Rocket Barrel

The Rocket Barrel is a special barrel that allows the Kongs to fly through the air.

Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!
In Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! a Rocket Barrel is used throughout the final level, Rocket Rush. Here, Dixie Kong and Kiddy Kong must use the Rocket Barrel to slowly descend the cliffside. The Rocket Barrel runs on limited fuel, and a meter is displayed on the right side of the screen show the amount of fuel remaining. The fuel supply can only be replenished by Fuel Drums. In the Game Boy Advance version, the fuel meter was expanded and made more visible: the red represents how much fuel was used while green represents the amount remaining.

The Rocket Barrel slowly descends in the level, and the Kongs can move the Rocket Barrel either left or right, and the player can press to release exhaust fuel from the Rocket Barrel, though doing so causes it to run out of fuel faster. At the end of the level, the Kongs hit into an Ignition Barrel, causing the Rocket Barrel to rapidly blast upward. During this part, the player must control the Rocket Barrel through the small gaps of the cliffside. If the Rocket Barrel hits into any of the walls, it runs out of fuel much faster. Dixie and Kiddy eventually reach the landing platform, where they get out of the Rocket Barrel and finish the level.

In the Super Nintendo Entertainment System version, the Rocket Barrel can defeat both green and red Buzzes. In the Game Boy Advance version, the player can only defeat green Buzzes by pressing left or right on the or  to use exhaust near them. The red Buzzes are unaffected by the Rocket Barrel entirely and must only be avoided by the Kongs. If the Rocket Barrel hits into either type of Buzz, the player loses a Kong.

A similar type of barrel, the Booster Barrels, appear in the level Rocket Barrel Ride.

Donkey Kong Country Returns
The Rocket Barrel reappears in Donkey Kong Country Returns where it is entirely redesigned with red-colored hoops and fins, and it no longer runs on Fuel Drums. Initially, the Rocket Barrel takes the shape of a Barrel Cannon, waiting in place for the Kongs to drop inside it. The player has to repeatedly press the button to power it up, after which it launches and brings the Kongs outward, gaining a rocket-like pointy top.

In side-scrolling levels, the player can hold the button to rise up, and let go of  to let the Rocket Barrel descend. Doing so is necessary to avoid obstacles and collect items. Like with the Mine Cart, if the Kongs crash into something, the Rocket Barrel explodes, and the Kongs will instantly lose a life. In the 3DS remake, the Rocket Barrel can take an extra hit if Donkey Kong purchases and equips a Crash Guard from Cranky Kong's Shop, though this extra hit will not respawn if he dies.

When using the Wii Remote alone, the button is used to ascend. In vertical-scrolling levels, the player can use to move left or right, and repeatedly press the  button to gain more speed. When using only the Wii Remote, is used to move left or right, and the  button is used to move faster. The Rocket Barrel usually appears in side-scrolling levels except for Lift-off Launch and the first part of Tiki Tong Terror prior to the final battle. There are two themes associated with the Rocket Barrel, titled "Mine Menace" and "Mole Patrol", which play in different levels. The latter has a variation, titled "Red Rockin'", which only plays in Tiki Tong Terror.

Levels

 * Peaceful Pier
 * Mole Patrol
 * Crowded Cavern
 * Gear Getaway
 * Lift-off Launch
 * Hot Rocket
 * Tiki Tong Terror (first part)

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
The Rocket Barrel also appears in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze and its Nintendo Switch port. It is mostly the same as in Donkey Kong Country Returns but can take up to two hits before exploding (three in the Nintendo Switch port's Funky Mode), which can once again be further extended by means of the returning Crash Guard. Likewise, the player can collect Hearts on the way to restore part of the vehicle's hit points. In Hard Mode, the Rocket Barrel explodes from taking one hit, just like in Donkey Kong Country Returns.

"Mine Menace" is once again utilized as the main music track in the Rocket Barrel stages, but this time the theme's instrument composition varies between each level.

Levels

 * Rodent Ruckus
 * Twilight Terror
 * Reckless Ride
 * Blurry Flurry
 * Rocket Rails

Donkey Kong Barrel Blast
In Donkey Kong Barrel Blast, a fleet of Rocket Barrels appear in the background in Cosmic Highway, where they attempt to fire homing missiles at the racers and slow them. The Rocket Barrels cannot be destroyed. During one section of the course, the racers enter a giant Rocket Barrel through one side and exit the other.

Other appearances
The Donkey Kong Country television series also features a rocket-like barrel referred to as the Barrel Rocket. In the episode "Barrel, Barrel... Who's Got the Barrel", it is used by Bluster Barrelworks to deliver barrels. In the later episode "To the Moon Baboon", the Rocket Barrel is used to transport several items to the moon as a time capsule.

In The Super Mario Bros. Movie, A pair of Rocket Barrels, as seen in Donkey Kong Country Returns and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, appears as part of Donkey Kong's Kart.

Names in other languages
Raketenfass