Kongo Jungle

Congo Jungle
File:DKSymbol(preBrawl).png
Universe	Donkey Kong
Appears in	SSB Melee
Availability	Starter (SSB) Unlockable (Melee)
Unlock criteria	Complete 15-minute Melee
Tracks available	Kongo Jungle N64
Tournament legality Super Smash Bros. Singles: Neutral (US ruleset), Banned (Japanese ruleset) Doubles: Available Melee Singles: Banned Doubles: Counterpick
Article on Donkey Kong Wiki	Kongo Jungle

Congo Jungle (コンゴジャングル, Kongojanguru) is a stage in Super Smash Bros. that reappears in Super Smash Bros. Melee. It is one of Donkey Kong's home stages. It is based on various levels from Donkey Kong Country, with pre-rendered backgrounds, environmental themes and tracks, and most notable in a battle, use of a Barrel Cannon for transportation (usually for a vertical recovery).

Origin

The sunset background as seen in the Orang-utan Gang level from Donkey Kong Country.

This stage comes from Donkey Kong Country, loosely based on the levels called Orang-utan Gang, Blackout Basement, and Platform Perils. This stage's background resembles the sunset backgroud in Orang-utan Gang. In Blackout Basement there are two platforms that oscillate up and down, and in Platform Perils there are platforms with arrows on them that move in the direction the arrow is pointing when the player jumps on them. In this stage the two platforms that go in a circle seem to be loosely based on Blackout Basement and Platform Perils. Also from Donkey Kong Country are barrels that the player could get shot out of either automatically or with the push of a button, which can move in a fixed pattern or rotate in place. Donkey Kong Country 2 added arrows to these barrels indicating the direction of fire. In this stage there is a barrel with an arrow that moves from side to side as well as rotate, and players can press the attack button to launch early, or the barrel will fire automatically. In the background, a flock of Neckies, birdlike enemies from Donkey Kong Country, can sometimes be seen flying across the horizon.

It is interesting to note that the name of the stage is incorrect, as the actual location in Donkey Kong Country is called "Kongo Jungle". "Congo", on the other hand, is the name of two countries in Africa, and a river that runs through them. This error was fixed in Melee. The music track that plays on this stage is from Donkey Kong Country's Jungle levels. [1]

Description

This stage appears as a starter stage in Super Smash Bros. This stage is made up of a big platform with four small platforms above it. Two small stationary platforms are above the left and right sections of the stage, and between them are two smaller platforms that circulate clockwise. The main platform can be passed through from below, but not from above. Under the stage there is a Barrel Cannon that can greatly aid many characters' recovery. A player that gets into the barrel can exit either by pressing a button or waiting for a certain period of time. In either case, they will be shot in the direction that the arrow on the barrel is currently pointing. There can only be one character at the time in the barrel.

Congo Jungle is also known as Past Stages: Kongo Jungle in Super Smash Bros. Melee and is one of the three past stages that can be unlocked. To unlock this stage, the player must beat 15-minute Melee. The stage itself is a near-exact copy of the SSB version, only being slightly larger. There also seems to be a short delay when the player is launched from the barrel, which can almost always spell doom for the mis-aimed character in many cases.

Tournament legality

This stage is a legal stage in SSB and is one of three starters (along with Hyrule Castle and Dream Land.) It is, however, by far the least common neutral played. Due to the stage's darkness, certain palette swaps are usually banned from play. Contrastly, the stage is fully banned in the Japanese ruleset, and unlike all other stage bans for the game, no definite reason has been given as to why.

The stage, however, was deemed at first to be a counterpick in Melee; although it had a relatively non-obtrusive stage design, it had a large size, which gave an advantage to faster characters and characters with projectiles, and a high ceiling, giving a slightly larger reliance on horizontal finishers. It was later banned in singles due to these traits, which were deemed unsuitable for two-player fighting. It still remains a counterpick in doubles, but it is seldom picked in tournaments.

Description from the Instruction Booklet

The moving barrel beneath the stage could be your salvation if you get knocked off.

Gallery

• CJungleSSB.gif

  Congo Jungle artwork from SSB.

• 

  Kongo Jungle in Melee.

External links

• Music for Congo Jungle