Animal Friends
This article needs Donkey Kong franchise improvement. Specifically:
- Move game-specific information into a History section.
Animal Friends (alternatively formatted in lowercase),[1] [2] also known as The Good Guys,[3] Animal Buddies,[4] and First Class Friends,[5] are friendly creatures that aid Donkey Kong and the other Kongs on their various adventures. Since their first appearance in Donkey Kong Country , Animal Friends have appeared in several subsequent Donkey Kong titles, especially the Donkey Kong Country series and Donkey Kong Land series.
Every Animal Friend has its own abilities, which are sometimes shared between two or more Animal Friends, usually if they do not appear in the same game. Animal Friends generally help by defeating enemies, finding special items, and allowing the Kongs to reach Bonus Levels and other high areas. In some cases, a special item, such as a couple of DK Coins, can be obtained only through the aid of an Animal Friend. A few of the Animal Friends have the sole purpose of allowing the Kongs to navigate an environment, such as by illuminating a dark area, and are found in only a few relevant areas. None of the Animal Friends can use ropes, and most of them cannot carry objects such as barrels.
In most cases, an Animal Friend is contained within an animal crate, which depicts an emblem of its face on the side. The Kongs can release the Animal Friend by breaking open its animal crate. Most of the Animal Friends can be ridden, and when this occurs, the player's control switches over from the Kongs to the Animal Friend. Just like Yoshis in the Super Mario series, if an Animal Friend is injured by an enemy or obstacle, it runs away, continuing in a single direction until it hits a wall, where it starts moving in the opposite direction, or falls down a pit. To continue riding the Animal Friend, the Kongs must jump back onto it. The Kongs can continue riding an Animal Friend until they exit a level or pass a No Animal Sign, which is a signpost that the depicted Animal Friend is incapable of passing. Crossing a No Animal Sign causes the Animal Friend to disappear, and an item, such as an Extra Life Balloon, appears in its place.
Similar to animal crates are Animal Barrels, which transform the Kongs into the depicted Animal Friend. Whenever two Kongs are active, a small icon of the same Animal Friend is shown at the bottom left of the screen to represent the other Kong. The Animal Friend can sustain two hits from an enemy or most obstacles, meaning that it loses a life only if hit a second time. Whenever the Animal Friend takes one hit, its bottom left icon disappears to indicate that only one of the Kongs is presently transformed into it. Touching a DK Barrel causes the second Kong, and therefore the Animal Friend's icon, to reappear. Whenever the Kongs cross a No Animal Sign, they transform back into themselves. In the Donkey Kong Land series, some levels do not have a No Animal Sign near the end, so they can be completed by an Animal Friend, who then turns back into the Kongs afterward.
Donkey Kong Country Returns , its Nintendo 3DS port, its Nintendo Switch port, and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze reduce the role of the Animal Friends heavily. Only Rambi and Squawks appear. Rambi retains a similar role as in the prior games, though the exact mechanics have changed. Squawks is instead an item which when equipped has him appear in the level to help. The characters are not grouped as "Animal Friends". Instruction manuals group Squawks with the other items and Rambi with vehicles. Trailers also group Rambi with vehicles. The overview trailer for the Nintendo Switch port of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze states Rambi is an Animal Friend.[6]
In Donkey Kong Jungle Beat , Jungle Buddies have a similar role.
List of Animal Friends[edit ]
| Name | Description | Game appearance(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Rambi the Rhino Rambi |
Rambi is a rhinoceros who has the most appearances out of all the Animal Friends. He uses his horn to attack enemies and break open walls. | Donkey Kong Country (1994) Donkey Kong Land (1995) Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (1995) Donkey Kong Land 2 (1996) Donkey Kong 64 (1999) Donkey Kong: Barrel Blast (2007) Donkey Kong Country Returns (2010) Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (2014) Donkey Kong Bananza (2025) |
| Artwork of Expresso from Donkey Kong Country Expresso |
An ostrich who can glide across wide gaps. He has tall legs that short enemies, such as Klaptraps, walk right through. | Donkey Kong Country (1994) Donkey Kong Land (1995) Donkey Kong Country 2 (Game Boy Advance) (2004) |
| Artwork of Enguarde the Swordfish from Donkey Kong: Barrel Blast Enguarde |
Enguarde is a blue swordfish who often appears in aquatic levels to assist the Kongs. In the Donkey Kong Country series, Enguarde moves faster than the Kongs underwater while having a jab attack that increases momentum and defeats enemies, though he moves much slower on land. | Donkey Kong Country (1994) Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (1995) Donkey Kong Land 2 (1996) Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! (1996) Donkey Kong Land III (1997) Donkey Kong 64 (1999) Donkey Kong: Barrel Blast (2007) |
| Artwork of Winky from Donkey Kong Country Winky |
Winky is a frog who is capable of bouncing high, allowing Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong to reach higher areas. | Donkey Kong Country (1994) |
| Artwork of Squawks the Parrot from Donkey Kong Country Returns Squawks |
Squawks is a green parrot whose role has varied throughout the Donkey Kong Country series. In Donkey Kong Country, he carries a flashlight to light the path forward in the level Torchlight Trouble. In Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest and Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! (as well as their respective counterparts, Donkey Kong Land 2 and Donkey Kong Land III), Squawks can fly the Kongs through the level, usually only segments. In Donkey Kong Country Returns and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Squawks helps the Kongs find Puzzle Pieces. | Donkey Kong Country (1994) Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (1995) Donkey Kong Land 2 (1996) Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! (1996) Donkey Kong Land III (1997) Donkey Kong 64 (1999) Donkey Kong: Barrel Blast (2007) Donkey Kong Country Returns (2010) Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (2014) Donkey Kong Bananza: DK Island & Emerald Rush (2025) |
| Rattly artwork from Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest Rattly |
Rattly is a green rattlesnake who, like Winky, has a high jumping ability, so Rattly is essentially a replacement for Winky in his appearances. | Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (1995) Donkey Kong Land 2 (1996) |
| Squitter the Spider Squitter |
A large, orange spider who has the ability to create webs, either as platforms or to attack enemies. | Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (1995) Donkey Kong Land 2 (1996) Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! (1996) Donkey Kong Land III (1997) |
| Glimmer artwork from Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest Glimmer |
An angler fish who only appears in one level, Glimmer's Galleon, to light the path ahead for Diddy and Dixie. His role is much like that of Squawks's in Donkey Kong Country albeit underwater. | Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (1995) |
| Clapper artwork from Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest Clapper |
These seals are always found next to a body of water. Whenever Diddy or Dixie jumps on a Clapper, it exhales cold air which cools (or freezes) the water. | Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (1995) Donkey Kong Land 2 (1996) |
| Official artwork of Quawks from Donkey Kong Country 3 Quawks |
A purple relative of Squawks with a similar behavior and appearance, but with one characteristic in which he is disadvantaged; in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest and Donkey Kong Land 2, he cannot fly upward, and in Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, he cannot spit eggs, picking up barrels instead. | Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (1995) Donkey Kong Land 2 (1996) Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! (1996) Donkey Kong: Barrel Blast (2007) Donkey Kong Bananza: DK Island & Emerald Rush (2025) |
| Artwork of Ellie the Elephant from Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! Ellie |
An elephant who can store a supply of water in her trunk and shoot bursts of them to attack enemies. Ellie can also use her trunk to carry barrels. | Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! (1996) Donkey Kong Land III (1997) |
| Artwork of Parry the Parallel Bird from Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! Parry |
A small bird who flies to the side of Dixie and Kiddy, similar to Squawks in Donkey Kong Country. If the Kongs take Parry past a No Animal Sign, he often yields a valuable reward, sometimes even a Bonus Barrel. | Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! (1996) |
| The Lightfish as it appears in Donkey Kong 64 Lightfish [a] |
A tadpole-like fish who illuminates the darker areas of Gloomy Galleon for the Kongs. It is similar to Glimmer from Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest. | Donkey Kong 64 (1999) |
- ^ While not referred to as an Animal Friend in any English sources, there are German and Spanish sources that list the Lightfish as an Animal Friend, albeit while referring to it as Glimmer, the name of a similar Animal Friend.
Similar characters[edit ]
- See also: Jungle Buddies
While not Animal Friends themselves, these characters have a very similar role:
| Name | Description | Game appearance(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Artwork of the friendly Nibbla from Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! Nibbla |
A carnivorous fish enemy. The level Fish Food Frenzy includes an unique Nibbla that can eat other enemies. | Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! (1996) Donkey Kong Country 3 (Game Boy Advance) (2005) |
| Artwork of Tutorial Pig Professor Chops |
A bespectacled pig who gives advice and acts as a checkpoint. | Donkey Kong Country Returns (2010) Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (2014) |
| Blowhole Bound Whale |
Whales appear as large moving platforms in the stage Blowhole Bound. | Donkey Kong Country Returns (2010) |
| Artwork of Tawks Tawks |
A red parrot who substitutes for Funky Kong at Funky's Fly 'n' Buy whenever he is journeying with the other Kongs. | Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Nintendo Switch) (2018) |
Gallery[edit ]
Artwork from Donkey Kong Country
Concept of several Animal Friends for Donkey Kong Country
Names in other languages[edit ]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Note(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | アニマルフレンド Animaru Furendo |
Animal Friends | [?] | |
| French | Amis Animaux | Animal Friends | [?] | |
| German | Tierisch Hilfreich | Helpful Animals | [?] | |
| Italian | Amici animali | Animal friends | [?] | |
| Spanish | Amigos Animales | Animal Friends | [?] |
Notes[edit ]
- In Donkey Kong Country Returns , the elephant, zebra, giraffe, and squirrel seen throughout the game are dubbed "Animal Friends" in one of the unlockable concept artworks;[7] these animals have a background role in the game, being hypnotized into stealing bananas by the Tiki Tak Tribe. A non-hypnotized elephant appears in the Jungle's diorama being ridden by Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong.
- Donkey Kong Land was originally going to introduce another Animal Friend, a ram named Ram Bunkshus.
References[edit ]
- ^ Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest Nintendo Switch Online description
- ^ Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! Nintendo Switch Online description
- ^ Donkey Kong Country cast roll
- ^ Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest cast roll
- ^ Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! cast roll
- ^ "Smash through obstacles with your Animal Friend Rambi..." – Nintendo of America (Apr 25, 2018). Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze - Overview Trailer - Nintendo Switch ("1:18"). Youtube. Retrieved February 8th, 2025.
- ^ "Animal Friends" concept artwork, "Critters 1 Gallery" in the "Extras" section of Donkey Kong Country Returns;