Slot Machine Barrel

From the Super Mario Wiki, the Mario encyclopedia
Jump to navigationJump to search
Slot Machine Barrel
Slot Machine Barrel
A Slot Machine Barrel in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
First appearance Donkey Kong Country Returns (2010)
Latest appearance Donkey Kong Country Returns HD (2025)

Slot Machine Barrels[1][2] are objects in Donkey Kong Country Returns (as well as its Nintendo 3DS port and its Nintendo Switch port) and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (as well as its Nintendo Switch port). These golden hooped barrels are the ends of all non-boss and non-temple levels, succeeding End of Level Targets and Level Flags from earlier Donkey Kong Country games.

Slot Machine Barrels float in the air. At first, a Slot Machine Barrel is idle. An opening in its center facing the screen displays a yellow star on a red background. When the Kongs go near a Slot Machine Barrel for the first time in each playthrough of a level, the the display in the opening spins like a roulette, displaying icons for prizes. They include a banana (which represents a Banana Bunch and therefore five bananas.), a Red Balloon, a Banana Coin, and a DK symbol. By touching the barrel, traditionally by jumping into it, the player character punches it open to win the item being displayed, and end the level. Unlike with End of Level Targets, the prizes for Slot Machine Barrels are consistent in every level. Sometimes, the player can only reach a Slot Machine Barrel via a Barrel Cannon, meaning that the player has to account for the travel time to ensure Donkey Kong or Diddy Kong arrive at the Slot Machine Barrel at the right time to win a specific prize. In silhouette levels, the Slot Machine Barrel's center is displayed with color.

If the Kongs hit a Slot Machine Barrel just as it displays the DK logo, the player can shake Wii Remote (and Nunchuk, if one is used) in Donkey Kong Country Returns or press X Button/Y Button or L Button/R Button (depending on the control scheme) in Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D to hit the Slot Machine Barrel several times within a limited time window, similar to various objects and enemies from Donkey Kong Jungle Beat. At the end of this, the barrel breaks and the Kongs get one of the three items, but the quantity is multiplied by the number of hits. The maximum number of hits is 15.

In Time Attack mode, a Slot Machine Barrel displays a checkered flag and does not spin. When the Kongs hit the barrel, tutorial pig waves the checkered flag to stop the timer, and the Kongs finish the level.

In Donkey Kong Country Returns, the level Tidal Terror ends with a giant treasure chest containing the Slot Machine Barrel. The Slot Machine Barrel of the Golden Temple displays a Mirror Trophy. When the Kongs hit that Slot Machine Barrel, the player unlocks Mirror Mode.

In Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, some levels contain more than one Slot Machine Barrel. These additional barrels mark a secret exit, much like secret Goal Poles from the New Super Mario Bros. subseries, and they unlock a hidden, alternate path on the world map.

Gallery[edit]

Donkey Kong Country Returns[edit]

Names in other languages[edit]

Language Name Meaning Notes
Japanese ゴールバレル[?]
Gōru Bareru
Goal Barrel
French Tonneau-tombola[3] Raffle Barrel
Italian Barile sorpresa[4][5] Surprise barrel
Spanish (NOA) Barril sorpresa[6] Surprise Barrel
Spanish (NOE) Barril tragaperras[7] Slot Machine Barrel

Notes[edit]

  • The jingle that plays just before the barrel spins is the same sound effect that plays when a Gōrumondo or Mini Panda is defeated in Donkey Kong Jungle Beat.

References[edit]

  1. ^ 2010. Donkey Kong Country Returns instruction booklet. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 18.
  2. ^ 2010. Donkey Kong Country Returns instruction booklet. Nintendo of Europe (British English). Page 23.
  3. ^ Donkey Kong Country Returns instruction booklet. Page 40.
  4. ^ Donkey Kong Country Returns Italian manual. Page 23.
  5. ^ Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Italian electronic manual, section 9
  6. ^ Donkey Kong Country Returns instruction booklet. Page 62.
  7. ^ Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D Spanish electronic manual, section 25