Warp Barrel

Warp Barrel
Artwork of a Warp Barrel
First appearance	Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (1995)
Latest appearance	Donkey Kong Country 2 (GBA) (2004)

Warp Barrels are an uncommon type of barrel that appears in the latter two Donkey Kong Country and Donkey Kong Land games. They are usually distinguishable from the W painted on them. As their name suggests, Warp Barrels warp the Kongs to the stage's goal. Warp Barrels are usually hidden off-screen or in out-of-reach areas. A Warp Barrel is invisible until the Kongs enter it. Warp Barrels are optional, and the Kongs are not required to enter them to finish a level.

History

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest / Donkey Kong Land 2

Warp Barrels appear in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest with the appearance of a Barrel Kannon in the SNES version. When a Warp Barrel is entered, Diddy and Dixie are sent into a warp room. The warp room usually takes up only a single screen, and in the center is a group of bananas in the shape of a large exclamation mark. The Kongs can exit the warp room to their right. Only the levels in Gangplank Galleon and Crocodile Cauldron have Warp Barrels in them.

In Donkey Kong Land 2, Warp Barrels have the same sprite as Bonus Barrels. Unlike in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, the warp rooms do not have bananas shaped like an exclamation mark. Warp Barrels appear only in levels from the first world, Gangplank Galleon.

Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! / Donkey Kong Land III

In Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, Warp Barrels have a W decoration on them. Unlike in the previous game, Dixie and Kiddy are not sent into a warp room, so by entering the Warp Barrel, the Kongs are instantly warped in front of the Level Flag. Lake Orangatanga and Kremwood Forest are the only worlds whose levels have Warp Barrels.

In Donkey Kong Land III, unlike Donkey Kong Land 2, the Warp Barrels are marked with a W. Unlike in Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, the Warp Barrels take the Kongs to a small warp room, which they can exit from the right to reach the End of Level Flag. Warp Barrels appear only in the first world, Cape Codswallop.

Donkey Kong Country (Game Boy Advance)

The Warp Barrel area in the Game Boy Advance remake

In the Game Boy Advance remake of Donkey Kong Country, Warp Barrels replace the Blast Barrels from the SNES and Game Boy Color versions that send Donkey Kong and Diddy near the end of the level. Warp Barrels are much more common than the original barrels, with warps appearing in Kongo Jungle and Monkey Mines levels (as well as in Trick Track Trek). Warp Barrels were redesigned with the W on a red explosive effect; this design also appears in the Game Boy Advance remake of Donkey Kong Country 2. By entering a Warp Barrel, the Kongs are taken to a space with its own music track that does not exist in other versions of the game—an ice walkway in a black void, with pictures of some levels, each showing a different environment, hovering across in the background. On the icy path are bananas that spell out "WARP," and the end of the scene puts the Kongs near the end of the level. In all versions of the game, Stop & Go Station has an off-screen warp point that functions as one of these barrels, which is found by walking into the entrance to the left at the very start.

Gallery

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  Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest artwork

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  Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! sprite

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  Donkey Kong Land III (Game Boy Color) sprite

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  Donkey Kong Country (Game Boy Advance) artwork

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  Donkey Kong Country and Donkey Kong Country 2 (Game Boy Advance) sprite

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Italian	Barile magico	Magic barrel

Trivia

• Although Donkey Kong Land has no Warp Barrels, a few levels have a hidden alternate exit at the very start: Arctic Barrel Arsenal, Sky High Caper, and Skyscraper Caper.