Croctopus

A Croctopus (plural Croctopuses or Croctopi, also spelled as croctopi or Croctupi ) is an octopus-like enemy found in the underwater levels of Donkey Kong Country. Their name is a portmanteau of crocodile and octopus. Croctopuses appear in blue and purple varieties, and their color scheme resembles the venomous.

Although Croctopuses do not appear in Donkey Kong Land, the game has a level featuring a similar enemy, Nemo.

Donkey Kong Country
In Donkey Kong Country, unlike most underwater enemies, Croctopuses are completely invincible, even from Enguarde the Swordfish, and should be avoided.

The purple variety appear throughout the level Coral Capers and late in Clam City, and they spin around in fixed patterns with all eight arms extended. Croctopuses are prominent in Croctopus Chase, which features their name in the title and their final overall level appearance. Croctopus Chase features the blue variety, who wait in a gap until Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong pass them, then it starts spinning and goes after the Kongs. When Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong reach the next gap, the Croctopus goes into the gap and stops chasing them. Oftentimes, another Croctopus starts to chase the Kongs.

The Game Boy Color version only has the purple variant, even in Croctopus Chase, where they have the behavior of blue Croctopuses.

In the Game Boy Advance version, there is a Funky's Fishing challenge in Monkey Mines where the Kongs have to catch 15 Croctopuses within the time limit. When introducing the mission, Funky uses the term "Croctopus" as a plural. In Croctopus Chase, Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong can obtain a photograph of Croctopus in a hidden room with two Croctopus.

Appearances in other media
Several Croctopuses appear in the German Donkey Kong Country comic. In one part of the comic, a Croctopus attacks the Kongs with its spinning arms, but is stopped by a Squidge who wants to attack the Kongs instead.

Trivia

 * An unused sprite of Croctopus exists in the original Donkey Kong Country. While its purpose is unknown, the sprite could possibly be one for when it is defeated.