Donkey Kong Country Barrel Maze
Template:Infobox Donkey Kong Country Barrel Maze, or Donkey Kong Barrel Maze, was an isometric platform game developed by Skyworks Interactive (formerly Skyworks Technologies) and published on their website, Candystand.com,[1] under Nintendo's endorsement. It required Adobe Shockwave to run. The game was based on elements from Donkey Kong Country and had Donkey Kong in a quasi-starring role, with Diddy Kong and Cranky Kong only making cameo appearances on the title and loading screens. The player controlled a barrel loaded with bananas and had to roll it through a series of obstacles to reach DK at the end of every stage in the game.
Gameplay
The game presented 10 levels of progressing difficulty. For each level, a barrel containing bananas had to be safely delivered to Donkey Kong by navigating it through a maze-like layout. The barrel was controlled using the arrow keys or the number pad, and the isometric perspective of the game enforced the player to apply key combinations for proper navigation. The environment of each level was composed of numerous pathways, valleys, river streams, and high ledges filled with items the player could collect. Although levels had a linear path to the finish, items were not always found on the main course, requiring the player to divert from it and explore other corners of the stage.
The player was given 5 lives at the beginning of the game. Every level started out on a spot marked by a red cross and with a full energy bar (taking the form of a banana, labelled "DAMAGE"). The player had a set amount of time to reach the finish, which varied from level to level. Caution had to be taken not to drive the barrel into bottomless pits or river streams, which would result in losing a life and respawn the barrel at its starting point. Other means of taking damage included bumping into an enemy or falling from a height onto the ground. Gravity played an important role in the game and would cause movement to be more difficult on slanted paths, or increase the amount of damage taken by the barrel in relation to the drop distance. When the energy bar was completely drained, the barrel would break open and the player would lose a life. Walls and ambiental objects, such as shrubs, had no bearing on the barrel's condition.
The end of a level was signalled by a checkerboarded section, where Donkey Kong awaited the barrel. Once there, the barrel would turn upright and reveal its bananas in front of DK, who would rejoice by beating his chest. This led to a screen which prepared the player for the next level.
If all lives were lost before completing all 10 levels, the player would have to start the game over.
Score and items
The game presented a score that increased with the items collected along the way. The amount of time remaining after a level was completed was also added to the score. For every 25000 points, the player earned an extra life.
Most of the time, items were optional to collect. However, bananas were sometimes needed to replenish the energy bar after taking damage in an unavoidable situation, such as rolling off the cliffs in the second level.
| Image | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Silver Barrel | Awarded the player 1000 points. |
|
Gold Barrel | Awarded the player 2000 points. |
|
Hourglass | Added 30 seconds to the timer. Awarded the player 250 points. |
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Bananas | Restored part of the energy bar. Awarded the player 250 points. |
Enemies and obstacles
| Image | Name | Description | Level appearances |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Boulder | Initially stationary objects that started rolling slowly in the direction of the barrel once it drew near. They broke if they ran into a wall or the barrel, in which case they would damage it. | Level 3 Level 4 Level 6 Level 7 Level 8 Level 10 |
|
Coconut tree | Bonking into this tree caused it to shake off a coconut, which might have damaged the barrel. | Level 5 |
|
Buzzard | A soaring bird that attempted to damage the barrel by dropping coconuts on it. | Level 3 Level 8 Level 9 |
|
Enemy Barrel | An automated object that tried to attack the controlled barrel by chasing it. | Level 2 Level 5 Level 9 Level 10 |
|
Hippos | Pairs of hippos formed bridges over streams, helping the barrel pass them. However, they regularly came in and out of water and the barrel would have had to be timed so as not to fall in the stream. | Level 2 Level 8 |
|
Mud | A surface on the ground that damaged the barrel upon contact, apart from slowing it down. | Level 1 Level 4 Level 6 Level 7 Level 9 |
|
Venus Fly Trap | An enemy that waited in one place to bite the barrel and take away a small wedge of its energy bar. Once it bit, the plant shrunk down and became invisible for a short period of time. After a while, it grew back and regained the ability to bite. | Level 5 Level 8 |
Level overviews
Level 1
The barrel starts in a broad area behind a short bridge that crosses over a river. Soon after the bridge, the barrel encounters a sharp turning and needs to steer to go up a slant. Following this, there is an inevitable puddle, at the right of which the path continues with a banana bunch to help the barrel regain energy. Going down the tight path that follows, the barrel will soon have to cross a bridge and turn 90 degrees to roll down a long slant, ending in a ramp that helps it skip a river stream. From here, there is another slant heading further down to the goal.
The starting time limit for this level is 5 minutes.
Level 2
The barrel starts on a stretch of ground surrounded by a stream, which has to be crossed using two hippos that bob up and down in the water. The next section involves the barrel consecutively falling off two ledges and crossing two streams of water using hippos. Bananas can be picked up on the bank at the base of each ledge to regain health after fall damage—however, an Enemy Barrel can also be encountered on the second bank. Afterwards, the barrel should steer 90 degrees and carefully descend a cliff, then use a series of hippos to cross the following cascade streams and eventually reach the goal.
The starting time limit for this level is 4 minutes and 30 seconds.
Level 3
The barrel has to travel on a serpented canyon soared by Buzzards. The path features numerous denivelations, akin to half-pipes. Nearing the goal, the barrel also encounters several boulders.
The starting time limit for this level is 4 minutes.
Level 4
The level is made of a series of paths leading back and forth to the goal. After traversing one path, the barrel has to change direction and mount the following path, encountering boulders and puddles of mud on the way. There are alcoves in the walls flanking these paths that allow the barrel to hide from the boulders. The stretch of ground before the goal is covered in mud, but a paved way helps the barrel slalom through the mud safely.
The starting time limit for this level is 3 minutes and 30 seconds.
Level 5
The barrel commences outside of a fortress-like structure, on a grassy land dotted with coconut trees. The player has to steer the barrel between these trees and eventually reach the entrance to the fortress, represented by a bridge that is guarded by a Venus Fly Trap. Inside the fortress, the barrel has to navigate a labyrinth of rooms populated by Enemy Barrels, then carefully roll down a narrow path raised above the floor. At the end of the path is another room with an Enemy Barrel, adjacent to the goal.
The starting time limit for this level is 3 minutes.
Level 6
The barrel begins on a high ledge, facing a paved path that stretches over a puddle. Immediately afterwards, there is a downward slope that helps the barrel ramp over a pit, landing in a puddle of mud. Ahead of the puddle is a banana bunch that restores lost health. A downward slope on the side of the puddle leads the barrel onto another mud-covered area paved with a serpented path. The player can choose to navigate the barrel safely on the serpented path, or dash straight through the mud and risk losing health. Going around a crevice, the barrel eventually escapes the muddy area and encounters a grassy stretch of land which leads to the goal. An initially hidden boulder starts rolling in the direction of the barrel as it enters the grassy area, prompting the player to be careful.
The starting time limit for this level is 2 minutes.
Level 7
The barrel starts near the base of a long slant that leads to the top of the level. From the peak, the barrel can descend on the small grassy platforms and eventually reach a light slant that leads into water. As it lands on the slant, the barrel should quickly cut to a grassy plot of land at the left and continue onto a bridge, avoiding boulder and reaching the goal.
The starting time limit for this level is 30 seconds. It is rather restricting, but there is an optional path littered with Hourglasses that extend the time. After going up the large slant at the beginning and reaching its peak, the barrel can fall down the yellow platforms on the left and roll onto the bank of a river to collect the bonuses found there. The bank continues with a bridge to a span of muddy land filled with other bonuses and leading back to the starting point.
Level 8
The barrel begins behind a downward slant, followed by two bridges over a river stream. While the main path is via the bridge on the left, the player can take on the right bridge first and climb a short slant to reach a higher platform with Hourglasses, which are helpful for extending the short time limit. Meanwhile, a Buzzard flies over the area and attacks the barrel with coconuts. Returning to the main path, the barrel has to carefully navigate a maze raised above the ground. Falling off forces the barrel to roll back to the start of the maze and retry it; however, the lower ground can be explored for bonus items and more Houglasses, although a Venus Fly Trap is also present here. Immediately after traversing the maze, the barrel will have to cross the earlier river several times on an "S"-shaped walkway, connected by a bridge and several hippos. The barrel will continue on a series of upward slants and reach a stretch of land where a boulder should be avoided, then turn left to reach the goal.
The starting time limit for this level is 30 seconds.
Level 9
The barrel begins on a small patch surrounded by multiple cliffs and a river stream. Throughout the level, it has to cross bridges over pits and consecutively pass through muddy puddles and fields patrolled by Enemy Barrels. A Buzzard eventually appears above the highest ledge and attacks the playable barrel. The goal is located a few bridges beyond, on the brink of a ledge.
The starting time limit for this level is 1 minute.
Level 10
The barrel starts at the top of a mountain-like descent with two ways to follow. On one hand, the barrel can go straight ahead and roll down two abrupt slopes to reach the base of the area, where only multiple bonuses can be found. On the other hand, the barrel can simply fall onto the platforms under the starting point, avoiding the boulders that roll towards it. Banana bunches can be regularly encountered to restore the barrel's energy after a fall or a bump with a boulder. The barrel must carefully go down the path in this fashion and gather a multitude of bonuses, eventually reaching a stairway with banana bunches. On the final stretch of land, the barrel should pass an Enemy Barrel and fall off the edge ahead to land on the goal.
The starting time limit for this level is 1 minute and 30 seconds.
References to other games
- Donkey Kong Country: One artwork render of Cranky Kong for this game is used; it appears on the title screen.
- Donkey Kong 64: Two of Diddy Kong's artwork renders for this game are used; the first one appears on the "Out Of Time" screen, while the other appears on the title screen and also pops up when the player reaches the goal in a level.
Gallery
Out Of time
End of the game
External links
- DK Vine entry with download link
- Gameplay video on YouTube
Reference
- ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20031211171117/http://www.candystand.com/Games/dk_shock_dkbm.htm Donkey Kong Country Barrel Maze archived web page on Candystand.com
