Rocketbarrel Boost
Rocketbarrel Boost (Boostum Highus) is a signature move of Diddy Kong allowing him to fly around with his Jetbarrel[1] (also known as Barrel Jet or Rocketbarrel Pack). The move first appears in Donkey Kong 64 and has been subsequently featured in the Super Smash Bros. series.
History
Donkey Kong 64
Rocketbarrel Boost is first used by Diddy Kong in Donkey Kong 64. Starting with the level Angry Aztec, Diddy can purchase the Rocketbarrel Boost ability from Cranky's Lab for five Banana Bunch Coins.
After acquiring the ability, Diddy is able to jump into a Diddy Barrel. By doing so, he activates his Rocketbarrel Boost ability and flies around. As with the other Kong Barrel abilities, the Rocketbarrel Boost is powered by Crystal Coconuts. Diddy is able to utilize his Peanut Popguns while performing the move. The Rocketbarrel Boost is also barred in a few sections of the game.
Donkey Kong Country Returns / Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
In both Donkey Kong Country Returns and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, while Diddy does not perform Rocketbarrel Boost, he can use his Barrel Jet to hover in midair for a few seconds.
Super Smash Bros. series
The Rocketbarrel Boost, originally known as Rocketbarrel Blast from the Brawl manual, is used by Diddy in the Super Smash Bros. series, starting with his debut appearance in Super Smash Bros. Brawl Rocketbarrel Boost is Diddy's up special move, and allows him blast up with his jetpack. Diddy Kong can charge this attack up, and if it is charged, he will be able to fly farther. Tilting the control stick allows Diddy to curve his flight path, allowing him to fly in several different directions. Diddy Kong can ram into opponents to damage them, and if used in mid-air the initial burst of height acts as a meteor smash. However, if Diddy Kong is attacked while flying, he will lose his jetpack, and fall down. The jetpack will then fly away, and has a chance of hitting another player.
This move has a unique property to physically react when it goes into a wall (unlike most other attacks in Brawl that simply resume the animation). If Diddy collides with a wall or another character hits him, his flight will take an abrupt stop, his pack exploding and the tow rocketbarrels flying off randomly. He will receive a small amount of damage when he collides into a wall.
In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, two custom variants can be unlocked for this move. The first one is Rocketbarrel Attack, which deals more damage when Diddy hits an opponent, but his flight path cannot cannot be controlled as easily. The second is Rocketbarrel Kaboom, which charges faster and can be steered easier, but doesn't travel as far and explodes if it hits terrain. The Rocketbarrel Boost is also used during Diddy Kong's Final Smash, Rocketbarrel Barrage.
Other appearances
Diddy uses his Barrel Jet as a Power Shot in Mario Power Tennis and as a Special Shot in Mario Hoops 3-on-3.
Trophy information
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
| Name | Image | Game | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rocketbarrel Pack | 
|
N64 Donkey Kong 64 | 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. |
| Wii Donkey Kong: Barrel Blast |
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U
| Name | Image | Appears In (Wii U version only) |
Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rocketbarrel Pack | 
|
N64 Donkey Kong 64 (11/1999) Wii Donkey Kong Country Returns (11/2010) |
Two barrels modified into jet engines - throw them on and 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! |
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | バレルジェット[?] Bareru Jetto |
Barrel Jet | |
| French | Rapido Rocket[?] | Fast Rocket |
References
- ^ Donkey Kong 64 instruction booklet, page 7.
