Crowded Cavern

Crowded Cavern is the twenty-seventh level in Donkey Kong Country Returns and Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D, as well as the fifth and final area of the Cave world.

Similar to Mole Patrol, this level takes place in a cavern while riding a Rocket Barrel. Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong ride on this object throughout the level, shooting between large rocks and boulders. However, the level's main feature is a large group of Squeeklies, who constantly attempt to fly into the Kongs. The group includes small Squeeklies that fly at the heroes, medium-sized Squeeklies that move up or down when approached, and even a Big Squeekly that fires large sound waves from its mouth. The Kongs cannot attack the Squeeklies from the Rocket Barrel, so they must therefore avoid every one of them.

In the Time Attack mode of the game, a time of 1:56:00 is needed to get a gold medal, a time of 2:05:00 for silver, and a time of 2:16:00 for bronze.

Layout
The level begins on a flat pathway leading to some wooden platforms that can be used to climb up to a higher area. A long, wooden bridge is in this area that breaks shortly after the Kongs walk on it. When it crumbles, the heroes fall down to a lower area with a passage leading to a Rocket Barrel. Bats surround the Kongs in this cave, but they are all sleeping. When the Kongs start out the Rocket Barrel, they wake the Squeeklies, causing them to attack. As the primates begin their adventure in the rocket, small Squeeklies race towards them, until they reach a narrower area with a trail of bananas and Banana Bunches. The trail curves in a V shape above a tall rock structure and ends with the letter K of the K-O-N-G Letters. At that point, the primates ride over some more boulders as a Big Squeekly begins to chase them. The creature heads into the background as they head past a large waterfall. Many bananas and Banana Bunches are in front of the waterfall. At the end of the group of bananas on the bottom row is the letter O, and a Banana Coin is also located just before that above a rock. Soon after this is the Tutorial Pig, who waits on a large platform at the checkpoint.

In the area farther ahead of here, medium-sized, chubby Squeeklies attack the Kongs by trying to fly in front of them while moving up or down vertically. At the same time, smaller Squeeklys dash towards the heroes as they fly, just as in the beginning of the level. Eventually, the Kongs fly over some wooden boards. Underneath the boards is the Big Squeekly that tries to smash through them, sticking its head out of the ground. As soon as the primates avoid it, the Big Squeekly pops from the wooden boards in the ceiling. Next to the foe's head is the letter N, and farther ahead are some rock obstacles that get in the way. Soon, the Big Squeekly begins to chase the Kongs again. However, the Kongs manage to fly through a narrow passage of Banana Bunches before it can catch them. On the other side of the narrow passage, the Kongs can find many collectibles in a large group. The Tutorial Pig and the next checkpoint are just ahead.

After the checkpoint, the primates enter a slightly narrower area, where a crane sticks out of the background to get in the way. Soon after passing a Banana Bunch, the Kongs are attacked by the Big Squeekly that begins to chase them; it shoots powerful sonic waves out of its mouth. In their pursuit, they come up to some collectibles, including the letter G. Eventually, the Squeekly shoots a more powerful and longer lasting sonic wave that shoots across the screen, destroying a large boulder and revealing a large group of crystals in its place. If the primates avoid the crystals, the Big Squeekly runs into the objects, causing it to fall and become unconscious. Eventually, the Kongs' Rocket Barrel drops them off next to the Slot Machine Barrel. If they hit this barrel, the level ends.

K-O-N-G Letters

 * K: When the Kongs are in pursuit with the Big Squeekly, they should follow a trail of bananas. At the end of this trail is the letter K.
 * O: Immediately after the third Puzzle Piece, the Kongs can head to the bottom row of bananas in a large group to find the letter O.
 * N: Right after the fourth Puzzle Piece, the Big Squeekly smashes through the ceiling. Next to its head at this point is the letter N.
 * G: Shortly after the final Puzzle Piece, the Kongs pass two parallel sets of collectibles. Right after this at the bottom of the area is the letter G. They must avoid the Big Squeekly's sonic waves though.

Puzzle Pieces

 * 1) The first Puzzle Piece is at the beginning of the level. After the Kongs walk on the bridge of wooden boards, they should jump off just as it begins to fall. The Puzzle Piece falls from the top of the screen if they avoid falling to the next area.
 * 2) After the primates fall through the wooden boards at the beginning of the level, they arrive in a lower area. Instead of heading towards the Rocket Barrel, they should travel in the opposite direction to find a hidden opening to a Bonus Level. There, they need to obtain many collectibles spinning in circles in the air by using a bouncy, moving platform. Once all of the items are collected, a Puzzle Piece appears.
 * 3) Shortly before the first checkpoint, the Kongs come up to a large group of bananas and Banana Bunches. On the top row a bananas, the third Puzzle Piece can be found.
 * 4) When the Big Squeekly breaks through the floor not too long before the second checkpoint, the Kongs can dive down near its head with their Rocket Barrel to find the fourth Puzzle Piece.
 * 5) At the end of the level when the Big Squeekly begins to shoot lasers at the heroes, they should stay in the lower area of the screen to come up to the final Puzzle Piece.

Trivia

 * If the Kongs stomp the ground before getting into the rocket barrel, the Squeeklies will open their eyes lazily and fall asleep again.
 * When the Big Squeekly appears for the last time, Donkey Kong flinches and covers his eyes.