Mole Patrol

Mole Patrol is the twenty-sixth level in Donkey Kong Country Returns and Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D, as well as the fourth area in the Cave world. A key from Cranky Kong's Shop is required to access it.

This level takes place in a cave, where Donkey and Diddy Kong must ride in a Rocket Barrel to progress over abysses, rocks, and water (in which the Kongs cannot swim through). As the primates ride, they must not only watch out for rocks, but also the many mole enemies around the level, who swing their axes at them and break crystals to make them fall on the heroes. Additionally, a train is in the level that travels around the Kongs, throwing moles being lifted by balloons on the way. The moles can defeat the heroes in one hit of their axes, but the primates can also fight back; if they ride into their balloons, they can pop them, causing the enemy to fall. Doing this also gives them collectibles, including a hidden Puzzle Piece. Another obstacle in this level is the several crystals that drop on the Kongs, which are not broken by moles.

In the Time Attack mode of the game, a time of 1:31:00 is needed to get a gold medal, a time of 1:33:00 for silver, and a time of 1:39:00 for bronze.

Overview
The level begins with a straight pathway in the mines leading to a Rocket Barrel. When the barrel is fired up, it begins to fly towards some trails of bananas that lead above and under a few walls. Mole enemies are on the rock ground below the Kongs and on the solid ceiling above them, jumping into their hiding places. After the primates ride over some water in a wide area, they come up to the letter K of the K-O-N-G Letters and another trail of bananas. Eventually, the heroes are attacked by the moles, who begin to wave their axes at them from higher areas and from on the rocky ceiling. After the Kongs pass a group of four consecutive mole foes, a train shoots out of a tunnel in the background. As the train catches up to the Kongs, a mole attached to balloons attacks them. It floats in the center of the screen while waving its axe. Crystals hanging on the ceiling ahead also begin to fall on the Kongs, due to moles hitting them with their tools. When the group passes four of these fallen crystals through a narrow passage, two more moles suspended by balloons get in their way. After them is a trail of bananas leading above a few stone, tower-like structures. The letter O is above on of these rock towers. The Tutorial Pig follows this area on a raised piece of land, marking the checkpoint.

The train from the background is in view again at this point. Two moles floating with balloons on their back attack the Kongs in a wide area. In the area after this, the train track begins to move into the foreground and loops around the Kongs. As the train rides over this, it drops moles suspended by balloons, who wave their axes at the primates. Eventually, the train track ceases to loop around the Kongs and drives into a large rock wall. Right before this slightly above water is the letter N. The train grinds through the rock wall, creating a narrow path for it and the heroes to travel through. When the Kongs finish following the train through the passage, it crashes and is destroyed. Crystals that fall by themselves are ahead. The Kongs must ride between the crystal parts, coming up to the letter G on the way. After passing four crystals that are placed close to each other, the Rocket Barrel explodes, while safely dropping the Kongs on a platform with the Slot Machine Barrel on it. If they hit this barrel, the level is complete.

K-O-N-G Letters

 * K: In the middle of a trail of bananas under one of the first mole enemies is the letter K.
 * O: At the end of the trail of bananas just before the first and only checkpoint is the letter O.
 * N: The letter N is immediately after the fourth Puzzle Piece at the bottom of the area.
 * G: At the end of the level when the crystals begin to fall, the letter G can be found in a higher part of the area.

Puzzle Pieces

 * 1) At the beginning of the level, the Kongs should head backwards into a tunnel, which leads into a Bonus Level. There, they should maneuver around many moving platforms in order to collect eighty bananas and two Banana Coins. If everything is collected within thirty seconds, a Puzzle Piece appears.
 * 2) If the Kongs collect all of the bananas in the trail surrounding the letter K, they can find the second Puzzle Piece.
 * 3) The Kongs should collect every banana in the trail immediately after the checkpoint to reveal a Puzzle Piece.
 * 4) At the part of the level where the train loops around all of the Kongs, the heroes should pop all of the balloons holding up the mole enemies to find the fourth Puzzle Piece.
 * 5) At the end of the level, the primates should pass up the Slot Machine Barrel and break open a strange plant to reveal a Puzzle Piece.