Barrel Cannon Canyon

Barrel Cannon Canyon is the fifth level of Donkey Kong Country. It is also the final non-boss level of the Kongo Jungle area.

In this wild jungle level, the Kongs can find and use Barrel Cannons for the first time. These barrels must be used many times throughout the level, and the heroes need them to shoot over large, wide abysses all over the level. However, as they blast through each barrel, they must have good aim, otherwise, they can plummet into the abyss below. To make things even harder, the level is filled with many Kritters of several colors, including green, red, and blue Kritters. Zingers also appear here, and they can create quite a challenge for the Kongs when they get in their way by hovering between Barrel Cannons. Upon completing this stage, the primates can challenge Very Gnawty and finish the Kongo Jungle world.

Layout
Donkey and Diddy Kong begin the level by exiting a tunnel with an Auto Fire Barrel above it, which can blast them to a treetop farther into the level, where another Auto Fire Barrel is located that can blast them ahead to the second DK Barrel in the level. If the Kongs continue along the main path of the level, they can find two Kritters marching ahead of a Barrel Cannon that is able to fire them into the air and into the letter K. A ledge stands next to the barrel with a piece of the ground that the Kongs can land on to break it and reveal a DK Barrel. A cliff is ahead of here with a hidden area ahead of it, containing an Animal Token of Winky, and a piece of land is positioned behind the area that the Kongs can walk along. They are attacked by hopping Kritters as they move across this area, soon reaching a ledge with another Barrel Cannon at the bottom of it, which can blast them over a nearby abyss and into a pair of Kritters.

More Kritters walk in a lower area on the sides of a small pit. The pit is followed by a long, straight pathway with a few more Kritters and a raised piece of land on it. A Barrel Cannon sits on the raised ground, able to be used to blast into a barrel higher in the air that can carry the heroes into some bananas. An abyss containing four Barrel Cannons that move in horizontal paths when entered is ahead, and they can use them to cross it. As they blast over the pit, they fire past the letter O. The final barrel shoots them high into the air onto a treetop with a DK Barrel on it. The heroes can find an alcove ahead of here with a trio of Kritters hopping in it. They can also find an abyss soon after it that contains a mixture of many Barrel Cannons and Auto Fire Barrels, which move in either horizontal or vertical paths. The final barrel in this area blast the heroes over a long pathway and into the level's Star Barrel.

The primates can find an alcove with a Kritter hopping in it ahead of here. A DK Barrel wobbles on a slightly higher piece of ground next to it. Two smaller alcoves are ahead, with two Kritters jumping around them. The second alcove contains a TNT Barrel that can be used to blast open the hidden entrance to a Bonus Level. A lower area consisting of a lone Kritter can be found nearby with a small pit after it. This pit is followed by a large area of land with a raised piece of ground in the center of it. Two Kritters jump on top of it, surrounding a barrel that can blast the heroes to an Auto Fire Barrel, which then sends them to a second Auto Fire Barrel. This barrel then blasts them onto a platform nearby, which contains the letter N that they can break out of it. If the primates do not shoot through these barrels, they come up to a pair of platforms in an abyss, the second platform being the one containing the letter N. A larger piece of land with a Kritter on it follows this area. If the Kongs manage to pass it, they can reach a wide abyss containing many Barrel Cannons and Auto Fire Barrels that move in horizontal and vertical directions. As they shoot over the abyss with these barrels, several Zingers fly in their way. Once they pass the foes and cross the abyss, they find themselves on a long piece of land with a few Kritters hopping along it. A sign indicating that the level is almost done also can be found on the edge of this area. The final Kritter in the level front of a tunnel nearby, located immediately after an exit sign. The letter G can be found on the treetops above here. If the primates enter the tunnel, they complete the level and head to the boss battle against Very Gnawty.

Enemies

 * Kritter: 28
 * Zinger: 7

K-O-N-G Letters

 * K: The first Barrel Cannon in the level, excluding the one hidden above the entrance, shoots the Kongs upwards to the letter K.
 * O: The primates shoot to the letter O as they blast between two Barrel Cannons in the final abyss before the level's Star Barrel.
 * N: Shortly after the Star Barrel, the Kongs can find an Auto Fire Barrel hovering above a raised piece of land with two Kritters around it. If they jump into this barrel, they are blasted to another Auto Fire Barrel that then fires them into the center of a platform below. When they land, they break a piece of the ground, revealing the letter N.
 * G: The letter G is found on two treetops immediately before the exit.

Bonus Levels

 * Right after the letter O, the Kongs must hop in a Barrel Cannon facing a wall while avoiding a nearby barrel across from them. The Kongs must shoot out of their barrel and slam into the wall. The wall breaks as a result, and they are able to advance through the first Bonus Level with the hole created. There, they need to blast through several barrels while collecting bananas, Extra Life Balloons, and an Expresso Animal Token to get to the Bonus Level's exit.
 * Shortly after the Star Barrel, the Kongs must find a TNT Barrel. They should pick it up and carry it to the nearest wall to the left while passing a Kritter They must break open one of the walls and enter a Bonus Level, where they begin in a barrel. As it moves them back and forth through the area, they must shoot out of it and grab some items in the three rows of collectibles. After claiming their prizes, the Kongs can miss the Barrel Cannon and fall below it to exit the Bonus Level.

Warp Barrel

 * At the beginning of the level, the Kongs should pass the first two Kritters and shoot out of a Barrel Cannon to reach a higher ledge. If they roll jump off of the bottom-end of this ledge, they can reach a hidden platform holding an Auto Fire Barrel and an Animal Token of Winky. They should jump over the barrel to reach the hidden Warp Barrel, which takes them to a sign near the end of the level that indicates that it is almost over. This warp is only present in the Game Boy Advance version of the game.

Animal Tokens

 * Winky: Early in the level, after the first DK Barrel, Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong can walk to the right if it to find a cliff. Roll over said cliff and jump to reach a secret area containing the Token.
 * Rambi: In the area with three jumping Kritters, jump on top of one to reach the tree above and proceed to the upper right to find the Token.
 * Enguarde: In the second bonus stage, to the right.

Trivia

 * In the Japanese version of the game, an extra DK Barrel was added near the spot where the Letter N is.

Kanonen-Canyon