Barrel
- This article is about the object. For the minigame in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, see Barrel (minigame).
- “My barrels! Who's going to pay for them?”
- —Bluster Kong, "To the Moon Baboon"
Barrels (also called Plain Barrels,[1] Wooden Barrels,[2] Normal Barrels,[3][4] or Regular Barrels[5][6]) in the Super Mario franchise are objects most commonly used as projectiles for attacking other characters. In their original appearance, Donkey Kong, barrels were used as such by the titular Donkey Kong against Mario, with the mechanic returning in Donkey Kong Country and subsequent games to aid Donkey Kong in defeating enemies. However, there are many exceptions from this mechanic, since in some games, barrels function as platforms or as simple item containers. Their physical appearance might change slightly between appearances, such as the number of hoops rimming the barrels, their tints and coloration, and their size.
Many variations of the normal barrel appear in the games, and a list where each of them is mentioned can be found below. Largely due to its iconic role in the original arcade game and its use in the Donkey Kong Country series, the barrel has often been associated with Donkey Kong in his appearances, much like bananas.
History[edit]
Donkey Kong franchise[edit]
Donkey Kong[edit]
Barrels in Donkey Kong are obstacles encountered only in the first level, 25m. The first obstacle faced by Mario is a blue barrel thrown by Donkey Kong. When blue barrels roll into the oil drum, they spawn Fireballs. If there are five Fireballs onscreen at the same time, Donkey Kong stops rolling blue barrels, and any remaining blue barrels do not create a Fireball unless Mario thins their number. Donkey Kong mostly rolls brown barrels at Mario which he can then jump over. By jumping over a barrel, Mario is granted 100 points. However, barrels can sometimes roll down ladders. Occasionally, Donkey Kong throws a brown barrel directly at Mario which goes through several girders. The very first blue barrel is also thrown like this but no other blue barrel behaves in this manner. By using a hammer, he can smash the barrels, awarding him 300 points for brown ones. Smashing blue barrels gives a random score of either 300, 500, or 800 points. If Mario comes in contact with a barrel, he loses a life.
Barrels in the Game & Watch version and its remakes within the Game & Watch Gallery series are thrown by Donkey Kong like before, but Mario cannot destroy them like before.
Barrels in the Game Boy version are nearly an exact imitation of their appearance in the original arcade game, meaning that barrels appear once again in the 25m stage. When Mario jumps over one, he is awarded 100 points, just like in the original game. Nevertheless, the player only earns 300 points upon destroying a barrel with a hammer, unlike in the arcade Donkey Kong. Later in the game, Donkey Kong still uses barrels as attacks occasionally. When a rolling barrel encounters an edge and falls down to the platform underneath, Mario needs to perform a handstand right under the falling barrel and stop it with his feet. The barrel then lands upright, and it can be picked up so Mario can throw the barrel back at Donkey Kong in order to damage him. This is the only game where barrels can actually crush Mario, via falling on him or running him over. When destroyed in certain levels, barrels can also release Poison Mushrooms that cause Mario to shrink upon contact.
Donkey Kong Circus[edit]
A barrel in Donkey Kong Circus has to be balanced on by Donkey Kong in the manner of a circus ball while being watched by Mario. Donkey Kong has to dodge fireballs that fall from the oil drums above, and juggle pineapples, all while riding the barrel.
Donkey Kong Country and Donkey Kong Land series[edit]
Donkey Kong Country introduces several types of barrels that the Kongs can use to attack enemies. Regular barrels appear frequently in many levels throughout the game and can be picked up and carried by pressing the 
button on the SNES controller while the playable character is in front of the barrel. Donkey Kong lifts the barrel above his head, while Diddy Kong carries it in front of his body. The barrel can then be tossed by releasing the button, after which it rolls on the ground ahead until it hits a wall or goes off-camera. Barrels can also phase through enemies and defeat them, although touching an enemy with a barrel while carrying it will result in the barrel breaking as well as the enemy being taken out. In Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, barrels can break if they collide with an enemy while rolling. Regular barrels are needed to defeat tough or well-protected enemies, including Zingers and Krushas, and are sometimes needed to take down bosses, such as Queen B., Kreepy Krow or Baron K. Roolenstein. During boss battles, there are specific methods of acquiring barrels: they can either spawn repeatedly without the player's input, appear after defeating a living Mini-Necky, or fall from the ceiling after the player pulls some pipes.
Some enemies also use barrels themselves. Manky Kongs toss them at the Kongs, similar to Donkey Kong in the original arcade game. When Rambi bumps into a barrel thrown by a Manky Kong, the barrel does not break, but instead simply falls off-screen.
After Donkey Kong Country, barrels retain the same functions they had in the aforementioned game. Despite being common in Donkey Kong Land 2 and Donkey Kong Land III, the first Donkey Kong Land features only three barrels, each in Jungle Jaunt, Freezing Fun, and Tricky Temple. In this game, barrels are smaller and take the form of wooden kegs.
In Donkey Kong Country 2 and Donkey Kong Country 3, Dixie Kong can lift barrels over her head with her ponytail. In Donkey Kong Country 3, Kiddy Kong's method of holding barrels is the same as Diddy Kong's.
Other enemies are shown to use barrels as well. As stated above, Manky Kongs use barrels from an unlimited supply as weapons and always toss them towards the Kongs. Kannons from Donkey Kong Country 2 shoot barrels that can be destroyed with a jump attack or by hitting a wall. Klobbers, also from Donkey Kong Country 2, hide inside barrels that look identical to normal barrels. When the Kongs approach the barrel, the Klobber inside will start ramming into them. If they are stomped on the head, the barrel can be carried around and thrown like a normal barrel. In Donkey Kong Country 3, very similar foes called Knockas use barrels in the same manner, only that now these are painted green with a grin. Belcha, the first boss of Donkey Kong Country 3, is a large, animated barrel. It emits barrels from a hole that serves as a mouth. When these barrels are jumped on, they will break and yellow Knik-Knaks will come out.
In some instances, barrels also act as platforms. This is shown in Donkey Kong Country 2 and Donkey Kong Land 2, where they stay either aligned or stacked on top of each other on the ship deck levels, such as Gangplank Galley and Rattle Battle. They technically function as terrain not only for the players, but also for enemies and other objects. However, barrels that aren't just foreground elements, as the player and/or the environment can interact with them, are mainly featured in Donkey Kong Country 3. Ellie the Elephant is able to suck up and transport barrels with her trunk, and then throw them in the water; if done correctly, the barrels come to the surface of the river, and thus Ellie can use them as pseudo-bridges to pass the dangerous water guarded by Nibblas. This can be seen in Bobbing Barrel Brawl. In the stage Barrel Drop Bounce, many barrels fall down the waterfall here. The cause of their appearance is not shown, but they break upon hitting ground. While they are still falling, the Kongs can hop on them and quickly jump again on solid platforms; rows of barrels dropping down can also be encountered and stepped on in order to reach further platforms.
Barrels reappear in Donkey Kong Country Returns and its Nintendo 3DS version. While using barrels as items are about the same as the previous games, it does not retain the ability to defeat enemies while holding the barrel; rather the Kong holding the barrel will drop it when taking damage. Also, instead of throwing it overhead, the Kong holding it will throw it straight forward. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze and its Nintendo Switch port keeps these changes, but brings back the throwing barrel animation to an overhead throw.
Donkey Kong 64[edit]
Barrels in Donkey Kong 64 have a few purposes. One of them is being a design patterns for many constructions, such as Cranky's Lab and the slot machine of the Batty Barrel Bandit!. Barrels are still worn by Klobbers, which return as enemies. Although a Barrel is in the main menu, being lifted by Donkey Kong while he waits for the player to select an option, Barrels are seldomly used as objects during the main game itself. Barrels are first used in one of Cranky Kong's training minigames, then much later on in Diddy Kong's igloo from Crystal Caves, and lastly by Lanky Kong in the final boss fight against King K. Rool. The barrels in the boss fight each depict a small banana peel on the side and must be thrown by Lanky onto the ground to reveal a large banana peel, which Lanky can trick K. Rool into running on by playing Trombone Tremor, depending on where K. Rool is at. Least notably, relatively big barrels serve only for decorative purposes inside the main sunken ship of Gloomy Galleon and inside the barn with the club-wielding Kosha in Fungi Forest.
Donkey Kong Jungle Beat[edit]
Barrels in Donkey Kong Jungle Beat are used to transport Donkey Kong to different kingdoms. These barrels all have a letter in front of them, with each letter spelling out the initials of Donkey Kong Jungle Beat. The D Barrel links to the Banana Kingdom, Orange Kingdom, Watermelon Kingdom, and Apple Kingdom. The K Barrel warps the player to the Strawberry Kingdom, Pineapple Kingdom, Lemon Kingdom, and Grape Kingdom. The J Barrel goes to the Cherry Kingdom, Peach Kingdom, Melon Kingdom, and Durian Kingdom. The B Barrel introduces the player into the Pear Kingdom, Lychee Kingdom, Chili Pepper Kingdom, and Star Fruit Kingdom. Completing all the kingdoms in each barrel allows Donkey Kong access to the next barrel.
A large barrel is also the heads-up display at the upper left corner of the screen, displaying the number of bananas that Donkey Kong has collected in the level he is currently in. This very barrel is used by Donkey Kong to transport the bananas.
DK: King of Swing / DK: Jungle Climber[edit]
Barrels in DK: King of Swing and DK: Jungle Climber are merely harmless obstacles appearing in most levels, and can be broken if the player charges into them. Upon destruction, they reveal bonuses, such as bananas and medals. Before getting destroyed, barrels can be stood on, just like on ground. In DK: King of Swing only, the player can store the first 50 bananas collected throughout the game inside a barrel, which is shown on the bottom right corner of the screen as an icon. The bananas can be consumed by the Kong to gain invincibility, and if the player has less than fifty bananas left afterwards, the barrel disappears and make room for four or less bunches of ten bananas.
Donkey Kong: Barrel Blast[edit]
Barrels in Donkey Kong: Barrel Blast appear as obstacles. If a character flies into a barrel, they will break it and severely decelerate. They can be avoided by jumping over them. Characters can also charge into them with a Wild Move and destroy them successfully without slowing down; breaking a barrel this way awards the player five bananas. A while after a barrel gets destroyed, another one spawns in its place. Along with normal barrels, Iron Barrels can be found throughout the courses.
Donkey Kong Bananza[edit]
Green-colored barrels with a depiction of a symbol on them appear in Donkey Kong Bananza. Donkey Kong is able to break a barrel with a punch, which may contain gold, Banandium Chips, an apple, an Apple Juice, a Melon Juice, or a Red Balloon. Donkey Kong is also able to pick up a barrel and throw it. Crates function similarly to barrels. Standard-looking barrels also appear and are used as decoration around the Underground World.
During the Super Mario Bros. 40th Anniversary Emerald Rush collaboration event, both barrels and crates were made to look like Brick Blocks from the Super Mario franchise.
Donkey Kong (coloring/activity books)[edit]
In the first book of the Donkey Kong Strikes Again! series, Donkey Kong throws a barrel down at Mario while he is enjoying coffee, so he rushes toward Pauline while she is doing her rehearsal. When they return to the construction site, Donkey Kong throws down a second barrel.
In the second book of the same series, which continues from the first book, Donkey Kong uses barrels to destroy the elevator button so Mario could not join Pauline at the top of the construction site and continues to throw barrels until Pauline tells them that she has a surprise for them.
Super Mario series[edit]
Super Mario Bros. Special[edit]
Barrels in Super Mario Bros. Special are uncommon obstacles credited as Tarusar. They are introduced in World 3-4 and continue to appear occasionally throughout the game. Tarusars retain their physics from Donkey Kong, in that they roll continuously towards Mario. Their source is not seen, but they always fall from a certain height onto the ground before they start rolling. Mario cannot destroy Tarusars with a stomp or fireballs, but he can use a Hummer to destroy them in World 3-4. They can also be beaten by punching them from beneath a brick.
Super Mario Sunshine[edit]
Barrels, referred to as "Water Barrels" in the Prima Games guidebook,[7] are throwable items in Super Mario Sunshine that are filled with water. They break when the collide with the ground, causing them to release large amounts of water that damages nearby enemies and washes away goop. Using barrels to wash away goop is significantly faster than it would be with F.L.U.D.D.. Barrels can also be ground-pounded to refill F.L.U.D.D.'s tank. These barrels are especially useful in Episodes 1 and 6 of Sirena Beach, where, in the former, Mario must defeat Phantamanta by splashing it with water and, in the latter, clean goop covering a large portion of the beach very quickly. In Episode 4 of Pianta Village, a single barrel can be used to cool down the overheated Chain Chomp instantly.
Super Mario Galaxy[edit]
Barrels in Super Mario Galaxy are inhabited by Roctos, which shoot projectiles at Mario or Luigi. The barrels can be destroyed and the enemies consequently defeated by spinning onto one of their projectiles to send it back.
New Super Mario Bros. Wii[edit]
Barrels in New Super Mario Bros. Wii appear as objects that can be picked up and thrown. As projectiles, upon touching the ground, barrels will start rolling continuously in a direction until they crash into a wall or a spiked ball, and can be used to attack enemies or even other players. Barrels in World 7-
Ghost House can be punched by Broozers to start rolling toward the player.
Super Mario Galaxy 2[edit]
Barrels in Super Mario Galaxy 2 have the same role as in Super Mario Galaxy, acting as cover for Roctos. They are encountered in Shiverburn Galaxy and Grandmaster Galaxy. A boss character named Prince Pikante also drives a small tank which is composed of an armored barrel.
Super Mario 3D Land[edit]
Barrels in Super Mario 3D Land appear at one point during the final boss battle with Bowser, who throws large barrels at Mario or Luigi, possibly in reference to the original Donkey Kong arcade game. The only way to destroy these barrels is by having the characters touch them in White Tanooki form.
New Super Mario Bros. U / New Super Luigi U / New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe[edit]
Barrels in New Super Mario Bros. U and its Nintendo Switch port return as projectiles in Ghost Houses with Broozers. Barrels in New Super Luigi U appear only in the level Broozers and Barrels.
Super Mario Odyssey[edit]
Barrels in Super Mario Odyssey are encountered as obstacles in 8-bit segments of Metro Kingdom and the Darker Side, taking on their sprite design from Donkey Kong. Most of the time, they come out of Girders and roll on the ground until they fall into an oil drum. Donkey Kong also throws barrels just like in the original arcade game. Mario must jump over barrels to dodge them, otherwise he loses one wedge of his health meter. Stationary, harmless barrels appear as platforms in some areas of the Metro Kingdom and the Seaside Kingdom, outside the 8-bit sections, and while they cannot be destroyed, hitting one with Cappy or with a Ground Pound grants one coin.
Wario franchise[edit]
Mario & Wario[edit]
A barrel in Mario & Wario is used by Wario to cover Mario's sight in Kumotori Yama.
Wario Land series[edit]
Large barrels in Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 and Wario Land II are present as platforms in mostly maritime areas, like the Rice Beach or the SS Tea Cup.
Barrels in Wario Land 3 have a small, keg-like shape and can be carried by Wario. They are functionally similar to ice blocks from Wario Land II in that they can be picked up and hurled at enemies or blocks to destroy them. Barrels break instantly when they are thrown to the ground or if attacked with a Smash Attack or a shoulder charge. However, they respawn in their default location after Wario goes off-screen from where a barrel initially appears and returns to that position after that. In addition, barrels can be stood on, serving as platforms. Barrels appear in Desert Ruins, The Volcano's Base, The West Crater, The Grasslands, The Big Bridge, The Warped Void, and The East Crater.
WarioWare series[edit]
Barrels in the WarioWare series appear in the Donkey Kong microgame of WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! and WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Game$!, where Barrels are being rolled down at Mario from Donkey Kong, and the former must jump over them. Barrels in WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase and WarioWare Gold appear in a similar microgame where the player must destroy barrels that come towards Mario as he moves automatically on the beams.
Wario World[edit]
Barrels in Wario World are throwable objects that sometimes contain coins or garlic. They appear during the battle with Captain Skull, and can be destroyed from either being thrown or any of Wario and Captain Skull's attacks. Barrels can knock out Captain Skull if thrown at him, and either a barrel or Captain Skull's bombs must be thrown at him during second half of the battle, when he becomes immune to Wario's punches.
Donkey Kong Country: Rumble in the Jungle[edit]
Barrels in Donkey Kong Country: Rumble in the Jungle are used by the novel's characters on several occasions. Before the Kongs leave their treehouse to travel to Big Ape City, Donkey Kong fills his backpack with "miniature barrels", including some that "could even explode" (referring to TNT barrels). In Tree Top Town, the Kremlings use barrel cannons from high up in the trees, which fire "dangerous barrels". The Kongs overcome them by slinging TNT Barrels at them using a tree branch. After rescuing Funky Kong from his prison cell in Big Ape City's factory, Donkey Kong hands Funky and Diddy Kong some barrels to use against a group of Kremlings. Diddy manages to hang from the ceiling, and drop barrels from above.
Later, Donkey Kong tricks Krusha into thinking that he has a list of the locations of all the Kongs on Donkey Kong Island within his backpack. Krusha allows Donkey Kong to reach into his backpack for the list, but he pulls out a barrel instead and uses it to knock Krusha out. Within the Kremling's supply room, Diddy Kong lodges a barrel in the jaws of Klap Trap, which allows time for Diddy to retrieve a spare plane part for Funky Kong. Within King K. Rool's zeppelin, Donkey Kong and Diddy confront several Kremling guards with "double jumps, cartwheel attacks, and barrels left and right". They later plant time-delayed TNT barrels throughout the zeppelin, causing it to fall on to the Kremling's factory and explode.
Despite the novel describing the use of "miniature barrels", their illustrated size in proportion to Diddy Kong and Klap Trap appears to be closer to a regular-sized barrel.
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars[edit]
Barrels in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars are grouped into piles in the Sunken Ship, usually functioning as stairs for Mario to reach a higher floor. Later in the game, one of the puzzles hosted by Dr. Topper inside Bowser's Keep has the player guess how many barrels are stacked up in a large heap seen from the usual in-game perspective. In another area of Bowser's Keep, Mario confronts a Chained Kong that stands atop a high place in a lofty room and hurls barrels down several stairs. The barrels push Mario down the stairs if they hit him, making him lose some coins in the process.
Super Smash Bros. series[edit]
Barrels in the Super Smash Bros. series are container items in every installment. They contain one to four items and can roll along inclines, similarly to crates. They also sometimes explode when broken. Starting with Super Smash Bros. Brawl, barrels have three different appearances, being either wooden, futuristic and made of stone, or wrapped like a present, with the one used depending on the stage in which they appear; they all function identically, however.
In their trophy descriptions throughout the series, Barrels are associated with the Super Smash Bros. series, not the Super Mario franchise. This distinction is further present from the Super Smash Bros. logo on top of the barrel.
Barrels can be picked up by pressing 
on the Nintendo 64 Controller and thrown by pressing the same button again, upon which the barrel rolls continuously until hitting a wall.
Mario Party series[edit]
Barrels in the Mario Party series appear mostly in minigames. In Mario Party 2, they are used to hide items in a shell game, Roll Out the Barrels. A barrel in Mario Party 3 is the object that the solo player is stuck inside of during the minigame Coconut Conk, and if they are hit by a coconut dropped by one of the other three characters, they lose. Barrels in Mario Party 5 have to be punched by players to collect bananas during the Banana Punch minigame. Barrels in Mario Party 6 are among the objects drawn toward a giant Blooper by a whirlpool in the minigame Blooper Scooper, and will break from crashing into the Blooper or the players; if a player is hit by a barrel, they will be knocked towards the Blooper. A barrel in Mario Party Advance is worn by the playable character during the minigame Barrel Peril, and they can hide inside the barrel to protect themselves from Chain Chomps guarding the area. Barrels in Mario Party 7 are obstacles that roll down the slopes in the minigame Jump, Man, slowing either the player or Donkey Kong if they are hit. Barrels in Mario Party 8 appear in the minigame Blazing Lassos, where the player must lasso barrels with point values marked on each one while spinning on a wheel. Barrels in Mario Party: The Top 100 appear only in the returning minigame Jump, Man, and Mario Party Superstars similarly only includes Barrels in two returning minigames: Roll Out the Barrels from Mario Party 2 (herein unnamed) and Coconut Conk from Mario Party 3.
Barrels in Mario Party 8 also appear on a board, DK's Treetop Temple, where they are involved in two Green Spaces: one of the Green Spaces involves three Ukikis chasing characters away by rolling on barrels, also referred to as Monkey Barrels,[8] while the other involves the DK Barrel Cannon.
Mario Golf series[edit]
Barrels in the Mario Golf series make a minor appearance as tee markers in Congo Canopy of Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour and in DK Jungle of Mario Golf: World Tour. A Barrel in Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour is also used by Donkey Kong during his animation for getting a Double Bogey or lower, where he throws a barrel angrily, then he pounds his arms up and down.
Mario Kart series[edit]
Mario Kart: Double Dash!![edit]
Although barrels do not appear in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, the Barrel Train kart is designed after a barrel.
Mario Kart Arcade GP subseries[edit]
A Barrel in Mario Kart Arcade GP, Mario Kart Arcade GP 2, and Mario Kart Arcade GP DX is one of Donkey Kong's special items, and it can be sent rolling forward or backward to attack opponents.
Mario Kart 7[edit]
Barrels in Mario Kart 7 appear as obstacles in Wario Shipyard, greatly slowing down any character who crashes into them. However, Barrels will also break and potentially drop an object such as a Mushroom or a Banana Peel in regular races. In DK Jungle, there are DK Barrels for obstacles, but they function identically to Barrels. Barrels in Time Trial are shielded by metallic bars, so they cannot be destroyed.
Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe[edit]
Barrels in Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe appear as obstacles and as noninteractive background elements. As obstacles, barrels appear on the airship section of Cloudtop Cruise, the boardwalk part of Wild Woods, in Toad Harbor, and on the main route in N64 Yoshi Valley. As background elements, barrels that are decorated with flowers appear on the sidelines, but the Barrel obstacles of Toad Harbor also have this design, and Bone-Dry Dunes has some barrels stacked up together and placed under the tents surrounding the finish line.
Mario Kart Tour[edit]
Barrels in Mario Kart Tour are obstacles on London Loop, London Loop 2, London Loop 3, Singapore Speedway 3, Rome Avanti 2, DS Airship Fortress, 3DS Cheep Cheep Lagoon's Break Item Boxes challenge, and 3DS Wario Shipyard, functioning like they do in previous games.
Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit[edit]
Barrels in the version 1.1.0 update for Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit appear in the course Barrel Temple, being thrown in various areas. Regular barrels block the player's kart while a golden variety yields rewards.
Mario Kart World[edit]
In Mario Kart World, barrels are thrown by Robo DK in DK Spaceport in a similar manner to Donkey Kong in the original arcade game. Barrels also appear in the form of containers: one appears floating in the waters of Wario Shipyard, and can release a Dash Mushroom when broken.[9]
Mario & Luigi series[edit]
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga / Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions[edit]
Barrels in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga and its remake have a few minor roles. They are part of Bink's identically named minigame, where the player has to arrange rows of barrels of the same color. In several locations, such as Chucklehuck Woods and Woohoo Hooniversity, there are barrels that Luigi can enter from underneath after going underground with Luigi Dunk to solve puzzles. In the latter location, there is a segment where Mario has to jump over rolling barrels in a similar manner to the original Donkey Kong game. In Bowser's Castle, Luigi is trapped inside a barrel by Larry, and must bounce a fireball back at Larry a number of times before he can continue.
Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam[edit]
Barrels in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam appear only in battles. They are dropped by Bowser Jr. and Paper Bowser Jr. at the trio, forcing the brothers to run while the bosses shoot fireballs at them. Barrels are also utilized by Broozers and Paper Broozers to attack, by dropping a barrel in front of themselves and ramming it into the trio, and the resulting effect depends on which type of barrel was hit by which type of Broozer.
Mario & Luigi: Brothership[edit]
In <