Enguarde
| Enguarde | |
|---|---|
 Enguarde in Donkey Kong Barrel Blast | |
| Species | Swordfish |
| First appearance | Donkey Kong Country (1994) |
| Latest appearance | Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (spirit cameo) (2018) |
Enguarde is a blue swordfish and a recurring Animal Friend who appears in the Donkey Kong franchise, starting with Donkey Kong Country. As an aquatic creature, Enguarde appears in many underwater areas. With his sharp, pointed bill, he can defeat many underwater enemies, which the Kongs cannot do by themselves. Enguarde is capable of moving around fast while underwater. While usually portrayed as an individual, occasionally multiple Enguardes can be seen at once.
Enguarde and Rambi are tied with having the most playable appearances. Enguarde has appeared in the first three Donkey Kong Country games, the second and third Donkey Kong Land games, Donkey Kong 64, and Donkey Kong Barrel Blast.
His name is taken from the French phrase used in fencing: "En garde" ("on guard", "put your guard up", ie: "be ready"), presumably due to Enguarde's long, sword-shaped bill.
History
Donkey Kong Country series
Donkey Kong Country
In Donkey Kong Country, Enguarde appears in all four underwater levels, starting with Coral Capers. He also appears in Clam City, Croctopus Chase, and Poison Pond. Coral Capers and Poison Pond have two Enguarde Boxes unlike the other levels, which only have one animal crate.
It is optional for Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong to ride Enguarde in every level, as his main role is helping them defeat underwater enemies. If Enguarde gets hit by an enemy, he swims away, and the Kongs can get back onto Enguarde by swimming on to him. Enguarde cannot defeat Clambos, Croctopuses, and Mincers, which also cause him to swim away.
Like the other Animal Friends, there are animal tokens in the shape of Enguarde. By collecting three Enguarde Tokens, the player is redirected to the Enguarde Bonus!, an underwater area with a red background. Here Enguarde must collect as many mini Enguarde Tokens within the time limit.
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
Enguarde reappears in many of the underwater levels of Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest. He appears in five levels, in order from Lockjaw's Locker, Lava Lagoon, Arctic Abyss, Clapper's Cavern and Animal Antics. He does not appear in some underwater levels, such as Glimmer's Galleon, which instead features another aquatic Animal Friend, Glimmer.
The game introduces Enguarde's Superstab maneuver, where he can build up energy and then release to quickly charge into a straight direction. Unlike the previous game, the Kongs are required to use Enguarde, whose Supercharge ability must be used to break open a fragile wall so they can enter a Bonus Level. In Arctic Abyss, Clapper's Cavern and Animal Antics, there is a part where the Kongs must enter an Animal Barrel to transform into Enguarde. Enguarde is the second Animal Friend with a section in Animal Antics.
In the Swanky's Bonus Bonanza of Gloomy Gulch, during the "Gibbon Game" challenge, a question asks what "Enguarde," "Swordy," and "Stabber."
Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!
Enguarde makes his fourth game appearance in Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, and retains his abilities from the predecessor, Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest. Enguarde appears in the following five levels, in order of: Tidal Trouble, Bazza's Blockade, Floodlit Fish, Pot Hole Panic, and lastly Poisonous Pipeline. In addition, Enguarde fights Barbos in the Razor Ridge boss level, Barbos's Barrier, where he can attack Barbos and Lurchins alike by performing a Supercharge on the squishy center part of their body, but if Enguarde stabs their spiky shell, he becomes hurt instead. In the Game Boy Advance version, Enguarde instead fights Barbos in Pacifica, where he was also added in two of the world's levels: Dingy Drain-Pipe and Stormy Seas.
Donkey Kong 64
In Donkey Kong 64, Enguarde (also named Enguard the Swordfish[1] or simply Enguard[2]) only appears in Gloomy Galleon, and Lanky Kong is the only Kong who can enter the Enguarde Box to transform into Enguarde. Enguarde Boxes are present in both the lighthouse and shipwreck areas of the level. Unlike the Donkey Kong Country and Donkey Kong Land games, Enguarde cannot defeat underwater enemies, though he can charge into treasure chests to destroy them and reveal hidden items. Enguarde has the ability to jump out of the water, and doing so is necessary in the shipwreck area, where Enguarde must jump through a star with a DK symbol three times to open the Coin Room.
Enguarde is the star of his own unlockable minigame, Enguarde Arena, which can be unlocked after catching six Banana Fairies. The minigame's objective is for Enguarde to jump through as many stars with the DK logo within the time limit.
Donkey Kong Land series
Enguarde's appearances in the Donkey Kong Land series are based on his appearances from the Donkey Kong Country series. In Donkey Kong Land 2, like the other Animal Friends, Enguarde can only be transformed into via an Animal Barrel, but he still retains his Superstab ability from Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest. In Donkey Kong Land III, Enguarde can no longer use his Superstab attack, unlike Donkey Kong Land 2, and just like in Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, Enguarde is transformed into for the duration of the boss fight against Barbos, taking place at Barbos Bastion. A difference with the boss fight is that Enguarde instead attacks Barbos by charging a Lurchin into its center.
For Donkey Kong Land 2, Enguarde appears in only a few levels, in order of: Lockjaw's Locker, Lava Lagoon, Glimmer's Galleon, and lastly Arctic Abyss. In Donkey Kong Land III, Enguarde commonly appears in water-based levels: Seabed Shanty, Ford Knocks, Koco Channel, Coral Quarrel, and Deep Reef Grief.
Club Nintendo
Enguarde appeared as Donkey and Diddy's Animal Friend in the third part of Club Nintendo's comic "Donkey Kong Country". Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong ride him through a body of water, while being attacked by several underwater enemies. An exploding TNT Barrel pushes them out of the water and onto King K. Rool's ship Gangplank Galleon, after which Enguarde does not appear again.
Super Mario-kun
Enguarde appears in volume 14 of Super Mario-kun. After Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong ride on a fake Enguarde, Mario and Yoshi find a box that contains Enguarde. They meet Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong in ropes. Before Mario can do anything, he gets attacked by a Croctopus. Enguarde saves him, but a Clambo breaks his nose. Mario responds by attaching a drill to his nose. Enguarde then plows through the Croctopus, breaking its arms.
Donkey Kong Barrel Blast
Enguarde appears in Donkey Kong Barrel Blast as a ridable Animal Friend in underwater racetracks once he is released from his crate. In this game, he can ram through anything in his path, including an electrified Chomps. Him and Rambi cannot hurt other racers by ramming into them, but they are unaffected by attacks and Wild Moves from other players as well as all items, except for the reversed control effects and loss of Wild Moves from a Mega TNT Barrel. Enguarde is found in the underwater portions of Salty Sea and Open Ocean.
Super Smash Bros. series
In the Super Smash Bros. series, Enguarde makes a few cameo appearances. He first appears in Super Smash Bros. Brawl in the form of a trophy and a sticker, both of which can be unlocked by playing through various modes at random, and sticker can be used on Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong in The Subspace Emissary to boost their attack power by 15 points. In Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, there is another obtainable trophy of Enguarde, also obtained as a random drop. In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, there is an Advanced-class Attack-type primary spirit that, when equipped, boosts the fighter's power but leaves them more vulnerable to electric attacks. In the game's World of Light, the spirit is encountered in the Coral Capers spot on the DK Island sub-map of the Light Realm. The spirit's puppet fighter is a male Corrin in a low-buoyancy fight on the Great Bay stage.
Picross NP Vol. 8
Enguarde makes a cameo appearance in Picross NP Vol. 8 as one of the images that must be cleared.
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
In the Donkey Kong Adventure story of Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, one of Rabbid Peach's Sentry weapons, the Trophy Fish Terror, is based on Enguarde's appearance. The weapon's description reassures that Enguarde is "safe and sound" despite the implication in the weapon's name that he was hunted and turned into a trophy.
Unused appearances
Donkey Kong Racing
Enguarde appears while being ridden by Tiny Kong underwater in early screenshots and during the trailer of the canceled Donkey Kong Racing, along with a slightly larger purple Enguarde ridden by Diddy Kong. It is unknown if the purple Enguarde would have had any distinctive qualities aside from its color.
Diddy Kong Pilot (2003)
In Diddy Kong Pilot's 2003 iteration, a few Enguardes are seen in the course Shore Strife, splashing in and out of the water. In the Cranky Kong Pilot title screen variation, an Enguarde is shown jumping out of the water below every few seconds, at a slower pace than the Enguardes of Shore Strife.
Enguarde was replaced with the dolphins from Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge in the final version of this iteration, Banjo-Pilot.
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
The development team of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze wanted to add more Animal Friends to the game, with Enguarde being considered.[3]
Profiles
Donkey Kong Land 2
- Virtual Console manual bio: "Press
while swimming quickly to perform a dash attack. Hold 
to perform a super dash."
Super Smash Bros. series
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
- Trophy
- Enguarde
- Appears in:
- SNES Donkey Kong Country
- SNES Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
- A swordfish animal buddy. Enguarde always appears on water levels where he can loyally help Donkey Kong get around. Much appreciated, right, DK? Complementing his cute, round eyes, Enguarde's pointed bill proves to be a powerful weapon. One thrust from it will easily down most underwater opponents.
- Sticker
- Enguarde
- Effect: [Body, Spin] - Attack +15
- Usable by: Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
- Trophy
- Enguarde
- Appears in:
- SNES Donkey Kong Country (11/1994)
- SNES Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (11/1995)
- If you combine this swordsman of the sea with the king of the jungle, you'll get an aquatic duo no enemy can hope to overcome. Like Rambi the Rhinoceros, Enguarde can dash to blast through foes. Does that mean we should call him the Rhino of the Sea? Or maybe Rambi is the Swordfish of the Shores? Hmmm... (American English)
- When this swordsman of the sea and the king of the jungle team up, you get an aquatic duo no enemy can hope to overcome. Like Rambi the Rhinoceros, Enguarde can dash to blast through foes. Does that make Enguarde the rhino of the sea, or is Rambi the swordfish of the shores? Hmmm... (British English)
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate spirit
| Name | Image | Series / game | Type | Class | Strength / effect(s) | How to obtain | Spirit battle | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opponent(s) | Battle conditions | Stage | Song | |||||||
| Enguarde | 
|
Donkey Kong Series | Primary (1) | Advanced | red Electric Weakness |
World of Light (DK Island) | Corrin ♂ | Rule: Buoyancy Reduced
|
Great Bay | Ice Cave Chant |
Gallery
- For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Enguarde.
Donkey Kong Country
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | エンガード[?] Engādo |
Enguarde | |
| Russian | Ангард[?] Angard |
Enguarde | |
| Spanish | Enguarde[?] | - |
References
- ^ "Grab Lanky from the underwater Tag Barrel next to the Animal Crate. Then pop him inside to become Enguard the Swordfish." - Donkey Kong 64 Prima's Official Strategy Guide, page 82.
- ^ "Maneuver Enguard to jump through the DK Star three times." - Donkey Kong 64 Prima's Official Strategy Guide, page 82.
- ^ NE_Brian (January 21, 2023). Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze almost brought back Enguarde. Nintendo Everything. Retrieved January 22, 2023. (Archived January 21, 2023, 05:04:00 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- Fish
- Animal Friends
- Playable characters
- Donkey Kong Barrel Blast
- Donkey Kong Country characters
- Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest characters
- Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! characters
- Donkey Kong Land 2 characters
- Donkey Kong Land III characters
- Super Smash Bros. Brawl stickers
- Super Smash Bros. Brawl trophies
- Super Smash Bros. for Wii U trophies
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate spirits
