Squawks

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Not to be confused with Quawks.
Squawks
Squawks DKCTF.png
Squawks in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Species Parrot
First appearance Donkey Kong Country (1994)
Latest appearance Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (spirit cameo) (2018)
“Squawks is the one animal that you cannot ride, but he is helpful nonetheless. You can find him in the darkest cave level. Once you release him, he will hold a flashlight that will help light your path. Because he is so essential to success in this darkened level, he's not too hard to find when you need him.”
Donkey Kong Country instruction booklet, page 25

Squawks is a green-feathered parrot and an Animal Friend who first appears in Donkey Kong Country. He frequently assists Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, and the other Kongs on their journeys. Squawks also has a related purple variant named Quawks, who appears in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest and Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!

History[edit]

Donkey Kong Country series[edit]

Donkey Kong Country[edit]

In Donkey Kong Country, Squawks only appears in one level, Torchlight Trouble. His Animal Crate appears at the start, and when Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong break it open, Squawks begins to follow the Kongs through the dark cavern. Squawks is about half the size of the Kongs, and he carries a bright lantern with his talons and uses it to light up the surrounding area, which enables Donkey Kong and Diddy to see a bit of the path ahead. Squawks is the only Animal Friend who cannot be mounted and to not have an associated animal token and its own corresponding area.

Early in Donkey Kong Country's development, Donkey Kong was meant to use a mining helmet in "dark levels", and is depicted wearing it in two pre-release promotional renders. The item was eventually scrapped and replaced with Squawks.[1]

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest[edit]

Squawks and the Kongs flying around the first Kannon of Bramble Scramble in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
Squawks carrying the Kongs in Bramble Scramble of Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest

In Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, Squawks not only has a much larger role, but he was also made larger, around the size of Diddy and Dixie Kong. Squawks no longer carries a lantern around, but he can instead carry the Kongs with his talons and fly them around. Squawks still retains a somewhat similar appearance as before, but he no longer carries around a lantern. Squawks can attack other enemies by spitting out an unlimited number of eggs. In some levels, the Kongs can ride Squawks after freeing him from his Animal Crate. In some other levels, the Kongs can directly transform into Squawks by jumping into an Animal Barrel. In both cases, the player can control Squawks until he passes the No Animal Sign. Squawks can fly around faster when transformed into, because he is not slowed by carrying the weight of the Kongs. Squawks does not fly away if he gets hit by an enemy or obstacle, but instead drops a Kong from his talons. He first appears in the level Squawks's Shaft, which also features his name in the title. Squawks also fights King Zing at the end of Krazy Kremland, in the boss level King Zing Sting, and Squawks is the first Animal Friend in the Donkey Kong Country series required to fight a boss, let alone fight one. In the second half of Screech's Sprint, Squawks races Kaptain K. Rool's pet bird, Screech.

In one of the quizzes of Swanky's Bonus Bonanza, the player can guess "Squawks," "Squeaks," and "Flapper" when determining Squawks's name.

Level appearances

Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble![edit]

Springin' Spiders
Squawks in the Springin' Spiders level of Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!

Squawks makes his fourth appearance in Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, where he is unchanged from his previous appearance in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest. However, Squawks is less common because he only appears in five levels, and two of them are only within a Bonus Level: Springin' Spiders, Low-G Labyrinth's second Bonus Level, Pot Hole Panic, Stampede Sprint's second Bonus Level, and lastly Swoopy Salvo.

Donkey Kong Country Returns / Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D[edit]

Artwork of Squawks the Parrot from Donkey Kong Country Returns
Squawks' updated design in Donkey Kong Country Returns

In Donkey Kong Country Returns and its Nintendo 3DS version, Squawks is sold for 15 Banana Coins (five Banana Coins in the Nintendo 3DS version's New Mode) at Cranky Kong's Shop. When purchased, Squawks appears at the bottom-left corner of the screen in a level. He assists the player in locating undiscovered Puzzle Pieces throughout that level. Squawks yells whenever an undiscovered Puzzle Piece is nearby. Squawks can also find switches in the Factory world, which are needed to open the path to Feather Fiend. The Kongs use Squawks an unlimited number of times if they can afford it. Additionally, while scrolling through the island map, the player can see Squawks circling around whatever world they are currently hovering over. Starting with this game, Squawks has two backwards-pointing toes just like a real parrot, whereas in previously-released games he was portrayed with only one.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze[edit]

Squawks returns in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze and its Nintendo Switch port with the same purpose as in Donkey Kong Country Returns. He can be purchased from Funky's Fly 'n' Buy for 10 Banana Coins (5 in Funky Mode in the Nintendo Switch port).

Donkey Kong Country: Rumble in the Jungle[edit]

Illustration from page 25 of Donkey Kong Country: Rumble in the Jungle, showing Donkey Kong, Cranky Kong, Diddy Kong and Squawks the Parrot.
Squawks the Parrot with his flashlight in Donkey Kong Country: Rumble in the Jungle.

In the 1995 novel Donkey Kong Country: Rumble in the Jungle, Squawks the Parrot makes an appearance within the interconnecting caves of several snow-capped mountains. Donkey, Diddy and Cranky Kong become trapped in the darkness of a large cave after an avalanche, while on their way to Big Ape City. Donkey Kong has the idea to call Squawks for help by crying out at the top of his lungs. Several minutes later, Squawks appears carrying a flashlight, and he agrees to show the Kongs the quickest route through the mountain. Squawks brings them to the cave exit which is closest to Big Ape City. After the Kongs thank Squawks, he returns to the caves and the Kongs proceed to the city.

Club Nintendo[edit]

Donkey Kong Country[edit]

Squawks meets the Kongs in "Donkey Kong Country".

Squawks appears in the second part of the Club Nintendo comic "Donkey Kong Country" as an ally of Donkey and Diddy Kong. He is given to them by Candy Kong at her Save Point, and he brings them to a cave. Inside, the Kongs get attacked by a Kritter. With the help of Squawks, who uses his torch to project DK’s shadow onto the wall, the Kongs scare the enemy away. After this event, Diddy and DK leave Squawks and proceed.

Donkey Kong in: Banana Day 24[edit]

In "Donkey Kong in: Banana Day 24", a comic published in the same magazine, Squawks is seen conducting an "automatic parrot wake-up service" to get the Kongs off their palms in the morning. He uses a microphone and speakers to tell a joke. Diddy calls Squawks a "dumb parrot" and claims that he is telling the same joke every morning.

Donkey Kong Land series[edit]

The sprite both Squawks the Parrot and Quawks share in the Game Boy game, Donkey Kong Land 2, and separately Squawks uses in Donkey Kong Land III. Squawks in Donkey Kong GB: Dinky Kong & Dixie Kong
Squawks's sprite in Donkey Kong Land 2 (left) and Donkey Kong GB: Dinky Kong & Dixie Kong (right)

Squawks appears in the last two installments of the Donkey Kong Land series: Donkey Kong Land 2 and Donkey Kong Land III, based on his appearances in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest and Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! respectively. In both games, Squawks can only be transformed into from entering a Squawks Barrel, as neither game allows the Kongs to ride any Animal Friends cannot ride Squawks due to Animal Crates being removed. Squawks and Quawks have the same sprite due to the Game Boy's monochromatic screen.

In Donkey Kong Land 2, Squawks only appears in five levels, one of them being exclusively in a Bonus Level: Squawks's Shaft, Bramble Blast's second Bonus Level, Bramble Scramble, Toxic Tower, and lastly Screech's Sprint. In Donkey Kong Land III, Squawks appears in seven levels, one of them similarly being only in a Bonus Level: Minky Mischief, Miller Instinct, Redwood Rampage, Ugly Ducting, Kuchuka Karnage's second Bonus Level, Rainforest Rumble, and lastly Ghoulish Grotto.

Donkey Kong 64[edit]

Squawks the Parrot in Donkey Kong 64
Squawks in Donkey Kong 64

In Donkey Kong 64, Squawks first appears in the opening cutscene, where he informs Donkey Kong that his Golden Bananas were stolen by King K. Rool. During the adventure, Squawks has various roles: he provides instructions to the Kongs at different parts of their journey. Squawks also carries a lantern in some subterranean locations, a role taken from Donkey Kong Country. This is the first game where Squawks talks, and he opens most of his dialogue with "Squawk!" and ends them with "Bwark!". Some cutscenes show more than one Squawks. In DK Isles, if the Kongs play on some Music Pads, Squawks rewards them a Golden Banana. At Angry Aztec, when Tiny Kong shrinks to her Mini-Monkey size and plays on a Music Pad, Squawks shows up to carry her into a tower where she races the Beetle. In Fungi Forest, there are two more opportunities for Tiny to ride Squawks: first inside of a tree to get a seed and secondly to reach the top of a giant beanstalk. Unlike the Donkey Kong Country games, Squawks cannot carry any of the Kongs while they are at regular size.

Diddy Kong Racing DS[edit]

A Squawks has a very minor appearance in the opening cutscene for Diddy Kong Racing DS where it gives a letter to Diddy from Timber to inform him of Wizpig's invasion of Timber's Island.

Donkey Kong Barrel Blast[edit]

Squawks appears as a common red balloon item in Donkey Kong Barrel Blast. A racer can send out Squawks to target the racer in front of them. When Squawks makes his way to a player, he hovers around them for a short amount of time: the racer cannot use Wild Moves while this occurs. Squawks attacks the racer whenever they attempt a Wild Move, causing them to lose ten bananas. Squawks has a longer attack duration if he is summoned by a Kong instead of a Kremling.

Super Smash Bros. series[edit]

Squawks only appears in two Super Smash Bros. games, both in the form of an item. In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, Squawks appears as a trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, and in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, he is an Advanced support spirit, which removes fog or poisonous clouds from certain spirit battles.

Super Mario Odyssey[edit]

Squawks the Parrot reference seen in New Donk City, in Super Mario Odyssey.
Squawks Park Street

In Super Mario Odyssey, one of the roads in New Donk City is called "Squawks Park Street".

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle[edit]

In the Donkey Kong Adventure story of Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, one of Donkey Kong's Bwananarang weapons, the Law of the Macaw, is designed after the appearance of Squawks the Parrot. The weapon's description jokingly states that "enemies are about to learn a serious lesson courtesy of the school of hard Squawks".

Other appearances[edit]

According to Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars monster designer Kazuyuki Kurashima, the parrot on Valentina's head is a homage to Squawks.[2]

Squawks makes a cameo appearance in Picross NP Vol. 8 as one of the images that must be cleared.

Profiles and statistics[edit]

Donkey Kong Country series[edit]

Donkey Kong Country[edit]

  • Instruction booklet bio: Squawks is the one animal that you cannot ride, but he is helpful nonetheless. You can find him in the darkest cave level. Once you release him, he will hold a flashlight that will help light your path. Because he is so essential to success in this darkened level, he's not too hard to find when you need him.

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest[edit]

  • Instruction booklet bio: Squawks's role in Diddy's new adventure is much more important. Rather than just carrying a flashlight, he can now lift both Diddy and Dixie for high-flying adventures. Squawks can also spit eggs at enemies if you press the Y Button button.

Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble![edit]

  • Instruction booklet bio: He can fly, but he's no lightweight! The egg-spitting Squawks returns from previous adventures to lift Dixie Kong and Kiddy Kong to higher ground! Squawks has relatives who can pick up barrels with their claws and bomb the baddies below.

Donkey Kong Country Returns[edit]

  • Instruction booklet bio: Squawks will help you locate Puzzle Pieces.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze[edit]

  • Wii U electronic manual bio: Alerts you when a puzzle piece is nearby by squawking. You can take one Squawks with you for each level.
  • Official Facebook page of Nintendo Australia and New Zealand:
    The best thing about Squawks is he can help you find even the most deviously hidden puzzle pieces in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze.
    He would certainly come in handy when you can't find your keys in the morning…
    [3]

Donkey Kong Land 2[edit]

  • Virtual Console electronic manual bio: Press A Button to fly. Press B Button to fire eggs at enemies.

Donkey Kong Barrel Blast[edit]

  • Instruction booklet bio: Hops on the opponent in front of you and prevents them from using Wild Moves. (Boost: The effect will last longer.)

Super Smash Bros series[edit]

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS[edit]

Trophy
Squawks
SquawksTrophy3DS.png
Category: Series Related
How to unlock:
Random
Squawks has filled more roles than most animal friends. Remember when he carried a much-needed light through the caves? Or when he carried the Kongs over danger? Good times, good times... Lately Squawks has helped by letting you know when Puzzle Pieces are near. So helpful! (American English)
Whether lighting their way in the dark or carrying them through the air, Squawks the Parrot is a reliable ally of Donkey Kong and co. Lately, he's taken to sitting on branches and letting his friends know when there are puzzle pieces nearby. Quite the little helper! (British English)

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate spirit[edit]

# Name Image Series / game Type Class Strength / effect(s) How to obtain Spirit battle
Opponent(s) Battle conditions Stage Song
152 Squawks Artwork of Squawks the Parrot from Donkey Kong Country Returns Donkey Kong Series Support (2) Advanced Fog Immunity World of Light (Light Realm); Spirit Board Duck Hunt Rule: Fog
  • The stage is covered in fog
  • Timed battle
The Great Cave Offensive Ice Cave Chant

List of appearances[edit]

Title Description Release date System/format
Donkey Kong Country Non-playable character 1994 SNES
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest Playable character 1995 SNES
Donkey Kong Land 2 Playable character 1996 Game Boy
Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! Playable character 1996 SNES
Donkey Kong Land III Playable character 1997 Game Boy
Donkey Kong 64 Non-playable character 1999 Nintendo 64
Picross NP Vol. 8 Cameo 2000 Super Nintendo
Donkey Kong Country Non-playable character 2000 Game Boy Color
Donkey Kong Country Non-playable character 2003 Game Boy Advance
Donkey Kong Country 2 Playable character 2004 Game Boy Advance
Donkey Kong Country 3 Playable character 2005 Game Boy Advance
Diddy Kong Racing DS Non-playable character 2007 Nintendo DS
Donkey Kong Barrel Blast Item 2007 Wii
Donkey Kong Country Returns Item 2010 Wii
Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D Item 2013 Nintendo 3DS
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Item 2014 Wii U
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS Cameo as a trophy 2014 Nintendo 3DS
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Item 2018 Nintendo Switch
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle (Donkey Kong Adventure DLC) Cameo as a weapon 2018 Nintendo Switch
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Cameo as a spirit 2018 Nintendo Switch

Gallery[edit]

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Squawks.

Names in other languages[edit]

Language Name Meaning
Japanese オウムのスコークス[4]
Ōmu no Sukōkusu
Squawks the Parrot; from the onomatopoeia "squawk" (a bird's call)

Chinese (simplified) 斯克库斯
Sīkèkùsī
Squawks

Chinese (traditional) 斯克庫斯
Sīkèkùsī
Squawks

French Squawks le perroquet[5]
Squawks the parrot
German Squawks der Papagei
Squawks the Parrot
Italian Squawks il pappagallo (before Donkey Kong Country 2)
Pagal il pappagallo
Squawks the parrot
Pagal the parrot; from "pappagallo" (parrot)
Portuguese Squawks
-
Russian Чик
Chik
From onomatopoeia "чик-чирик" (chik-chirik, a bird's call)

Spanish Squawks el Loro
Squawks the Parrot

References[edit]

  1. ^ playtonicalMark (July 5, 2015). @playtonicalMark @wildvine47 @NujaviBardales @BringBackKRool @WinkySteve originally intended as the torch light for dark levels. Was replaced with Squawks. Twitter. Retrieved July 6, 2015. (Archived November 12, 2015, 18:03:07 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
  2. ^ @kurashimakaz (June 23, 2023). "This is a homage." Twitter. Retrieved June 23, 2023. (Archived June 23, 2023, 08:44:03 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
  3. ^ NintendoAUNZ (March 18, 2014). Facebook. Retrieved October 8, 2014. (Archived October 8, 2023, 21:42:41 UTC via archive.today.)
  4. ^ All the characters named on the Japanese website for the Game Boy Advance version of Donkey Kong Country 3. Retrieved January 31, 2014. (Archived November 24, 2005, 19:36:41 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
  5. ^ [1]