Professor Chops

"Who's that pig anyway? And why is he wearing glasses?"

- Cranky Kong

Professor Chops is a recurring character in the Donkey Kong Country series, where he teaches the player the controls and hosts the checkpoint booths, among other roles. He appears as a stout antropomorhic pig wearing large, round glasses.

Donkey Kong Country Returns / 3D
Professor Chops debuts in Donkey Kong Country Returns and Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D as the Tutorial Pig. As his name suggests, he gives the Kongs hints on how to perform certain actions, such as climbing vines, when they first encounter the obstacle. His main purpose in the game, however, is to mark the checkpoints in the game. When the Kongs pass one of the Tutorial Pig's checkpoints and lose a life afterwards, their Extra Life Balloon floats them back to that checkpoint. Also, if Donkey and Diddy Kong are having trouble on a certain level, Professor Chops can let them use Super Kong, who can then finish off the remaining parts of the level. Additionally, the pig appears during the Time Attack mode, where he is seen starting off the level while holding a green flag. When the Kongs finish running through the level, Professor Chops celebrates with a checkered flag which stops the timer.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Professor Chops returns in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze with almost all roles fulfilled in the previous game, including gameplay tutor, checkpoint marker, and Time Attack marshal. However, he no longer gives players the option to play as Super Kong after losing five lives in a level.

Several duplicates of Professor Chops appear in a hidden area of Mangrove Cove, tossing banana bunches at the Kongs, who must collect them all in order to obtain a Puzzle Piece. This is the only instance within the actual game to reveal that Professor Chops may be part of a group of antropomorphic pigs akin to him. Several concept artworks unlocked in the Extras further show that the factories inside Juicy Jungle were originally intended to be inhabited and operated by pigs like Professor Chops, and one artwork even depicts a -like town populated by such pigs.

A figurine of Professor Chops can be dispensed at random by the Capsule Toy Machine after the player beats all levels in Secret Seclusion.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U
A Professor Chops trophy appears in both Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. It can be unlocked by purchasing it in the Trophy Shop. The trophy lists him as "Tutorial Pig", his original name, but makes note of his more recent name in the description.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Professor Chops also appears in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as a Novice-class support spirit, which increases the fighter's stamina when used. In World of Light, the spirit is located in the south of the Light Realm, blocking the way to a treasure chest. To obtain the spirit, the player must fight and defeat a white Donkey Kong on the Kongo Falls stage. The color of Donkey Kong used for this spirit battle references the Super Kong guide from Donkey Kong Country Returns, which is provided in that game by Professor Chops.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U trophy
Blue indicates exclusive to the Wii U version.

Names in other languages
Professor Chops