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Donkey Kong 64 Guide > Golden Bananas > DK Isles

Ah, the beautiful scenry. An island shaped like an ape's head? How could anyone want to destroy it? This place serves as the entrance to the eight levels the game offers, but you'll have help Klumsy to make those levels visible. As you wander through this world (which includes level entryways), you'll find a lot of golden bananas. There are 26 of them, in fact, more than in any other area. Each character can get 5 bananas, just like in normal levels, plus Tiny can get the Rare banana once she returns here with pictures of all 20 banana fairies. Also like the levels, the Isles have the blueprint guardians.

Donkey Kong


  • As you go to the entrance of the Jungle Japes level, you'll see a banana Klumsy has revealed. This is the first one you'll get in the game.
  • Donkey Kong should use the 'grab' move he learned in the Frantic Factory stage to pull the huge level in the entryway. That will activate a moving platform. Ride the platform to some bongo drums. Play the music to find another golden banana.
  • As you climb up K. Rool's massive boat, you'll find two vines that allow you to cross a pit. Instead of using them, drop down to find a ledge where a golden banana waits.
  • There's one in the entryway to the Crystal Caves, but you'll have to work along with Chunky. After Chunky smashes the walls, use Donkey Kong to find the invincibility barrel. Now he can walk across a pit of lava to find a golden banana.
  • There's a blueprint guardian in Hideout Helm's entryway. Defeat him to win the blueprint, which you return to Snide for a banana.

Diddy Kong


  • Diddy can use the jetpac barrel to fly to the top of the waterfall on the Isles. There he will find a golden banana barrel.
  • There's a barrel with a banana floating at the very highest point over DK's 'head' on the island. Diddy should fly up there to snag it.
  • Near Snide's Headquarters, there is a spring pad Diddy can use to bounce up to a barrel containing a bonus game. The prize is a golden banana.
  • In the entryway to Crystal Caves, Diddy can find a jetpac barrel. Now he just needs to fly up to a guitar pad and play his tune to get the reward!
  • The Creepy Castle entryway hides a banana for Diddy. First you use Donkey Kong to shoot a coconut switch. Then switch to Diddy and defeat a blueprint guardian for a blueprint, which Diddy should return to Snide for a golden banana.

Tiny Kong


  • On the island where Tiny found the Banana Fairy, she can also find a feather switch that opens a grate and releases a golden banana.
  • There's a banana waiting for her in the Angry Atztec entryway, but retrieving it requires teamwork. Diddy must use his chimp dash to bang both gongs, which will reveal a bonus barrel. Now Tiny can climb a staircase, then hop on a wall. From there, she must jump out towards the barrel, using her ponytail whirl in order to stay in the air long enough to reach the bonus barrel. If she wins the game waiting inside, she'll win a golden banana.
  • At the entrance to the Frantic Factory stage, there's a ? box. Have Chunky smash it open. Then switch to Tiny and have her defeat the blueprint guardian that was waiting inside. She can get the usual banana reward from Snide in return for the blueprint.
  • The Gloomy Galleon entrance hides another banana. First have Chunky smash a blue switch (this requires a move learned late in the game), then have Tiny find a barrel high in the room that will shrink her (she'll have to ponytail whirl to reach it). Now she can jump into the water and swim through a hole Chunky made when he hit the blue switch.
  • On K. Rool's huge battle boat, Tiny can teleport up until she is near the top. There she finds a music pad. If she plays her music, she'll get a golden banana in return.

Lanky Kong


  • On the island where Klumsy waits, Lanky can find a banana locked away by a gate. If he shoots the switch above the gate, he can reach the golden goodie.
  • The entryway to Jungle Japes hides a banana for Lanky. First, Chunky must move a boulder, which reveals a pad. If Lanky plays his trombone on that pad, he'll get a banana.
  • Inside Klumsy's cave, Lanky can use a barrel to increase his speed. After hitting the pad, he should flip a switch to open a gate. It won't stay open long, so he needs to immediately handstand sprint over to the golden prize.
  • Chunky can reveal a pad for Lanky in the Creepy Castle entryway. Lanky should use the pad to float up to the little island in the middle, where he can collect a reward for playing a bonus game.
  • Part of the entryway to Crystal Caverns is blocked off by a wall of ice. After Chunky destroys the wall, Lanky can enter the new area to find a blueprint guardian. Defeat the guardian and return the blueprint to Snide for your reward.

Chunky Kong


  • To the right of the waterfall there's a cave containing a banana, but the entrance is blocked. Have Chunky shoot the switch above it to retrieve his prize.
  • Near the entryway to the Angry Aztec level, there are two boulders. Under one, Chunky finds a music pad. If he plays the triangle there, he'll be rewarded.
  • There's an island with a white 'x' on it. Once Tiny climbs teleports to the top of K. Rool's military boat and reveals a barrel for Chunky, Chunky can enter the barrel and turn giagantic. Once he's huge, have him to to the wounded island and stomp it for a banana.
  • In the entryway to Hideout Helm, there's a pad that turns Chunky invisible. When he disappears, vines lower. He can use the vines to reach a banana on the left side of the room, on a small island.
  • A blueprint guardian waits in the entryway to the Gloomy Galleon. If Chunky defeats him and returns the blueprint to Snide, he'll get the usual reward.

NEXT: Jungle Japes