Bashmaster the Unbreakable

BASHMASTER THE UNBREAKABLE

Near the end of the penultimate world of Tropical Freeze, Donkey and his friends will stumble across a massive polar bear, relaxing in the middle of a punch bowl and eating a popsicle. Their sudden arrival will cause him to lose said popsicle, invoking his ire as the world's boss.

This is Bashmaster the Unbreakable, Lord Fredrik's best boss who was plundering Juicy Jungle of its fruit and sweets for his own pleasure and enjoyment. He carries around a giant hammer that acts as the centerpiece of most of his attacks.

As a fighter, Bashmaster will be big and incredibly strong, but with a fair amount of speed too. His moveset will pull from all of the moves on display in his personal boss battle.

Likelihood rating: Probably not.

Waldough

WALDOUGH

Later on in the game, Donkey Kong and his crew will encounter even tougher enemies: walruses of the same species as Lord Frederik, bigger and tougher than most of their allies with lots of tricks to keep from getting defeated.

These are Waldoughs. I like to think of them as the Klumps or maybe Krushas of the game, appearing in the later end and proving more of a challenge to the Kongs than other enemies who came before.

As fighters, the Waldoughs are slow and strong, with their moveset pulling from all of their variants and just a little from Lord Fredrik himself.

Likelihood rating: Probably not.

Hootz

HOOTZ

Early on in Donkey Kong's journey, he will encounter a species of owls who will fly around and can be occasionally used as platforms.

These owls are called Hootzes, and are yet another race serving the Snowmads. The most notable member of this race is the giant Skowl, who serves as the game's second boss.

As fighters, Hootzes will be light and floaty, able to fly around with ease. Their moveset will pull from their own abilities as well as that of their boss Skowl.

Likelihood rating: Probably not.

Second Chance: Snowmads

SNOWMADS

I think we might be in for a long one today. So, for the Snowmads, the Tucks got in, and Lord Fredrik got in. These were natural, as the Tucks did a lot, and Lord Fredrik was the final boss. But there were a lot of other races and bosses from that group that I feel deserve at least one more look.

First, we have the Fluffs, little rabbits that like to hop in place. Some of their variants wear helmets, some jump onto minecart tracks, and some throw bombs. I'd say . . . 

NO

The Hootz are owls that fly around and can act as platforms. Some can burst into flames, but that's about it. Except then I remember the boss Skowl, who can shoot feathers as projectiles, summon strong winds, drop eggs, and toss chunks of ice. I think, together, we can say . . .

YES

Waldoughs, right off the bat have an in, because, now that I'm thinking about it, they really could have been at least echoes of Fredrik. Even aside from Fredrik, some of their variants have shields, can toss fish as projectiles, and carry spears with puffer fish on them that they can stab into the ground. I really have to say . . .

YES

Lemmingtons just roll around in wheels, and ice dragons are more an extension of Fredrik himself, so let's move on. We have Pompy the Seal who slides and rolls and tosses fish. It's not quite there. Ba-Boom, trio of monkeys who wield a hammer and rope and throw bombs. Also not quite there. Fugu the Fish inflates himself, sucks in water, and spits up fish. Then we come to Bashmaster the Unbreakable, a polar bear who attacks by slamming his hammer into the ground, leaping high into the air, knock blocks of ice at his opponents, charge through a series of pillars, and create an icy shockwave. For Bashmaster at least, I have to say . . . 

YES

So, that's Hootz, Waldough, and Bashmaster. On to their movesets:

Standard B: Feathers/Chum Chucker/Hammer Slam

The Hootz will fire its feathers as projectiles, the Waldough will toss a fish at an opponent, and Bashmaster will slam his hammer down.

Side B: Gust/Fish Poker/Charge

The Hootz will create a small twister to move across the stage, the Waldough will slam its Fish Poker into the ground, and Bashmaster will charge forward through a row of collapsing pillars.

Up B: Flight/Body Slam/Leap

Hootz will flap its wings and take off into the sky. Both Waldough and Bashmaster will leap and come back down hard (Waldough's based on Fredrik).

Down B: Egg Drop/Shield/Ice Chunk

Hootz will drop an egg that will explode on impact depending on how high it dropped from, Waldough will hold out its shield to protect from attack, and Bashmaster will strike an ice chunk and send it sliding.

Final Smash: Skowl/Ice Dragon/Punch Bowl

For the Hootz, Skowl will fly onto the stage and attack the players there. For the Waldough, it will blow into Fredrik's horn and freeze the entire stage. For Bashmaster, he will leap and slam back down, creating a wave of punch to wash over the stage.

Entrance: Hootz will fly in and land. Waldough will saunter on. Bashmaster will be licking a popsicle.

Taunts: Up, Hootz will burst into flame, Waldough will raise its fish poker, and Bashmaster will spin his hammer. Side, Hootz will fly side to side, Waldough will saunter back and forth, and Bashmaster will stomp his feet. Down, Hootz will land and go to sleep, Waldough will pick up a fish and add it to the chum basket, and Bashmaster will lay down to eat a popsicle.

Kirby Hat: Top of Hootz's head, Waldough's helmet, and Bashmaster's head, Yoshi style.

Kart: An owl-shaped flying craft, a Kart shaped like a Fugu fish, and Bashmaster's punch bowl.

Special Moves: Hootz will send out feathers to fly after multiple opponents, Waldough will hold a shield behind his kart to protect himself, and Bashmaster will be able to smash players with his hammer.

Spirit Battles: Horde on Snowmad Fleet, Horde with Fredrik on Snowmad Fleet, giant battle on Snowmad Fleet.

Victory Screen: The Hootz will fly back and forth and go to sleep. The Waldough will raise its spear into the air with a cheer. Bashmaster will enjoy his popsicle.

Losing Screen: Death animations for both Hootz and Waldough. Bashmaster's popsicle will fall in the punch and promptly get eaten.

Color Swaps: Hootz, Hot Hootz, Puffton, Tuffton, Blue Hootz, Skowl, and two other owls maybe based in pop culture. Waldough, Walnut, Walbrick, Chum Chucker Charlie, Fish Poker Pops, a color based on Fredrik, and two more based in pop culture maybe. His normal colors, his three later phase's colors, standard pink, green, blue color swaps, and one with the Coca-Cola shades.

Thanks for reading! Next up, I believe we move on to Yoshi.

Snowmad Fleet

Tropical Freeze introduced a fun new set of villains in the Snowmads, a horde of Viking warriors made up of arctic animals who travel the world, freezing every island they come to, making it more inhabitable for themselves.

This stage will represent the Snowmads and Tropical Freeze as a whole. It will be set on their fleet of longboats as they make their way slowly through the oceans, the fighters moving from boat to boat as they pass. Water will fill the bottom of the stage, but it will freeze solid intermittently, forming a floor.

Potential theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_3SPM7VPSI

Funky's Flights

Throughout the series, Funky Kong has played the near constant role of running Funky’s Flights, using his big bi-plane made of barrels to transport our heroes back to previous levels that they might want to revisit.

The stage will function similar to the current Pilotwings, taking place entirely on the wings of Funky’s biplane as it takes off from his landing strip and moves from island to island, all based on various locations of the Donkey Kong series. Bluster Kong’s barrel copter will occasionally appear in the background.

Potential theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8mgAP-tTF0

Banana Temple

Probably initially inspired by the banana trip of DK: Jungle Climber, most recent Donkey Kong games tended to feature a dream bonus level that saw Donkey and Diddy frolicking around a temple full of giant bananas.

This stage represents the general idea of those levels. It will have one main platform in the middle, the altar of said temple, but golden bananas and other fruits will be perpetually floating through the stage, forming platforms whenever they come close enough.

Potential theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxB18Jc1Er0

Lord Fredrik

At the forefront of this new invading army stood an imposing walrus draped in furs. Pulling out a giant horn, he blows into it with a mighty breath, producing forth a dragon made of ice that swirls around the island and freezes it whole, blowing Donkey Kong and his companions away.

This fearsome leader of the Snowmads is Lord Fredrik. He leads his forces from island to island, transforming each one into an environment more suitable for them and forcing the current inhabitants to flee. He fights against the Kongs using his massive size and the ice powers granted from his magic horn.

As a fighter, Fredrik is big and strong, but with a surprising amount of speed. His moves pull primarily from his boss battle, allowing him to throw his weight around as well as freeze anything that gets in his way.

Likelihood rating: Piranha Plant clause

Tucks

Donkey Kong Country Returns proved successful enough for Retro Studios to produce a sequel, considered by many to be one of the best games in the series. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze saw Donkey, Diddy, Dixie, and Cranky celebrating Donkey Kong’s birthday, only for it to be interrupted by a fleet of Viking ships manned by hordes of arctic animals.

Most prominent of these were chubby little penguins called Tucks. Tucks were the basic troops of the Snowmads, wandering warriors spreading ice and snow wherever they went. Across the game, the Tucks proved quite versatile, making use of several weapons including swords, snowballs, and thrown fish.

As fighters, the Tucks are small and slow, but get good speed when they slide around on their bellies. Their moves pull from all across the game, utilizing the many tools their various versions used.

Likelihood rating: Never gonna happen

Dixie Kong

The first Donkey Kong Country proved a rampant success and a major stepping stone in gaming’s journey on its way to the jump to 3D and more realistic graphics. A sequel was developed and released a year later, this time starring Diddy Kong as he and his girlfriend journeyed to rescue a captured Donkey Kong from Kaptain K. Rool.

This girlfriend is Dixie Kong, a little chimp with a pink beret and a blonde ponytail she can spin at high speeds and use to fly. Over the course of their adventure, these two would work together to overcome any obstacle, Dixie becoming popular enough to take the lead in the later second sequel.

As a fighter, Dixie will be light and floaty as she was to complement Diddy’s speedier playstyle. Her moveset will pull from this game, its sequel, and her later appearances in games like Tropical Freeze.

Likelihood rating: Strong

Funky Kong

Saving isn’t the only quality-of-life option the game provides you with. Most levels will also have a spot called Funky’s Flights, where players can board a plane made out of wood to fly back to a previous world they want to revisit, run by a cool Kong wearing shades and carrying a surfboard.

This is Funky Kong, one of the more popular characters of the Donkey Kong series. He would go on to be a supporting character in nearly all later games and in the television series, even becoming playable once or twice in games like Tropical Freeze and the Mario Kart series.

As a fighter, he will be fast and strong like Donkey Kong, though a bit more laidback in both of these stats. He will have great defense and good aerials as well, mirroring his easy mode in Tropical Freeze. His moveset will pull from his playable appearances as well as the support he provides here and there.

Likelihood rating: Strong

Cranky Kong

For a while, the Donkey Kong franchise remained not quite dormant but stagnant, largely only seeing re-releases of the old arcade games on new systems while the Mario series got bigger and bigger. That was until Rare came along and completely overhauled the series, setting it in the jungle and effectively breaking it free of the Mario series. The first game would open on an elderly ape in a rocking chair, letting the player know this wasn’t your grandpa’s Donkey Kong.

This old ape was Cranky Kong, the grandfather of the new Donkey Kong and the original ape from the arcade games. He’d apparently retired in the years since his battles with Mario, and now spent his time talking about “kids these days” and how much better he is than them, effectively setting up the plot of the new games by challenging Donkey to go on an adventure of his own. He would appear throughout the series, mostly in supporting roles, but would get his chance to shine again in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze.

As a fighter, he will be slower and weaker than Donkey Kong, having let himself go a bit in his old age. His moveset will pull both from the old arcade games he took part in, as well as his abilities in Tropical Freeze and the various ways he helps Donkey Kong throughout the series.

Likelihood rating: Good possibility

Modern Donkey Kong Country Ports

MODERN DONKEY KONG COUNTRY PORTS

Today, let's cover the two ports made for the recent Donkey Kong games made by Retro Studios, Donkey Kong Country Returns and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze. Returns had a port made for the 3DS, which was mostly the same, except for a new ninth world in the post-game set in the clouds. Tropical Freeze had a switch port, likewise mostly the same game, except with a brand-new Funky Mode, an easy mode that lets you play as Funky who uses is surfboard to be immune to several hazards and has unlimited spins and rolls. Both are fun, but that's about it to them.

Here's what we've got so far:

Characters:

Mario: handstand, jump, crouch, spin, spin on bar, hammer, spring, key, pick up and throw, giant, float, fly

Luigi: invisible

Wario: metal, Wario Man

Yoshi: fire breath, tongue

Donkey Kong: punch, barrel, stomp, jack, grow giant, throw enemies

Donkey Kong Jr.: hop, throw switches

Pauline

Birdo: Robirdo

Bowser Jr.: paintbrush, Klown Kar, hammer

All characters appearing in SMB2, SMW, SMW2, and SMB3

All characters appearing in the DKC series

All characters appearing in SM64

Diddy Kong

Dixie Kong

Tiny Kong

Wizpig

Taj

Timber and the other racers

Team Captains: deny, rally, bonus block, play dead, lightning, parry, bob-omb, thwomp, face off, backup, sneak attack, shell strike, aerial, melee, long range

Best Fitness Friends: rubber bands, malatone formula, doppelganger, fire punch, barrel, spin, divebomb, screech, fire, lightning, combine, laser beam, charge, cyclone, mystery box

Kat & Ana

Dribble & Spitz

I8-Volt

Nabbit

Peachette

Funky Kong: surfboard

Bosses:

King Bob-Omb

Goomboss

King Boo

Chief Chilly

Stages:

Construction Site

Big City

Forest

Ship

Jungle

Desert

Airplane

Iceberg

Rocky-Valley

All stages appearing in SMB2, SMW, SMW2, and SMB3

All stages appearing in DKC series

Palm Beach

Poison Swamp

Secret Factory

Ice Area

All locations in Diddy Kong Racing

Minions Battlefield

Dribble & Spitz Rally

Kat & Ana's Sky Patrol

Jet 18Volt

World-9 Cloud

Thanks for reading! Now, let's cover Super Mario Maker's 3DS Port!

Character Sheet: Lord Fredrik (DK Main Series)

LORD FREDRIK

Here we, here we, here we go! So they're finally here, a-smashing for you. If you know their moves, you can join in too. Put your hands together if you want to clap, as we take you through this monkey roster:

1. Donkey Kong (Revision 1)
2. Diddy Kong
3. Dixie Kong
4. King K. Rool
5. Cranky Kong
6. Funky Kong
7. Tiny Kong
8. Lanky Kong
9. Chunky Kong
10. Kiddy Kong
11. Kritter
12. Krusha
13. Klump
14. Tucks
15. Tiki Tong
16. Lord Fredrik

Today, let's go over the second of the Retro Studios villains created for the new series of games, and the one more in line with the spirit of King K. Rool, Lord Fredrik! Lord Fredrik is the main villain of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze and leader of the Snowmads, who uses a magical horn to freeze DK Isle and conquer it as his own. He has plenty of moves of his own, but also as a member of the walrus-like Waldough line of Snowmads, he can also represent them too.

Lord Fredrik makes his debut in the game, blowing into his horn, from which bursts forth an icy dragon that freezes the entire island. He also uses the ice dragons in his boss fight, but to much smaller effect with them freezing a section of the battle stage. He will also jump around and charge across the stage, and use his horn to blast spike balls and enemies onto the stage. His Waldough relatives are also shown to carry around bags of fish that they then throw as projectiles, carry shields, throw gigantic snowballs, and swing around a giant mace with pufferfish on both ends.

Let's see what we can do with all that:

Standard B: Fish Poker
Lord Fredrik's first move will be to make use of the mace wielded by the enemy Fish Poker Pops. He will raise the mace above his head and charge the attack before slamming it down with the puffer fish expanding on impact.

Side B: Chum Chucker
This move is based on the enemy Chum Chucker Charlie, where Lord Fredrik will pull out a bag full of fish and throw them over his head like projectiles at enemies.

Up B: Hootz
This one makes use of one of the unlucky Snowmad types not to make it in, but also reflects Fredrik's position as leader of the Snowmads as well as his penchant for using his minions to his own advantage in a fight. He will grab onto a hootz's legs and let it carry him high into the air.

Down B: Snowmad Horn
He will whip out his giant horn and blow into it, launching several ice balls into the air which will then rain down on top of the other opponents.

Final Smash: Ice Dragon
I mean, what else is there? Lord Fredrik will blow into his horn and an icy dragon will burst forth encircling the stage and freezing both it and any players on it in solid ice. This ice effect will last for a short time after the attack, during which Fredrik is free to do as he pleases.

Entrance: He gets up off of his throne, just like when the Kongs approach in game.

Taunts: Well, since he, like K. Rool, has a prominent belly, the bombastic belly slap wouldn't go amiss here. Also, maybe him ordering a Snowmad around or something.

Thanks for reading! Now that our characters are completed, let's review the roster once again!

Character Sheet: Tucks (DK Main Series)

TUCKS

Here we, here we, here we go! So they're finally here, a-smashing for you. If you know their moves, you can join in too. Put your hands together if you want to clap, as we take you through this monkey roster:

1. Donkey Kong (Revision 1)
2. Diddy Kong
3. Dixie Kong
4. King K. Rool
5. Cranky Kong
6. Funky Kong
7. Tiny Kong
8. Lanky Kong
9. Chunky Kong
10. Kiddy Kong
11. Kritter
12. Krusha
13. Klump
14. Tucks
15. Tiki Tong
16. Lord Fredrik

Well, with the Kremlings getting three whole slots here, I suppose it's only fair that their spiritual successor of sorts gets at least one. And, hey, it's an excuse to give the penguins from the Mario series some representation with a possible color swap. The Tucks are a species of penguin who act as the primary enemy types in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, serving under Lord Fredrik. I hadn't expected to include them, but they proved surprisingly versatile.

Tucks have multiple different types, many wearing helmets or spiky helmets that protect them from harm, carry shields, use a bow and arrow to shoot fire arrows or, um, fish. They can throw a giant melon bombs, wield a fishbone spear and jab at you with it, fly and slide on their bellies, bounce on springs, use a giant horn to blow icy fish out of it, and even drive a giant mech during one battle. I'd say that's enough to work with.

Here's the moveset I came up with:

Standard B: Archy
I figured the fishbone spear could function more or less as his standard weapon in battle, much like Link's sword. So for his basic special ability, he will pull out his bow and fire off a string of fish that can be hopped across as temporary platforms.

Side B: Icy Horn
The Tucks will pull out a giant horn, nowhere near as big as Lord Fredrik's and blow into it, blowing out an iceball that bounces across the stage and freeze the first opponent it touches.

Up B: Bouncy Jelly
This once makes use of their frequent appearance bouncing on springs and other various bouncy elements, but I decided to make use of one of the game's most creative levels and have him bounce up on a square blob of jelly.

Down B: Boom Bird
He will pull out a giant melon bomb like those frequently used in the game, and throw it. The bomb will bounce a little before it explodes.

Final Smash: Reckless Ride
The Tucks's giant mech that they use in one level of Tropical Freeze rears up behind the stage, moving back and forth on a track, slicing and slashing at the players on the stage.

Entrance: He steps off a Snowmad ship.

Taunts: A little waddle around in a circle, maybe the loud cry from Super Mario 64 if we go the color swap of the Mario penguins route.

Thanks for reading! Next time, let's get started on the first of the two replacement villains for King K. Rool, Tiki Tong!

Character Sheet: Funky Kong (DK Main Series)

FUNKY KONG

Here we, here we, here we go! So they're finally here, a-smashing for you. If you know their moves, you can join in too. Put your hands together if you want to clap, as we take you through this monkey roster:

1. Donkey Kong (Revision 1)
2. Diddy Kong
3. Dixie Kong
4. King K. Rool
5. Cranky Kong
6. Funky Kong
7. Tiny Kong
8. Lanky Kong
9. Chunky Kong
10. Kiddy Kong
11. Kritter
12. Krusha
13. Klump
14. Tucks
15. Tiki Tong
16. Lord Fredrik

Of all the Kongs that could have had a DK rap verse . . . Funky Kong is a, I guess, family friend of the Kongs and the all-around cool guy on the island. He normally runs some type of shop wherein he supplies the Kongs with the vehicles they'll need on their journey (normally planes, but also a hovercraft in Country 3), or various weapons in 64, or simply a general store taking over from Cranky in Tropical Freeze. For most of these games, he is not playable, with the exception of Tropical Freeze's Switch re-release, but as has been stated we won't be covering that here. (I do make the exception to use some moves from there if they are tied to elements of his character already established).

Typically, Funky is seen as a surfer, hanging out with shades and a surfboard, fixing up his plane or his various other vehicles. In 64, I guess he joined the military, running an army surplus store where he supplies the Kongs with various weapons. In the end of the game, he uses his own weapon, a bazooka that fires a large boot into King K. Rool's backside and sending him flying. You may notice above that Funky is the only one of the largely peripheral Kongs to be added to the roster this time around, with Wrinkly, Candy, and Swanky all missing out (for now), but this is largely because the guy just has that much to him.

Here's what I came up with:

Standard B: Bazooka Boot
Based on the finishing move he used against King K. Rool in Donkey Kong 64, Funky will pull out a bazooka with a boot strapped to the end, firing it and kicking opponents off the stage.

Side B: Hovercraft
Funky will hop into his hovercraft from Country 3 and ride it like a surfboard as it surfs across the stage on a small wave of water. This also give a modicum of upward mobility when performed in the air.

Up B: Surfboard
This is the main reason I made my small caveat for the Tropical Freeze re-release up above. Simply, the move is just too iconic to the character. And, he's almost never without the surfboard, so I feel it counts. Funky will hop onto his surfboard and hover into the air while on top of it.

Down B: Item Shop
This one acts more or less as a nod to his time working as a shopkeeper, throughout the games but most notably in Tropical Freeze. A menu will pop up allowing him to purchase either a balloon, which will take away some damage, Squawks, who will grab items for him, or the shield, which will protect him from some attacks.

Final Smash: Biplane
Funky will hop into the biplane he loans out to various Kongs all across his games and take off in it. The plane will fly in from the background, pelting the stage with various types of fruit as Funky waves from the cockpit.

Entrance: He'll be leaning against a barrel, waxing his surfboard

Taunts: Rock out to a boom box, make a number of cool poses, adjust his shades, maybe the demonstration of a weapon's abilities he does in 64 (you know, neeeow, ratatatatat!)

Thanks for reading! Next up, we'll be covering Dixie's little sister (or maybe not so much), Tiny Kong!

Character Sheet: Cranky Kong (DK Main Series)

CRANKY KONG

Here we, here we, here we go! So they're finally here, a-smashing for you. If you know their moves, you can join in too. Put your hands together if you want to clap, as we take you through this monkey roster:

1. Donkey Kong (Revision 1)
2. Diddy Kong
3. Dixie Kong
4. King K. Rool
5. Cranky Kong
6. Funky Kong
7. Tiny Kong
8. Lanky Kong
9. Chunky Kong
10. Kiddy Kong
11. Kritter
12. Krusha
13. Klump
14. Tucks
15. Tiki Tong
16. Lord Fredrik

Come on, Cranky! Take it to the fridge! Cranky Kong is Donkey Kong's grandfather and something of a mentor character to our heroes. All of his mentoring is filled with Boomer-style "kids these days don't know real blah-blah-blah" grouching, but it's there. Technically speaking, Cranky Kong is supposed to be the original Donkey Kong, whereas the current Donkey Kong is his grandson, giving the games a good way to talk about their arcade history and why these new games are different. It's clever, I must admit. Cranky is probably the only character after Donkey and Diddy to appear in all six games, though Tropical Freeze is the only game where he is playable.

Despite his single playable appearance, the old ape actually does quite a bit across all of his appearances. He uses a walking stick which he uses both to whack enemies with and as a pogo stick to bounce across dangerous terrain. In the very first cutscene of the first game, he uses dynamite against Donkey and Diddy. In Country 3, he throws rocks as part of a minigame hosted by Swanky Kong. In 64, he takes up being a mad scientist and supplies the heroes with potions that give them new abilities, and in Tropical Freeze, he can, um, shoot his dentures at people. Yeah.

So here's what I came up with:

Standard B: Dynamite

Being just a little bit too old to pull of a giant punch any more, Cranky will instead resort to tossing a live stick of dynamite at his opponents, which will then explode, blasting them away.

Side B: Barrel

I figure he has to keep something from his original iconic appearance. Cranky will throw out a large barrel, this barrel being distinctly designed to look like one from the original arcade game, rather than the basic ones of the modern Country franchise.

Up B: Pogo Stick

Cranky will bounce up and down on his pogo stick, being able to reach some impressive heights for an old man with a cane.

Down B: Dentures

Cranky will throw out his teeth which will clack open and closed, latching onto an opponent and biting them, doing some damage with every bite.

Final Smash: Mad Scientist

Cranky will hold up one of his ingenious potions, leading to a cutscene wherein he gives an opponent the potion, they drink it, and as a result experience the weird warping spasms the heroes went through in 64 upon drinking them.

Entrance: Cranky could break out of a barrel like the rest of them, though he could just be sitting on stage, cranking his gramophone like in the first game's cutscene. 

Taunts: Waving his stick around like a grumpy old man, making some comment about "kids these days." Maybe a secret taunt where he gives out hints.

Next up: Let's cover the coolest ape this side of the Northern Kremisphere, Funky Kong!

Character Sheet: Dixie Kong (DK Main Series)

DIXIE KONG

Here we, here we, here we go! So they're finally here, a-smashing for you. If you know their moves, you can join in too. Put your hands together if you want to clap, as we take you through this monkey roster:

1. Donkey Kong (Revision 1)
2. Diddy Kong
3. Dixie Kong
4. King K. Rool
5. Cranky Kong
6. Funky Kong
7. Tiny Kong
8. Lanky Kong
9. Chunky Kong
10. Kiddy Kong
11. Kritter
12. Krusha
13. Klump
14. Tucks
15. Tiki Tong
16. Lord Fredrik

Sadly, Dixie has no verse in the song, and I do not have nearly enough faith in my own songwriting abilities to come up with my own. Sorry. Dixie Kong first appeared in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest as Diddy's girlfriend and sidekick as they journeyed to rescue Donkey from Kaptain K. Rool. She later starred as the main character in Donkey Kong Country 3, but sadly did not appear for 64 or Returns. She finally returns in Tropical Freeze where she acts as one of Donkey's three sidekicks.

In the games, Dixie acts as a bit more floaty fighter than Diddy, using her hair to fly and attack opponents. Obviously this would probably be a major crux of her abilities. She has most of the same abilities from Country 2, being able to perform most of the basic mechanics, as well as being able to pick up and throw her allies. In Country 3, there are a handful of new abilities such as the boat and plane provided by Funky, and Tropical Freeze gives her a bubblegum popgun for use in battle. She can also play the guitar so that could work as well.

Let's see what we've got:

Standard B: Hair Flick
This is her most basic and standard move. Although I'm maybe a little iffy on it (after all it could function perfectly well as any one of her A attacks), I think I'm going to go with it here as it's just so iconic. (Also, can you imagine Kirby flicking the ponytail in the same way?)

Side B: Bubblegum Pop
Although I don't want it to be too much like Diddy's, chewing bubblegum has always been a part of Dixie's character in the games, meaning it works for her. Maybe she will fire it without having to charge, and the gum will then stick to the target, dealing damage.

Up B: Ponytail Twirl
As far as I can tell, Donkey Kong's current Up B in the games was lifted from her, as his animation almost perfectly matches her own in the games, so I think it's only fitting that the move be returned. She will spin rapidly with her ponytail, not doing as much damage as DK, but also gaining a bit more upward momentum.

Down B: Grab and Throw
A newer mechanic to Country 2, Dixie Kong can grab enemies, allies, and certain items with her ponytail and can then throw them back out as projectiles. It would work similarly to the moves given to those in Super Mario Bros. 2 with the pick up and throw, with some elements from Isabelle's fishing hook.

Final Smash: Guitar Gazump
Stolen somewhat from Diddy Kong, but considering she played the guitar first, I think it works out fine. Dixie will whip out her guitar and in a cutscene, bang out a sweet riff on it, which then launches all opponents into the air.

Entrance: Burst out of a barrel.

Taunt: Blow a bubble, play a couple of notes on her guitar, sweep her ponytail forward, so on.

Thanks for reading! Tomorrow, we'll cover the King of Kremlings himself, King K. Rool!

Character Sheet: Donkey Kong (DK Main Series)

DONKEY KONG

Here we, here we, here we go! So they're finally here, a-smashing for you. If you know their moves, you can join in too. Put your hands together if you want to clap, as we take you through this monkey roster:

1. Donkey Kong (Revision 1)
2. Diddy Kong
3. Dixie Kong
4. King K. Rool
5. Cranky Kong
6. Funky Kong
7. Tiny Kong
8. Lanky Kong
9. Chunky Kong
10. Kiddy Kong
11. Kritter
12. Krusha
13. Klump
14. Tucks
15. Tiki Tong
16. Lord Fredrik

He's the leader of the bunch. You know him well. He's finally back to kick some tail. His coconut guns can fire in spurts. If he shoots you, it's gonna hurt. He's bigger, faster, and stronger too, he's the first addition to our DK roster.

All jokes aside, Donkey Kong is the protagonist of the Donkey Kong franchise, so of course he was getting in. While he isn't technically the Donkey Kong of the original arcade game, and is instead said Kong's grandson (making him DK Jr.'s child, I guess), most of the concept for him still falls in line with the original. Strangely enough, most of his moveset from Smash is not present for most of the series, making me feel as though his Smash moveset was based on the simple premise of him being a gorilla and not on the actual source material.

Donkey Kong appears in all six games covered so far, though is not playable in both Donkey Kong Country 2 and 3, Diddy, Dixie, and Kiddy taking over the playable duties. In the games, he can run, jump, roll, swing, swim and all the basics. He can still throw barrels, and he can punch and kick in some of the later titles. Donkey Kong 64 gives him the ability to become invincible, use the above-mentioned coconut guns, and play the bongos for an all-out attack. He can also perform his Smash ground pound in the newest Retro Studios games, fly in a rocket barrel, and perform a series of multiple punches that likely became the basis of his new Final Smash.

Here is the moveset I came up with:

Standard B: Giant Punch

Although there isn't a really solid single example of this move anywhere in any of the games I've covered so far, he does have really strong punches that he does perform throughout, and the iconic nature of the move is just way too strong to be ignored.

Side B: Barrel

I had considered switching this out for Rambi charging around the stage, Barrels are still an important part of the Donkey Kong franchise, and Donkey throwing them is a constant move both in the arcade game and continues into the Country franchise, so, it stays. Though I imagine they'd be the smaller, gray ones of the Country games. (Simply so that if I work the move into Cranky's moveset, he can throw the arcade ones).

Up B: Barrel Cannon

Donkey Kong's premier way of crossing large distances really fast. A barrel cannon will appear over Donkey's head, the player will have a few seconds to determine the direction to fire, and Donkey will be launched in that direction. As far as I can tell, his standard Smash Up B was lifted from Dixie Kong, so she gets to keep that one.

Down B: Ground Pound

Donkey will pound on the ground, creating a bit of an earthquake, based upon his Down B in Smash and the move as it appears in Returns and Tropical Freeze.

Final Smash: Jungle Rush

While this and his other Final Smash, Konga Beat, would both work, both having a basis in the games already (Jungle Rush coming from Returns and Tropical Freeze to finish off the villains, and Konga Beat basically being the bongo move provided by Candy), I feel like Jungle Rush works best.

Entrance: He bursts out of a barrel.

Taunts: Pounding his chest for sure, maybe eating a banana, maybe playing his bongos a bit.

Next up: Let's cover his long-time faithful sidekick, Diddy Kong!

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

DONKEY KONG COUNTRY: TROPICAL FREEZE

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is the most recent game to come out in the series, the sequel to Donkey Kong Country Returns, and considered by many to be one of the finest 2D platformers ever made. Much as I said with the New Super Mario Bros. U post, I will only be covering the original version of the game and not later editions as those will be covered in their own group. So, sadly, nothing of Funky's playable appearance. (Don't worrry, he's done plenty already to land him a spot).

Tropical Freeze follows Donkey, Diddy, Dixie, and Cranky as their island is invaded by a horde of viking raiders with ice powers led by the evil Lord Fredrik. You mainly play as Donkey, with the other three acting almost more as power-ups than secondary characters, at least in single-player mode. They can do most of the basic Donkey Kong mechanics, running, jumping, ground pounding, using barrels, climbing and swinging, and so on. It's mostly a continuation of the mechanics from the previous game. Diddy, Dixie, and Cranky each add a new ability to the mix, with Diddy using his rocketbarrel pack, Dixie using her ponytail to flick enemies and spin it like a helicopter, and Cranky using his cane to bounce like a pogo stick. They all also have popguns that shoot peanuts, bubble gum, and . . . Cranky's dentures respectively.

Funky takes over Cranky's role as the shop owner for this game, while the Tutorial Pig returns in his same basic function. Rambi returns, charging as he always does, and Squawks will fly around and alert you of items.

Lord Fredrik is the leader of the Snowmads and the final boss of the game. He is very clearly supposed to be a spiritual successor to King K. Rool as he inherits many of the character quirks and appeal of his predecessor. Fredrik is a member of the Walrus subspecies of Snowmad, thus most anything they can do can also be applied to him as well. In the opening cutscene, he blows a giant horn that summons an ice dragon capable of freezing their whole island (final smaaaaash!!), and during his boss battle, he will jump and charge around, and use his horn to blow out more dragons, spike balls, and various enemies onto the field.

The Snowmads, much like the Kremlings, come in multiple varieties and species, the main subgroups being Tucks, Fluffs, Hootzes, and Waldoughs (Penguins, Rabbits, Owls, and Walruses respectively). Tucks, the penguins, walk around, charge, wear helmets, wear spiky helmets, carry shields, use a bow and arrow to shoot fish or fire, throw a giant melon bomb, use a fishbone spear to jab you, fly, bounce on springs, use a horn to blow fish out of it, and even drive a giant mech to attack you with. Huh, I see we have at least one volunteer for this round's surprise inclusion. Hmm. Welcome aboard, I guess.

Fluffs, the rabbits, can jump, wear helmets, create ice waves, and throw the same bombs. I guess they weren't as eager to get in. Hootzes, the owls, fly, light on fire, and sometimes wear helmets. Also not as eager. And Waldoughs, the walruses (and also the same species as Lord Fredrik), walks around, wears a helmet, uses a shield, tosses chum at you, fires a snowball cannon at you, and attacks you with a spear tipped with spiky pufferfish. Again, same species as Fredrik, so I suppose already in. Neat.

Finally, the Snowmads also include a handful of bosses, including: Pompy the Presumptuous, a seal who will slide and roll around on his belly and throw fish; Skowl the Startling, a giant owl who with fly around, using feathery darts, eggs, and ice balls as projectiles and whipping up some serious wind; Baboom the Boisterous, a trio of baboons who will throw bombs, swing on ropes, and roll around; Fugu the Frightening, a pufferfish who will inflate himself, roll around, and spit out smaller fish; and Bashmaster the Unbreakable, a polar bear with a giant hammer who will slam it down, create ice waves, jump around, and send ice blocks sliding along the stage.

We do have a scattering of other enemies to consider, including: Finley and Gordo, fish; Snaggles, the shark; Dozy, a basic bird; Mimics, who pretend to be bushes; Monocle Monica, a dragonfly; Punchy Paddy, a jumping grasshopper; Thug Slug, a slug; Wild Wendell, basically a Koopa Troopa; Cheesy Chester, a rat; Schnautzel, a pig that breathes fire; Buffaloafer, a buffalo that will charge at you; Chomps, basically Piranha Plants; Porcupal, a porcupine that lights itself on fire; Swooper Dooper, a flying enemy; Fritz, an electric eel; Jellyfish; Mama Saw, a sawfish enemy; Puftups, puffer fish; Sea Urchins; Squiddicus, the giant octopus from before; Bouncelisks, lizards carrying bouncy fruit on their backs; Bucky, a poisonous caterpillar; Buzzy, a bee; Chompasaur, a living plant that can crawl along the ground; and Toucan't, a bird who rolls on top of a spiky ball.

The levels in this world are certainly some of the most creative. The Lost Mangroves is your basic jungle level, not much to cover. Autumn Heights is a serene fall-leaves setting full of windmills and such. Bright Savannah is heavily based on the African savannah. Sea Breeze Cove is a beach/underwater level. Juicy Jungle is literally a whole series of levels built around the idea of food as a level (see drug-fueled dream sequence in the last game). And finally we have DK Isle, which is a series of levels based on every world from the last game, but covered in ice this time around (I'm just saying, that is so cool). Topping it all off with a final battle against Lord Fredrik in the volcano.

We have a lot of the same basic items from the previous game, as they were obviously made by the same developers, a la Retro Studios. So not much to add in here.

All right, let's see what we've got so far:

Characters:
Donkey Kong: run, jump, roll, swing, launch from barrels, bounce on tires, swim, ride minecarts, throw barrels, kick, punch, invincibility, pull levers, coconut gun, bongos, orange grenades, slam, ground pound, giant punch, rocket barrel, multiple punches
Diddy Kong: run, jump, roll, swing, launch from barrels, bounce on tires, swim, ride minecarts, throw barrels, throw Dixie, dynamite, spin with tail, bounce on tail, rocketbarrel pack, charge headfirst, peanut popgun, guitar, orange grenade, slam, rocket barrel, multiple punches
Dixie Kong: run, jump, roll, swing, launch from barrels, bounce on tires, swim, ride minecarts, throw barrels, throw Diddy, dynamite, flick with hair, fly with ponytail, hang from hook, rocket barrel, boat, plane, throw rocks, bubblegum popgun
Kiddy Kong: run, jump, roll, swing, launch from barrels, bounce on tires, swim, ride minecarts, throw barrels, hang from hook, rocket barrel, boat, plane, throw rocks
Tiny Kong: run, jump, roll, swim, throw barrels, climb, swing, flick with ponytails, teleport, fly, shrink, feather arrows, saxophone, slam, orange grenades
Lanky Kong: run, jump, roll, swim, throw barrels, climb, swing, stretch arms, multi-slap, jump rope, inflate, walk on hands, grape shooter, trombone, slam, orange grenades
Chunky Kong: run, jump, roll, swim, throw barrels, climb, swing, pick up giant rocks, punch, turn invisible, grow giant, roundhouse punch, slam, orange grenades
Cranky Kong: walking stick, dynamite, hints, museum, throw rocks, potions, shop, run, jump, roll, climb, etc., pogo stick cane, wack with cane, dentures popgun
Candy Kong: save, musical instruments, flirt
Funky Kong: airplane, boat, weapons, boot-bazooka, shop
Wrinkly Kong: college, hints, save, workout, ghost
Swanky Kong: quiz show, extra balloons, target mini-game
King K. Rool: throw crown, charge, jump high, cannonballs, blunderbuss, suck, various items, propeller jetpack, fireballs, electricity, KAOS, Klaptrap, shockwave slap, giant punch, bounce off ropes, Blast-o-Matic
Lord Fredrik: ice dragon horn, jump, charge, blow out spike balls, enemies, throw fish, shield, giant snowballs, giant mace
Kremlings/Kritter: walk forward (Klomp/Kobble), jump (Kaboing/Re-Koil), ride minecart (Krash/Klank), Krusha/Kruncha/Krumple (maybe his own, run, jump, bazooka, punch, roll, orange grenades, etc.), Klump/Kannon/Kuff n' Klout? (maybe his own, blunderbuss, jump, orange grenades), hide in barrel (Klobber/Knocka/Kracka/Kuchuka/ Klasp/Kaboom), climb ropes (Klinger), Kutlass, Krook, Kloak, Kackle, Klubba, Koin, Kopter, Bazuka, Kasplat, Kosha, Robokremlings, Ghosts, Shrooms, Bones
Tiki Tong/Various Tikis: spew lava, slap left and right, down, together, hypnotize, back and forth, fly, boing, light on fire, razor blades, tank, explode, wormhole, spit blades
Tucks: walk around, charge, wear helmets, wear spiky helmets, carry shields, use a bow and arrow to shoot fish or fire, throw a giant melon bomb, use a fishbone spear to jab you, fly, bounce on springs, use a horn to blow fish out of it, drive a giant mech
Animal Buddies:
Rambi: charge forward, jump
Enguarde: swim, stab
Expresso: jump, run fast, glide
Winky: leap
Squawks: fly, flashlight, carry Kongs, peanuts, find stuff
Rattly: bounce
Squitter: crawl, spit webs, walk on webs
Clapper: cool things
Glimmer: flashlight
Quawks: fly, carry Kongs
Ellie: charge, jump, pick up barrels, squirt water
Parry: mimic
<Tentative> Moles: balloons, pickaxes, burrow, train, bombs, minecarts? (sounds a whole lot of derivative. Maybe a color swap for Monty?)

Bosses:
Very Gnawty
Master Necky
Queen B
Really Gnawty
Dumb Drum
Master Necky Sr.
Krow
Kleever
Kudgel
King Zing
Kreepy Krow
Belcha
Arich
Squirt
Bleak
Barbos
KAOS
Army Dillo
Dogadon
Mad Jack
Puftoss
King Kut Out
Mugly
Scurvy Crew
Stu
Mole Miner Max
Mangoruby
Thugly
Stompybot 3000
Squiddicus
Big Squeekly
Pompy the Presumptuous
Skowl the Startling
Baboom the Boisterous
Fugu the Frightening
Bashmaster the Unbreakable

Stages:
Jungle Level
Forest/Trees Level
Mine/Cave Level
Underwater Level
Snow Level
Factory Level
Gangplank Galleon
Volcano Level
Theme Park Level
Ghostly Level
Bramble/Hive Level
K. Rool's Keep
Flying Krock
Cliff/Waterfall Level
KAOS Core
Jungle Japes
Angry Aztec
Frantic Factory
Gloomy Galleon
Fungi Forest
Crystal Caves
Creepy Castle
Hideout Helm
DK Isle
Jungle Hijinx
Beach Level
Golden Temple
Food-Themed Level
Lost Mangroves
Autumn Heights
Bright Savannah
Sea Breeze Cove
Juicy Jungle
Frozen DK Island

Items:
Barrels
Barrel Cannons
Bananas
Banana Coins
Tires
Banana Birds
Cogs
Presents
Boat
Plane
Oranges
Banana Fairy
Golden Banana
Puzzle Pieces
Letter Panels

Thanks for reading! Now, let's break this all down and put ourselves together a roster.