Popgun
A popgun is a pistol weapon used by the Kongs in the Donkey Kong franchise. Popguns are small, ranged weapons that shoot various types of projectiles. Since Donkey Kong 64, a pair of popguns has been Diddy Kong's signature weapon, more specifically the Peanut Popguns, which shoot out peanuts. The Peanut Popguns are two wooden pistols that appear to be hollowed-out logs.
History[edit]
Donkey Kong 64[edit]
- “With his pistols out, he's one tough Kong!”
- —DK Rap
In Donkey Kong 64, Diddy can buy the Peanut Popguns from Funky's Store as early as Jungle Japes for three Banana Bunch Coins. Like the other Kongs' weapons, Diddy uses the Peanut Popguns for various reasons, such as shooting enemies, Peanut Switches, and red Banana Balloons. In Jungle Japes, Diddy must use the Peanut Popguns to shoot three Peanut Switches, each one opening a gate in a different part of the level.
When Diddy is using the Rocketbarrel Boost move, he is always holding out his Peanut Popguns. When Diddy is on land, the player must simultaneously press 
and 
for him to take out the Peanut Popguns, or another time for Diddy to put them away.
Starting with Fungi Forest, the Kongs can go to Funky's Store to buy an upgrade for five Banana Bunch Coins that enables every Kong's personal weapon, including the Peanut Popguns, to use homing ammo that they pick up from red Supply Crates.
Donkey Kong Country series[edit]
Donkey Kong Country Returns / Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D[edit]
In Donkey Kong Country Returns and its Nintendo 3DS version, Diddy uses the Peanut Popguns again. They were given a stubbier appearance and are each held together by two iron rings. Diddy can use them by default, although they are less effective than in Donkey Kong 64 and can only be used in 2-player mode, where Diddy is independently controlled by the second player. With the Peanut Popguns, Diddy can perform the Popgun Pound ability, where he shoots peanuts while ground pounding. Alternatively, Diddy can shoot peanuts if the second player shakes the Wii Remote while Diddy is in mid-air or if he is on Donkey Kong. Launched peanuts bounce on the ground quickly and break upon hitting a wall or an enemy; while Diddy can kill a select few enemies by shooting peanuts at them, most will only be temporarily stunned by this, causing them to become dizzy or confused.
Although bosses and certain enemies such as Tikis are not affected by the Peanut Popguns's projectiles, a couple of exceptions are found in the respective boss fights for Mugly and Thugly: when the boss opens its mouth, Diddy can optionally shoot peanuts into it. By shooting enough peanuts, the boss temporarily stops to chew on the peanuts, and its vulnerable spot is exposed. This is indicated by hearts surrounding their head. After taking a hit, the boss stops being distracted and continues with trying to attack Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong.
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze[edit]
The Peanut Popgun returns as Diddy Kong's weapon in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze and its Nintendo Switch port, appearing alongside the Gumball Popgun[1] and the Denture Popgun,[1] used by Dixie Kong and Cranky Kong respectively. The new popguns have the same usage as the Peanut Popguns in Donkey Kong Country Returns. However, they have all been nerfed from the previous game, as now there are no enemies that can be outright killed by their ammo, and stunned enemies will recover more quickly. Only Diddy Kong can perform the Popgun Pound, with Dixie and Cranky having their versions of the ground pound.
The player can use popguns whenever Diddy, Dixie, or Cranky are controlled independently, which is possible in multiplayer sessions and in Hard Mode. In order to shoot the weapon, the players that control these characters have to press the ground pound button while in mid-air or mounted on Donkey Kong. Like the previous game, Diddy can feed some bosses by shooting peanuts into their mouth.
Dixie Kong's popgun shoots bubblegum instead of peanuts, which is a reference to Dixie's idle animation in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest and Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, where she would blow bubblegum. Cranky Kong shoots chattering dentures, alluding to his old age, although his alleged popgun is never shown and instead he appears to fire his dentures with his cane.
Super Smash Bros. series[edit]
Diddy Kong's neutral special move in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate involves using a Peanut Popgun, and can be charged up. The popguns are fully charged when Diddy reaches up and grabs his hat. When charged up, the peanuts fired are much faster, and will have a better chance at hitting the opponents. If Diddy charges it for too long, the popgun explodes in his hands, briefly stunning him but otherwise not dealing any damage. Diddy Kong uses his Peanut Popguns during his Final Smash, the Rocketbarrel Barrage.
In Super Smash Bros. Brawl's The Subspace Emissary, Diddy uses the Peanut Popguns in two cutscenes to attack enemies. In one cutscene, when Donkey Kong and fight off the Koopa Troop, Diddy blasts the Bullet Bills with peanuts, posing with Donkey Kong as one of the defeated Bullet Bills explodes behind them. In a later cutscene, when Diddy is dropped out of the Arwing, he propels himself up to the Smash Skiff, blasting the Primids with peanuts.
In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, the explosion can also damage opponents. The Peanut Popguns occasionally releases peanuts that can be eaten as food. If Diddy Kong's powers are copied by Kirby, he will also be able to use Peanut Popgun. In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, this move has two custom variants: Exploding Popgun, which does not fire peanuts and can only deal damage by exploding, doing it more quickly; and Jumbo Peanuts, which fires larger peanuts that do not travel as far and deal more damage.
There is a collectible trophy of a Peanut Popgun in Super Smash Bros. Brawl as well as another in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the trophy for the Popgun erroneously states that they can fire two peanuts at a time.
Dr. Mario World[edit]
In Dr. Mario World, Diddy Kong uses a Peanut Popgun for his special ability, which splits each capsule in two and allows for each part to be placed individually. To indicate the splitting, a peanut breaks in half when the ability is activated.
Profiles and statistics[edit]
Super Smash Bros. series[edit]
Super Smash Bros. Brawl[edit]
| Trophy Peanut Popgun | ||
| ||
| Appears in: N64 Donkey Kong 64 Wii Donkey Kong: Barrel Blast | ||
| How to unlock: Clear level 2 of Target Smash | ||
| A unique firearm that only Diddy Kong can use. It's made of a chunk of wood and shoots peanuts. In Donkey Kong 64, he carried two pistols and could fire two shots at a time. In Smash Bros., the peanut ammo bursts out of its shells when fired. The peanuts can be grabbed and eaten to reduce damage. The longer the gun is charged before firing, the faster the peanuts fly. | ||
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Super Smash Bros. for Wii U[edit]
| Trophy Peanut Popgun | ||
3DS: Wii U: 
| ||
| Category: Fighter Related | ||
( ) Appears in:N64 Donkey Kong 64 (11/1999) Wii Donkey Kong Country Returns (11/2010) | ||
| () Trophy Box: 18: Animal Friends and Items
| ||
| How to unlock: Random | ||
| Diddy Kong's special wooden gun, locked and loaded with peanut shots. Power up the peanuts by holding the button, but don't get carried away—an overcharged peanut can explode in the barrel! Charging will improve the range of your shot, so keep an eye on your target as you prepare to fire! (American English) | ||
| Diddy Kong's special wooden gun. Keep the trigger held to charge up the speed and power of the peanut ammo. Just don't get carried away or the gun might explode! How long you charge it for also affects the range of your projectile, so pay close attention to your intended target and make sure you time it just right! (British English) | ||
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze[edit]
- Instruction booklet description:
- English:
Each partner has their own ranged attack. Depending on the enemy, these attacks may have different effects. Dixie Kong and Cranky Kong can only use their ranged attacks while on Donkey Kong's back or in midair.
- English:
Gallery[edit]
Diddy's Peanut Popgun in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Dixie's Gumball Popgun in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Cranky's Denture Popgun in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
The Peanut Popgun in Super Smash Bros. Brawl
The Peanut Popgun in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Names in other languages[edit]
Peanut Popgun[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ピーナッツ・ポップガン[?] Pīnattsu Poppugan |
Peanuts Popgun | |
| Dutch | Pindaschieter[?] | Peanut shooter | |
| French | Kawouetto-Flingue[?] | Peanut Gun | |
| Kawouetto-pétard[1][2] | |||
| German | Erdnusswerfer[?] | Peanut thrower | |
| Italian | Pistola a Noccioline[?] | Peanuts Pistol | DK64 |
| Nocciol-Pistola[?] | Peanut-pistol | from DKCR onwards | |
| Portuguese | Dispara-Amendoins[?] | Peanut Shooter | |
| Russian | Арахисовый пугач[?] Arakhisovy pugach |
- | |
| Spanish | Cacahuetola Cacahuatola[1][3] |
Portmanteau of cacahuete ("peanut") and pistola ("gun") |
Gumball Popgun[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| French (NOA) | Pisto-gomme[1] | Pisto-gum | |
| Italian | Spara-gomme[?] | Gum-shooter | |
| Spanish (NOA) | Gomatola[1] | Portmanteau of goma ("gum") and pistola ("gun") |
Denture Popgun[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| French (NOA) | Lancer de dentier[1] | A phrase describing the action of launching dentures | |
| Italian | Lancio della dentiera[?] | Denture trow | |
| Spanish (NOA) | Lanzamuelas[1] | Potmanteau of lanzar ("to launch") and muelas ("teeth") |
Trivia[edit]
- A pre-release screenshot of Donkey Kong 64 shows that the Peanut Popguns initially used the model of weapons similar to realistic pistols. This was a placeholder and was never intended to be in the final release according to the game's creative director, George Andreas.[4]
- Diddy Kong's association with the Peanut Popguns is referenced in his bio on the Super Mario Party official website, where he is described as a "peanut-popping powerhouse."[5]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g h Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze action guide, which comes packed with the game
- ^ 2010. Donkey Kong Country Returns instruction booklet. Nintendo (French). Page 38.
- ^ 2010. Donkey Kong Country Returns instruction booklet. Nintendo (European Spanish). Page 60.
- ^ Power, Tom (December 6, 2019). As Donkey Kong 64 turns 20, the devs reflect on its design, the infamous DK Rap, and how a shocked Shigeru Miyamoto created the Coconut Shooter. GamesRadar+ (English). Retrieved July 4, 2024.
- ^ Super Mario Party presentation page - "Look who’s coming to the party!" section. nintendo.com (American English). Archived August 5, 2019, 20:53:43 UTC from the original via Wayback Machine. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
