Rambi

Rambi the Rhino is an Animal Friend in the Donkey Kong franchise who first appears in Donkey Kong Country. Rambi can often be found in Animal Crates, and he can be used to ram enemies or smash barriers blocking the entrances to Bonus Levels with his horn.

Donkey Kong Country
In the original Donkey Kong Country for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Rambi debuted as the first Animal Friend found by DK and Diddy.

Levels:
 * Jungle Hijinxs
 * Oil Drum Alley
 * Manic Mincers

Donkey Kong Land
Along with Expresso, Rambi is only one of two Animal Friends to appear in Donkey Kong Land for the Game Boy; he has no significant changes in appearance or gameplay.

Levels:
 * Jungle Jaunt
 * Tricky Temple
 * Pot Hole Panic
 * Mountain Mayhem

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest / Donkey Kong Land 2
In Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest for Super Nintendo and Donkey Kong Land 2 for the Game Boy, Rambi aids Diddy Kong and Dixie Kong in their adventure to save Donkey Kong from Kaptain K. Rool, and is given the ability to perform a Supercharge, which can be used to smash through doors and walls to uncover hidden bonuses. He's also capable of jumping on enemies that the Kongs themselves can't safely jump on; namely, the Zingers.

When asked what Rambi's name is in Swanky's Bonus Bonanza, the choices are "Bambam," "Rambi," and "Rambus."

Levels: Rambi appears in both versions unless otherwise noted.
 * Pirate Panic (DKC2)
 * Gangplank Galley (DKL2)
 * Red-Hot Ride (DKC2) / Redhot Ride (DKL2)
 * Barrel Bayou
 * Rambi Rumble
 * Castle Crush (DKC2)
 * Animal Antics

Donkey Kong 64
After being absent in Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, Rambi reappears here but can only be played if Donkey Kong jumps into an Animal Crate with Rambi's face on it; Rambi is also usable in a minigame unlocked after taking pictures of a certain number of Banana Fairies.

In the instruction manual, Cranky Kong references Rambi with, "I just hope they've included poor old Winky and Expresso this time instead of that bone-brained rhino that always seems to get in the games."

Levels:
 * Jungle Japes
 * Hideout Helm

Donkey Kong Barrel Blast
Rambi increases the players' speed and can charge through barrels and boulders; the Kongs and Kremlings can ride Rambi after releasing him from an Animal Crate.

Levels:
 * Dynamite Run

Donkey Kong Country Returns / Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D
Rambi reappears in Donkey Kong Country Returns and Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D as one of the only two Animal Buddies from the previous three games to return (the other one being Squawks the Parrot). He appears again to aid the Kongs in their quest to defeat the Tiki Tak Tribe. This is the second time in the series after Donkey Kong Land 2 that Rambi does not debut in the first level; instead, he debuts in the third level, and the first time in a console game. He has the same abilities as in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, but can also destroy blocks with the emblem of his face, and spikes. Also, if the Kongs fall off him, he will destroy all the enemies in his way, unlike the past games. Diddy Kong can not use his jetpack very well when riding Rambi. Also, Rambi cannot defeat enemies that are imbued in flames, such as the Flaming Tiki Buzzes and Flaming Tiki Zings.

Levels:
 * Tree Top Bop
 * Temple Topple
 * Precarious Plateau
 * Smokey Peak

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Rambi returns in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, having the same function as Donkey Kong Country Returns. In addition to being able to use Diddy’s Jetpack once more, he’s also able to use Dixie’s Ponytail Twirl and Cranky’s Cane Bounce. Exclusively in the Nintendo Switch version, he’s also able to use Funky’s Double Jump, which like Cranky’s Cane Bounce, is not affected by his weight. He is again only vulnerable to fiery creatures, such as Blue Hootz. Like in the original Donkey Kong Country, he only appears in three levels.

Levels:
 * Mountain Mania
 * Frantic Fields
 * Meltdown Mayhem

Mario Kart DS
Rambi makes a cameo appearance in the Nintendo DS game Mario Kart DS, where a kart called the Rambi Rider appears as one of Donkey Kong's main karts.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl
In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Rambi makes a cameo appearance as a trophy and sticker. However, he doesn't physically appear in the game itself.

Donkey Kong in: Banana Day 24
In the Club Nintendo comic Donkey Kong in: Banana Day 24, Donkey Kong is briefly seen riding Rambi to an airport.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
In the Donkey Kong Adventure story of Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, one of Rabbid Peach's Blaster weapons, the Horn-Nosed Needler, is based on Rambi's appearance. The weapon's description mentions it as officially licensed Rambi merchandise.

Donkey Kong Country

 * Instruction Booklet: "Rambi always likes to go full speed ahead. If you press and the Button, Rambi will take off and run over everything in his path. Just make sure that you keep your eyes open for pits and cliffs. Rambi is a powerful animal and can break his way into most secret doors."

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest

 * Instruction booklet bio: "This powerful rhinoceros loves to charge. Press and hold Button to make him run, using his horn to butt everything out of his path."

Trivia

 * The name "Rambi" is a combination of ram ("to break down") and bambi ("child").
 * Although Rambi never appeared in the animated series, he was featured in a commercial for the Game Boy Color port of the original Donkey Kong Country video game that featured Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, General Klump, and Krusha in their designs from the show's second season, with Rambi presented in a very similar style.
 * Rambi was going to be a ridable Animal Friend in the now canceled game Donkey Kong Racing for the Nintendo GameCube. Early screenshots of this game also showed that other Rambis, some gigantic in size and some extremely small, were going to be ridable.
 * Rambi may very well be a species as hinted by the Donkey Kong Racing trailer and Donkey Kong Country 2, because in the first level, it's possible to see two Rambis at once.
 * A street named after Rambi appears in New Donk City in Super Mario Odyssey.

Rambi