Klaptrap

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Klaptraps are a species of fictitious crocodilian from Nintendo's Donkey Kong series of video games. Klaptraps are affiliated with the Kremling Krew, but unlike most other Kremlings, which are anthropomorphic, Klaptraps are more low-slung, and resemble real-life alligators, albeit brightly coloured ones with large heads. They made their first appearance in Donkey Kong Country, and they have remained much the same in all later appearances, except for Donkey Konga, although the original blue coloration has become more rare.

Klaptraps were also changed slightly in Donkey Kong 64 in that they were made to be puppy-like creatures who groweled and chomped at the player, and yelped upon being attacked.

It's worth noting that Klaptraps are not the same as the Snapjaws from Donkey Kong Jr. (although they are based on them), or the similar enemies the Klampons from Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest and the Krimps from Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! despite appearances. However, the Donkey Kong Country 2 instruction manual said Klampons are the bigger brother of Klaptrap. Krimp is either another brother of Klaptrap (possibly the bigger brother of Klampon), or a new, unrelated species.

In Donkey Kong 64, King K. Rool was shown stroking a pet Klaptrap, similar to Ernst Blofeld's cat. The game also featured a giant red Klaptrap that appeared only in one cutscene. In the mini-game 'Beaver Bother', a green Klaptrap was actually controllable. Its only abilities were to jump (with A) and gnash its teeth (with B).

The Klaptrap biting noise in Donkey Kong Country was, according to the Rare scribes (May 12 2005), produced by one Mr. Peilio of Rare. He did this by banging his teeth together. In Donkey Kong 64, this sound was replaced with a more generic one.

[edit] Fighting Klaptraps

A Klaptrap can sometimes be defeated with a simple bounce on the head, although attacking the mouth front-on is not advised. However, there are many variations.

In Donkey Kong Country, it was possible to avoid a normal blue Klaptrap using Expresso the Ostrich (who had long legs that elevated him above the reach of Klaptraps). That game also featured purple Klaptraps which jumped whenever the players did.

Donkey Kong 64 disposed of ordinary blue Klaptraps altogether, instead featuring a green variety whose jaws would pursue the player even after the creature's demise, and a near-invincible purple variety.

Klaptraps were invincible in the 100m Vine Climb in Donkey Konga. These Klaptraps crawled along vines like Snapjaws, and had much more realistic body proprtions than before. Like the ones in Donkey Kong Country, these Klaptraps came in blue and purple varieties.

[edit] Other appearances

Klaptraps seem to be the most popular Kremlings with third party developers, as they are the Kremlings that appear most often in non-DK series Nintendo games.

Klaptraps were seemingly invincible nuisances in Super Smash Bros. Melee, and touching them often proved fatal. Interestingly, these Klaptraps were only seen swimming, though in an extremely ungainly manner.

In Mario Power Tennis, Klaptraps were featured as a hazard in the Donkey Kong Jungle stage. They could be zapped by bouncing the ball off a glowing area of the opponents' court. Since this is a sport game, a Klaptrap attack was more annoying than dangerous, slowing the player down.

In Mario Superstar Baseball, Klaptrap was a hazard in the outfield of DK's stage.

Klaptrap makes a cameo in Mario Party 7 as a hazard in one of the Pyramid Park events.

[edit] Cartoon Klaptraps

In the Donkey Kong Country animated series, which set up a different continuity from the games, Klaptraps were perhaps the most different of all the Kremlings in portrayal from their video game counterparts. In the show, Klaptraps are even smaller than in the games, and they are stored inside the Klap-Blasters, the guns used by the Kritters. Because of that, the Klaptraps are used as ammunition, but are quite formidable, because they get so hungry in there, that they chow down like termites at whatever the Kritters shoot at, ranging from the walls of Cranky Kong's cabin to Bluster Kong's hair.

One particular Klaptrap named Junior shares the hunger of the other KlapTraps, but is too big to fit in a Klap-Blaster (he is roughly the size of Diddy Kong). Ironically, Junior relies on dentures to eat, and he often whines and complains about the hunger if they are confiscated. Junior makes his first appearance in the episode "Booty and the Beast", where DK and Diddy are captured attempting to retrieve the Crystal Coconut from Kaptain Skurvy. Junior shows up and, having had his dentures confiscated by Skurvy, sets them free. In the fight that follows, Junior retrieves his teeth and gobbles down Skurvy's ship (although it still manages to appear in the pirate's subsequent appearances). In the episode, it is also shown that Junior (and perhaps other Klaptrap) can even chew through iron: he ate a large cannonball and merely left the core, much like eating an apple.

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