Rock Kroc

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Rock Kroc
Donkey Kong Country artwork
First appearance	Donkey Kong Country (1994)
Latest appearance	Donkey Kong Country (Game Boy Advance) (2003)
Variant of	Kritter

Rock Krocs, alternatively spelled RockKrocs, are a variant of Kritters made of rock. They only appear as enemies in Donkey Kong Country, being among one of K. Rool's many henchmen.

History

Donkey Kong Country

In Donkey Kong Country, Rock Krocs are only found in one level, Stop & Go Station, where they are the main enemy encountered. Their behavior is affected depending on whether the Stop & Go Barrels are on "GO" or "STOP," the former by default. While the barrels are on "GO," the Rock Krocs rapidly move back and forth. If Donkey Kong or Diddy Kong touch a Rock Kroc, they take damage. To stop a Rock Kroc from moving, the Kongs must jump at a Stop & Go Barrel so that it reads "STOP." In doing so, the Rock Kroc curls into a boulder-like shape and becomes dormant. This effect is just temporary because after a while, the Stop & Go Barrels revert back to "GO." In the Japanese Super Famicom release, while a Rock Kroc is in its curled up state, Donkey Kong can defeat it using his Hand Slap.

Donkey Kong Country (Game Boy Color)

Donkey Kong Country (Game Boy Color) sticker of a Rock Kroc with the letter U

In Donkey Kong Country for the Game Boy Color, Rock Krocs cannot be defeated like in the non-Japanese releases of the original Donkey Kong Country. Due to graphical limitations, a Rock Kroc's red eyes are not shown on its eyes. There is also a printable sticker of a Rock Kroc holding up the letter U, with its head sticking out between the curve of the letter.

Donkey Kong Country (Game Boy Advance)

In Donkey Kong Country for the Game Boy Advance, a photograph of a Rock Kroc can be collected right before the letter O, and it appears under the fourth page of the scrapbook.

General information

Physical appearance and traits

Rock Krocs are brown, rocky Kritters with a beige belly and glowing red eyes. They have been described as being stupid.

Naming

The name "Rock Kroc" is derived from how they are made out of rock. Some earlier media formats their name in camelcase, as "RockKroc."

For the original Super Nintendo version, "RockKroc" is the spelling used in both the ending cast roll and the Nintendo Player's Guide, but in the instruction booklet, it is spelled "Rock Kroc." In the Game Boy Color version, their name is spelled "Rock Kroc" in the instruction booklet. In the Game Boy Advance version, "Rock Kroc" is used as the spelling in the cast roll, the instruction booklet (whose bio for Rock Krocs is reused directly from the Game Boy Color instruction booklet), and in the Nintendo Player's Guide.

Profiles and statistics

Donkey Kong Country

• Donkey Kong Country instruction booklet (page 28): "This Kremling uses a crafty disguise to make sneak attacks."
• Nintendo Player's Guide (page 14): "This possessed creature only appears in a couple of stage. That's plenty! When the lights in the cave glow green, the RockKrocs go crazy. They run back and forth with their arms outstretched, looking for something to grab. The only way to shut them down is to make the lights glow red. Doing so entails touching the Stop & Go Barrels as you move through the stage."
• Nintendo Power Volume 65 (page 20): "This evil Kremling's got stalagmites in his bones. He'll morph into a harmless boulder, but when he wakes up, Kong had better hit the switch barrel and hightail it out of the mines."

Donkey Kong Country (Game Boy Color)

• Instruction booklet (page 23)*: "He'll use his krafty Kremling kamouflage for sneak attacks."

Donkey Kong Country (Game Boy Advance)

• Nintendo Player's Guide (page 14): "Rock Krocs are rare subterranean Krocs that have glowing red eyes and rocklike skin. They appear in only a few corners of Kong Island. Rock Krocs run around in a crazed rampage when the cave is lit green. Activate Stop & Go Barrels in levels that the stony beasts populate to change the level's lighting to red-the Rock Krocs will become temporarily immobilized."

Gallery

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  Donkey Kong Country artwork

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  Donkey Kong Country artwork

Trivia

• One of the design sheetsMedia:DKC general naming.jpg used during Donkey Kong Country's development lists a Kremling called Krocrock, which is described as being a Rock Kremling. It is presumably an early name used for Rockkroc.