Expresso
| Expresso | |
|---|---|
| Artwork of Expresso from Donkey Kong Country Artwork from Donkey Kong Country | |
| Full name | Expresso the Ostrich[1] |
| Species | Ostrich |
| First appearance | Donkey Kong Country (1994) |
| Latest appearance | Donkey Kong Bananza (ver. 3.1.0, DK Island & Emerald Rush , statue cameo) (2026) |
- “You guys look like you could you could[sic] use a hand. Actually, a foot. Well, really, two feet—wearing my sure-grip sneakers.”
- —Expresso, Donkey Kong Country (novel)
Expresso is an Animal Friend first appearing in Donkey Kong Country . He is an ostrich wearing a pair of white and red sports sneakers. Expresso can run fast and glide through the air by flapping his wings.
History[edit ]
Donkey Kong Country series[edit ]
Donkey Kong Country[edit ]
Expresso is an ally in Donkey Kong Country. He is encountered in Temple Tempest, Orang-utan Gang, Ice Age Alley, and Misty Mine. Expresso cannot defeat any enemies by jumping on them since, according to Cranky Kong, his legs are too thin[2] ; enemies harm him in the process. On the other hand, Expresso is unaffected by Klaptraps, which pass through his long legs. Expresso's main ability is gliding distances while flapping his wings. Like the other Animal Friends, Expresso has his own bonus stage (named Expresso Bonus! in the Game Boy Advance version), and the Kongs can enter it by obtaining three Expresso Tokens. The bonus stage is set in a jungle-themed area, and like in other Animal Friend stages, Expresso must collect as many mini Expresso Tokens within the time limit in exchange for extra lives. The sound effect of when Expresso hits an enemy is identical to the one of a Mini-Necky being defeated.
Donkey Kong Country 2[edit ]
In Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest , a golden statue of Expresso appears in the background inside the Monkey Museum. Cranky Kong also mentions him in one of his quotes.[3]
In the Game Boy Advance remake, Expresso is a playable character in the minigame Expresso Racing. Both Cranky and his pet Expresso are at Cranky's Hut, and before the game's events, Cranky used the "vast fortune" he made from his "starring role" in Donkey Kong Country to buy Expresso as a pet. However, Cranky wishes to raise Expresso as a racing bird, but his Expresso is too small and weak for racing competitions, so Cranky asks Diddy Kong and Dixie Kong to find and obtain golden feathers, which each increase a bar of Expresso's Power, Speed, Acceleration, or Boost for the Expresso Racing challenges. Expresso becomes increasingly larger each time a golden feather is given to him. Any time Expresso wins first place in Expresso Racing, he wins a gold trophy, and when all six trophies are won, Cranky rewards Diddy and Dixie with a photograph of himself for the Scrapbook. Additionally, a photograph of Expresso appears in Animal Antics, and collecting the photograph causes it to appear under the thirteenth page of the Scrapbook.
Donkey Kong Land[edit ]
Expresso is an ally in Donkey Kong Land . He is only one of the two Animal Buddies, the other one being Rambi. Like in Donkey Kong Country, Expresso also appears in four levels: Deck Trek, Mountain Mayhem, Landslide Leap, and Collapsing Clouds—mostly just in Bonus Levels, however. A difference with Expresso is that he can now defeat enemies by jumping on them, including Zingers.
Donkey Kong in: Banana Day 24[edit ]
In the German Club Nintendo magazine comic "Donkey Kong in: Banana Day 24," Diddy and Dixie are briefly seen riding Expresso to an airport.
Picross NP Vol.8[edit ]
Expresso appears in Picross NP Vol.8 as one of the images that must be cleared.
Super Smash Bros. series[edit ]
Expresso makes a few cameos in the Super Smash Bros. series. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl , Expresso has a trophy that can be unlocked by collecting it when it appears at random in any of the game's modes, such as Vs. matches or the Home-Run Contest. In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS , there is another collectible trophy of Expresso. In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate , Expresso is a Novice-class support spirit that takes up one support slot, and during battles, fighters who use the Expresso spirit begin with 30% damage but have increased movement speed.
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle[edit ]
In the Donkey Kong Adventure story of Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle , Expresso makes a cameo appearance as one of Rabbid Cranky's Boombow weapons, the Expresso Atomizer. The weapon is described as officially licensed Expresso the Ostrich merchandise. The description also mentions that it has double kneecaps for authenticity, referencing how bird legs are composed of two intermediary articulations, although they have only one kneecap for each leg.
Super Mario Odyssey[edit ]
A street name in New Donk City from Super Mario Odyssey is "Expresso Street." One of the store signs on the side of the buildings reads "Expresso Espresso."
Donkey Kong Bananza[edit ]
In Donkey Kong Bananza , a billboard in New Donk City mentions Expresso, reading "Express-os," and displays an image of sports sneakers he wears. It also has a slogan reading, "Flap to it!", seemingly referencing the shoe brand NIKE's "Just do it" slogan.
The ostriches that appear in the Forest Layer resemble Expresso, with the Ostrich Elder wearing similar sneakers to him.
On DK Island in the DK Island & Emerald Rush DLC, one of Expresso's sneakers can be found next to the mine cart rail, where it is dirty and covered in mud.
In the Emerald Rush event Ostrich Riches, a statue based on Expresso could be unlocked by collecting 80,000 emeralds in a single run. His design is based on his Super Smash Bros. Brawl appearance.
Other appearances[edit ]
An Expresso appears in the Banjo-Pilot course Jinxy's Dunes. This was a leftover from the Plain Pursuit stage from the 2003 build of Diddy Kong Pilot .
Unused appearances[edit ]
Donkey Kong Racing[edit ]
A stampede of Expressos appears at the start of the trailer for the canceled Nintendo GameCube title Donkey Kong Racing .
Profiles[edit ]
Donkey Kong Country[edit ]
- Instruction booklet: This crazy bird is a valuable animal to find. Although he can't really fly, he can run even faster than Rambi and can make long, wing assisted leaps. Expresso's legs, being long and spindly, are not suitable for jumping on enemies. Smaller enemies will crawl right under him, but larger ones are trouble. You can make Expresso flap his wings by repeatedly pressing the B Button Button.[4]
Super Smash Bros. series[edit ]
Super Smash Bros. Brawl[edit ]
Express
SNES Donkey Kong Country
GBA Donkey Kong Country 2
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS[edit ]
Expresso
Random
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate[edit ]
#153 Expresso
Rule: Slippery Stage
- The stage's platforms are really slippery
- The enemy has increased move speed
- The enemy falls slowly
Gallery[edit ]
- For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Expresso.
Donkey Kong Land
Donkey Kong Country (GBC)
Donkey Kong Country 2 (GBA)
Diddy Kong Pilot (2003, reused in Banjo-Pilot)
Naming[edit ]
Expresso's name is a portmanteau of "express" and "espresso," a type of coffee, both referring to his fast running speed.
Names in other languages[edit ]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Note(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | エクスプレッソ Ekusupuresso |
Expresso | [5] | |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 艾克斯佩索 Àikèsīpèisuǒ (Mandarin) Ngaaihhāksīpuisok (Cantonese) |
Expresso | [6] | |
| Expresso | Unmodified from the English name | Super Smash Bros. Ultimate | [7] | |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 艾克斯佩索 Àikèsīpèisuǒ (Mandarin) Ngaaihhāksīpuisok (Cantonese) |
Expresso | [8] | |
| Expresso | Unmodified from the English name | Super Smash Bros. Ultimate | [7] | |
| Dutch | Expresso | - | [7] | |
| French | Expresso | - | [9] | |
| German | Expresso | - | [9] | |
| Italian | Expresso | - | [9] | |
| Korean | 익스프레스 Ikseupeureseu |
Express | [9] [10] | |
| Expresso | Unmodified from the English name | Super Smash Bros. Ultimate | [7] | |
| Polish | Expresso | - | [6] | |
| Portuguese | Expresso | - | [6] | |
| Russian | Экспрессо Ekspresso |
Expresso | [?] | |
| Spanish | Expresso | - | [?] | |
| Thai | เอกซ์เพรสโซ Èekprêetsoo |
Expresso | [6] |
Notes[edit ]
- Cranky Kong references Expresso in the Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest instruction booklet[11] [page number needed] as well as in the Donkey Kong 64 instruction booklet.[12] [page number needed]
References[edit ]
- ^ 2000. Donkey Kong Country (Game Boy Color) instruction booklet. Nintendo of America (English). Page 15.
- ^ "I heard that Expresso the ostrich can't jump on baddies. I guess his legs are too thin." – Cranky Kong's general advice (1994). Donkey Kong Country . Nintendo (English).
- ^ "Where's Expresso? A clumsy spider and a fat parrot, is that the best they can think of?" – Cranky Kong. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest .
- ^ 1994. Donkey Kong Country instruction booklet. Nintendo of America (English). Page 24.
- ^ 「ダチョウのエクスプレッソ」("Expresso [the] Ostrich"). 2000. ドンキーコング2001 (Donkey Kong 2001).
取扱説明書 (instruction booklet). Nintendo Co., Ltd (Japanese). Page 25. - ^ a b c d In-game name of the Expresso statue from Donkey Kong Bananza: DK Island & Emerald Rush .
- ^ a b c d Spirit inventory (7 Dec. 2018). Super Smash Bros. Ultimate by Nintendo, Sora Ltd., and BANDAI NAMCO Studios Inc (Ver. 13.0.3). Nintendo.
- ^ Nintendo (February 17, 2025). 《DK島&綠寶石淘金》第5回遊戲內活動「鴕鳥大富翁!」於本日2月17日(二)開始舉行!下一回活動預定於3月31日(二)舉行!. nintendo.com (Traditional Chinese). Retrieved February 23, 2025.
- ^ a b c d Trophy list (2008). Super Smash Bros. Brawl by Sora Ltd. Nintendo.
- ^ Nintendo Today!
- ^ "A more tragic looking bunch of useless no-hopers you'll never see! I liked Expresso and Winky--where have they gone?" – Cranky Kong. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest instruction booklet.
- ^ "I just hope they've included poor old Winky and Expresso this time instead of that bone-brained rhino that always seems to get in the games." – Cranky Kong. Donkey Kong 64 instruction booklet.