Puzzle Piece (Donkey Kong Country series)

Puzzle Pieces are collectible items that appear in Donkey Kong Country Returns, Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D, and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (and its Nintendo Switch port). As their name implies, Puzzle Pieces are shiny curved orange puzzle pieces, and there are either five, seven, or nine hidden in every level (except for boss fights). When the Kongs obtain every Puzzle Piece in a level, the player unlocks a new photo in the Image Gallery.

Most Puzzle Pieces directly appear in hidden parts of a level itself, but a few are obtained if the Kongs collect every item within a bonus room before the time runs out.

On the results screen, after the player completes a level, the gathered Puzzle Pieces individually make up an image. The entire picture is revealed when the Kongs obtain every Puzzle Piece. From the world map, an icon of a Puzzle Piece also appears on a selected level if the Kongs have collected every one in the level itself.