Simian Shimmy

Simian Shimmy is the twenty-third level in Donkey Kong Land III. Located in the eastern woods of the Great Ape Lakes region, it is the fifth level in the area.

This level takes place in a forest of giant hollow trees, inhabited by gruff Minkeys, Sneeks and Buzzes. To complete it, the Kongs must navigate this vegetal maze, climbing up and down ropes, exploring the enormous trunks by leaping from bark platforms onto gnarled branches, and avoiding the assaults of irate territorial species. Just like Minky Mischief and Redwood Rampage, this level is quite labyrinthine and filled with many different pathways. Arrow-shaped bananas may indicate the right path to follow, but several hidden Barrel Cannons turn out to be appreciable shortcuts, which can save a lot of time and effort. However, further exploration is required to find both Bonus Barrels and the Koin. A few Barrel Shields can be found throughout the forest, but most of the time it is possible to dodge the Minkeys' acorn projectiles without the additional protection they provide.

In the Time Attack mode, unlocked after beating Baron K. Roolenstein in the Lost World, Simian Shimmy appears again to represent "Tree" levels. It must be completed in less than 1 minute and 22 seconds. Shortcuts involving hidden Barrel Cannons are vital to win this challenge.

Level layout
When the level begins, the apes walk across a few branches to reach another tree. Hopping up a few platforms, they enter a small opening to find the outside of the two trees. After jumping up the branches in that area, they can find another long area inside the second tree trunk. Continually hopping up the platforms in this tree, they can use a few Nids to help them bounce to the next outside area, where they start to climb up a few branches again. Grabbing the letter K on the top branch, they can find another crossing between two trees. Making their way to the next tree, they need to fall down some platforms and exit the trunk to find an area full of more branches. Climbing down the area and avoiding Buzzes, they enter a tree trunk with a long rope going down it. A few Minkeys are on the way down the rope, and the apes head to the left to get in another tree once they are passed. Hopping up more platforms and crossing into the next tree trunk, the heroes soon make their way down to the Star Barrel.

About halfway through the level, the apes travel up the first trunk in their path and jump along some branches to find the entrance to the next tree. Inside, they climb up a long rope while dodging Minkeys. A Barrel Shield can be used here to help the Kongs. At the top of this area, the heroes walk along more branches, jumping over a Buzz, to find the next tree. At the top of this tree, they find the letter N and the short pathway across a tree, leading to another tree trunk. There is a rope to climb down inside this area, and Minkeys interfere with the Kongs' progress as they make their way down. At the bottom of this area, they cross into another tree and drop down some more platforms and branches to find the next tree. This tree, as any other trees, has a long rope going down from it. With the help of some Barrel Shields, the group should be able to travel all the way up the rope, avoiding several Minkeys. Entering the outside of the trunk, the apes leap up a few more branches to find the letter G and make their way into another area of the tree. There, they can find a flagpole. Touching the flagpole ends the level.

Bonus Levels

 * Near the Star Barrel, the heroes meet a Booty Bird that gives them the letter O when jumped on. They should jump on this foe and bounce into a hidden barrel above it. This barrel blasts them onto a small, broken branch. Making their way upwards onto some other branches, the monkeys should find themselves walking into a Bonus Barrel, leading to the Bonus Level. There, they need to move around a large tree trunk to grab several stars. Hopping on Nids and climbing down a long rope, they should soon make it to the end of the stage. If they have collected all the stars within twenty seconds, they are given the Bonus Coin.
 * Above the steel keg used to defeat the level's Koin, the group should see a Knik-Knak. They should bounce on the insect and move to the right in the air to land on an overhanging branch. Climbing up a few more branches, the Kongs make it to a Bonus Barrel. It fires them to a Bonus Level, where they need to climb along some ropes and move along small branches to find the Bonus Coin. If the special coin is found within forty seconds, they monkeys are able to keep it.

DK Coin

 * Shortly after the letter N, the monkeys climb down a rope to reach a low area of the trunk. If they hop into the small gap in the corner of the area, they find a Koin, with the DK Coin, near a steel barrel found on a branch in the above-left part of the area. Though his shield protects him from most attacks, the heroes are able to attack him by throwing the steel barrel at the nearest wall. While the Koin is distracted, the barrel bounces back and hit him. This defeats the foe and gives the Kongs his DK Coin.