Enguarde

Enguarde the Swordfish is the Animal Buddy that has the most playable appearances in the Donkey Kong Country series. Squawks the Parrot has the same number of appearance as Enguarde, however, Squawks is not a playable character in the first Donkey Kong Country game (he merely holds a flashlight in one level).

Enguarde is the greatest swimmer of all the Kongs and Animal Buddies; and his pointed bill can be used to attack underwater enemies. However, he is useless on land.

In Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest and Donkey Kong Land 2, Enguarde can supercharge his attack. When released, he can use his bill to break through walls or defeat a line of enemies.

Enguarde is one of only three Animal Buddies who gets to fight a boss character. Enguarde fights Barbos the sea urchin during the events of Donkey Kong Country 3 and Donkey Kong Land 3.

Interestingly Enguarde is incapable of using his Supercharge attack in Donkey Kong Land 3.

Enguarde also appears in Donkey Kong 64. However, he is only available in one level, Gloomy Galleon, and can only be accessed by Lanky Kong.

Early screenshots of the now cancelled game Donkey Kong Racing showed that Enguarde was going to be one of the many ride-able Animal Buddies. Interestingly these screenshots also showed that other, differently colored swordfish were going to be ride-able; whether these swordfish were simply color swap Enguardes or entirely new characters is unknown.

Enguarde appears in Donkey Kong Barrel Blast as a rideable animal buddy, quite similar to how he would be featured in Donkey Kong Racing. He will be rideable in underwater levels once he is released from his crate.

Trivia

 * Enguarde gets his name from the French phrase used in fencing, "En garde".