Kroc

Kroc
Squitter the Spider evading Kroc's cursor, as seen in the game Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! for SNES.
Alias(es)	Krosshair
Homeland	Crocodile Isle (native), K. Rool's Mobile Island Fortress (resident)
Residence(s)	Donkey Kong Country 3: K3 stage Krack-Shot Kroc Donkey Kong 64: Angry Aztec, Crystal Caves, Creepy Castle
Species	Kremling
Affiliates	Kremling Krew, KAOS, Baron K. Roolenstein/King K. Rool
Powers/Abilities	Tracking down enemies constantly, Shooting fireballs after targeting enemies at regular intervals (only in DKC 3), Shooting at the enemies after the countdown timer reaches zero (only in DK 64)
Enemies	Kong Family, Dixie Kong, Kiddy Kong, Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Lanky Kong, Tiny Kong, Chunky Kong, Animal Buddies, Squitter the Spider
Game(s)	Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, Donkey Kong 64
First Appearance	Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! (for SNES) (1996)
Latest Appearance	Donkey Kong Country 3 (for GBA) (2005)

Kroc, also known as Krosshair, is an unseen enemy who uses a cursor to track down and shoot at the Kongs. The enemy first appeared in the game Donkey Kong Country 3, and then later in the game Donkey Kong 64. In both games, Kroc cannot be defeated, only evaded by the player.

Overview

Donkey Kong Country 3

In Donkey Kong Country 3, Kroc only appears in the K3 stage Krack-Shot Kroc of the Northern Kremisphere. Inside this stage, an aiming cursor will stalk Dixie and Kiddy Kong unrestlessly, after they are transformed into Squitter the Spider, and attempt to blast them. As soon as the Animal Buddy reaches a sign depicting a cursor, similar cursor will track down the spider. In the Super Nintendo Entertainment System version of the game, the player will also hear a warning horn after crossing the sign, leaving the first Bonus Room or re-entering the stage by using a Star Barrel. The cursor will aim and shoot large fireballs at regular intervals, staying stuck in place during the shots for a few seconds. In the Game Boy Advance version, an evil laughter will be heard just before each shot, and the cursor will stay stuck in place for a shorter time when compared to the previous game version. By the player using very good timing, Kroc can also be fooled into shooting some moving enemies, including red Buzzes. However, it is advisable to just move out of the way during shots and keep going forward. There are also various blast shields on the foreground across the stage which Squitter can use as cover against the fireballs for unlimited time.

Inside the second Bonus Room of the stage, the player will take control of a similar cursor in order to defeat ten enemies within a time limit of forty-five seconds and earn a Bonus Coin. The cursor can be moved freely around the interior of the room by the player using the directional buttons, and fireballs are shot by pressing the "Jump" button. The ammunition is unlimited, but only a single projectile can be shot per time. In the SNES game version, the shooting trajectory is an arc, forcing the player to compensate it by positioning the cursor a bit above the targets. However, in the GBA version, the fireballs are shot at straight lines, making to aim and hit enemies easier. Oddly, in the same game version, if the player shoots a fireball on the ground at the lower left edge of the room, next to the blast shield, they will somehow harm the primary Kong, losing the Bonus Room. At the end, the Bonus Coin can only be collected by the player shooting a fireball at it.

After going past a No Cursor sign, almost at the end of the stage, Kroc will cease of pursuing and shooting at Squitter. Unlike No Animal Signs, the same cursor will not disappear and produce prizes after crossing it. Instead, the cursor will slowly move away from the sign and stay stuck in place eventually. If the player moves backwards and goes nearby the sign, Kroc's cursor will quickly resume the behavior of tracking and shooting fireballs.

Donkey Kong 64

In Donkey Kong 64, Kroc appears in the level Angry Aztec, in the area with the five-doored temple. Whenever a Kong has obtained a Golden Banana inside it, a yellow cursor will appear with a menacing voice that yells "Get Out!" and a countdown timer will appear at the upper right corner of the screen. Kroc can not be defeated and instead, the primates need to evacuate the area within the amounted time. If a hero fails to exit the temple on time, Kroc will blast the Kong, and they either lose health or get defeated.

In Crystal Caves and Creepy Castle, Kroc reappears in certain areas, such as cabins, igloos, garden houses, but only if a primate fails at a timed mission or, in Chunky Kong's case, gets caught by searchlights to obtain the Golden Banana. Depending on the area, the Kong will unfairly have a second to exit the area or they get blasted by Kroc.

Profiles

"As you'll see when you return with each Kong, once you steal a Golden Banana from inside this temple, you'll be marked with crosshairs and have to flee to survive."

—Donkey Kong 64 Player's Guide, page 41

Gallery

Donkey Kong Country 3

Squitter the Spider after crossing a warning sign and triggering Kroc's cursor, as seen in the stage Krack-Shot Kroc of the game Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! for SNES.

A green Buzz after being hit by a fireball shot by the player inside the second Bonus Room of the stage Krack-Shot Kroc, as seen in the game Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! for SNES.

The Bonus Coin of the second Bonus Room from the stage Krack-Shot Kroc being collected by the player shooting at it, as seen in the game Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! for SNES.

Squitter the Spider about to reach the No Cursor sign of the stage Krack-Shot Kroc, as seen in the game Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! for SNES.

Squitter the Spider evading a fireball shot by Kroc and defeating some Re-Koils, as seen in the stage Krack Shot Kroc of the game Donkey Kong Country 3 for GBA.

A Re-Koil after being defeated by a fireball shot by the player inside the second Bonus Room of the stage Krack Shot Kroc, as seen in the game Donkey Kong Country 3 for GBA.

Squitter the Spider after crossing the No Cursor sign and leaving Kroc's cursor behind, as seen in the stage Krack Shot Kroc of the game Donkey Kong Country 3 for GBA.

Sprite of Kroc's cursor, right before shooting a fireball, from the game Donkey Kong Country 3.

Donkey Kong 64

Tiny Kong running to evade Kroc's yellow cursor within a time limit, as seen in the level Angry Aztec of the game Donkey Kong 64 for Nintendo 64.

Lanky Kong being tracked down by Kroc's cursor before the enemy shooting at the Kong at the end of a time counter, as seen in the level Angry Aztec of the game Donkey Kong 64 for Nintendo 64.

Trivia

• In the game Donkey Kong Country 3, the fireballs shot by Kroc are very similar to the ones shot by Karbines, owl enemies from the same game. However, Karbines shoot fireballs from the background, and Kroc shoots fireballs from the foreground, instead. Additionally, if Kroc shoots a fireball next to the ground, the projectile will bounce on it.
• The alarm horn that is sounded when Kroc is triggered in the SNES version of the game Donkey Kong Country 3 is called "Old Klaxon: Fast" from the album Universal Studios Sound Effects Library. This same sound effect is also used for the game Donkey Kong 64 on K. Rool's Mobile Island Fortress alarm, the conveyor belts in the level Jungle Japes when they are set to "Low" and during the Bonus Stage Krazy Kong Klamor.
  • In the GBA version of the game Donkey Kong Country 3, the Kroc's laughter preceding each shot is the sound effect "Hollywoodedge, Evil Laugh CRT023801" from the album Cartoon Trax Volume 1. The same effect is also used in the GBA version of the game Donkey Kong Country 2 for the enemy Kloak, and a low pitch version is used as King K. Rool's laughter in the game Donkey Kong 64.
• Despite appearing only as a cursor in the game Donkey Kong Country 3, Kroc is one of the few enemies to not be featured in the Dixie Kong's Photo Album during the regular ending cutscene of the SNES version of the game.
• In the SNES version of the game Donkey Kong Country 3, if the player is missing a secondary Kong during the stage Krack-Shot Kroc and touches a DK Barrel while Kroc is reading to shoot, the enemy will interrupt the current attack immediately and resume to track down Squitter, restarting the process. The same behavior is not present in the GBA version of the game.
• Even if Kroc's true appearance is never seen in the games, taking their name in consideration, it can be assumed that the enemy is a Kremling.