Stage 2-3: Horn Top Hop — Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze eGuide

Stage Basics

To reach the end of this stage, you must hop along falling leaves, ride on bursts of air, and cling to grassy surfaces. You’ll encounter some well-equipped enemies along the way, so make sure you choose the correct attacks to overcome their defenses. Avoid rolling into spears or shields, and never jump on an enemy that wears a horned helmet—knowing when to bop an enemy or when to use a Roll Attack will help ensure that you reach the end of the stage. This map contains multiple Buddy Barrels. All three partners can be useful, but Diddy Kong’s Barrel Jet is particularly helpful during item collection and some of the trickier jumps.

The first Puzzle Piece is stashed in the sandbag at point 1. To free it, bop the nearby Tuff Tucks, then grab it, jump into range, and toss the dazed enemy through the sandbag.

As you move through the stage, look for the horns buried along the main path. Each gust of air can launch enemies or objects out of the ground. Airborne enemies can hinder your progress, but they can sometimes be used to reach floating objects. Occasionally, a horn produces enemies and collectible items on alternating bursts.

The first KONG Letter is floating at point 3. Wait for the nearby horn to blow, then hop into the burst of air. Use the air to reach the K, then hop onto the nearby platform—just make sure you avoid the nearby Painguin Tucks’s spear when you do.

Defeat the Schnautzel at point 4, jump up, and cling to the grassy surface above you. Move to the left and climb up the side of the tree branch.

As you approach the end of the branch, a Puzzle Piece appears on the platform to the left. Jump over and collect this valuable item before you move on.

The second KONG Letter is hovering just past the platform at point 5. It’s easy enough to reach the letter, but making a safe landing can be fairly difficult. Stand by the Buddy Barrel and watch it rotate. When it becomes a DD Barrel, grab it and throw it at Hot Hootz to the right. Once the enemy is defeated and Diddy Kong is free, Barrel Roll Jump from the edge of the platform to launch yourself through the O. After you grab the KONG Letter, use Diddy Kong’s Barrel Jet to make a controlled landing on one of the nearby platforms.

When you reach the leaf at point 6, look for the wooden ledge jutting out of the rocks to the right. Leap across to the ledge, then follow it into the rocks to find a bonus room.

Once you enter the bonus room, you have 30 seconds to collect all of the available bananas. If you succeed, a Puzzle Piece appears near the center of the room.

The third KONG Letter is floating at point 7. To collect it, bop the nearby Tuffton and bounce up to collect it. If you grab the N on your first attempt, just continue bopping the enemy as it flies upward. The Tuffton’s helmet protects it from your attacks, so you can stay in this location as long as needed.

When you reach point 8, perform a Roll Attack to scatter the pile of leaves. Make sure you roll clear through the leaves—once they scatter, a Pointy Tucks emerges from a buried horn. Turn back and wait for the Pointy Tucks to drop back into the horn, then grab the Puzzle Piece that appears in the next gust of air.

The last KONG Letter floats above the horn at point 9. Stand near the horn and watch the enemies and items that appear on each burst of air. Once you have a sense of the timing, hop onto the horn and jump up just before a Tucks pops out. Bop the enemy and bounce up to grab the G.

There’s a hidden Puzzle Piece just above the circular platform at point 10. To collect it, you must cling to the platform and collect all of the bananas floating around it. Avoid the Lemmington that’s patrolling the platform, or move to the bottom of the platform and perform a Ground Pound just before the enemy reaches you.

After you collect all of the bananas, climb to the top of the platform and collect the revealed Puzzle Piece.