Nitpicker
| Nitpicker | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Artwork for Donkey Kong Jr. | |||
| First appearance | Donkey Kong Jr. (1982) | ||
| Latest appearance | WarioWare: Move It! (2023) | ||
| |||
Nitpickers are avian enemies first appearing in Donkey Kong Jr. Ever since their original appearance, Nitpickers and their successors have remained largely unchanged in behavior.
HistoryEdit
Donkey Kong seriesEdit
Donkey Kong Jr.Edit
A flock of Nitpickers[1][2][3] (also known as Stookybirds)[4] is released by Mario to impede Donkey Kong Jr. from progressing in the Jump Board Scene in Donkey Kong Jr.. The birds are depicted yellow, having a distinct magenta coloration on their wings and beaks; likewise, they are slender and bear an unflinching attitude. They proceed in flying in a straight line after being sent by Mario, traveling along a wide platform. They then descend into the small opening in the platform, continuing their flight thereafter in the opposite direction, under the platform. Occasionally, Nitpickers drop eggs when turning the other direction. The eggs, as well as the birds themselves, are harmful to Donkey Kong Jr. and can drain one of his lives upon coming into contact. On the other hand, Nitpickers can be defeated by having fruit dropped on them.
Along with Snapjaws, Mario employs another flock of Nitpickers (also known as Birds) in the Chain Scene. In the Atari 8-bit, ColecoVision, and Coleco Adam ports, the two types share the same sprite. A Nitpicker also appears on the arcade cabinet instructions.
Nitpickers, referred to as birds,[5] return in Donkey Kong Jr. for the Game & Watch. In the New Wide Screen version, they follow only a straight path from left to right and pass by a set of vines located at the bottom of the screen. They spawn at the left side of the screen, do not drop eggs, and do not steer back as they did in the original game, merely disappearing after encountering the right side of the screen. In the Table Top/Panorama Screen version, they come from the top and zigzag their way down the screen. In Donkey Kong II, birds from the previous game's New Wide Screen version reappear for the top screen in which they zigzag downwards.
Donkey Kong Jr. MathEdit
A single Nitpicker appears in the +-×÷ Exercise mode of Donkey Kong Jr. Math, though not in Donkey Kong Jr. + Jr. Sansū Lesson. It flies over the problem numbers on the left side of the screen. When Donkey Kong Jr. solves a problem, it will drop an egg next to the corresponding number.
Donkey Kong (Game Boy)Edit
In the Game Boy version of Donkey Kong, Nitpickers are succeeded by several birds that retain and mix their behaviors. In order of appearance, these consist of Hawks, Kaibādo, and the ostensibly returning Birds. They spawn from nests that are mostly placed high above the ground, subsequently performing three flights across the room. The end of one flight is marked by their encounter with one of the room's margins, after which they descend a little and change direction. They occasionally drop lethal eggs on Mario, provided the protagonist walks underneath it.
Captain N: The Game MasterEdit
- “Take cover, team! Nitpicker beaks are poisonous.”
- —Kevin Keene, Captain N: The Game Master
Nitpickers are featured as minor impediments in the episode "The Lost City of Kongoland" of Captain N: The Game Master, where they resemble vultures. They are depicted with long tubular beaks, tapering heads, and bulging eyes, as well as straight and focused looks. In the show, Nitpickers are summoned after Simon Belmont blows into a flute from Dr. Wright while he and the rest of the N Team are cruising down a river in Kongoland. Their beaks are said to be poisonous, and Kevin warns his crew to take cover. The birds immediately show and try to raid the team's vessel, but as they swoop down, Princess Lana draws a bazooka and counter-attacks them with large cork projectiles.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong seriesEdit
While the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series does not feature the original Nitpickers, it does feature a variation.
WarioWare seriesEdit
Nitpickers appear in some microgames themed after Donkey Kong Jr. in the WarioWare series. In WarioWare: Twisted!, one Nitpicker has to be avoided by Donkey Kong Jr. as he climbs two ropes in the second difficulty of the Donkey Kong Jr. microgame. It flies on a straight line from left to right, across the ropes. The Nitpicker reappears in the same microgame in WarioWare Gold, where it serves the same function. In WarioWare: Move It!, one Nitpicker similarly acts as an obstacle in a different Donkey Kong Jr. microgame.
Other appearancesEdit
Nitpickers[6] are one of the main enemies in Ice Climber and VS. Ice Climber. They are colored red and can fly between levels on each mountain, unlike other enemies that are locked to one level, and loosely pursue Popo and Nana. A single hammer hit defeats them. This depiction of Nitpicker is absent from Super Smash Bros. Melee, unlike other Ice Climber enemies, but they still do appear in some Ice Climber-themed microgames in the WarioWare series.
Profiles and statisticsEdit
Perfect Ban Mario Character DaijitenEdit
| ニットピッカー (JP) / Nitpicker (EN) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Original text (Japanese) | Translation | ||
| フライ |
Tribe | Fly clan | |
| 無責任 | Disposition | Irresponsible | |
| Game appearances | Jr. | ||
| タマゴを捨てる変な鳥 マリオの命令でジュニアを攻撃する鳥のモンスター。自分のタマゴを武器にするという、とんでもないヤツだ。動きが遅いので、タマゴを落とす場所さえ、覚えればこわくない。[7] |
Strange bird discarding its eggs A bird monster that attacks Junior at Mario's command. It is an extraordinary bird monster that uses its own eggs as weapons. It is slow-moving, so as long as you remember where it drops its eggs, it is not a threat. | ||
GalleryEdit
Donkey Kong Jr. (NES)
Donkey Kong Jr. (NES)
Stomp from NES Remix 2
Names in other languagesEdit
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ニットピッカー[7] Nittopikkā |
Nitpicker | |
| 鳥[8] Tori |
Bird (Game & Watch and Famicom Remix) | ||
| Chinese (simplified) | 乌鸦[15] Wūyā |
Crow | |
| French | Casse-pied[9] | Slang meaning annoying pest or pain in the neck | |
| Bec d'acier[10] | Steel beak | ||
| German | Nittpicker[9] | Nitpicker | |
| Spukvogel[11] | Spookbird | ||
| Italian | Pestifero[9] | Pestiferous | |
| Uccello[12] | Bird | ||
| Volatile[13][14] | Bird, a word mostly used for unspecified flying creatures | ||
| Spanish | Testarudo[9] | Obstinate |
ReferencesEdit
- ^ 1985. Donkey Kong Jr. NES instruction booklet. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 5.
- ^ Instruction manual for Atari 8-bit port[page number needed]
- ^ Instruction manual for Atari 7800 port[page number needed]
- ^ Instruction manuals for ColecoVision, Intellivision, and Coleco Adam ports[page number needed]
- ^ Game & Watch Donkey Kong Jr. English instruction.
- ^ 1985. Ice Climber instruction booklet (PDF). Page 5.
- ^ a b 1994. 「パーフェクト版 マリオキャラクター大事典」 (Perfect Ban Mario Character Daijiten). Shogakukan (Japanese). Page 143.
- ^ Game & Watch Donkey Kong Jr. Japanese instruction.
- ^ a b c d Donkey Kong Junior Atari computer version manual (International)[page number needed]
- ^ French ColecoVision manual[page number needed]
- ^ German ColecoVision manual[page number needed]
- ^ Donkey Kong II Italian booklet[page number needed]
- ^ Donkey Kong Jr. (3DS - Virtual Console) Italian e-manual. Page 8.
- ^ "Sconfiggi 2 volatili usando dei frutti!" – NES Remix, Donkey Kong Jr. level 3. Nintendo (Italian).
- ^ GAME&WATCH. ique.com (Simplified Chinese). Retrieved June 27, 2021.
| Donkey Kong Jr. | ||
|---|---|---|
| Characters | Donkey Kong Jr. • Donkey Kong • Mario | |
| Enemies | Bird • Drop* • Egg • Nitpicker • Snapjaw • Spark | |
| Items | Fruit • Key | |
| Objects | Chain • Jump Board • Pole | |
| Rounds | Vine Scene • Jump Board Scene • Mario's Hideout • Chain Scene | |
| Other | Gallery • Media • Pre-release and unused content • Staff | |