Iron Barrel

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“Unlike regular barrels, steel kegs are basically unbreakable. Once you throw one, it will keep on rolling, knocking out any enemies it runs into.”

—Donkey Kong Country manual, page 17

A Steel Keg (also known as a Steel Barrel) is a type of Barrel seen in the Donkey Kong franchise. This metal barrel is one of the most powerful weapons used by members of the Kong Family. The Steel Keg can be picked up and thrown in the same manner as a normal wooden Barrel; however, the Steel Keg does not break upon contact with an enemy or a wall. Instead, the metal barrel will keep on rolling, bounce off walls, and continue to roll on the ground until it falls into a gap or hits a powerful baddie. The Steel Keg will destroy almost any enemy it rolls into; as such, it can be used to take on entire chains of baddies. The Kongs can even jump on top of the barrel and ride with the weapon as it plows through enemies. Steel Kegs are also reusable, as a Kong can pick up a thrown barrel as it rolls by (and thus carry the barrel to a new location and throw it again). Steel Kegs are found scattered throughout Donkey Kong Island and the Northern Kremisphere.

History

Donkey Kong Country

Donkey Kong rolling on a Steel Keg.

Steel Kegs first appear in Donkey Kong Country as rare items, first seen in Jungle Hijinxs. They are usually found in the ground, covered by soft patches of dirt. Falling onto the dirt from a high location will sometimes reveal a Steel Keg.

Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! / Donkey Kong Land III

Steel Kegs are needed to defeat Koins in the game Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! and Donkey Kong Land III. The Kremling's DK Coin shield deflects any weapon thrown at it. As such, a Koin can only be attacked from behind; however, it always hold its shield between itself and the Kongs. Since the Steel Keg does not break upon hitting a wall, the Kongs can bounce the metal weapon off a wall behind a Koin to destroy it and claim its DK Coin.

The Kremlings known as Bazukas are the only known enemies that use Steel Kegs in combat. Some Bazukas fire Steel Kegs out of their bazooka-like weapons. A Kong hit by a fired Steel Keg runs away from its partner (or lose a life if alone). However, the Kongs can jump on top of the metal barrels and not be injured. In fact, the Kongs often need to hop from barrel to barrel to cross large gaps and pools of lava.

Donkey Kong 64

In Donkey Kong 64, three Steel Kegs appear in a mill in Fungi Forest. Chunky Kong needs to destroy these three barrels using a grinder (within a Time Limit) to obtain a Golden Banana.

Donkey Konga

King K. Rool getting hit in the head with a Steel Keg in Donkey Konga.

Steel Kegs also appear in Donkey Konga, where one is used in the unlockable mini-game, Bash K.Rool. It was renamed to "Barrel Hammer" in the game. In the Whac-A-Mole mini-game, the player's objective is to whack the Barrel Hammer onto King K. Rool's head. Despite its name, the Barrel Hammer is not connected to a hammer handle but rather to metal chains capable of lifting it up and down.

Two Steel Kegs appear in the background of Challenge mode, on the bottom screen next to Rambi. The Steel Kegs have a display attached displaying the song number that the player is on.

DK: Jungle Climber

Steel Kegs appear in DK: Jungle Climber, as obstacles instead of items. These Steel Kegs float in the air and can block passages and can only be destroyed by using Diddy Kong's hammer, detonating a TNT Barrel near it, or throwing a Bomb at it.

Donkey Kong Barrel Blast

Steel Kegs appear in the racing game Donkey Kong Barrel Blast. They appear once again as obstacles, though renamed Iron Barrels. In this game, they can be destroyed, but only while the player is invincible.