Mast Blast

Mast Blast is the eighteenth level in Donkey Kong Country Returns and Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D, as well as the third level in the Ruins world.

Not only does this level take place in the ruins, but it also takes place on the beach and on three different ships. When Donkey and Diddy Kong reach the beach area, many ships begin to shoot cannonballs at them. However, the Kongs can find a way into the ships to progress and avoid their attacks. The primates can travel inside and outside of the ships, and while they are outside of it, they can find many ship yards to travel on. Similar to the mast levels in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, the Kongs must climb up these masts to advance through the level. However, as they try to complete the stage, they are constantly attacked by Snaps, Pinchlys, Tiki Torches, and Tiki Goons.

In the Time Attack mode of the game, a time of 1:37:00 is needed to get a gold medal, a time of 2:06:00 for silver, and a time of 2:40:00 for bronze.

Overview
At the beginning of the level, the Kongs come up to a straight pathway in a ruins area. Just after passing a DK Barrel, the Kongs can find a Barrel Cannon that can shoot them to an Auto Fire Barrel and then onto another platform. This stone bridge-like platform curves downwards and leads the primates to a few small platforms with Tiki Goons on them. After treading up a tilted platform, the Kongs can reach another Barrel Cannon that shoots them farther into the background, where a Tiki Torch can be found. Behind the Kongs is also a small platform with a dandelion on it; the plant gives the heroes a Puzzle Piece if blown on. Farther ahead are some tilted platforms with Tiki Goons on them that the Kongs can slide down. Another Barrel Cannon is at the end of this area, and it blasts the primates closer to the foreground, where they find another slanted platform leading to a Barrel Cannon. This cannon shoots them to the final stone platform, which is tilted down towards a Barrel Cannon that blasts the heroes to a beach area. At the Kongs arrival in this area, they pass the Tutorial Pig who marks the checkpoint.

There are some Snaps, spikes, and crates full of explosives farther ahead. The letter O of the K-O-N-G Letters can be found above the first explosive crate, and a heart is located right next to it. Here, a ship starts firing cannonballs directly at the Kongs. A raised piece of land with some crates on it is also just up ahead, and a Snaps and a Pinchly are nearby. Immediately after these foes are a few rectangular, explosive crates covering a gap with a Barrel Cannon in it. If the Kongs use the cannonballs shooting from the ship in the background here, they can find their way into the cannon, which blasts them into the hull of the ship. Inside the ship, they find themselves inside a small room. A red gate is in front of the room's exit, but the primates can break it away with a Barrel Roll or Cartwheel Attack. Four Snaps are lined up just after this on the tilted ship, followed by a few crates. Another red gate is right in front of another crate, so the primates can roll into it to move it out of the way. When they hit it, the gate is locked in place on the wall, so they can use it as a platform to travel up a narrow area. As the Kongs continue up the slanted area, they encounter some stray cannonballs that roll towards them. A moving platform is above them to use in order to access the outside areas of the ship, where the Kongs come up to some crab enemies. Just before they get to the stern, a red gate attached to the ship's mast blocks their way. After a roll attack, the mast breaks off and falls into the sea. On the stern past the foes, they can find the letter N in a small room that can only be accessed by pounding on a red gate again. Right after this is a Tutorial Pig who marks the checkpoint.

After the Tutorial Pig is a Barrel Cannon that shoots the primates to what appears to be the fleet's command ship and into a pirate Pinchly. After the Kongs smash through this ship's helm that is in their way, they can advance to a sail covered in a green, grassy turf. Below this sail are crates, some of which that can be destroyed by cannonballs being shot by the ship in the background to access a Bonus Level, and crab enemies. The primates can climb on the turf on the first sail to reach an Auto Fire Barrel that blasts them to a yard. This yard tilts with their weight on it, so they can tilt it to a side to be able to reach the turf on the above sail to grab the letter G. They can also tilt it to reach the neighboring yard, which is slightly longer. This mast features a Pinchly and some Banana Coins, as well as a Barrel Cannon that shoots the primates to the mast above when entered. When the heroes reach this mast, it is struck by a cannonball, causing part of the ship to fall. This allows the Kongs to reach some hanging platforms on the ship, which they can jump onto to progress; below these platforms is another yard with a crate full of explosives on it. Using the hanging platforms, the heroes can reach a rope that can be used to reach a Barrel Cannon. The Barrel Cannon blasts them to other cannons; when they reach the final Barrel Cannon, the cannon begins to fall with the damaged ship. After the barrel shoots them into the air, part of the ship smashes into the ship in the background, causing it to sink as well. The primates end up landing on the sunken ship's floating crow's nest, where the Slot Machine Barrel is located. Hitting the barrel causes the level to become completed.