Mini-Necky
- Not to be confused with Necky.
| Mini-Necky | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Artwork of a Mini-Necky from DK: King of Swing | |||
| First appearance | Donkey Kong Country (1994) | ||
| Latest appearance | DK: Jungle Climber (2007) | ||
| Variant of | Necky | ||
| |||
- “Necky's little buddy spits coconuts!”
- —Donkey Kong Country manual, page 29
Mini-Neckys[1][2] (alternately pluralized as Mini-Neckies)[3] are a smaller variant of Neckys. They first appear in Donkey Kong Country, but have since appeared in more games than Neckys.
History
Donkey Kong Country / Donkey Kong Land
In Donkey Kong Country, Mini-Neckys (also referred to as Necky Jnr's on one occasion)[4] attack Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong by spitting out coconuts, which move horizontally in the Kongs' direction. Some Mini-Neckys move up and down while spitting out coconuts. The Kongs can defeat a Mini-Necky in the same way as a Necky: either by jumping on them or by hitting them with a barrel. However, if the barrel hits one of Mini-Necky's coconuts, it breaks. Mini-Neckys appear in four levels: Vulture Culture, Ice Age Alley, Trick Track Trek, and Elevator Antics. Mini-Neckys and Neckys are the main enemies in Vulture Culture. In the Game Boy Color version, Mini-Neckys appear in two more levels, Winky's Walkway and Necky Nutmare, respectively making for their first and last level appearances, and Mini-Neckys are also the main enemy of Necky Nutmare. In the Game Boy Advance version, a photograph of Mini-Necky can be obtained by having Donkey Kong use a Hand Slap in the center of the boss level, Necky's Nuts.
In Donkey Kong Land, Mini-Neckys behave identically as in Donkey Kong Country and likewise have four level appearances: Deck Trek, Landslide Leap, Kong Krazy, and Fast Barrel Blast.
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest / Donkey Kong Land 2
Mini-Neckys also appear as enemies in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest. Aside from Zingers, Mini-Neckys are the only enemies that return from Donkey Kong Country. To correspond to the game's pirate theme, Mini-Neckys wear red polka-dotted bandannas on their heads. They appear slightly larger than in Donkey Kong Country and have a different behavior in that when it notices Diddy and Dixie Kong, Mini-Necky swoops down to try and attack them. They also have a deeper voice than in the previous game. The game also features a large Mini-Necky boss, Krow, who is later fought as Kreepy Krow. The latter's identically titled boss level features several ghostly Mini-Neckys which swoop at the Kongs individually; only one of them is normal, and the Kongs must jump on to summon a barrel that can be thrown at Kreepy Krow.
Mini-Neckys appear in the following levels, more than in Donkey Kong Country: Kannon's Klaim, Squawks's Shaft, Bramble Blast, Mudhole Marsh, Web Woods, Castle Crush, Chain Link Chamber, and Screech's Sprint, and Animal Antics. Aside from levels, a Mini-Necky appears in the ending's Cast of Characters, as part of the Lazy Landlubbers category.
In Donkey Kong Land 2, they are named Neckys,[5][6] and retain their behavior from Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest. They only appear in two levels, Kannon's Klaim and Mudhole Marsh, as well as during the boss level Kreepy Krow, acting the same as in the original game. Because of the Game Boy color's monochromatic palette, regular Neckys cannot be distinguished from their ghostly variant. During the ending, a Necky appears in "The Baddies" category.
DK: King of Swing / DK: Jungle Climber
Mini-Neckys reappear in DK: King of Swing and its sequel, DK: Jungle Climber. Their feathers were changed from black to blue in both. In these games, Mini-Neckys attack by spitting coconuts at Donkey Kong or charging at him, as in Donkey Kong Country and Donkey Kong Country 2, respectively. In DK: King of Swing, Mini-Neckys first appear in Necky's Canyon while in DK: Jungle Climber, they first appear in Cliffy Peak.
Donkey Kong Barrel Blast
Mini-Neckys appear as blue balloon items in Donkey Kong Barrel Blast. When used by a racer, the Mini-Necky homes in on the nearest opponent behind the racer and rams into them. This results in the opponent losing ten bananas. If a Kremling uses a Mini-Necky, the opponent also loses a Wild Move.
Gallery
Artwork
Donkey Kong Country
Donkey Kong Land
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
Sprites
Donkey Kong Country
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
Ghost Mini-Necky in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
Donkey Kong Land 2
Donkey Kong Country (GBC)
Donkey Kong Country (GBA)
Donkey Kong Country 2 (GBA)
DK: King of Swing
DK: Jungle Climber
Screenshots
A Mini-Necky in the Cast of Characters roll during Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest's ending
A Necky in Donkey Kong Land 2's ending
A Mini-Necky in Planet Plantaen in DK: Jungle Climber
Miscellaneous
Artwork used for a puzzle based on Donkey Kong Country
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| French | Mini-Necky[?] | - | |
| Italian | Mini-Necky[7] (Donkey Kong Country and its GBA remake) | - | |
| Necky Mini[8][9] (since Donkey Kong Country 2) | |||
| Spanish | Mini-Necky[?] | - |
Trivia
- In the original version of Donkey Kong Country, there are unused frames of a perched Mini-Necky throwing a coconut, similar to the perched Neckys.[10]
References
- ^ "Jump on the different colored Mini-Neckys to gain the necessary objects to fight the ghost of Krow." – Kong Kollege. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest.
- ^ "Mini-Neckys are just as weak as their larger cousins, but they’re more of a nuisance. All Mini-Neckys toss stones horizontally at oncoming foes. They’ll toss them either in a single straight line or at three different heights, making them a headache to get by." – Folsom, Jessica; Thomason, Steve (2003). Donkey Kong Country Player's Guide. Nintendo of America (American English). ISBN 1-930206-33-X. Page 15.
- ^ "Now release the barrel, following it across the path as it takes out two Mini-Neckies and their nuts." – Hodgson, David S. J. (June 17, 2003). Donkey Kong Country Prima's Official Strategy Guide. Prima Games (American English). ISBN 0-7615-4334-1. Page 66.
- ^ November 1994. Nintendo Magazine System (UK) #26, Special. British English. Page 22.
- ^ Donkey Kong Land 2 ending screenshot
- ^ April 1997. Nintendo Magazine System (AU) Issue #49. Australian English. Page 53.
- ^ 1994. Donkey Kong Country Italian manual. Nintendo of Europe. Page 28.
- ^ 2005. DK: King of Swing European manual. Nintendo of Europe (Italian). Page 122.
- ^ 2007. Donkey Kong Jet Race Italian manual. Italian. Page 17.
- ^ File. DKC Atlas Forums. Archived August 22, 2014, 22:52:37 UTC from the original via Wayback Machine.
