Jagged Jewels

Jagged Jewels is the twenty-eighth level in Donkey Kong Country Returns, as well as the sixth and final level in the Cave world. It is a secret level, as all of the K-O-N-G Letters in the Cave world must be collected to unlock it.

As its name suggests, this level features many sharp, jewel-like spikes. These spikes can be found on or around every platform in this level. Most of the spikes are located inside square-shaped platforms, sticking out of them occasionally to attack the Kongs, but some also revolve around hemisphere shaped platforms as well. Other times, they quickly orbit around tilting, cylinder shaped platforms or appear on parts of the ceiling that can smash Donkey and Diddy Kong. Other than spikes, the hazards in this level include enemies such as Tiki Goons.

In the Time Attack mode of the game, a time of 1:10:00 is needed to get a gold medal, a time of 1:30:00 for silver, and a time of 1:50:00 for bronze.

Overview
At the beginning of the level, there is a solid, flat pathway with a DK Barrel on the end of it. The platform in the large gap ahead features three sets of spikes that shoot in and out of it repeatedly. A solid platform is ahead with a ceiling of spikes above it. A Buzzbite on the bottom part of the platform travels in circles, occasionally hitting a small button that makes the ceiling fall downwards and possibly crush one of the Kongs. When it is passed, the primates come up to two tall platforms with spikes shooting out of them. A platform shaped like a hemisphere is ahead with a ring of spikes surrounding it. If they manage to reach the following platform, they can find two ceilings of spikes that fall downwards every time the Buzzbite beneath the platform hits a button. A tall platform with spikes shooting in and out of it and two hemisphere-shaped objects are after it. They have rings of spikes around them. A Tiki Goon is also on the first hemisphere platform, and a Buzzbite surrounds the second.

There is a pair of tilting, pillar-like platforms in the gap ahead that have more spikes shooting in and out of them. A similar platform to these is right after another hemisphere shaped platform with a ring of spikes around it. A Buzzbite moves all around it. After the gap nearby, the heroes can reach a long, solid area with four separate ceilings of spikes above it. They fall to the ground when they a triggered by the Buzzbites below, who hit buttons that activate them. A pair of hemisphere-shaped platforms follow this area, with rings of spikes around them. There is a long, cylinder-shaped platform nearby, tilting up and down. A ring of spikes moves along it. After another hemisphere-shaped platform, the primates reach another cylinder-shaped platform with two spiky rings around it. Buzzbites also surround it. Two small, solid platforms follow this area, and a Tiki Boing is on the second of them. Pillars covered in spikes shoot from the gaps between them.

A tilting, cylinder-shaped structure with one spiky ring moving around it is after this, being followed by three more small platforms that each have a spiked pillar shooting around them. After passing the third of these spiky pillars, they reach another cylinder-shaped platform that has three spike-covered rings around it. Buzzbites also circle it. One small platform with a Tiki Boing on it is nearby, with a single pillar of spikes shooting next to it. Just ahead of it is a hemisphere-shaped platform with more spiky rings around it. There is yet another small platform after here, and it has a spiky pillar near it. A tilting, cylinder-shaped structure is ahead, and a few spiked rings and Buzzbites move around it. A plain, solid platform is soon after, with two hemisphere-shaped platforms after it. As usual, rings of spikes move around them. Once they are traveled along, the duo reaches a round platform with a hole in the center of it. A platform with a spiky ring around it is in the hole. As they continue along it, a Barrel Cannon appears nearby. If they get into it, they are shot to a solid area of ground. The pathway ahead leads to a red orb. When it is grabbed, the level ends.

Puzzle Pieces

 * 1) The first puzzle piece is hidden within a vase on a tilting platform. The Kongs must break the vase and release the piece, and then grab it before the the spikes pop up and stab him.
 * 2) The second puzzle piece is also hidden in a vase. This time, however, it is on a tilting platform that has a ring of spikes tilting around it in a different angle. The Kongs need to break the vase and grab the piece without touching the ring of spikes.
 * 3) The third puzzle piece is hovering over a spike that shoots and recoils constantly. The player needs to wait until the spike is recoiling and then hop over the tip of the spike to grab the piece.
 * 4) The fourth puzzle piece is much like the third, except it is reversed. The player needs to have a Kong roll at the piece as the spike is recoiling, and then jump onto the next platform to avoid death.
 * 5) After shooting to the final platform, the player must have Diddy Kong in order to fly back to the piece. The puzzle piece is above the barrel, and requires the rockets to be able to reach that far.