View source for Snapjaw

{{about|the crocodilian enemy first featured in the game ''Donkey Kong Jr.''|the piranha-like enemy of the same name|[[Snapjaw (Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest)]]|the crocodilian enemy that appeared in the game ''Yoshi's Island DS''|[[Snap Jaw (Yoshi's Island DS)]]}}
{{Species-infobox
|title=Snapjaw
|image=[[File:Snapjaw.jpg|190px]]<br>A Snapjaw as seen in artwork for ''Donkey Kong Jr.''
|first_appearance=''[[Donkey Kong Jr. (game)|Donkey Kong Jr.]]'' ([[List of games by date#1982|1982]])
|latest_appearance=''[[Ultimate NES Remix]]'' ([[List of games by date#2014|2014]])
|derived_species=[[Snap Jaw (Yoshi's Island DS)|Snap Jaw (''Yoshi's Island DS'')]]
}}
'''Snapjaws'''<ref>''Donkey Kong Jr.'' NES instruction booklet, page 5.</ref> are enemies that resemble small alligators, with early appearances also resembling bear traps. They attack with gnashing teeth and are able to travel along [[vine]]s.

==History==
===''Donkey Kong'' series===
====''Donkey Kong Jr.''====
{{multiframe
|[[File:Blue Snapjaw.png]] &nbsp; [[File:Redsnapjaw.png]] &nbsp; [[File:DKJrNESRedSnapjaw.png]] &nbsp; [[File:DKJr2600Snapjaw.png]]
|Snapjaws as they appear in Arcade (blue & red), NES and Atari 2600 versions of ''Donkey Kong Jr.''
|size=120
|background-color=black
|align=right
}}
Snapjaws first appear in the game ''[[Donkey Kong Jr. (game)|Donkey Kong Jr.]]'' Here, they are used by [[Mario]] in an attempt to defeat [[Donkey Kong Jr.]] Like the ape, Snapjaws can climb vines. Whereas blue Snapjaws simply fall off a vine when they reach the end of it, the red variety thrown by Mario can continually climb up and down vines and move on platforms. Snapjaws can only be defeated by dropping [[fruit]] on top of them.
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====''Donkey Kong'' (Game Boy)====
[[File:DKGB Snapjaw.png|frame|right]]
In ''[[Donkey Kong (Game Boy)|Donkey Kong]]'' for the [[Game Boy]], Snapjaws appear in [[Stage 2-4]] in the [[Forest (Donkey Kong)|Forest]] and three stages of the [[Jungle (Donkey Kong)|Jungle]]. They act much as they do in their previous appearance, and Snapjaws thrown by [[Donkey Kong]] act like the blue ones of ''Donkey Kong Jr.''; however, as color is not used to differentiate between enemy types, these Snapjaws have spiked bodies and shorter snouts. Snapjaws can be defeated with fruit or a [[hammer]].
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===''Captain N: The Game Master''===
[[File:SnapJawN.jpg|thumb|right|Snapjaws in ''Captain N: The Game Master''.]]
Snapjaws appear in the episode titled "Queen of the Apes" of ''[[Captain N: The Game Master]]''. Like many entities in the series, they are very off-model, being depicted as piranhas with large underbites (incidentally similar to the [[Snapjaw (Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest)|creature of the same name]] from ''[[Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest]]'').

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===''Mario vs. Donkey Kong'' series===
====''Mario vs. Donkey Kong''====
[[File:ALLIGATOR_MVDK.PNG|thumb|left|upright=0.55|A Snapjaw in ''Mario vs. Donkey Kong''.]]
[[File:MvsDK Snapjaw.png|frame|right]]
The next appearance of Snapjaws is in ''[[Mario vs. Donkey Kong]]''. They show up in [[Donkey Kong Jungle (world)|Donkey Kong Jungle]], and have spikes instead of chains. The ones that appear in the [[Level 2-5 (Mario vs. Donkey Kong)|fifth stage]] have a red and green coloration, whereas Donkey Kong tosses Snapjaws with a blue and purple palette in the [[Level 2-DK|DK stage]]. These Snapjaws do not fall off their vine; rather, they will climb up a vine approximately twice, at which point they will vanish. Like in the Game Boy ''Donkey Kong'', Snapjaws can be defeated with fruit or a hammer.
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====''Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis''====
[[File:SnapjawMvsDK2.png|thumb|upright=0.55|right|A Snapjaw in ''Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis'']]
Snapjaws reappear in the ''[[Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis]]'' floor [[Jungle Hijinks]], having a slightly updated appearance. During levels, they rapidly eat leafy vines, and if a [[Mini Mario (toy)|Mini Mario]] touches one, the Mini Mario will be defeated. During the boss battle against Donkey Kong, they travel down and up the [[rope]]s normally, and fruit can once again defeat them.

====''Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again!''====
Snapjaws reappear in ''[[Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again!]]'' in similar capacity. They are found in [[Jungle Rumble]], in which they serve as shields for Donkey Kong.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
DonkeyKongJr3.png|Mario with a Snapjaw in ''Donkey Kong Jr.''
CN Snapjaw Concept Art.png|Concept artwork of Snapjaws in ''Captain N: The Game Master''
Perfect Snapjaw Manga.png|A manga scene featuring Snapjaws, from ''Super Mario Encyclopedia: Complete Edition''
Snapjaw Perfect.png|Artwork from ''Perfect Edition of the Great Mario Character Encyclopedia''
</gallery>

==Names in other languages==
{{foreign names
|Jap=スナップジョウ<ref>''Perfect Ban Mario Character Daijiten'', [http://imgur.com/a/UvABP#46 page 95.]</ref><br>''Sunappujō''<br>かみつきワニ<ref>[[Media:Mvsdk book ii.jpg|''Mario vs. Donkey Kong'' Shogakukan book]]</ref><br>''Kamitsuki Wani''
|JapM=Snapjaw<br><br>Snapping Crocodilian
}}
==Trivia==
*The original appearance of Snapjaws, that of a fanged monster with a chain dragging behind it, is similar to the appearance of another creature encountered later in the ''Mario'' series, the [[Chain Chomp]].
*[[Klaptrap]]s, small alligators introduced in ''[[Donkey Kong Country]]'', may be based off Snapjaws.
*A Snapjaw makes a cameo appearance in the [[Game Boy Camera]] accessory for the Game Boy handheld system, as the SHOW option's cursor.

==References==
<references/>
{{DKJR}}
{{DK}}
{{MVDK}}
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[[Category:Robots]]
[[Category:Crocodilians]]
[[Category:Donkey Kong Jr.]]
[[Category:Donkey Kong (Game Boy) Enemies]]
[[Category:Mario vs. Donkey Kong Enemies]]
[[Category:Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis Enemies]]
[[Category:Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again! Enemies]]
[[it:Snapjaw]]
[[de:Schnappkiefer]]