Vine Valley (level)

Vine Valley is the twenty-ninth level in Donkey Kong Country Returns and Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D and the first level of the Forest world. It has the same name as the third world in Donkey Kong Country.

Vine Valley takes place in a large forest with many long vines and short vines. Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong must swing from these vines to cross large gaps and collect items such as Banana Coins. Chomps are a common enemy in the level, and the Kongs must avoid getting bitten by them. The Kongs must also quickly jump from the tongue of some Vine Chomps. Other enemies in the level include Cling Cobras (who move around areas with Climbing Grass), Tiki Goons, Tiki Dooms, and Tiki Buzzes.

In the Time Attack mode, a time of 1:44:00 is needed to get a gold medal, a time of 2:02:00 for silver, and a time of 2:15:00 for bronze.

Layout
The level starts out in a cave full of diamonds and bouncy mushrooms. The Kongs can bounce on the mushrooms to reach a Barrel Cannon that shoots them through a passage with more Barrel Cannons. As they progress upwards through the area, Tiki Zings stand in their way. As they shoot from the first barrel to the second barrel, they must shoot past a lone Tiki Zing that moves back and fourth. After that they have to shoot past two, and then three. Once they shoot past a second group of three Tiki Zings, they come up to some Banana Coins placed between two of the Barrel Cannons. The barrel after the coins blasts the primates upwards through a more narrow passage full of bananas. When they exit the passage and reach the surface, they find themselves in a forest area, where there is a curvy path leading past a strange plant with an item in it.

Ahead are a few gaps with red Chomp enemies in them. Between the first two Chomps is a mushroom that holds a DK Barrel that is placed above a solid platform with another plant that contains an item on it. If the Kongs travel past the first DK Barrel, they come past the aforementioned Chomp and another one just after it. A few strange plants grow on the platform following them, and near it is a swinging vine that is placed above a lower section of land with Tiki Goons, a Chomp, and item-bearing plants. The primates must use the vine here and the vine that is located right after it to reach a raised platform with the Tutorial Pig and the checkpoint on it. Around the Tutorial Pig are a few plants holding items, and then soon after the same pig is a large abyss that can only be crossed by using a long, swinging vine. More vines are after this above the wide gap. Tiki Buzzes fly near the top of the area, one of which that hovers near a short vine with an Extra Life Balloon next to it. Bananas and Banana Coins are also scattered around the area that the Kongs swing through. At the other side of the abyss is a yellow Chomp and the letter K of the K-O-N-G Letters, followed by a DK Barrel and some Tiki Goons. A Tiki Doom is here as well, along with some collectibles that are scattered around the area.

At the edge of the large platform is another wide abyss that must be crossed by using a long vine. As the heroes swing, they collect many bananas under the canopy. When they access the other side of the abyss, they come up to a barrel and a vine that must be used to reach a raised platform. If the primates grab onto the vine, a blue Chomp enemy is revealed behind some leaves. It pulls the Kongs into its mouth with the vine if they do not jump off of it fast enough. Below the Chomp is a lower section of land with some Tiki Goons on it, while on the raised platform next to the vine is a path leading to some Tiki Goons and another large abyss. Above the abyss are a few floating pieces of land that are covered in a green, grassy turf. The Kongs must climb along the turf while dodging Cling Cobras to reach the other side of the first platform, where they can jump to another vine that is connected to a Chomp. After the vine is another platform covered in climbable turf and Cling Cobras, and it is also followed by a vine that is part of a Chomp enemy. One last platform is after this covered in turf, and it not only has Cling Cobras on it, but also the letter O. The heroes can jump off of the other side of this piece of land to reach a tree platform with another checkpoint and the Tutorial Pig.

After the checkpoint is a large abyss that can be crossed by using swinging vines. As the Kongs swing, they move around Tiki Buzzes, yellow Chomps, and many banana trails that are placed directly under the vines for them to grab. The letter N is also between two shorter vines near the end of the gap. When they finish crossing the pit, they can make their way onto a platform with some Tiki Goons and a DK Barrel on it. Ahead is another abyss that can be crossed with the aid of five vines that are connected to Chomp enemies. Between each vine is a collectible, including the letter G, which is placed between the last two vines, and Tiki Buzzes also fly around them. There is a long pathway supported by tree trunks infested with Tiki Goons on the other end of this gap. Plants also grow here that hold items. At the end of the platform is another large abyss. Using two long vines that swing directly above a large trail of bananas, they need to cross this and soon reach a set of two platforms. The second platform has the Slot Machine Barrel on it; the level is completed when this is hit.

Enemies

 * Chomps: 4
 * Spore Chomp: 3
 * Tiki Buzz: 11
 * Tiki Doom: 1
 * Tiki Goon: 12
 * Tiki Zing: 9
 * Vine Chomp: 8

Items and objects

 * Banana Coin: 15 (4 more in a bonus room)
 * Heart: 6
 * Red Balloon: 1 (2 more in a bonus room)
 * DK Barrel: 3

K-O-N-G Letters

 * K: At the end of a vine section right before the second DK Barrel.
 * O: On top of the third area with Climbing Grass, just before the second checkpoint.
 * N: Right after the sixth Puzzle Piece, the letter N is between two vines and is floating above a Spore Chomp.
 * G: At the end of the level is an area with five Vine Chomps. The letter G is between the last two vines.

Puzzle Pieces

 * 1) At the start of the level, the Kongs must go left and travel behind some crystals to find the first Puzzle Piece.
 * 2) When the Kongs reach the first set of vines, they must go along an area below and enter a hidden opening in a raised platform to access a Bonus Level. There, the Kongs must collect 65 bananas, three Banana Coins, and a Red Balloon within 30 seconds. They can collect the items by blasting from four Barrel Cannons. When the Kongs obtain every item, the Puzzle Piece appears.
 * 3) Just after the letter K, the Kongs must go to the edge of the platform and jump behind a bush in the abyss. They should land into a hidden Barrel Cannon that blasts them to the Puzzle Piece.
 * 4) After the third Puzzle Piece is an area with some Tiki Goons. Next to a Vine Chomp, the Kongs must Ground Pound a yellow plant to release a Puzzle Piece.
 * 5) Right after the fourth Puzzle Piece is a part of a vine hanging from a bush at the top of the screen. To reach it, the Kongs must jump on the nearby platform covered in Climbing Grass and roll jump from the top. The Kongs can grab on the vines to go up into a Bonus Level. There, the Kongs have 30 seconds to collect 47 bananas, a Red Balloon, and two Banana Coins by moving two moving platforms. The Puzzle Piece appears once they collect every item.
 * 6) When the Kongs swing on the first two vines after the checkpoint, they must collect every banana below them for a Puzzle Piece to appear at the top of the second vine.
 * 7) Three twirling, red leaves are on the platform immediately before the Slot Machine Barrel. The Kongs must blow on them to reveal three bananas, which they must collect for the seventh and last Puzzle Piece to appear.