Bramble Blast (Donkey Kong Land 2)

Bramble Blast is the eighteenth level in Donkey Kong Land 2. Here, it is the third area of Krazy Kremland.

This is the first bramble level in the game. It's not a usual walking level - it includes many Barrel Cannons, and the Kongs must shoot from one to another to navigate between the spiky weeds. However, these barrels make several rotations, and the correct paths are usually marked with bananas; one wrong blast and the heroes are transported to a wrong barrel, or even worse, to brambles. Several enemies make their way through this area, such as Zingers and Flitters. Squawks the Parrot also makes an appearance, but only in a Bonus Level.

Level layout
At the beginning of the level, the heroes find themselves on some wooden planks that hold them above the brambles. A DK Barrel and an Auto Fire Barrel are near here, and if the Kongs jump into the Auto Fire Barrel, they are shot into a Barrel Cannon that they must use to shoot to another barrel. Some more Barrel Cannons are ahead of here, and the primates must use them in order to safely access the bottom-right section of the area. Bananas placed in front of the barrels help them determine which direction to shoot in. As they approach the bottom-right portion of the area, a Zinger flies in their way, and they also come up to some Barrel Cannons hidden to the left of them that can fire them to a Banana Bunch. If they continue to the bottom-right part of this area, they make their way to a Banana Coin, and then into an Auto Fire Barrel that can shoot them through a thin passage around the brambles. The primates then land in another Barrel Cannon, which is positioned near several more Barrel Cannons that they must use to progress over the brambles. One of these Barrel Cannons can either fire them into a barrel to the left, or another to the right. If they shoot to the barrel on the left, they can find a few more Barrel Cannons that they must operate in order to shoot them to the letter K in a narrow passage.

If they fire themselves into the Barrel Cannon to the right, they can find more barrels ahead of them that they must use advance. With the help of the bananas next to the barrels, which indicate the correct direction to shoot in, the heroes can make their way to a Zinger that they must shoot past to reach another Barrel Cannon. As before, they must fire themselves over the brambles with these many barrels. Eventually, they reach a Barrel Cannon that rotates when accessed. They must shoot out of this barrel with perfect timing in order to reach another Barrel Cannon above it. This barrel moves in the same way as the previous barrels, as it only makes 90 degree turns. After they shoot to the left with this barrel, they land in an Auto Fire Barrel that automatically fires them to an additional Auto Fire Barrel. This barrel then sends them to another Barrel Cannon that rotates when accessed. This time, they not only have to shoot at the correct time to avoid shooting into the brambles, but they must also watch for a Zinger that moves in their way. Once they fire past this foe, they land in an Auto Fire Barrel that shoots them onto some wooden planks with a DK Barrel above them. Bananas are placed along a vine near here, and the heroes must climb down the vine in order to reach some more wooden planks that they must walk along to reach a Flitter, another vine, and a Barrel Cannon. By bouncing on the Flitter, the heroes can reach the vine, which they can climb up to find a Zinger that flies in their path and a horizontal vine. An additional Zinger flies around the horizontal vine, which is also positioned above a Bonus Barrel and some wooden planks.

If the primates do not climb along these vines, they can instead jump into the previously-mentioned Barrel Cannon, which can fire them into a stationary barrel with a Zinger in front of it. When the enemy moves out of their path, they must shoot out of the barrel in order to reach another stationary Barrel Cannon, which they must also use to shoot past a Zinger and into an additional stationary Barrel Cannon. They must activate this barrel in order to blast themselves into an Auto Fire Barrel that can blast them towards a few more Auto Fire Barrels. These barrels can send the duo into a Barrel Cannon that is surrounded by several other Barrel Cannons. They must fire through the area with these barrels in order to progress. As they travel through the area, they can find an Auto Fire Barrel that is able to blast them to the letter O, and then to another Auto Fire Barrel that can shoot them back into one of the Barrel Cannons. Once the primates shoot towards the bottom-left corner of this section of barrels, they reach a tilted Auto Fire Barrel, which they must use to shoot them to some more Auto Fire Barrels. The barrels send the heroes into a Barrel Cannon, which they must operate to lead them into another Barrel Cannon to the right. The barrel is able to fire them towards two stationary Barrel Cannons that are both placed next to Zingers. They must shoot out of the barrels when the enemies pass them in order to safely progress to some wooden planks with an Auto Fire Barrel and a Star Barrel above them.

The nearby Auto Fire Barrel is able to to shoot them towards a chain of Barrel Cannons above it. Each of these barrels rotate when accessed, so the Kongs must aim carefully in order to reach the top of the area, where they can discover another Barrel Cannon that simply makes 90 degree turns when entered. As the two friends approach this Barrel Cannon, a few Zingers stand in their way. Once they reach the Barrel Cannon, they must fire themselves to an Auto Fire Barrel that can then shoot them onto some wooden planks positioned on top of some brambles. Another section of planks is ahead of here, and the heroes must travel over the brambles with it to reach a DK Barrel and an Auto Fire Barrel that can shoot them onto some more planks that hold the letter N. A hidden area is to the left of the Auto Fire Barrel, and it contains some more Barrel Cannons and a DK Coin. The primates can discover an additional Barrel Cannon above the letter N, and they must use it in order to reach an Auto Fire Barrel that can shoot them into another Barrel Cannon. This cannon can fire them north into an Auto Fire Barrel, which then blasts them towards a Flitter that is placed next to another Auto Fire Barrel. After they bounce off of this insect foe, they must shift themselves towards the barrel to land in it and be shot into another Barrel Cannon, which they must use to shoot to an additional Barrel Cannon.

A Zinger flies above this barrel, but once it moves out of their path, they must fire themselves upwards into yet another Barrel Cannon, which is followed by a few more Barrel Cannons. Once the duo shoots across some of the area with these barrels, they reach an Auto Fire Barrel that, again, shoots them into a Barrel Cannon. With this cannon, along with the many other cannons ahead of it that are placed diagonally from each other, the Kongs can reach some Auto Fire Barrels that can send them up into some different Barrel Cannons that rotate when accessed. The second of these spinning barrels can shoot them to a hidden Auto Fire Barrel, which is then able to send them onto some wooden planks in a secret area. Here, they can find the letter G, a Flitter, and some vines that they can climb along to reach a Bonus Barrel. If the primates do not shoot to this secret area, they must instead shoot to the left with the previous rotating Barrel Cannon in order to reach an Auto Fire Barrel that can blast them upwards into a Barrel Cannon that is located next to a Zinger. While trying not to shoot into the foe, the primates must fire to the left to reach a few more Barrel Cannons that they must use to traverse the area. Soon, they reach some Auto Fire Barrels that can shoot them onto some wooden planks that support a spring, which they must bounce on to complete the level. A Banana Bunch is above this spring.

Enemies

 * Flitters
 * Zingers

K-O-N-G Letters

 * K: Near the start of the level, the heroes head through a thin gap that is located immediately after the first Banana Coin in the level. After shooting through here, they must travel to the far-west side of the area via many Barrel Cannons to reach a barrel that is positioned directly above the letter K, which they must shoot to in order to collect.
 * O: In the fourth Barrel Cannon before the Star Barrel, the heroes must blast to the left to reach a Barrel Cannon that can shoot them into an additional Barrel Cannon, which they must use the blast to the letter O located above it.
 * N: Shortly after the heroes pass the Star Barrel, they make their way north via many rotating barrels and then along a few wooden platforms. Soon, they reach another Barrel Cannon that is able to blast them onto another wooden platform with the letter N on it.
 * G: As with how the heroes find the second Bonus Level, they must, near the end of the level, reach a Barrel Cannon with a banana to the west of it, and an Auto Fire Barrel to the northeast of it. If they shoot into the Auto Fire Barrel hidden to the northeast, it shoots them onto a platform that holds a No Animal Sign and the letter G.

Bonus Levels

 * When the heroes discover the first Flitter in the level, who is placed shortly after the second DK Barrel in the stage, they should bounce off of it and grab onto the vine nearby. Then, they need to climb along it while dodging a pair of Zingers to reach a Bonus Barrel, which they must enter to access a Bonus Level. Here, they must reach the end of an area surrounded by brambles to discover a Kremkoin. To reach the end of the bonus, they must rely on several Barrel Cannons and wooden platforms. As they travel, a Zinger flies in their way, and if they hit it or any of the brambles, the Kongs are sent out of the Bonus Level. They have only 20 seconds to complete the bonus and collect the Kremkoin.
 * Near the end of the level, the group accesses a barrel in which there is a banana to the west of it, and an Auto Fire Barrel northeast of it. They should blast to the barrel to the northeast of them to be shot onto a platform with a No Animal Sign on it. Here, they need to climb along some ropes and dodge a Flitter to reach a Bonus Barrel in the rightmost side of the area. The barrel transports them into a Bonus Level upon being entered, where they must head into an Animal Barrel to turn into Squawks. While playing as him, they must fly among the brambles to defeat several Zingers and reach the end of the area. If Squawks manages to defeat all six Zingers with his nut projectiles and then reaches the end of the stage within 30 seconds without touching any brambles, he can find a Kremkoin to collect within the remaining time.

DK Coin

 * After the Kongs pass the Star Barrel and shoot upwards through all of the rotating Barrel Cannons, they must hop to the left across a few wooden platforms. When they get to the next barrel, they should ignore it and instead jump over the brambles to the left. Here, they can find a few Barrel Cannons that are able to blast them to a DK Coin.