Star Barrel
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| Star Barrel | |
|---|---|
 Donkey Kong Country series artwork | |
| First appearance | Donkey Kong Country (1994) |
| Latest appearance | Donkey Kong Country 3 (Game Boy Advance) (2005) |
| Purpose | Serves as a checkpoint within a level |
A Star Barrel, also named Continue Barrel, is a type of barrel that serves as a checkpoint in nearly every level of the first three Donkey Kong Country series titles, Donkey Kong Land 2, and Donkey Kong Land III, not counting boss levels. Star Barrels first appear in Donkey Kong Country.
A Star Barrel usually floats in midair, and cannot be lifted or used as a weapon. Whenever the Kongs touch a Star Barrel, it shatters into a burst of wooden debris, indicating that it has been activated. Its purpose acts as a bit of a "checkpoint" or "continue point" in the levels, and are usually located around halfway through a level. When the Kongs lose an extra life, they get sent out of the level and to the world map. By re-entering the same stage, the Kongs break out of the Star Barrel, so they do not have to travel up to it again. Star Barrels keep track of which K-O-N-G Letters the Kongs have obtained. A stage's Star Barrel is effective up to the point of the Kongs clearing the level or if the player resets the game. In the Donkey Kong Country trilogy remakes for the Game Boy Advance, saving the game keeps track of which Star Barrels, meaning that the progress within a level is not lost upon resetting the game.
In Donkey Kong Country, there is a Save Barrel variety at every Candy's Save Point, and it has the same appearance as a Star Barrel. The Save Barrel saves the player's game progress, serving as a checkpoint in its own regard. In the original Super Nintendo Entertainment System version, if the Kongs touch a Star Barrel in an underwater level when an enemy is nearby, the resulting explosion defeats the enemy if it is within range.
In Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, Rickety Race is the only level to not have a Star Barrel, although one was added into the Game Boy Advance version. In Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, there is no Star Barrel in Stampede Sprint, and the Game Boy Advance version does not feature one in Rocket Rush either.
In Donkey Kong Land, Star Barrels are replaced with Continue Points. In Donkey Kong Country Returns and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Professor Chops have stalls to serve as the checkpoints.
Manual profiles[edit]
- Donkey Kong Country (SNES)
- "These barrels are decorated with a star design. If you knock out one of these barrels, you will restart at the barrel's location instead of beginning of the level when you lose a life."
- Donkey Kong Country (GBA)
- "Break open a star-spangled Continue Barrel to restart at that location the next time you lose a life."
- Donkey Kong Country 2 (GBA)
- "These barrels mark a midway point in the stage. If you break one, you'll continue at that point should you lose a life later in the level."
- Donkey Kong Country 3 (GBA)
- "These mark a midway point in the level. Break one to continue from that point if you lose a life before reaching the end."
List of game appearances[edit]
| Title | System/format | Year of release |
|---|---|---|
| Donkey Kong Country | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | 1994 |
| Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | 1995 |
| Donkey Kong Land 2 | Game Boy | 1996 |
| Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | 1996 |
| Donkey Kong Land III | Game Boy | 1997 |
| Donkey Kong GB: Dinky Kong & Dixie Kong | Game Boy Color | 2000 |
| Donkey Kong Country | Game Boy Color | 2000 |
| Donkey Kong Country | Game Boy Advance | 2003 |
| Donkey Kong Country 2 | Game Boy Advance | 2004 |
| Donkey Kong Country 3 | Game Boy Advance | 2005 |
Gallery[edit]
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Donkey Kong Country sprite
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Donkey Kong Land 2 / Donkey Kong Land III sprite
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Donkey Kong GB: Dinky Kong & Dixie Kong sprite
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Donkey Kong Country (Game Boy Color) sprite
Trivia[edit]
- While Star Barrels have a different appearance in both Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest and Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! than Donkey Kong Country, their artwork is shared between all three games.
 Barrels 
| |
|---|---|
| Throwable | Backward Barrel • DK Barrel • Mega TNT Barrel • Steel Barrel • TNT Barrel • Vine Barrel • Wooden Barrel |
| Enemy-influencing | Check and X Barrels • Krockhead Barrel • Plus and Minus Barrels • Stop & Go Barrel • Switch Barrel |
| Transformation | Animal Barrel • Cranky's Kong Barrel • Invincibility Barrel • Tag Barrel |
| Transportation | Arrow Barrel • Auto-Fire Barrel • Barrel Cannon • Barrel Train • Biplane Barrel • Blast Barrel • Bonus Barrel • Booster Barrel • Button Barrel • Dance Barrel • Diddy & Dixie Barrels • Fishing Barrel • Fuel Barrel • Funky Barrel • Ghost Barrel • Golden Barrel • Ignition Barrel • Rocket Barrel • Rotatable Barrel • Steerable Barrel • Tracker Barrel • Warp Barrel |
| Characters and enemies | Belcha • Dumb Drum • Klasp • Klobber • Knocka • Kracka • Kuchuka |
| Miscellaneous | Barrel Shield • Oil Barrel • Oil Drum • On & Off Barrel • Save Barrel • Slot Machine Barrel • Star Barrel • Style Barrel • ? Barrel |
