Barrel Jet
- This article is about Diddy Kong's jetpack. For the barrel resembling a jet plane, see Jumbo Barrel.
- “After jumping and while in the air, hold A to activate Diddy Kong's Barrel Jet. When Diddy Kong is on Donkey Kong's back, Donkey Kong will have control of the Barrel Jet.”
- —Donkey Kong Country Returns manual
The Barrel Jet,[1] originally known as the Jetbarrel[2] and then the rocketbarrel pack,[3] is Diddy Kong's signature jetpack that he uses to travel around in the air. It usually has the appearance of a crate with a barrel attached on each side. The crate has a belt that straps around Diddy's waist while using it, and each barrel is connected to the crate from a black pole. Both barrels have an opening at the bottom for the flames to expel from.
History[edit]
Donkey Kong 64[edit]
- “He can fly real high with his jetpack on.”
- —DK Rap
In its debut appearance, Donkey Kong 64, Diddy can use his Jetbarrel to fly around in the sky while using his Rocketbarrel Boost move. The move is fueled by Crystal Coconuts, as with the other Kong Barrel moves. If Diddy runs out of Crystal Coconuts, he can no longer take control of his Jetbarrel, and therefore falls back to the ground.
Donkey Kong Country series[edit]
'Donkey Kong Country Returns (3D / HD)[edit]
In Donkey Kong Country Returns, the Barrel Jet is redesigned as a gray backpack, and the barrels on each side were changed into rockets. The rockets are darker brown than the barrels, but still appear to be made up of wood. The rockets have a red, metallic tip on the top and some red-colored fins on the bottom. All elements are retained in Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D and Donkey Kong Country Returns HD.
If the jump button is held while Diddy Kong is in the air, and he is not rising from a jump, Diddy uses his Barrel Jet to significantly slow down falling for a few seconds. This also ends the increased speed cap provided by Roll Jumping. If the jump button is released early, the Barrel Jet's effects end early, but a Roll Jump's speed cap increase is not returned. The Barrel Jet can be reactivated mid-fall, but each use shares the overall timer. To reset the timer the player has to land on terrain or stomp an enemy. The Barrel Jet is not a mandatory ability, but the extra hang time can make certain jumps easier, allow the player to jump farther than they can otherwise, or adjust the timing of their landing. One set of Bananas in Jungle Hijinxs is positioned in a gently descending line over spikes to demonstrate the trajectory moving with the Barrel Jet creates. While Diddy is on Donkey Kong's back, the player controlling Donkey Kong has control of the Barrel Jet and the move benefits both characters. While riding Rambi, the Barrel Jet's effect is shortened significantly. It is more of a way to stall the players fall for a fraction of a second than a hover. This may be due to Rambi's weight.
Diddy uses his Barrel Jet in four cutscenes. In Pinchin' Pirates, Ruined Roost, and Thugly's Highrise, the Kongs fall some reasonable distance. Diddy Kong breaks his fall with his Barrel Jet. After defeating Tiki Tong in Tiki Tong Terror, the ending cutscene plays out differently depending on which Kongs are present. When both are together, Diddy Kong uses it to boost Donkey Kong into the Moon so he can punch it at the Tiki Tong Tower. Then he activates it mid-fall to carry Donkey Kong so that they land on Donkey Kong Island safely. If only Donkey Kong is present, Diddy Kong appears during Donkey Kong's fall to rescue him, to the same effect. If only Diddy Kong is present, then he uses the Barrel Jet to prevent himself from falling into the Moon, only for it to malfunction and propel Diddy Kong headfirst into the Moon. This still causes the Moon to drop onto Tiki Tong Tower.
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze[edit]
The Barrel Jet reappears in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze where it serves the same purpose as in its predecessor.
Mario Power Tennis[edit]
It has been requested that this section be rewritten and expanded to include more information. Reason: This is shorter than the articles for other Defensive Power Shots
| Barrel Jet | |
|---|---|
| |
| Used by | Diddy Kong |
| Type | Defensive Power Shot |
| Appears in | Mario Power Tennis |
Diddy uses his Barrel Jet during his Defensive Power Shot in Mario Power Tennis, which itself is named Barrel Jet. It involves Diddy attaching a special barrel to his back and flying around the court to fetch the ball.
Super Smash Bros. series[edit]
- Main article: Rocketbarrel Boost
The Barrel Jet also appears in the Super Smash Bros. series, where it is known as the Rocketbarrel Pack. It first appears in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the first installment with Diddy Kong as a fighter. Diddy uses the Rocketbarrel Pack during his up-special move, Rocketbarrel Boost, which blasts him slightly upward, allowing him to blast back onto the main stage. Diddy also uses it during his Final Smash, named Rocketbarrel Barrage, where he rapidly flies around in his Rocketbarrel Pack while blasting fire explosive peanuts at opponents.
During The Subspace Emissary of Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Diddy uses his Rocketbarrel Pack to propel himself onto the smash skiff, after Falco releases him from the Arwing.
Profiles and statistics[edit]
Super Smash Bros. Brawl[edit]
In Western releases of Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Donkey Kong: Barrel Blast is listed as the Rocketbarrel Pack's other game appearance instead of Mario Power Tennis.
| Trophy Rocketbarrel Pack | ||
| ||
| Appears in: N64 Donkey Kong 64 Wii Mario Power Tennis | ||
| How to unlock: Clear level 4 of Target Smash | ||
| An item that looks like regular barrels but becomes a rocket-powered jet pack when Diddy Kong straps them on his back. It's a convenient gadget to have when adventuring, but for whatever reason, Diddy also uses it when playing tennis and basketball. The moves he can pull off with the rocketbarrel pack are so cool that they're almost not fair. Almost. | ||
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U[edit]
| Trophy Rocketbarrel Pack | ||
3DS: Wii U: 
| ||
| Category: Fighter Related | ||
( ) Appears in:N64 Donkey Kong 64 (11/1999) Wii Donkey Kong Country Returns (11/2010) | ||
| () Trophy Box: 18: Animal Friends and Items
| ||
| How to unlock: Random | ||
| Two barrels modified into jet engines—if you throw them on, you're airborne! You can charge them up for a bigger, more accurate boost, but be careful while using these. If you get hit while you're powering up on the ground or zipping around the sky, you'll lose all control of this jet pack! (American English) | ||
| Two barrels equipped with jet engines. Strap them onto your back and the sky's the limit! Use this contraption to boost your jump and control where you land with pinpoint precision. Just try not to let yourself get attacked when you're charging the jets or in the air, or things'll go haywire! (British English) | ||
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | バレルジェット[?] Bareru Jetto |
Barrel Jet | |
| Dutch | Raketton-jetpack[?] | Rocket Barrel jetpack | |
| French | Tonneaux Rapido Rocket[?] | Fast Rocket Barrels | |
| German | Raketenrocker[?] | Rocket Rocker | |
| Italian | Barile Jet[?] | Barrel Jet | Donkey Kong 64 |
| Barile a Reazione[?] | Rocket Barrel; same as Booster Barrel | Mario Power Tennis | |
| Scimmia jet[?] | Monkey jet | Donkey Kong Country Returns, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze | |
| Razzobarili[?] | Rocketbarrel | Super Smash Bros. series | |
| Portuguese | Mochila de Barris a Jato[?] | Barrel Jet Backpack | |
| Spanish | Barriles retropulsados[?] | Retropulsed barrels |
References[edit]
- ^ 2010. Donkey Kong Country Returns instruction booklet. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 15.
- ^ 1999. Donkey Kong 64 instruction booklet. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 7.
- ^ "The moves he can pull off with the rocketbarrel pack are so cool that they're almost not fair." – Rocketbarrel Pack trophy. Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
