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Donkey Kong 64 Guide > Golden Bananas > Gloomy Galleon

A water-filled stage that isn't short on puzzles, by any means. I especially enjoyed the race with the walrus. You also have the chance to play as Enguarde here, and to explore underwater passages. Most of the puzzles center around a sunken ship, but you'll be amazed at a few of the places you end up going in this aquatic portion of the game.

Donkey Kong


  • Raise the water in the lighthouse area by touching the green switch underwater. Now go on the platform and complete the barrel stage to release a seal. He will swim around and give you a golden banana if you find him.
  • Hit a switch on the lighthouse island to open a gate at the top of a ladder. Enter the gate and climb to the top of the area to turn on the switch that activates the lighthouse's light. Now grab the golden banana.
  • The seal is now in a large area with a lot of water, at the back of a boat that has run aground. Race him and win under his requirements to receive another banana.
  • There is a strange rock formation that contains several music pads, one for each of the Kongs but one. In that area, play the bongo drums and open a gate on a nearby sunken ship. Enter the ship by swimming to it before the timer counts down. Inside, play a bonus game to win a golden banana.
  • The blueprint guardian Donkey Kong must find is at the other end of the number 4 teleport (which Diddy needs to make accessible). Defeat him to win the blueprint for Snide, who gives you the usual reward.

Diddy Kong


  • After Donkey Kong turns on the lighthouse's light, a ship will enter the area. Now Diddy should go there and use the jetpac to reach the deck of the ship, where he can slam a switch (you have to start slightly ahead of it in the direction the ship is moving, as the switch will have moved a little by the time you land). This causes the banana to shoot out, and Diddy will have to fly once more to reach it.
  • On the lighthouse island, Diddy must jump into the jetpac, then fly to the top of the lighthouse. There, he can trigger the release of a garbage fish in the area where the ship is sunk (in the big water portion of the level). Drop down and use telporter number 5 to reach the general area. Then swim and find the fish. Enter its mouth (you have to time this just right), then kill the bee inside. Now shoot the targets when the fan is out of the way. Hit all 3 within the time limit to win a golden banana. This may take several attempts to accomplish, so be warned.
  • Near Funky's arsenal is a strange rock formation. Diddy can play his tune on his pad to open a door to the nearby sunken ship. Swim there before the time runs out to enter and find a bonus barrel. The reward is a golden banana.
  • In the treasure room that Lanky unlocks as Enguarde the Swordfish, Diddy can find a pad that allows him to spring up to a bonus barrel. If he wins the stage, he wins a golden banana!
  • A blueprint guardian waits for Diddy in the lighthouse area. He must return the blueprint to Snide if he wants to collect that golden banana, though.

Tiny Kong


  • There is a submarine below Funky's Arsenal, as well as a shrink barrel. Tiny should shrink and enter the submarine to find a bonus barrel that will allow her to win a golden banana.
  • Find the strange rock formation near Funky's Arsenal and play the tuba. Now Tiny must race to the opened grate on the sunken ship and enter if she wants to find the golden banana.
  • At the bottom of the area where you find the lighthouse, Tiny can shrink and enter a shell to find a mourning mermaid. She lost her pearls. If you return them, she'll give you a golden banana in return. The pearls are located in the room Lanky unlocks as Enguarde. Go to that room and shrink to enter the keyhole of a treasure chest. Inside the huge chest, clams open and close their mouths. You must swim inside, collect the pearl, and leave without getting hit. Do this for all five of the clams and you can win your reward (if you get hit, you don't have to start over; it just isn't fun to get hit!).
  • The guy with the huge club is guarding a switch Tiny can stomp. After she stomps it, swim to one of the sunken ships and enter the hole. Inside is a bonus barrel. She can play to win a golden banana.
  • A blueprint guardian endlessly marches around in the main cave that connects the portions of the level. Stop his marching to win a blueprint, then take it to Snide for a golden banana.

Lanky Kong


  • Look for the swordfish box in the lighthouse area, and transform into Enguarde. Now swin down and ram a treasure chest to find a golden banana. Lanky can only collect the reward in his normal form, so you'll have to switch back.
  • In the main, large water area with the sunken ship, Lanky changes into Enguarde again. Now he must leap out of the water through a star about three times to open up a huge treasure room. Now swim to the treasure room and find a pad that allows Lanky to float to the top of a giant pile of coins. There's a barrel waiting, and Lanky can enter it to win a golden banana.
  • Near the start, there's a guy with a huge, spiked club. Sneak past him and hit the switch to open a door on one of the two nearby sunken ships. Rush there and enter, then change into a swordfish to bust open crates blocking cannons. Swim into one of the cannons to find a passage leading to an area where a golden banana waits.
  • Near Funky's Arsenal, find the strange rock formation and play the trombone on Lanky's music pad. Now he must, like the others, race to the sunken ship and enter it before the timer runs out. A golden banana waits inside.
  • Near the start of the area, where Chunky must use cannon balls to shoot targets, Lanky can find a blueprint guardian. Defeat him for the blueprint, and return it to Snide for a golden banana.

Chunky Kong


  • Near the start of the level, Chunky can shoot two pineapple switches to access a challenge room. You must shoot targets with huge cannonballs within a time limit. The three targets move well, so you'll have to try several times in order to get used to their pattern. I advise killing the enemies in the area to make this easier. Also, before you even try doing this, make sure the water level is raised at the lighthouse.
  • Enter the room with the giant treasure chests and break one open with a super punch for a golden banana.
  • Lower the water in the lighthouse area and then find a hollow in the wall. Stomp on the triangle switch you find there, then race to reach the sunken ship (the same ship that rests in the main underwater area). Using the number 5 teleporter helps make the process possible. Inside the new area of the ship, find a bonus barrel where you can win a golden banana.
  • Jump from a crate on the lighthouse island to reach the deck of K. Rool's little ship (to make this easier, you can lower the water level and then teleport onto that ledge). Now go to the upper portion and do a butt smash to break in. Once inside, break apart barrels to win a golden banana. As you leave, Chunky feels a little under the weather. The screen will blur, and directions switch on the controller. You can figure it out well enough to escape the uncomfortable situation...
  • The blueprint guardian Chunky must find is at the top of that strange rock formation near Funky's Arsenal. Take the blueprint to Snide for a golden banana.

NEXT: Fungi Forest