent even further by releasing exhaust fuel from the rocket, which in turn causes it to run out of fuel quicker. The rocket also loses fuel faster from hitting obstacles. The Ignition Barrel, approached at the bottom of the chasm halfway through the level, will cause the rocket to rapidly blast upward. The player characters eventually exit the rocket and enter the final area with the Level Flag.
The exhaust fuel can be used to defeat Buzzes in the level, which will be charred black when defeated in the Super Nintendo Entertainment System version. In the original SNES version, the rocket is immune to damage from bumping into Buzzes, and the bottom exhaust is automatically used if it lands and defeats a Buzz. However, if the rocket descends too quickly, it will break, resulting in an immediate loss of a life regardless of having both Kongs. When moving upwards, it bounces harmlessly if it runs into a wall or similar surface. In the Game Boy Advance remake, the rocket no longer breaks if it descends too quickly, but the rocket is prone to taking damage by touching any of the Buzzes, which results in a loss of a Kong, and only green Buzzes can be defeated from exhaust flames.
While the rocket itself made no further appearances, some of the barrel-like spaceships from the fleet in the Cosmic Highway race course of Donkey Kong: Barrel Blast resemble the rocket slightly. Donkey Kong Country Returns introduces the Rocket Barrel, another barrel-shaped rocket used for transport, but typically not vertically outside of two levels, does not require additional fuel, and is destroyed instantly if it runs straight-on into a wall.
Gallery[edit]
Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! sprite (unmanned)
Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! sprite (manned)
Donkey Kong Country 3 (Game Boy Advance) sprite (manned)
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ロケット[3] Roketto |
Rocket |
References[edit]
- ^ Munson, Terry, and Paul Shinoda (1996). Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! Player's Guide. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 116-117.
- ^ Tilden, Gail, et al. (January 1997). Nintendo Power Volume 92. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 71.
- ^ Takashi Watanabe (Camel Clutch), Kiko Oketani (Kinokiri), Yūgo Nagasawa, Kō Nakahara (Shogakukan); editors (January 10, 1997). 「スーパードンキーコング3 謎のクレミス島任天堂公式ガイドブック」(Super Donkey Kong 3: Nazo no Kremis Tō Nintendo Kōshiki Guidebook). Shogakukan (Japanese). ISBN 4-09-102570-6. Page 116-117.
