Neek

Neeks are large, gray rats and enemies that first appear in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest. In each of their appearances, Neeks are one of the weakest enemies and can be defeated from any attack.

Behaviorally, Neeks act as the successor to Gnawtys from Donkey Kong Country. In Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, Neeks were succeeded by a different rat enemy, Sneek.

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
In their debut appearance, Neeks are among the weakest enemies, similar to Gnawty from the first Donkey Kong Country, and only move back and forth in an area. Diddy and Dixie can defeat a Neek, which includes throwing an object, such as a barrel, at them, jumping on them, or rolling into them. When the Kongs encounter a Neek, it makes a sound that is similar to a mouse's squeak. Neeks appear in every world, and they debut in the first level, Pirate Panic, as the first enemy encountered by the Kongs.

In the Game Over screen, a Neek appears in the lower-left corner, near Diddy's left leg.

Donkey Kong Land 2
Neeks reappear in Donkey Kong Land 2, where they have the same role as in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest. Like their debut appearance, Neeks are first encountered in the first level, Pirate Panic. A Neek still appears in the Game Over screen, which was reused from Donkey Kong Country 2.

DK: King of Swing / DK: Jungle Climber
Neeks appear in both DK: King of Swing and DK: Jungle Climber. They move around on the Peg Boards, and if Donkey Kong comes in contact with a Neek, he loses a heart of his health. In both games, Donkey Kong can defeat a Neek by charging into it.

Club Nintendo
In the Club Nintendo comic adaptation of Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, several Neeks appear to menace Diddy and Dixie Kong on the Gangplank Galleon. These Neeks are handily defeated by the Kongs, who simply jump on them. Later in the comic, a single Neek appears alongside various other monsters in K. Rool's Keep. In this comic, Neeks were portrayed as being capable of speaking, instead of simply making squeaking sounds.

Super Mario-Kun
A Neek makes a brief cameo in Volume 14 of Super Mario-Kun. The last part of the book has a series of comics based on Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, including a 'find the differences' activity between several enemies, including Neek.

Trivia

 * In early footage of Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, particularly the E3 1996 promotional trailer, Kiddy Kong is shown fighting Neeks rather than Sneeks in the levels Doorstop Dash, Kreeping Klasps, and Squeals on Wheels.