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[[File:DKCR Sceamingpillars.png|thumb|200px|right|'''Screaming Pillars'''.]]
{{Species-infobox
'''Screaming Pillars''' are tall, sleeping pillar-like [[Tiki]]s in ''[[Donkey Kong Country Returns]]'' and ''[[Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D]]''. They appear in the [[Jungle (Donkey Kong)|Jungle]], [[Ruins]], and [[Volcano]] areas, and are usually asleep in the section they are placed in. If [[Donkey Kong]] or [[Diddy Kong]] approach these pillars, they awake with a scream and collapse onto the ground, attempting to crush the [[Kong]]s underneath, with their feathers falling off. Should the heroes receive the shocking treatment, they lose one heart from their health counter. The Kongs can destroy the Screaming Pillars by [[Ground Pound|pounding]] their feeble heads after they have fallen. [[Giant Pillar]]s appear in the level [[Canopy Cannons]]. Their scream is not high-pitched and they take out the Kongs by just touching them.
|title=Screaming Pillar
|image=[[File:ScreamingPillar.png|250px]]<br>Concept artwork of several '''Screaming Pillars'''.
|sub_species=[[Giant Pillar]]
|first_appearance=''[[Donkey Kong Country Returns]]'' ([[List of games by date#2010|2010]])
|latest_appearance=''[[Super Smash Bros. for Wii U]]'' ([[List of games by date#2014|2014]])
}}
'''Screaming Pillars''' are tall living pillar structures, which mostly serve as obstacles in the games they appear in. Usually, they are found asleep or overall inactive, until a certain movement or action alerts and wakes them up from their slumber. Screaming Pillars startle so suddenly that, on select occasions, they might totter and fall on the ground, crushing any creature lying underneath them and remaining completely inert afterwards.


Screaming Pillars return in ''[[Mario Kart 7]]''. In this game, they scream every once in a while, blowing air to push hanggliding players back. They appear in [[DK Jungle (Mario Kart)|DK Jungle]] only and reappear in the retro track version of the course in ''[[Mario Kart 8]]''. In ''Mario Kart 8'', the Screaming Pillars are seen as Giant Pillar's appearance and seem to exhale smoke when they are making noises.
==Appearance==
Screaming Pillars resemble narrow stone totems, which display carved symbols. They are erected on pyramidal stands, and feature cracks towards their bottom, pointing out their precarious state of standing upright. Their zigzag-shaped mouths, placed underneath two empty sockets which serve as eyes, are part of their facial features. A Screaming Pillar is adorned on each of its head's sides with feather tufts, which detach after the enemy has made a sudden movement.


==History==
===''Donkey Kong'' series===
====''Donkey Kong Country Returns'' / ''3D''====
In ''[[Donkey Kong Country Returns]]'' and [[Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D|its enhanced port]], Screaming Pillars can be encountered throughout the [[Jungle (Donkey Kong)|Jungle]], [[Ruins]], and [[Volcano]] areas, and are initially seen idle in the section they are placed in. If the [[Kong]]s approach these pillars, they awake with a scream and collapse onto the ground, potentially crushing any creature standing beneath them, including the Kongs; their feathers also fall off during their sudden awakening. Should the heroes receive the shocking treatment, they lose one heart from their health counter. The Kongs can destroy the Screaming Pillars by [[Ground Pound|pounding]] their feeble heads after they have fallen. Sometimes, Screaming Pillars might give out precious items, such as [[Banana Coin]]s or even [[Puzzle Piece]]s.
Enormous sub-species of Screaming Pillars, the [[Giant Pillar]]s, are present in the levels [[Canopy Cannons]] and (exclusively to the [[Nintendo 3DS]] port) [[Crushin' Columns]]. Their scream is much louder and more intense, and they take out the Kongs completely when falling onto them.
====''Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze''====
Exceptionally close relatives of Screaming Pillars, the '''Flaming Falling Totem Poles'''<ref>von Esmarch, Nick, and Cory van Grier. ''Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze'' [[Prima Games|Prima]] Official Game Guide</ref>, appear in ''[[Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze]]''. Having an otherwise unchanged behavior from that of Screaming Pillars, the more recently introduced species sustain an inner fiery core, which spawns a stream of flames out their hollow eyes and mouths whenever the pillars scream and prepare to fall. Additionally, their heads are always on fire before falling on the ground; the fire intensifies whenever the stone creature notices the Kongs, and it is seemingly used as primary object of defense against the primates, despite not damaging them more than a regular Screaming Pillar could. In effect, these are all aesthetic additions, and, as stated above, they do not change the enemies' method of attack. What is more, Flaming Falling Totem Poles cool down after crashing into the ground, ultimately granting the possibility to be destroyed the same way as Screaming Pillars. They can only be seen lounging around in [[Scorch 'n' Torch]], a level that features a savannah affected by a wildfire, which the enemies allude to.
Exceptionally close relatives of Screaming Pillars, the '''Flaming Falling Totem Poles'''<ref>von Esmarch, Nick, and Cory van Grier. ''Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze'' [[Prima Games|Prima]] Official Game Guide</ref>, appear in ''[[Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze]]''. Having an otherwise unchanged behavior from that of Screaming Pillars, the more recently introduced species sustain an inner fiery core, which spawns a stream of flames out their hollow eyes and mouths whenever the pillars scream and prepare to fall. Additionally, their heads are always on fire before falling on the ground; the fire intensifies whenever the stone creature notices the Kongs, and it is seemingly used as primary object of defense against the primates, despite not damaging them more than a regular Screaming Pillar could. In effect, these are all aesthetic additions, and, as stated above, they do not change the enemies' method of attack. What is more, Flaming Falling Totem Poles cool down after crashing into the ground, ultimately granting the possibility to be destroyed the same way as Screaming Pillars. They can only be seen lounging around in [[Scorch 'n' Torch]], a level that features a savannah affected by a wildfire, which the enemies allude to.


In the E3 2013 trailer for ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U]]'', Screaming Pillars can be seen very briefly in the background when Donkey Kong first appears. They also appear in the [[Super Smash Bros. for Wii U|Wii U version of the game]] itself as stage hazards in the [[Jungle Hijinxs (stage)|Jungle Hijinxs]] stage.
===''Mario Kart'' series===
[[File:MK7 Screaming Pillars.png|thumb|right|250px|Screaming Pillars, as seen in ''Mario Kart 7''.]]
Screaming Pillars return in ''[[Mario Kart 7]]'' as obstacles on the [[DK Jungle (Mario Kart)|DK Jungle]] racetrack. While usually dormant, they scream every once in a while, powerfully blowing air to push hanggliding players back. With the inclusion of DK Jungle as a retro track in ''[[Mario Kart 8]]'', Screaming Pillars have been replaced with [[Giant Pillar]]s, which seem to exhale smoke when making noises.
 
===''Super Smash Bros.'' series===
In the E3 2013 trailer for ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U]]'', Screaming Pillars can be seen very briefly in the background when Donkey Kong is first seen. They also appear in the [[Super Smash Bros. for Wii U|Wii U version of the game]] itself as stage hazards on the [[Jungle Hijinxs (stage)|Jungle Hijinxs]] stage, where they can be toppled by the playable characters so as to potentially fall over rival fighters.
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==Gallery==
==Gallery==
<gallery>
<gallery>
File:ScreamingPillar.png|Concept artwork of the Screaming Pillars.
File:MK7 Screaming Pillars.png|Screaming Pillars as seen in ''Mario Kart 7''.
File:MK8 Screaming Pillar.PNG|Screaming Pillar from ''Mario Kart 8''.
File:MK8 Screaming Pillar.PNG|Screaming Pillar from ''Mario Kart 8''.
</gallery>
</gallery>
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Revision as of 15:19, August 29, 2016

Template:Species-infobox Screaming Pillars are tall living pillar structures, which mostly serve as obstacles in the games they appear in. Usually, they are found asleep or overall inactive, until a certain movement or action alerts and wakes them up from their slumber. Screaming Pillars startle so suddenly that, on select occasions, they might totter and fall on the ground, crushing any creature lying underneath them and remaining completely inert afterwards.

Appearance

Screaming Pillars resemble narrow stone totems, which display carved symbols. They are erected on pyramidal stands, and feature cracks towards their bottom, pointing out their precarious state of standing upright. Their zigzag-shaped mouths, placed underneath two empty sockets which serve as eyes, are part of their facial features. A Screaming Pillar is adorned on each of its head's sides with feather tufts, which detach after the enemy has made a sudden movement.

History

Donkey Kong series

Donkey Kong Country Returns / 3D

In Donkey Kong Country Returns and its enhanced port, Screaming Pillars can be encountered throughout the Jungle, Ruins, and Volcano areas, and are initially seen idle in the section they are placed in. If the Kongs approach these pillars, they awake with a scream and collapse onto the ground, potentially crushing any creature standing beneath them, including the Kongs; their feathers also fall off during their sudden awakening. Should the heroes receive the shocking treatment, they lose one heart from their health counter. The Kongs can destroy the Screaming Pillars by pounding their feeble heads after they have fallen. Sometimes, Screaming Pillars might give out precious items, such as Banana Coins or even Puzzle Pieces.

Enormous sub-species of Screaming Pillars, the Giant Pillars, are present in the levels Canopy Cannons and (exclusively to the Nintendo 3DS port) Crushin' Columns. Their scream is much louder and more intense, and they take out the Kongs completely when falling onto them.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

Exceptionally close relatives of Screaming Pillars, the Flaming Falling Totem Poles[1], appear in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze. Having an otherwise unchanged behavior from that of Screaming Pillars, the more recently introduced species sustain an inner fiery core, which spawns a stream of flames out their hollow eyes and mouths whenever the pillars scream and prepare to fall. Additionally, their heads are always on fire before falling on the ground; the fire intensifies whenever the stone creature notices the Kongs, and it is seemingly used as primary object of defense against the primates, despite not damaging them more than a regular Screaming Pillar could. In effect, these are all aesthetic additions, and, as stated above, they do not change the enemies' method of attack. What is more, Flaming Falling Totem Poles cool down after crashing into the ground, ultimately granting the possibility to be destroyed the same way as Screaming Pillars. They can only be seen lounging around in Scorch 'n' Torch, a level that features a savannah affected by a wildfire, which the enemies allude to.

Mario Kart series

A few Screaming Pillars from Mario Kart 7
Screaming Pillars, as seen in Mario Kart 7.

Screaming Pillars return in Mario Kart 7 as obstacles on the DK Jungle racetrack. While usually dormant, they scream every once in a while, powerfully blowing air to push hanggliding players back. With the inclusion of DK Jungle as a retro track in Mario Kart 8, Screaming Pillars have been replaced with Giant Pillars, which seem to exhale smoke when making noises.

Super Smash Bros. series

In the E3 2013 trailer for Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, Screaming Pillars can be seen very briefly in the background when Donkey Kong is first seen. They also appear in the Wii U version of the game itself as stage hazards on the Jungle Hijinxs stage, where they can be toppled by the playable characters so as to potentially fall over rival fighters.

Gallery

References

  1. ^ von Esmarch, Nick, and Cory van Grier. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Prima Official Game Guide

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