Melon Kingdom

The Melon Kingdom is the eleventh kingdom in Donkey Kong Jungle Beat and the third kingdom linked to the J Barrel. The kingdom is located in a cavern of ice and in a haunted swamp. The Melon Kingdom can be accessed by completing all the kingdoms linked to the K Barrel and collecting 16 or more Crests. It is the dominion of Bloat-Hog in the GameCube version of the game, or the dominion of Torch Tusk in the New Play Control! version. Donkey Kong travels through this kingdom to fight these mighty foes, and at the end of every level in the kingdom he eats a giant Melon.

Iguanagon's Realm
Iguanagon's Realm is the first area of the Melon Kingdom. The level takes place mostly in an icy, flat cavern. Donkey Kong must complete the entire level riding on the back of Hoofer the Wildebeest. The level features some areas that require a high speed to be jumped to with Hoofer. Small bird enemies similar to the Roc bosses try to stop Donkey Kong by dropping objects on him here as well. However, the main obstacle in this level is the giant amphibian-like foe, Iguanagon, who makes his second and final appearance in this level. If this might foe is defeated, Donkey Kong is awarded 100 beats. Like most ice-themed levels, Donkey Kong does not need to bite into the giant fruit at the end of the level to move on, and can instead simply touch it to finish the level. When the fruit is touched, Donkey Kong rides Hoofer over some gaps in a bonus game.

Level Layout
This level starts out with Donkey Kong riding on Hoofer. The wildebeest makes his way over the flat, icy pathway into some icicles, which contain bananas. Pineapples are located farther ahead of here, and many Roc-like foes begin to ambush Donkey Kong. The straight pathway through the levels continues very far ahead of this area, and while Hoofer runs across the path, Donkey Kong has no choice but to attack the many foes above him. Eventually, Hoofer runs over a small bump in the path, which can send him to some more bananas with a well-timed jump. More bumps are located farther ahead, as well as some large, spiky enemies, who stick their heads out of cracks in the ground. A golden bird enemy also flies above the ape as he continues on his Jungle Buddy. After a group of three spiky foes are passed, a giant cave is entered, and Iguanagon rushes through the background, then onto the top of the cave. Donkey Kong can optionally fight this giant foe with pineapple bombs as he meets some more vulture foes, including another rare gold bird enemy.

After treading over the flat and icy surface of the stage, Hoofer and Donkey Kong make their way to another large bump, which can help them reach some more bananas and jump over the two spiky foes sticking out of the ice. As the wildebeest runs farther into the stage, he comes up to a floating platform, which can be jumped on to reach some bananas. A small passage is also under this platform, but taking this route does not give any bananas. Another platform is just ahead of here, but it can only be reached by jumping from the first platform. Under the second platform are many large, spiked enemies sticking out of the ground. After passing the fourth of these enemies, Iguanagon appears again. As Donkey Kong tries to fight this enemy, more vulture-like foes appear. If the ape manages to pass them all, he is soon sent down a large slope on Hoofer. The slope flattens out at its center, where some bananas can be found. Farther ahead is a giant melon, which ends the level when touched.

Banshee Swamp
Banshee Swamp is the second area of the Melon Kingdom. This level takes place in a haunted swamp. There are many pits in the level that are filled with a ghostly, blue substance that can easily damage Donkey Kong if touched. Blue meteors are also located around many parts of the stage, and they move all throughout the areas, trying to hit the ape. Helper Monkeys can be put to use in Banshee Swamp, as well as the two Jungle Buddies, Flurl the Squirrel and Helibird. Both Flurl and the Helibird help him progress over pits and up through the stage. After the Kong eats the giant melon at the end of the level, he fights Bloat-Hog (or Torch Tusk in the Wii version).

Level Layout
This level begins with Donkey Kong traveling over a few small hills. Several blue meteors are above him as he heads to the east, and some Banana Bunches are also ahead in bubbles. A gap shooting more of these blue meteors is farther ahead, and after it is a second gap. While crossing the two gaps, several meteors begin to follow Donkey Kong, and they must be avoided at all costs. A large pit containing a blue gas is just ahead of here, and a plant is inside of it. The plant can shoot Donkey Kong to a rope of Helper Monkeys above, who can then swing him to Flurl the Squirrel. This buddy is able to help the ape float over the remaining part of the pit, however, many blue meteors fall as the two travel. On the other end of this pit, there is a large group of bananas forming a diamond, and another small gap is just ahead of the items. Two rectangular platforms are located above and under each other on the other side of this gap, and pairs of meteors float upwards in it. On the lowest rectangular platform, there are some bananas. Two more rectangular platforms are just ahead, and the two groups of platforms are separated by another gap.

The platform in the top-right corner of the area is being circled by two meteors, but is holds some more bananas. A tall platform with vines stretching from it is to the right of this rectangular platform, and Donkey Kong can slide down its vines to progress. Although many Banana Bunches are on the way down the vines ahead, many blue meteors are as well, and the ghostly, blue gas that fills the level is also below here. At the end of the final vine is a small platform. To the right of this platform is a rope vine, which the ape can swing on to meet a Hawg enemy. This dark hog-like enemy shoots fire at the Kong, but once it is defeated, a new area can be accessed. In this new area of the level, there is a lone, purple flower that can push Donkey Kong upwards to reach a nearby Helibird. This Helibird can help the ape fly over the pit that is just ahead. Several meteors swarm the area as the duo crosses the pit, along with some bananas trapped in bubbles. If Donkey Kong uses his Sound Wave Attack on the other side of the pit, several flowers pop out of the ground and give out bananas. There is a set of two walls near here, and between them are many meteors bouncing from left to right. Donkey Kong has to wall jump between the two walls, or ride his Helibird through them, to progress. At the top of the walls is another Helibird, who waits on its branch to help Donkey Kong if he has lost his previous Helibird.

With one of the two Helibirds seen in the level, Donkey Kong must fly upwards between several blue meteors through a wide area. Farther ahead, there is a platform floating in the center of the area, along with a plump bird enemy, who circles this platform while dropping bananas for the ape. Even higher above this are more blue meteors. There are two rows of the big rocks being shot through the walls, and the Kong must fly between them to advance. Another small platform is in the center of the area above it, and more of the rocks are farther up as well. These rocks circle two sets of Banana Bunches, which can be collected for more beats. A Helibird waits on a platform just above here in case Donkey Kong falls, and there are four unusual plants hanging on the walls nearby. These plants shoot bananas at the ape to help his beat collection grow. Eventually, Donkey Kong and his Helibird should make their way past a few sphere-shaped enemies to a Helper Monkey. The helper can throw Donkey Kong up higher to an area full of more Helper Monkeys. In this newly accessed area, there is a single vulture enemy throwing pineapple bombs. If this enemy is defeated, a giant melon appears growing on a nearby tree branch. Biting into it ends the level.