Button Bash

Button Bash is the seventeenth level in Donkey Kong Country Returns and Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D, as well as the second level in the Ruins world.

This ruins level is unique because it features many buttons that can be pressed to alter the Kongs' surroundings, such as creating passages. Another common obstacle in this level are Blast Barrels, many of which quickly move to different angles while staying in place, unlike most Blast Barrels. The level features other unique obstacles and enemies, such as small hummingbird enemies, known as Humzees, that must all be defeated to progress. Additionally, one part of the level involves Donkey and Diddy Kong shooting along buttons on the wall between two Blast Barrels. At the end of the level, the primates have to shoot into the mouth of a giant, rotating statue twice, with only four tries to do so. Other than hummingbirds, the enemies in this level include Stilts, Tiki Torches, and Tiki Zings.

In the Time Attack mode of the game, a time of 2:24:00 is needed to get a gold medal, a time of 2:35:00 for silver, and a time of 2:49:00 for bronze.

Overview
The level starts out in a small jungle area with a DK Barrel. Ahead is a Barrel Cannon that can shoot them to another cannon, and then into the mouth of a large statue. In its mouth is the inside of a temple, where the primates land in a large, open area with a Stilts enemy. Near the enemy is a switch that activates one of three Auto Fire Barrels whenever it is pounded on. When it is pounded on three times, the Kongs can access the three barrels, which are being held in the hands of three strange statues. The first barrel shoots them into the air, where they must move to the right to land in the second, and then the third. The third Barrel Cannons shoots them into the air where they can land on a solid piece of ground. A Tiki Tank with the letter K of the K-O-N-G Letters above its head is here. At the end of the solid platform is a Barrel Cannon that aims in three different directions, changing its aim every second. A button is on the ceiling that the Kongs must shoot to in order to open a wall, which they can then fire past. There is a straight pathway ahead that leads into an empty room. Humzees attack the heroes in here, but once they are all defeated two Barrel Cannons appear, parallel to each other.

When entered, markings appear between the two barrels. The Kongs must shoot across the lines of markings to make an Auto Fire Barrel appear. It can blast the primates underground, where they create a crater in the ground due to the impact of them landing on it. Next to two Tiki Goons here is an area of Barrel Cannons. The first barrel can shoot them past a single Tiki Zing, and then to another barrel that is able to shoot them to a button on the ceiling. When the button is hit, a Barrel Cannon appears below it. This Barrel Cannon can move them under a thin wall of spikes to another Barrel Cannon, which then shoots them to an Auto Fire Barrel and a second moving Barrel Cannon. This moving Barrel Cannon is able to fire them to the top of a large, solid platform, where a Stilts is located with the letter O above its head. After the foe is a long, straight pathway that leads to a large switch. When it is pounded into the ground, the wall in the background falls, revealing an area far back. Barrel Cannons can shoot them to this area, where the Tutorial Pig and the checkpoint are placed.

Immediately after the checkpoint is the second DK Barrel and two Tiki Tank enemies. Above them is a wall covered in a green, grassy turf that the group can climb on. On the west side of this turf is a strange plant that the Kongs can break open to find a hidden Barrel Cannon that leads to a Bonus Level, while if they head east while climbing on this turf, they progress to a different Barrel Cannon moving below them. When it moves directly under them, they should drop down into it to have it pull them to the right, where another Barrel Cannon is positioned. They should use this moving Barrel Cannon to smash four buttons placed side-to-side on the ceiling; once the buttons are hit, they flip over to reveal spikes. However, once they are all hit, the spikes move into the wall, leaving a path through the air for the primates to shoot to some grassy turf on the ceiling. The turf can be climbed across to land in a small area of ground with a Tiki Torch on it. Above the ceiling here are spikes.

On the other side of the spikes is some more grassy turf that can help the heroes cross spikes on the ground and reach a larger room, where another Tiki Torch stands. To the right of this enemy is a curved pathway of turf leading to a hidden Puzzle Piece, while above it is a wall covered in more of the grassy, climbable turf. When the group gets to the end of the turf, they can notice a Barrel Cannon nearby. They can jump into it to be able to blast into a button on the wall, which causes the wall on the other side of the area to flip and reveal more turf to climb on. If they climb up this, they make their way onto solid ground. A slanted bridge is ahead that the Kongs must slide down to progress to a large area of Barrel Cannons. By avoiding a few Tiki Zings and using the cannons, most of which aim in three directions, as shown by markings on the walls, the Kongs can blast towards the nearest wall, where there is a button. The letter N is in the stationary Auto Fire Barrel right after the button.

When this button is hit, the structures holding the Barrel Cannons flip, making the Kongs' surroundings different. The primates must advance through this newly changed area by blasting up towards the small group of Tiki Zings nearby. When they get into the Barrel Cannon, which moves back and fourth, right under them, the heroes can aim to another barrel below. This Barrel Cannon moves across the area as well. If they manage to reach the cannon after this Barrel Cannon, they are shot to an Auto Fire Barrel and then to the Tutorial Pig on solid ground. Ahead of the second checkpoint is a small group of Stilts foes, who do no have feathers or stilts. When these chicken enemies are defeated, a switch appears from out of the ground. If it is pounded on three times, window-like platforms in the background begin to constantly open and close.

When the fast-moving windows open they create small platforms that the primates can stand on to climb the area. However, as soon as new windows open, the latter windows close, dropping the Kongs if they are still standing on them. Therefore, the heroes should notice the spinning nobs on the windows, which only spin when the window is about to open. The letter G is in a high part of this room, along with a Barrel Cannon that shoots the heroes around a giant statue. They are blasted high into the air, and when they reach the highest point in the area, they are aimed directly towards the mouth of the statue. When they shoot into the mouth, they are blasted out by an Auto Fire Barrel inside. At this point, the statue begins to spin. With only four chances, the Kongs must shoot into the mouth of the spinning statue twice to progress. When they get into its mouth twice, the statue is destroyed, with the Slot Machine Barrel in view. Hitting this ends the level.

K-O-N-G Letters

 * K: When the primates approach the first Tiki Tank in the level, they can find the letter K above its head. They should bounce on the foe to reach it.
 * O: Shortly before the first checkpoint is a Stilts enemy with the letter O above its head. The primates should bounce on the foe to grab it.
 * N: In the large sequence of Barrel Cannons just before the second checkpoint, the heroes should shoot to the end of the area where a button can be found. They should shoot past the button after hitting it and go into another Barrel Cannon nearby, which shoots them to the letter N.
 * G: In the area with the window platforms, just before the heroes reach the large statue at the end of the level, the Kongs can find the letter G at a high part of the room.

Puzzle Pieces

 * 1) As soon as the Kongs begin the level, they can find a Puzzle Piece behind a strange object being supported by small wooden poles. They should pound on them to make the object fall. The heroes must make sure the object does not fall on them after they break it, and then grab the Puzzle Piece that was once being blocked by it.
 * 2) Immediately after the Kongs get inside of the temple area, they should pound on a strange plant behind them in the corner of the area to reveal a Puzzle Piece.
 * 3) When the heroes get on the platform with the first Tiki Tank and the letter K, they should roll-jump to the left and grab onto some grassy turf hidden on the side of a wall. If they climb along it, they come up to the third Puzzle Piece.
 * 4) In the Barrel Cannon immediately before the platform with the letter O and a Stilts, the heroes should aim to a cracked part of the wall and shoot to enter a Bonus Level. There, they must blast between two Barrel Cannons in order to collect 80 bananas and two Banana Coins that move up and down. An Auto Fire Ball is in the center of the area that moves up and down as well. The Kongs must avoid it because the barrel can shoot them out of the bonus. If all of the items in the area are collected within thirty seconds, a Puzzle Piece appears.
 * 5) Immediately after the second DK Barrel, the Kongs should climb on some grassy turf above them and head to the left to find a strange plant. If they pound on it, a Barrel Cannon that can blast them into a Bonus Level appears. In the bonus, they must blast through a moving Barrel Cannon to collect two Banana Coins, an Extra Life Balloon, and 60 bananas. If everything is collected within thirty seconds, a Puzzle Piece appears.
 * 6) Not too long after an area where the Kongs must push four buttons to progress to a ceiling of grassy turf is a Tiki Torch. The primates should jump over this foe and head towards a curved area of more grassy turf. If they climb along it, they come up to the sixth Puzzle Piece.
 * 7) In the same room as the letter G, the Kongs should climb up the window platforms and head to the left at the top of the area to find a hidden alcove with the seventh and final Puzzle Piece.

Trivia

 * The big monkey statue at the beginning appears wearing an USA flag-patterned tie. This Easter Egg could be a reference to Billy Mitchell, a gamer known by having world-record scores on the arcade versions of Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong Jr..
 * In the windows area, at the left corner is a statue of a reference to the Three Wise Monkeys.