Rickety Rapids

Rickety Rapids is the twenty-seventh level of Donkey Kong Land III and the third level in Tin Can Valley.

Summary
Rickety Rapids is similar to Footloose Falls as both are waterfall levels where Dixie and Kiddy transform into Ellie the Elephant, and both have Tracker Barrels and Booster Barrels. Ellie's Animal Barrel is available at the start of the level; the Kongs must turn around and jump to the right corner at the start to become Ellie. She can spit out water projectiles to easily defeat the Rekoils, Sneeks, and even Krumples encountered along the way. Beyond the No Animal Sign, the Kongs must go up the waterfall using Tracker Barrels and Booster Barrels. There are banana trails which allude to Bonus Barrels and groups of bananas shaping arrows that guide the way to the exit, but more often than not, making a brief detour in the opposite direction of the banana arrow can lead to hidden items or Bonus Levels.

Layout
From the start of this watery level, the Kongs must travel west while dodging a few enemies. They will soon, come up to a Tracker Barrel. It must be used to blast across a small gap. After passing several Krumples afterwards, the heroes will need to hop into another Tracker Barrel. This time, they will have to shoot over a Buzz and then land in a Booster Barrel. This barrel will blast the Kongs high in the air, where they will need to move to the right and land on a safe area. Carrying on, they must head east over to the next Tracker Barrel. It will shoot them over another gap, then to another barrel. That barrel will take the monkeys back on land. There, they will need to walk a little farther to yet another Tracker Barrel. It will, as usual, shoot them over a wide pit. On the other end, the monkeys will need to avoid a few more enemies and leap into the next Tracker Barrel. They should head to a Booster Barrel with it. This barrel will take them to another Tracker Barrel. They will have to blast to the west at this point, still using a few more Tracker Barrels. Once they are finally back on land, the group must head a little farther west to find the Star Barrel.

Halfway through the level, the heroes must cross two small gaps with a Tracker Barrel. If they walk a little farther, they will have to use another Tracker Barrel. They should use it to blast to a Booster Barrel, which will take them up to the next Tracker Barrel. There, the monkeys will need to shoot over a few Buzzes and reach another Tracker Barrel. This barrel will soon take them to a Booster Barrel. Finally, this barrel will take the monkeys back on safe ground, and not over the dangerous falls. After the Kongs are on land, they must head east and surpass more obstacles to encounter another wide abyss. With the Tracker Barrel nearby, they must blast over some more Buzzes and make it over the abyss. When the heroes are on the other end, they will have to hop into another Tracker Barrel. It will shoot them to a Booster Barrel, which will lead the monkeys to a higher area on a large platform. From there, they must journey west and avoid several Krumples and a Kopter. Eventually, they will need to use a Tracker Barrel to get over a small gap, and then leap into a Booster Barrel to reach a high platform. At that point, the Dixie and Kiddy must travel east. Walking a longer distance than usual, they must cross a small gap with a Tracker Barrel and dodge Buzzes and Knockas. Soon, they will find a large abyss, and it can only be crossed with a Tracker Barrel. So, they should get in the barrel and blast over a few Buzzes to get over it. On the other end, the heroes will find the flagpole to end the level.

Enemies

 * Buzz
 * Sneek
 * Knocka
 * Rekoil
 * Kopter
 * Krumple

Items and objects

 * DK Barrel: 4
 * Bear Coin: 1
 * Extra Life Balloon: 1

K-O-N-G Letters

 * K: Directly in front of Kongs at the start of the level.
 * O: Above a Buzz found shortly past the No Animal Sign.
 * N: At the point in the level where a banana arrow points east, head west to find the "N" Letter.
 * G: In between a gap near some Krumple.