Krockhead

Krockhead
A green Krockhead
First appearance	Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (1995)
Latest appearance	Donkey Kong Country 2 (GBA) (2004)
Variant of	Kremling

Krockheads (also formatted as KrocHeads, Krocheads, Kroc Heads, or Krokheads and also known as Krocs) are primitive Kremlings who first appear in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest. They are only seen by their head, hence their name, and can be found in swamp and lava environments, usually in groups.

History

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest

Diddy jumping toward a Krockhead in Krockhead Klamber in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest

In Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, Krockheads appear in two colors, green and brown (changed to bright red in the Game Boy Advance version), each having their own traits. Krockheads appear in four levels: Hot-Head Hop, Barrel Bayou, Krockhead Klamber, and Mudhole Marsh. Krockheads are most commonly found in the swamp, as Hot-Head Hop is the only lava level that the appear in. Krockheads are the main feature in Krockhead Klamber, as the name would suggest.

Despite sometimes being classified as an enemy, Krockheads do not harm the Kongs directly. Krockheads usually serve as dormant platforms that Diddy Kong and Dixie Kong can jump from to travel across the lava or swamp. The main difference between green and brown Krockheads is that if the Kongs jump on a brown one, it opens its mouth wide, causing them to be sent high into the air. The player can hold left or right on to control which direction the Kongs go. Some brown Krockheads bounce them higher than others. In some of the swamp levels, Krockheads continuously bob themselves up and down in the water, requiring the Kongs to time their jumps accordingly or else they sink into the swamp with the Krockhead. In the second half of Krockhead Klamber, there are some green Krockheads who only emerge to the surface if the Kongs touch a Krockhead Barrel, but shortly after doing so, they begin to retreat back into the swamp one at a time. Brown Krockheads do not submerge into the swamp nor are they affected by a Krockhead Barrel.

Donkey Kong Land 2

Dixie jumps onto a Krockhead in Hothead Hop in Donkey Kong Land 2

In Donkey Kong Land 2, both types of Krockheads return, but they can no longer be distinguished by color due to the Game Boy's monochromatic screen. Like in their debut appearance, Krockheads first appear in Hothead Hop, and they appear in the game's equivalent of Krockhead Klamber, where Krockhead Barrels remain exclusive and retain the same purpose.

In Kleaver's Kiln, whenever Kleaver is hit by a kannonball, Krockheads emerge from the lava, and Diddy or Dixie can jump from them to travel across to the other side of the arena. However, if they wait too long, the Krockheads retreat back into the lava.

Unlike Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, a Krockhead appears in the ending's cast of characters, under "The Baddies" with the other enemies and bosses. It is notably listed in the plural form, unlike anything else.

Profiles

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest

• SNES instruction booklet (page 31): The green heads make great stepping stones and the brown heads are excellent springboards for reaching those high places.
• Player's Guide (page 15): These primitive Kremlings inhabit swamps and are not quick to attack. With their springy jaws, they make great stepping stones and catapults, but be careful that they don't sink out of sight just as you're making your leap.
• GBA instruction booklet (page 23): The green heads make great stepping stones, while the brown heads are handy springboards for reaching those high places.

Gallery

Artwork

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  A brown Krockhead

• 

  A partially submerged Krockhead

Sprites

• 

  Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (green)

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  Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (brown)

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  Donkey Kong Land 2

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  Diddy Kong Pilot

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  Donkey Kong Country 2 (GBA) (green)

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  Donkey Kong Country 2 (GBA) (red)

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Japanese	クロコヘッド[?] Kurokoheddo	Krockhead
	ジャンピングクロコヘッド[?] Janpingu Kurokoheddo	Jumping Krockhead
Italian	Krockapo[?]	Kroc-head, "capo" (meaning head), is written with a K

Trivia

• Krockheads somewhat bear a resemblance to the giant crocodile named sarcosuchus, due to the bulbous tip of the snout. They also resemble the gharial, but the Krockhead's snout is not as thin as the gharial's.