Shifty Smashers

Shifty Smashers is the twenty-second level in the Donkey Kong Country Returns and Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D. It is also the seventh and final level in the Ruins world. This level is the Ruins world's secret level, as it can only be unlocked if all of the K-O-N-G Letters are collected in other Ruins levels. As a result, the level is not required to beat the game and does not feature any K-O-N-G Letters.

Set in a temple, Shifty Smashers introduces many golden blocks, which appear to have Donkey Kong themed pictures shown on them. These dangerous platforms are scattered throughout the whole level, taking up most of its space. They constantly move back and forth about every second, so Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong must carefully maneuver around them as they move to progress and avoid being crushed. The level also features some spikes, which are attached to ceilings that slowly move up and down; they move so far down that the Kongs must crouch down to dodge them. This level does not feature many enemies, and only has a few Tiki Tanks in it.

In the Time Attack mode of the game, a time of 1:05:00 is needed to get a gold medal, a time of 1:20:00 for silver, and a time of 1:35:00 for bronze.

Overview
The level begins with a straight pathway leading to two large, golden cubes, which move up and down. Next to them are two urns with collectibles in them. The Kongs must maneuver under the cubes to reach the next area, where there are more of these golden cubes. After them is a group of bananas and an even larger area of moving cube platforms. The Kongs must pass through the area as the blocks move back and fourth in order to get to a much larger area of blocks. The primates can not cut right through the center of the room, as it is being blocked by the cubes, so they must travel to the bottom of the area and under the platforms to get around. After falling between two blocks, the Kongs can reach a small, empty area. They must travel over a few blocks just ahead of here and then climb on top of them to enter a higher area, where some urns holding items can be found. In the hallway after this, the heroes can find some spikes hanging over the ceiling. The spikes move up and down, forcing the primates to crouch when they get at their lowest point. Spikes are also on the floor, along with a Tiki Tank.

A raised platform in the middle of the hallway is high enough that the Kongs can be crushed no matter what if they are standing on it while the spikes lower that whole way. Another empty area of nothing but two urns is ahead, followed by more golden, moving blocks. The Kongs must climb around these large platforms like stairs to get around them. Eventually, they can reach a small platform with a Puzzle Piece on it. They can not reach the golden blocks at this point because they are too high, so the primates must instead jump from the previous blocks to them to advance through the level. An area full of bananas is in the hallway ahead. When the Kongs enter this area, a wall comes from behind them and pushes them forward into an area full of spikes, which are placed between many small platforms. The heroes must quickly run through this area, as the ground and the ceiling move together while they run through. After they travel away from this area and head down a flat, empty pathway, they can find a white orb. If they touch it, the level is complete, and the Kongs earn another orb for their collection.

Puzzle Pieces

 * 1) After passing a group of bananas early on in the level, the primates can travel to the left side of the next set of blocks to find a Puzzle Piece in the corner of the area.
 * 2) In the large set of blocks where the heroes must travel to the bottom of the area and them climb up the other side of the blocks, they can find the Puzzle Piece in a small alcove between some golden cubes and a solid, stationary platform.
 * 3) Before the primates head into the first area with spikes, they should head into a small alcove at the corner of the area under some of the blocks to spot a Puzzle Piece.
 * 4) As the Kongs approach the end of the level, along with the second and final area of spikes, they should travel under a small platform that is located between two large sets of cubes to encounter the fourth Puzzle Piece.
 * 5) In the final area of spikes at the end of the level, the fifth and final Puzzle Piece can be found in the center of the hallway.