Tanked Up Trouble

Tanked Up Trouble is the twenty-ninth level of Donkey Kong Country. It is also the first level in the Chimp Caverns area.

Similar to Trick Track Trek, the Kongs must stay on a moving platform to navigate through this walkway level, avoiding Neckies and Zingers on the way. However, this particular platform has a small fuel supply, requiring the Kongs to collect Fuel Barrels along the way. Failure to do so results in the platform breaking down and falling, causing the Kongs to fall along with it and lose an Extra Life Balloon. The fuel supply on the platform is shown by five lights; five green lights indicates that the platform full, while one flashing red light means its fuel supply is close to becoming empty. Towards the end of the level the platform uses up fuel faster.

If the platform breaks down and falls while the Kongs are left completely stuck on a different platform and unable to advance any further, the characters will play the Bonus Area failure animation at the loss of a life.

Overview
At the start of the level, the Kongs can find a pit with a slanted pathway on the other side of it. After crossing another gap, they land on a flat scaffold with a dark platform ahead of it. The platform is activated upon touching it. The platform, running on a limited supply of fuel leads them to a Fuel Barrel, which refuels it completely. Afterwards, the platform makes a 90 degree turn, beginning to travel upwards. Shortly after, it pulls them to the east, where a Fuel Barrel can be found above a Necky. The third Fuel Barrel waits just ahead next to a hanging platform with some bananas on it. The platform then leads them down a few sharp turns to a Necky, who is followed by a thin, black platform with an arrow on it; this platform slowly drops after being stood on. A Fuel Barrel hovers above the platform. Eventually, the Kongs' mobile platform pulls them towards a set of hanging platforms, one of which that holds a Kritter and another Fuel Barrel.

At this point, the platform begins to gain speed, heading towards a pair of black platforms, similar to the one found previously. A Fuel Barrel hovers around them. The heroes can also find a Necky after the second of these platforms. Once they get back onto the mobile platform, it makes a sharp turn, beginning to move upwards. As they ride up, they ride past a Kritter, who stands on a hanging platform with the letter O above it. Another Kritter stands on a platform at the top of the area; this foe has a Fuel Barrel above it. After passing this Kritter, the moving platform carries the duo to the east, where they can find another black platform that falls when they land on it. Soon after this, the heroes come up to a platform hanging between two Neckies. A Fuel Barrel floats above the second Necky. The moving platform then leads the primates towards a Fuel Barrel found high in the air. It can be reached with the use of an Auto Fire Barrel hidden at the lower part of the area. After passing the barrel, the platform makes a stop next to a few hanging platforms with a villainous Kritter on one of them. The level's Star Barrel is located on one of the platforms.

Another mobile platform can be seen nearby that begins to move along the track once activated. It leads them straight towards a DK Barrel with a tire to the right of it. A Fuel Barrel positioned high in the air can be reached with the bouncy object. Neckies can be found ahead with hanging scaffolds after them; a tire stands on each of the platforms. The Kongs can find a Fuel Barrel just ahead. After passing the barrel, the mobile platform follows a pathway farther down the area, where a Zinger can be found between a tire and another Fuel Barrel. Another Fuel Barrel is just ahead of here in the center of two Zingers. They can reach both barrels with a tire. Soon, the fuel-powered platform rises along a vertical path and then moves east under a hanging scaffold and a tire. Larger hanging scaffolds are ahead with a tire and a pair of Gnawties placed on them. The tire can be rolled along the two platforms to help the heroes reach a Fuel Barrel that they can bounce to.

The primates are then lead back downwards towards an Auto Fire Barrel that can shoot them to a DK Barrel and another Fuel Barrel. If the heroes manage to travel farther, they come up to a long scaffold holding two Gnawties. The fuel-powered platform moves under this platform, coming up to the letter N on the way. A pair of Zingers follow the scaffold with a Fuel Barrel between them. Once the moving platform passes these wasps, it pulls the duo up to a Barrel Cannon with an Auto Fire Barrel to the upper-right of it. They blast the heroes into a Banana Bunch and back onto the platform, which then guides them towards some Zingers. The first Zinger is found alone, but the next two are piled on top of each other. At this point, the mobile platform begins to drain fuel faster and gain less fuel for the barrels. Once they jump over the enemies, the primates are led farther down to a Fuel Barrel with another pair of Zingers around it.

The heroes must jump between the wasps to grab the barrel and avoid the foes. The moving platform then leads the Kongs upwards towards two more Zinger with a Fuel Barrel above each of them. The next Fuel Barrel is located ahead in a higher part of the track, where a Zinger orbits it. A trio of Zingers are ahead with a Banana Bunch between all of them. The primates must maneuver over and under them to survive and reach a trail of bananas. After passing the trail, the moving platform slowly approaches a Fuel Barrel, which has a scaffold hanging above it. If the Kongs continue through the area after the Fuel Barrel, they come up to a trio of Zingers and then the letter G. If they jump to the scaffold, they can reach an Auto Fire Barrel that shoots them away from the mobile platform and onto a safe set of scaffolds. The first scaffold here holds a sign indicating that the level is almost over. After climbing along two scaffolds following this, both carrying Gnawty enemies, they make their way onto a flat scaffold with an exit sign on it. Once the two friends pass the sign, they gain access to the next level, Manic Mincers.

K-O-N-G Letters

 * K: The letter K is above a Necky after the second Fuel Barrel in the level.
 * O: After collecting the fourth Fuel Barrel in the level, the heroes ride the platform upwards to the top of the area. As they rise, they can find a Kritter on a nearby platform with the letter O above its head.
 * N: The letter N is directly under a hanging platform just after the third DK Barrel in the level.
 * G: Near the end of the level, the heroes can find an Auto Fire Barrel that can blast them away from the moving platform and onto a safe area. If they ignore this, they are led towards a trio of Zingers. The letter G follows them.

Bonus Level

 * To find the Bonus Level, the characters have to ride their platform at the beginning of the level until the platform makes its first 90 degree turn. When this happens, they should jump under the platform and fall below it to land in a hidden barrel. The barrel sends the primates to a Bonus Level, where they need to watch as an Extra Life Balloon moves around four barrels. Once the balloon stops, it disappears. The Kongs then have to choose which barrel they think it stopped on. If they choose correctly, they are awarded with the balloon. Afterwards, they re-enter the main level.

Trivia

 * "Tanked up" is a colloquialism for "drunk".
 * The moving platform produces different sound effects each playthrough whenever it runs low on fuel.