Part 68

Learn about Golden Bananas, Bananas, Banana Bunch Coins, and Blueprints in Donkey Kong 64. Collect 200+ Golden Bananas and use Blueprints for rewards.

Golden Bananas

Golden Bananas are earned by defeating bosses, completing challenges, and returning blueprints to Snide. There are 175 Golden Bananas across the 7 worlds (5 for each Kong), plus 25 on DK Isle, totaling 200. The 201st Golden Banana is awarded by the Banana Fairy Queen after photographing all 20 Banana Fairies. Snide offers 40 Golden Bananas in exchange for his blueprints. A specific Kong must collect certain Golden Bananas, indicated by their availability. Initially, Golden Bananas are found in the open, but later require defeating difficult challenges and puzzles. Each world contains 5 Kasplats; defeating them with the appropriate Kong (color-coded hair) yields a Blueprint, which can be exchanged with Snide for a Golden Banana. Collecting a Golden Banana triggers a dance and displays the number of Golden Bananas each Kong has collected in that world on the HUD (Heads-Up Display). Totals can be viewed in the start menu.

Bananas

Bananas, or regular bananas, are collectibles similar to Musical Notes in Banjo-Kazooie. They appear as spinning bananas in five colors: yellow, red, blue, purple, and green, each corresponding to a specific Kong (Donkey, Diddy, Lanky, Tiny, and Chunky, respectively). This color-coding applies to other items like Blueprints and coins. There are 100 bananas per Kong in every world, totaling 3500. Bananas come in singles (worth one), bunches (worth five), and balloons (worth ten, requiring a shooter to pop). Bananas are used to open portals featuring Troff n' Scoff. Entering these portals leads to a room with Troff and Scoff. Standing on the Banana Pad feeds Scoff enough bananas to activate a weight, allowing Troff to reach a key to open a door. The door indicates the required number of bananas and the Kong needed to pass, leading to boss battles. Defeating bosses earns Boss Keys, which are used to open K. Lumsey's cage, granting access to worlds. Collecting a banana displays the number collected for that Kong in that world on the HUD. Banana totals per Kong and per world can be viewed in the start menu. Collecting 75 bananas with a single Kong earns that Kong a Banana Medal. There are 40 Banana Medals in total, and at least 15 are required.

Banana Bunch Coin

Banana Bunch Coins are scattered throughout levels, with quantities varying per Kong (typically 10-15). They follow the color-coding system and are used to pay Cranky, Funky, and Candy Kong for items. Cranky sells potions for learning moves, Funky provides weapons and ammo upgrades, and Candy offers musical instruments and instrument energy upgrades, sometimes including an extra melon of life. Cranky charges 3 coins for basic moves, 5 for intermediate, and 7 for advanced. Funky and Candy charge 3, 5, 7, and 9 coins for their upgrades. While coins are usually worth one each and often found in groups, DK Dirt Piles on DK Isle and in each world can be unearthed using the shockwave move learned from the Banana Fairy Queen, yielding a Rainbow Coin. Each Rainbow Coin grants five Banana Bunch Coins to each Kong.

Blueprint

Blueprints are color-coded square items in wooden frames. Each level contains five Kasplats, tough enemies that cause shockwaves when they hit the ground. Defeating a Kasplat (requiring many hits or about eight oranges) causes it to drop a Blueprint. The correct Kong must be used, matching the Kasplat's hair color to the Blueprint's color. Blueprints can be exchanged with Snide, the weasel, at his HQ for Golden Bananas. Blueprints are also crucial for the Hideout Helm level, the final stage. Players have 1 minute per Blueprint collected plus 10 minutes to complete the level before the Blast-o-Matic reactivates. Collecting all 40 Blueprints provides a maximum of 50 additional minutes. Collected Blueprints can be viewed in Snide's HQ by pressing the up C button.