Poppin' Planks

Poppin' Planks is the eighth level in Donkey Kong Country Returns, as well as the first stage of the Beach world.

While some of this level takes place along the sandy beach, most of it involves Donkey and Diddy Kong jumping along moving planks above the water. The Kongs cannot swim, so they must stay on the platforms at all costs. This level is also the first to feature weights similar to those from Super Mario Bros., which tilt down with the weight of the heroes. This causes the platform on the opposite side of the weight to rise. Additionally, there are wavy bridges in this level, as well as a single whale that shoots bananas at the Kongs. Enemies in this level consist mainly of Pinchleys, but there are also Snaps, blue and yellow Snaggles, and flying Tiki enemies.

In the Time Attack mode of the game, a time of 1:03:00 is needed to get a gold medal, a time of 1:25:00 for silver, and a time of 2:20:00 for bronze.

Overview
The level begins with a sandy pathway out of the jungle that is covered by a few Snap enemies. As Donkey and Diddy pass two high, wooden platforms, they can find a large peg that can be pounded on to make another peg appear under the platforms. They can use it reach the platforms and collect some bananas. Farther ahead is a DK Barrel and some small platforms surrounded by spikes. Two wooden planks are above these platforms, the first one with the letter K of the K-O-N-G Letters on it, and the second with two Banana Coins. After this area, the primates can find a treasure chest with an Extra Life Balloon near a Snap. As the heroes progress more, they come up to some floating Banana Bunches and crab enemies. They also approach some pegs that can be pounded into the ground to make another peg appear somewhere else in the area. One of these pegs needs to be pounded to release another from the ground so it can be used as a platform to jump over a wall with dandelions growing on it. On the other side of the wall is a giant switch; if it is pounded on, a whale surfaces in the background and shoots bananas out of its blowhole. The bananas land in the following area, where there is a wavy bridge that can shoot the Kongs into the air. The bridge can help the heroes reach some hanging platforms at the end of it.

More hanging platforms are after this platform, and the second of the platforms has a few breakable crates on it. After passing a platform with a Snap on it, the primates can get to another platform that moves them over the water and to a solid and flat bridge. The letter O is high in the air at the end of this bridge, but it can only be reached if the Kongs use the weights following it. One side of these weights tilt with the weight of the Kongs or any enemy on it, including the Pinchly that is placed on it; the enemy must be defeated to balance out the weight. Below the weights is another bridge, so the Kongs do not have to worry about sinking in this area. However, right after the weights is another area with a swinging platform that is above water and has some crates on it. A platform that repeatedly rises and falls is placed next to this with a Snap on it. The plank can help pull the Kongs to the next platform, which holds a few barrels under it. The Kongs can break the ropes supporting it by pounding on it, causing the plank to fall and float over the water. As the primates float over the water, they come up to some flying Tikis and bananas floating in the air. When they finally reach land again, they can meet the Tutorial Pig, who marks the checkpoint.

As the Kongs progress across another sandy beach, they pass some crab enemies, a treasure chest, and a stray cannon. A wooden platform holding a DK Barrel is also in this area. Following the beach area are some ship parts floating atop the wavy water. They can use it as platforms to reach the next area. As they cross the gaps between each platform, they come up to some floating collectibles; however, at the same time, Snaggles jump out at them. The letter N is also located above one of these ship parts. On the other side of the water is another area of land, where the Kongs come up to some dandelions and a Pinchley in front of a crashed ship. Near here is another wavy bridge. This bridge has spikes on it, but they flip over when the bridge creates a large wave that travels across it. The waves can help the primates not only grab many collectibles in the air, but also help them reach another hanging platform. The following hanging platforms just after it move either vertically or horizontally.

The Kongs must travel along the planks, which are attached by large cranes in the background, to advance to a lower area of these moving platforms. More enemies appear as they move on, including flying Tikis and Snaps. Crates are also placed on some of the platforms. Eventually, the primates jump off of a plank moving in a horizontal path to reach a swinging platform with a Banana Bunch on it. A platform that moves up and down with a Banana Bunch on it is just ahead, but a yellow Snaggle jumps out in front of it. Another platform that moves up and down is right after this with the letter G on it, and it is followed by another swinging platform with a Banana Bunch. As with the first platform, Snaggles jump out of the water between each of these planks. Eventually, the Kongs can reach a floating ship part with some crates on it that can aid the primates in reaching more moving planks; there are three remaining planks after the ship, and each of them move up and down. Snaggles also jump in front of them. After the last platform is the level's Slot Machine Barrel. If Donkey or Diddy hit the barrel, the level is completed.

K-O-N-G Letters

 * K: Near the beginning of the level, the primates travel across some spikes by using a few thin areas of land. Wooden platforms are placed above these small areas, and the first of the platforms holds the letter K. It can be reached by jumping off of the high area of land between two groups of spikes.
 * O: When the heroes reach the level's only weight platforms, they can stand on the platform on the right side of the weight to make the left side move up. If they quickly jump up to the left weight and then hop off the opposite side of it before they weigh it down, they can come up to the letter O above a solid bridge.
 * N: After the fifth Puzzle Piece, the primates can find a few ship parts bobbing out of the water to be used as platforms. The letter N is on the second of these ship parts.
 * G: Near the end of the level when the Kongs find a few yellow Snaggles jumping out at them, they can find the letter G on a platform that moves in a vertical path.

Puzzle Pieces

 * 1) When the Kongs approach the first peg in the level, they can pound on it to make another peg appear near some wooden platforms. They can reach the platforms if they use this new peg. On the end of the second platform, the Puzzle Piece can be found.
 * 2) Shortly after the letter K, the primates can find a sunken ship in the background. If they pound on the peg right in front of it, they can make a Barrel Cannon appear from underground. The barrel shoots them into the sunken ship, where the heroes must defeat two Pinchlies to find the second Puzzle Piece.
 * 3) Immediately after being blasted back to shore from the sunken ship with the second Puzzle Piece, the Kongs come up to another peg. If they pound on it, a treasure chest appears that holds the third Puzzle Piece.
 * 4) If the Kongs pound open the treasure chest immediately after the checkpoint, they can find a Puzzle Piece in it.
 * 5) Soon after the location of the fourth Puzzle Piece, the Kongs can find a stray cannon. If they pound on it, it shoots a cannonball at the remains of a crashed ship, which then falls down to an area that the Kongs can reach. If they hop into the remains, they can enter a Bonus Level, where they must shoot back and fourth between two Barrel Cannons to collect many bananas and two Banana Coins, without shooting into the Auto Fire Barrel in the center of the area. If they manage to collect everything, a Puzzle Piece appears.