Welcome to Donkey Kong Country Returns, a challenging cooperative platformer where you'll guide Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong through a variety of vibrant worlds. Your mission: reclaim the stolen banana hoard from the invading Tiki creatures. Expect to master precise jumping, utilize Donkey Kong's ground pound, and leverage Diddy Kong's jetpack for extended airtime as you navigate treacherous jungles, fiery caverns, and more.
This guide is your key to conquering every aspect of the game. We'll cover detailed walkthroughs for each world, break down strategies for defeating tough bosses, and help you hunt down every last collectible, including those elusive KONG Letters. Aiming for that Gold Medal? We've got you covered with tips to achieve the best scores and unlock all the game's secrets.
Part 1
Your friendly guide to conquering Part 1 of Donkey Kong Country Returns. Learn the basics, controls, and essential tips to get started on your adventure!
Hey there! Welcome to the wild world of Donkey Kong Country Returns. This guide is here to help you get your bearings, especially if you're just jumping into the game. We'll cover the absolute essentials to get you rolling, from how to move your Kongs to what all those little icons mean. Think of me as your buddy right next to you, pointing out the important stuff so you don't miss a beat.
We'll break down the controls so you know exactly what buttons to mash, go over the key items you'll be grabbing, and give you a heads-up on the enemies you'll be facing. Plus, I'll explain how to best use this guide itself, so you can find exactly what you need, when you need it. Ready to jump in?
Part 2
Learn about contacting the Donkey Kong Country Returns guide author, Tom Farello, and review the version history of the guide.
Contact Information
The author of this guide can be reached at guardianacorn@gmail.com. They appreciate constructive feedback on the guide's helpfulness and accuracy. They are also interested in strategies for time attack stages not yet covered, missed items or easter eggs, and any copyright or plagiarism concerns. Emails about information the author is likely to discover themselves are discouraged.
About the Author
The guide is written by Tom Farello, a software developer from San Antonio, TX, working at H-E-B. Farello previously authored guides for Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2. This guide for Donkey Kong Country Returns is intended for a more game-savvy audience.
Version History
- Version 0.91 (12/12/10): Added two more levels, including Tippin' Totems.
- Version 0.90 (12/11/10): Completed the time attack section up to Flutter Flyaway.
- Version 0.85 (12/07/10): Anticipated publication in NGamer magazine.
- You can use your browser's search function to jump to specific sections of the guide by searching for the five-character abbreviations in square brackets (e.g., [INTRO]).
- You can also search for level numbers (e.g., 0-0) to find walkthroughs and time attack sections for specific levels.
- Constructive criticism and positive feedback are encouraged via email to help improve the guide.
Part 3
This section of the Donkey Kong Country Returns walkthrough covers controls, including walking, running, jumping, grabbing, clinging, ground-pounding, blowing, rolling, and team-up moves.
This section of the guide details the controls for Donkey Kong Country Returns, explaining how to perform various actions with either the remote and nunchuk or the remote-only control schemes.
Controls:
| Action | Remote + Nunchuk | Remote Only |
|---|---|---|
| Walk | Tilt control stick slightly left or right | Press D-pad left or right |
| Run | Tilt control stick all the way left or right | Hold 1, then press D-pad left or right |
| Jump | Press A | Press 2 |
| Bounce | Press A (or 2) shortly before landing on bouncy objects for extra height. | |
| Crouch | Tilt control stick down | Press D-pad down |
| Grab | Press and hold Z or B | Press and hold 1 |
| Cling | Press and hold Z or B (or 1), then jump onto a climbable surface or vine. Use control stick (or D-pad) to move. Jump off with the jump button, or drop by releasing the grab button. | |
| Ground-Pound | Shake the controller continuously while not walking, running, or crouching. Can be done on climbable surfaces. | |
| Blow | Shake the controller continuously while crouching. Useful against fire enemies or to uncover secrets. | |
| Roll | Shake the Wii remote while walking or running to roll or cartwheel. | |
| Roll-Jump | Jump while rolling, even in midair, for a second jump. Useful for reaching items in gaps or crossing long jumps. | |
| Team up (Multiplayer only) | When the Kongs are close to each other. | |
Part 4
Learn how to perform all special moves with Donkey and Diddy Kong, master Rambi's abilities, and understand the function of every pickup and important item in Donkey Kong Country Returns.
This section covers the various control schemes and item pickups available in Donkey Kong Country Returns. It details special moves for Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong when playing solo or in multiplayer, as well as controls for Rambi, Barrel Cannons, Mine Carts, and Rocket Barrels.
Controls:
- Team Up:
- Press Z or B (hold up, then press 1) to have Diddy Kong team up with Donkey Kong.
- Revive (Multiplayer only):
- If defeated, press A (1) to drop a DK barrel. Your partner must touch it to free you. Shake the controller to move the barrel.
- Diddy Kong Jetpack:
- Hold A (2) in midair to cover small gaps. This lasts a short while.
- Peanut Popguns (Multiplayer only):
- Shake player 2's controller continuously to make Diddy shoot peanuts. Can be done while teamed up or separated.
- Team Roll:
- While teamed up, shake player 1's controller continuously to roll.
- Separate (Multiplayer only):
- Player 2 can press Z or B (hold down, then press 1) to get off Donkey Kong's back.
- Mount Rambi:
- Jump on top of Rambi.
- Dismount Rambi:
- Press Z or B (hold down, then press 1).
- Rambi Move:
- Walk, run, and jump normally. Rambi is invulnerable except to bottomless pits and fire.
- Rambi Charge:
- Hold left or right while continuously shaking the controller for a quick charge.
- Rambi Ground-pound:
- Shake the controller while not moving left or right.
- Barrel Cannon Fire:
- Press A (2) to fire in the direction the barrel is pointing.
- Rocket Barrel Blast Off:
- Repeatedly tap A (2).
- Rocket Barrel Ascend/Descend:
- Hold A (2) to ascend, let go to drop. Use control stick to move left/right when moving upward.
Items:
- Banana: Collect 100 for an extra life.
- Banana Bunch: Worth 5 bananas.
- Giant Banana Bunch: Worth 20 bananas.
- Life Balloon: Grants an extra life. Also awarded for bouncing off 8+ enemies consecutively.
- Banana Coin: Currency used at Cranky's shop. Awarded for bouncing off 3-7 enemies consecutively.
- Heart: Restores one heart.
- Puzzle Piece: Collect all in a stage to unlock artwork or music. Must finish the stage for credit.
- KONG Letter: Collect all four (K, O, N, G) in order to earn a star medal upon stage completion. Re-collectible if missed.
- Orb: Found at the end of secret stages. All eight are needed to unlock the Golden Temple.
Purchasable Items:
- Life Balloon: Buy individually (3 coins) or in bulk (7 for 7 coins, 15 for 7 coins).
- Squawks: Costs 15 banana coins per stage. Squawks alerts you to nearby puzzle pieces.
- Heart Boost: Costs 10 banana coins per stage. Increases max hearts to three for the stage.
- Banana Juice: Costs 10 banana coins per stage. Grants temporary invincibility with ten extra hearts, making the character golden. Does not protect against instant-defeat hazards.
Similar guides you might like
100% Human-Written. AI Fact-Checked. Community Verified. Learn how AntMag verifies content