Fireball (Donkey Kong): Difference between revisions

|image=[[File:FireballMvsDKMOTM.png]]<br>A Fireball from ''[[Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis]]''

|first_appearance=''[[Donkey Kong (game)|Donkey Kong]]'' ([[List of games by date#1981|1981]])

|latest_appearance=''[[Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition]]'' ([[List of games by date#2024|2024]])

The '''Fireballs''', also called '''firefoxes'''<ref>Instruction manual for the Commodore VIC-20 port{{page needed}}</ref> or '''foxfires''',<ref>[[Donkey Kong (coloring/activity books)|Donkey Kong: Puzzles & Mazes]]</ref> are enemies that first appeared in ''[[Donkey Kong (game)|Donkey Kong]]''. They are living embodiments of fire comparable to [[Lava Bubble]]s from ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]''

[[File:DK Oil Drum and Fireball.png|thumb|120px|left|Fireball first emerging from an [[oil drum]]]]

Fireballs make their first appearance in the original ''[[Donkey Kong (game)|Donkey Kong]]'' as enemies. In levels [[25m|25 m]] and [[50m|50 m]], fireballs emerge from the [[oil drum]]s and then chase after [[Mario]], although they have short attention spans. In the former level, they only emerge when the oil drum is hit by a blue [[barrel]]. If Mario is touched by a fireball, he loses a [[extra life|life]] and is forced to restart the level. Fireballs can climb [[ladder]]s, no matter if they are broken or fixed, but cannot reverse directions during the climb. They cannot fall from ledges or cross gaps. Eventually, they migrate to the top of the level. If Mario jumps over a fireball, he receives [[point]]s, but the only way to destroy them is with a [[hammer]]. Picking up a hammer causes the fireballs to turn blue.

In 25m and 50m, there can be a maximum of five Fireballs simultaneously onscreen. In [[75m|75 m]], two fireballs patrol a set of platforms.

 

 

Fireballs retain their role of enemies in the built-in port of the ''Donkey Kong'' arcade game in ''[[Donkey Kong 64]]''.

In their second appearance, [[Donkey Kong]] has to dodge fireballs while trying to juggle [[pineapple]]s in ''[[Donkey Kong Circus]]'' for the [[Game & Watch]].

Fireballs make a third appearance in ''[[Super Mario Bros. Special]]'', where they are credited as '''Sigebou'''. These enemies can fall off the edges of platforms. They are found only in Worlds 7-4 and 8-2 and are indestructible.

Fireballs appear in ''[[Mario vs. Donkey Kong]]'' and its [[Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Nintendo Switch)|remake]], where they are often seen monitoring a set area. However, they are considerably scarce during the course of the game. They will instantly burn Mario on contact, thus causing him to lose a life. Fireballs can be defeated with [[hammer]]s, which are usually found nearby.

In the remake, the updated design for the fireballs furthers their resemblance to the [[Lava Bubble]]s, which also return. Additionally, in [[Slippery Summit]] and its [[Slippery Summit Plus|plus variant]], fireballs appear with an icy blue coloration, but is otherwise identical in behavior. Instead of burning the player on contact, they appear to be chilled, with icy sounds and particles instead of smoke.

Fireballs reappear in ''[[Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis]]'' during the final battle against Donkey Kong on the [[Roof (Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis)|Roof]], as well as in B1 and B2 in [[DK's Hideout]]. On the Roof, fireballs spawn from an [[Oil drum|oil can]] if a [[Barrel|barrel]] falls into it, while in B1, fireballs spawn from oil cans periodically without the use of barrels. However, in B2, two fireballs spawn at the beginning of the level without being produced from an oil can. Similarly to their appearance in ''Donkey Kong'', fireballs move along girders and ladders and pursue [[Mini Mario (toy)|Mini Mario]]s. A Mini Mario is burned and destroyed if it touches a fireball without being protected by a water drop. Unlike previous appearances, fireballs can reverse their direction while climbing ladders. Fireballs can be defeated by any [[Mini]] using Hammers.

Fireballs also appear in the [[Construction Zone]], where they can be used in the [[Lava Dome]] construction kit and [[Special Kit 3]].

Fireballs are also enemies in ''[[Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem!]]'', where they first appear in [[Area 5-2]]. They closely resemble their arcade counterparts and walk at a moderate pace along the ground, although they will start treading faster once the Minis take hold of hammers.

[[File:Fire in Brawl.png|thumb|left|Fireball, as it appears in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'']]

Fireballs also appear in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'', ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Wii U]]'', and ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'' on the [[75 m (stage)|75 m]] stage. On that stage, fireballs can damage the fighters by touching them. Each hit does 10% damage and moderate knockback.

Fireballs make cameo appearances in ''[[Donkey Kong Country Returns]]'' and its [[Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D|Nintendo 3DS version]]. In a level called [[Shifty Smashers]], some crushing blocks feature renders of Donkey Kong leaping over a Fireball enemy. These imprints are imitations of the characters' original sprites from the ''Donkey Kong'' arcade classic.

Fireballs are referenced in the [[Donkey Kong Adventure]] DLC of ''[[Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle]]'' in the description of [[Rabbid Cranky]]'s Barrel Bolt weapon [[List of weapons in Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle#Oil Drum|Oil Drum]] (based on the ''Donkey Kong'' object), which states that the weapon does not turn enemies into blue flames with eyes that chase the player.

In ''[[Mario Kart Tour]]'', a Fireball makes a cameo in the [[Tour New York Minute|New York Minute]] courses on the {{wp|Times Square}} jumbotron displaying gameplay of [[25m]] from the game. The jumbotron reappears in {{classic|Tour|New York Minute}} in the ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]] – [[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass|Booster Course Pass]]''.

[[File:NES Remix Stamp 082.png|thumb|[[List of NES Remix stamps|Stamp]]]]

In the [[NES Remix (series)|''NES Remix'' series]], Fireballs appear in ''Donkey Kong''-related challenges in ''[[NES Remix]]'', ''[[NES Remix Pack]]'', and ''[[Ultimate NES Remix]]''.

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