Part 5

Guide your way through Donkey Kong 64 Part 5! Learn how to complete Cranky's training barrels, master the Simian Slam, and collect those crucial Banana Bunch Coins.

Alright, so you've loaded up your game and K. Rool's up to no good. The opening sequence plays out – you can't skip it, unfortunately. It shows K. Rool's ship, the Blast-o-Matic, malfunctioning and eventually crashing near DK Isle. Inside his throne room, K. Rool orders his Kremlings to distract Donkey Kong and his pals, steal their Golden Bananas, and make sure there are no mistakes this time. Meanwhile, Diddy, Tiny, Lanky, and Chunky are trapped, and DK is just chilling in his house.

Suddenly, Squawks the parrot bursts in, telling DK to come quickly. When you gain control of Donkey Kong, take a moment to get a feel for the controls – A is for jumping, and B is for attacking. Leave DK's house and Squawks will fill you in: the Golden Bananas are gone, and the other Kongs have been kidnapped! Your first task is to head to Cranky's lab. You'll see a blue tunnel marked as the way out, but first, head left towards a clearing. Look for a floating picture of Cranky's head; approach it, and it'll transform into his lab.

Inside, Cranky isn't happy about the missing Golden Bananas and kidnapped Kongs. He explains he can give you special ability potions, but you'll need to pay him with Banana Bunch Coins. Before that, though, you need to complete his training barrels. You'll automatically exit the lab, and a scene shows you the barrels. Head back to where you saw the 'WAY OUT' sign, then go to the clearing on the left where a 'Training Area' sign points the way. Each barrel contains a simple bonus stage.

Barrel 1: The Dive

You've got 60 seconds to grab a coin at the bottom of the barrel. Use Z to dive, hold A to swim fast, and B to swim slowly. You can also hold Z to break. Just dive straight down and snag the DK Coin.

Barrel 2: Orange Toss

This barrel has five oranges around a tree. Your goal is to collect them all and throw them like bombs. Grab an orange, then hold Z and press the C-Right button five times to throw them.

Barrel 3: Barrel Barrage

Inside this barrel, you'll find five barrels around a tree. Pick up each barrel by pressing B, then press B again to throw and break it. Destroy all five to win.

Barrel 4: Vine Swing

The final training barrel involves climbing a tree and swinging across vines to reach the DK Coin. This one's a bit trickier. Press A to jump into the tree, then use the control stick to climb up. Jump onto a vine, and when it swings close to the next one, press A to jump across. Grab the coin to complete the training!

Squawks will tell you to return to Cranky. Head out of the clearing and go right, then enter the lab. Cranky will reward you with your first potion: the Simian Slam! This move lets you ass stomp the ground by pressing A to jump, then Z. It's used to activate switches with Kong faces on them and works for all five Kongs. Cranky also mentions a special reward if you collect 15 Banana Medals, but he doubts you can do it.

After leaving the lab, head out of the clearing and go behind DK's treehouse. You'll find another tunnel. Go through it to the end and collect three Banana Bunch Coins. These coins are your currency for upgrades from Cranky, Funky, and Candy. Once you have them, leave the tunnel and head back to the front of the treehouse. Follow the tunnel indicated by the sign...