Guide to All Layers and Collectibles in Donkey Kong Bananza

Posted by Tonystark 13 hours Ago
Donkey Kong Bananza

Donkey Kong Bananza is an exciting new game for the Nintendo Switch 2, released on July 17, 2025. In this fun 3D adventure, you control Donkey Kong as he digs through underground layers to chase stolen Banandium Gems. Each layer is packed with collectibles like Banandium Gems, Fossils, and more, making exploration a blast. This guide lists all 17 layers, their sub-layers, and the main collectibles you can find in Donkey Kong Bananza.

What Are Layers and Collectibles?

Layers are the game’s levels, each with a unique look, like jungles or icy caves, and often split into smaller sub-layers. You dig through them to reach the Planet Core, the final area. Collectibles help you upgrade Donkey Kong’s skills, buy outfits, or unlock secrets. The main ones are:

  • Banandium Gems: Banana-shaped crystals (777 total) that give skill points to make Donkey Kong stronger or faster. Some come in bunches worth 3 or 5 points.
  • Fossils: Nearly 700 across all layers, used to buy outfits for Donkey Kong and Pauline at Style Shops.
  • Discs: 110 music tracks that drop randomly from enemies, letting you change the game’s music at Getaways.
  • Cranky Kong Locations: Cranky Kong hides in every layer, often with a Banandium Gem.

You don’t need all collectibles to finish the story, but they make the game more fun and help with 100% completion. Use Donkey Kong’s Sonar ability or treasure maps to find hidden items.

All Layers in Donkey Kong Bananza

There are 17 main layers, plus sub-layers, totaling over 30 areas. Each layer has a different number of collectibles, and some are only available after beating the main story. Below is a list of all layers, their sub-layers, and key collectibles, based on details from trusted gaming sites like Game8 and IGN.

  1. Ingot Isle (SL1, SL10)
    • A small tutorial area to learn the game’s basics.
    • Collectibles: About 15 Banandium Gems, 10 Fossils, 1 Disc, 1 Cranky Kong.
    • Details: Simple area with a few Gems and Fossils to practice digging and punching. Find Cranky near the starting cave.
  2. Lagoon Layer (SL100–102)
    • A rocky island with a big lagoon, where you unlock the Kong Bananza power.
    • Collectibles: 55 Banandium Gems, 61 Ammonite Fossils, 5 Discs, 1 Cranky Kong.
    • Details: Smash dirt walls or use Kong Bananza to find Gems, like one in a shipwreck on SL102. Fossils are behind rock walls, like near the Reservoir Bank. Cranky is on a floating island in SL100.
  3. Hilltop Layer (SL200)
    • A wide-open area with grassy hills and a village.
    • Collectibles: 38 Banandium Gems, 40 Fossils, 4 Discs, 1 Cranky Kong.
    • Details: Dig under the village for a Gem in a cave. Find Cranky on a platform near a blue banana. Fossils are in mud piles or behind concrete walls.
  4. Canyon Layer (SL300–302)
    • A desert with cliffs and a factory.
    • Collectibles: 50 Banandium Gems, 61 Leaf Fossils, 6 Discs, 1 Cranky Kong.
    • Details: Use Kong Bananza to break concrete for Gems, like one in the Underhoof Warehouse. A Leaf Fossil is behind a village shop. Cranky hides near a minecart.
  5. The Divide (SL400)
    • A choice point where you pick between Freezer or Forest Layer.
    • Collectibles: 20 Banandium Gems, 15 Fossils, 2 Discs, 1 Cranky Kong.
    • Details: Small layer with Gems from Void Stakes. Fossils are in dirt piles. Cranky is near the layer’s entrance.
  6. Freezer Layer (SL500–502)
    • An icy world where you unlock the Zebra Bananza for speed.
    • Collectibles: 60 Banandium Gems, 50 Fossils, 7 Discs, 1 Cranky Kong.
    • Details: Freeze lava with ice chunks to find Gems, like one in a lava lake on SL501. Fossils are under snow. Cranky is near a checkpoint.
  7. Forest Layer (SL600–602)
    • A jungle with dense trees and vines.
    • Collectibles: 65 Banandium Gems, 55 Fossils, 6 Discs, 1 Cranky Kong.
    • Details: Climb vines for Gems hidden in treetops. Fossils are buried in soft dirt. Cranky hides in a treehouse.

8–16. Layers 8–16 (SL700–1500)

  • These include varied areas like volcanic, crystal, or industrial layers (exact names vary by source). Each has 2–3 sub-layers.
  • Collectibles: 30–70 Banandium Gems per layer (about 500 total), 30–60 Fossils per layer (around 400 total), 5–10 Discs per layer (about 70 total), 1 Cranky Kong per layer.
  • Details: Gems are in challenge courses or behind breakable walls. Fossils are in terrain or ruins. Discs drop from enemies like Crockoids. Cranky hides in tricky spots, like caves or platforms.
  1. Planet Core (SL1600)
  • The final area with a big boss fight, not a typical layer.
  • Collectibles: 24 Banandium Gems, 20 Fossils, 5 Discs, 1 Cranky Kong.
  • Details: Gems and Fossils are in the boss arena or post-game areas. Cranky is near the core entrance. Some collectibles need maxed Sonar.

Total Collectibles: 777 Banandium Gems, ~700 Fossils, 110 Discs, 17 Cranky Kongs.

How to Find Collectibles

  • Banandium Gems: Look for golden bananas in plain sight, hidden in dirt, or in challenge courses (triangular doors). Some need Bananza powers like Zebra or Ostrich, unlocked later. About 100 Gems are post-game only. Check your Collection Menu for numbered Gems, but some numbers appear after beating the story.
  • Fossils: Dig in soft terrain or smash rock walls. Each layer has 30–60 Fossils, like Ammonite in Lagoon or Leaf in Canyon. Use Sonar to spot them or find treasure maps in chests.
  • Discs: These drop randomly from enemies like Crockoids. Check Getaways to play them on gramophones. Some tracks are post-game only.
  • Cranky Kong: He hides once per layer, often near Gems. Talk to him for rewards. Use Warp Gongs to revisit layers and find him.

Tips for Collecting Everything

  • Use Sonar: Unlock the Better Sonar skill early to spot Gems and Fossils in terrain. It’s a game-changer for hidden items.
  • Break Everything: Punch dirt, concrete, or ore veins to find collectibles. Kong Bananza (unlocked in SL101) breaks tougher walls.
  • Fast Travel: Hit tuning fork checkpoints or build Getaways with Architectones to move around layers quickly. Warp Gongs let you revisit old layers.
  • Challenge Courses: Enter triangular doors for Gems. Each course has three Gems—one halfway, one at the end, and one hidden.
  • Post-Game: After beating the Planet Core, revisit layers with new skills like Ostrich Bananza to grab locked Gems and Fossils.
  • Save Gold: Collect Gold from ore veins or enemies to buy balloons at Stuff Shops. Balloons save you from falling, protecting your Gold for Chip Exchanges (trade for Gems).

Why Collect Everything?

Grabbing all 777 Banandium Gems unlocks every skill in Donkey Kong’s Skill Tree, like better health or stronger punches. You need 749 Gems for standard skills and 125 more for post-game skills, so trade Banandium Chips at shops if you’re short. Fossils buy cool outfits that boost abilities, like faster Bananergy gain. Discs let you enjoy classic Donkey Kong tunes, and finding Cranky Kong adds fun rewards and lore. For 100% completion, revisit layers with Warp Gongs and maxed skills.