Editing Zinger

|derived_subjects=[[Buzz (enemy)|Buzz]]<br>[[Tiki Zing]]

|comparable=[[Mincer]]

}}

'''Zingers''', also shortened '''Zings''',<ref>[[:File:Toxic Tower concept.jpg]]</ref> are large wasps<ref name="Mayles"/> (erroneously identified as bees<ref>{{cite|quote=These bees are usually quite busy protecting their assigned area!|title=''Donkey Kong Country'' Player's Guide|page=15|date=1994|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en-us}}</ref>) with protective spikes on their back. Zingers are usually colored yellow with black stripes. Zingers first appear in ''[[Donkey Kong Country]]''. Zingers were designed by [[Steve Mayles]], who dislikes wasps in real life, and was scared while designing the Zingers.<ref name="naming">{{file link|DKC general naming.jpg|Early DKC general naming sheet}}</ref><ref name=Mayles>{{cite|author=WinkySteve|date=September 28, 2016|url=x.com/WinkySteve/status/781238831693561856|title=Wasps. I don't like wasps. Making Zingers scared me.|publisher=X ([[Media:Twitterpost Zinger.jpeg|Screen capture]])|accessdate=May 16, 2024}}</ref>

There are some entities similar to Zingers. In ''[[Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!]]'' and ''[[Donkey Kong Land III]]'', they were replaced with the robotic [[Buzz (enemy)|Buzzes]]. In ''[[Donkey Kong Country Returns]]''{{'}}s [[Tiki Zing]]s have some similarities to Zingers in that they are usually used as indestructible obstacles against the Kongs; however, [[Flaming Tiki Buzz]]es are functionally closer in that they can be defeated in special ways, with [[Blue Hootz]]es continuing that role in ''[[Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze]]''.

==History==

===''Donkey Kong Country'' series===

In ''Donkey Kong Land 2'', Zingers are classified under "The Baddies" during the ending cast roll.

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===''Donkey Kong 64''===

Zingers are enemies in ''[[Donkey Kong 64]]''. They have one of two ways of attacking: In [[DK Isles]] and some of the earlier levels, Zingers dive-bomb at the active Kong on sight, while other Zingers instead drop unripe green [[Orange]]s upon noticing them. Zingers can be defeated from either being hit with ammo from a Kong's weapon, from the effects of a musical instrument move, or by throwing an Orange at it. Aside from DK Isles, Zingers also appear in [[Jungle Japes]], [[Angry Aztec]], [[Fungi Forest]] during the daytime (being replaced by [[Flipflap|Bat]]s at night), and [[Crystal Caves]]. [[Gloomy Galleon]] has only one Zinger, located inside of a mechanical fish. In Angry Aztec, if the player defeats a Zinger and its body falls into the sand, the body disappears in a burst of flames without releasing any [[watermelon]] slice. Unlike the dive-bombing Zingers, the orange-dropping ones will generally respawn after defeating them.

===''Donkey Kong Barrel Blast''===

[[File:Zinger DKBB.png|thumb|A Zinger in ''Donkey Kong Barrel Blast'']]

===''Super Smash Bros.'' series===

Zingers are defensive items in the 2003 build of ''[[Diddy Kong Pilot (2003)|Diddy Kong Pilot]]''. If a racer has a Zinger, they can drop it behind to protect them from an incoming Buzz. If a racer flies into the Zinger, their plane briefly crashes onto the ground. A Zinger breaks if a character or object crashes into it. Like Buzzes, it is possible for racers to pick up three Zingers at once. Zingers were replaced by [[jiggywikki:Ice Egg|Ice Egg]]s in the final game, ''[[jiggywikki:Banjo-Pilot|Banjo-Pilot]]''.

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==Profiles and statistics==

{{main|List of Zinger profiles and statistics}}