Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze KONG Letter and Puzzle Piece locations guide

Lost Mangroves

1-1: Mangrove Cove 

Puzzle Piece #1

After sliding down the water slide at the beginning of the level, swim down to the left. When you near the wreckage, it will move, revealing your first puzzle piece.

Letter K

Just a bit further ahead is a KONG letter you can't miss. Simply scale the short trees to reach it.

Puzzle Piece #2

When you see this hanging plant enemy, speed past him to make him lunge down. Jump atop the grass he's stuck to and ride it to the swinging platform you just passed. From here, jump to a treetop with a yellow plant - slam near it, and it will spit out another puzzle piece.

Puzzle Piece #3

When you lower two platforms by grabbing rings from the sand, yank one last ring from the top platform. This spawns a winged banana. Collect the bananas it generates before they disappear to earn a puzzle piece.

Puzzle Piece #4

You'll soon encounter another hanging plant enemy. After he pulls back from an attack, slam the ground under him to reveal a hidden area. There's a puzzle piece down here.

Puzzle Piece #5

Once you've freed Diddy, turn back around to the hanging plant. Use Diddy's jetpack to get atop it, then jump to the platform to the left. This reveals another puzzle piece.

Letter O

When you get back outside, move to the rightmost raft. From here, you can spot the next KONG letter under some plants. To reach it, you'll need a nice long jump plus Diddy's jetpack boost.

Puzzle Piece #6

As you blast your way up the tree with barrel cannons, look for this rotating ring of goodies. Time your shot right to nab the puzzle piece when you fly by.

Letter N

The next KONG letter is found along the same path. When you reach this alternating barrel cannon, choose the left side to grab the letter.

Puzzle Piece #7

After the next checkpoint, you'll come to a stack of crates. Smash through the right side to find a hidden area with several Tutorial Pigs. Collect all the banana bunches they toss at you to earn a puzzle piece.

Letter G

When you reach this series of swinging planks, stop at the helmeted penguin. Knock him down, then throw him at the target you just jumped past. This spins around the platform, making the KONG letter accessible.

Puzzle Piece #8

From the platform with the KONG letter, jump left to the higher swinging plank. Jump left again to reach a cannon barrel that takes you to a bonus room. Collect every banana within the time limit to earn another puzzle piece.

Puzzle Piece #9

Before finishing the level, head to the right to find a thorny pit. Hover across it and pull the ring from the sand to nab the level's last puzzle piece.

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1-2: Shipwreck Shore 

Puzzle Piece #1

From the start of the level, move left. Smash the boxes here to reveal a ring; yank it from the sand to earn a puzzle piece.

Puzzle Piece #2

When you reach the boat, dive into the water and move right. Under the ship is a puzzle piece.

Letter K

You'll spot this atop a swinging crate when you board the ship. Move to the right and hop atop the large crate with the snowflake design. From here, you can use Dixie's twirl jump to reach the swinging crates and the letter.

Puzzle Piece #3

Along the deck is a trap door. Slam through it to enter a bonus room. Collect all the bananas before time runs out to earn another puzzle piece.

Letter O

After leaving the boat, you'll cross some hanging crates. Dixie's jump will help you reach the letter floating above them.

Puzzle Piece #4

After the checkpoint, you'll reach some more hanging grass. Grab on and climb to the left, then jump to the rock to reveal a hidden space with a puzzle piece.

Puzzle Piece #5

When you reach this plant above the water, slam to reveal a hanging bag. Knock down the helmeted penguin on the next ledge, then chuck him at the bag to reveal the puzzle piece.

Puzzle Piece #6

When you reach the swimming section, break the second set of planks and head left. Collect the circle of bananas over here to earn a puzzle piece.

Letter N

You can't really miss this one. Simply swim along the path to spot it.

Puzzle Piece #7

There are several crates in the water here. Bust them all up to reveal another puzzle piece.

Puzzle Piece #8

Just past the checkpoint is a shark--you're going to have to dive into the water and run from him to get this one. Swim to the lower right corner to discover a chest behind the underwater plants. Open it to reveal a puzzle piece.

Puzzle Piece #9

When you start riding the raft, watch for these columns of bananas. Slam the boat to launch yourself into the air--grab them all to spawn a puzzle piece.

Letter G

Keep riding the raft, and look for more hanging grass. Slam the raft to launch yourself to it and grab the KONG letter above.

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1-A: Zip-Line Shrine 

To access this level, you have to find the secret exit in 1-2: Shipwreck Shore. From the trios grasshoppers atop the crates, swim straight down, using Dixie's twirl to break the current. This will lead you to a portal to the secret exit.

Puzzle Piece #1

When you reach the first zip-look, look for a trap door nearby. Slam through to find a hidden tunnel containing the puzzle piece.

Letter K

You can't miss the KONG letter after the second set of zip-lines. Simply use the nearby springboard to reach it.

Puzzle Piece #2

Just before the checkpoint is a buried ring. Yank it free to spawn some bananas; collect them before they disappear to earn another puzzle piece.

Letter O

Hard to miss this one too. When you jump to the leaning platforms, simply jump back to reach it. Watch out for the mosquito, though!

Letter N

You'll collect this automatically along a zip-line.

Puzzle Piece #3

After the KONG letter, pull the nearby ring up to spawn a cannon barrel. Take it to a bonus room. Here, you must collect all the bananas before time runs out. Do so to earn another puzzle piece.

Puzzle Piece #4

You'll see this as you blast through a series of barrels. Time your shot right when moving up and down to grab the piece in the air.

Letter G

You'll spot this hovering underneath a tilting platform. You'll have to bounce atop the owl enemies' heads to reach it.

Puzzle Piece #5

Just ahead is this swinging vine. Pull the ring from the ground nearby so spawn a few bunches of bananas. Grab them to spawn one last puzzle piece.

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1-3: Canopy Chaos 

Puzzle Piece #1

Near the level start is a target covering a cave entrance. Stun the turtle nearby and throw him into the target to open the way. Inside, you must collect all the bananas before time runs out to earn a puzzle piece.

Letter K

Just ahead is a KONG letter that moves in synch with the platform below. Time your jump from the nearby vine to grab it.

Puzzle Piece #2

When you grab Cranky from the barrel, take a leap of faith into the next thorn pit. Bounce across to have the rock wall move away, revealing a hidden puzzle piece.

Letter O

The next KONG letter can be spotted as you climb the next series of platforms. You can't miss it.

Puzzle Piece #3

When you reach the top of the same set of platforms, use Cranky's cane to bounce to the highest one. Pull the ring here to reveal the piece on a thorny platform nearby.

Letter N

You'll spot this while scaling a set of vines above some spikes. Time your jumps around the mosquitoes to grab it.

Puzzle Piece #4

Immediately after is a turtle. Stun him, then chuck him at the nearby hanging bag to earn a puzzle piece.

Puzzle Piece #5

After the next checkpoint is a series of treetops and slugs. Bounce up to this rock wall, and it will part, revealing another puzzle piece.

Puzzle Piece #6

When you reach this bird enemy, use Cranky's cane to bounce to the treetop above. From here, jump left into a cave to reveal another timed challenge. Collect the bananas before time expires to earn a puzzle piece.

Letter G

Just past the propeller ahead is a vine. Climb it to reach the last KONG letter in this stage.

Puzzle Piece #7

The final puzzle piece is by the level exit. Smash the nearby crate to reveal a springboard. Use it to reach the platforms above, where the piece lies.

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1-B: Busted Bayou 

To reach this level, you must find the secret exit in 1-3: Canopy Chaos. It's found by the normal exit. Use Cranky's cane to bounce up the platforms in the room to the upper right. In this new area, bounce to the portal to reach the secret exit.

Puzzle Piece #1

Start this (gorgeous) level by heading left. This little area will spit you back out, along with a puzzle piece.

Puzzle Piece #2

To the right is this scaffolding. Roll into the base to reveal a hidden tunnel with a plant. Slam it to make it spit out another puzzle piece.

Letter K

Immediately after is this pair of balanced platforms. Time your jumps as they rise and sink to reach the KONG letter here.

Puzzle Piece #3

Soon after, you'll see a ring in the ground. Yank it to spawn a stalk, then climb that to a swinging vine. Use this to reach a high, hidden platform where the puzzle piece sits.

Letter O

When you spot the next KONG letter, look for a short vine you can pull. Do so to create platforms that help you reach the letter above.

Puzzle Piece #4

Right after is a grasshopper bouncing on a cracked block. Slam through to reveal a ring; pull it to spawn a winged banana. Collect the bananas it spawns before they fly away to earn another puzzle piece.

Puzzle Piece #5

When climbing the long, long vine down, stop when the branches cover almost the entire screen. After a moment, they will part, revealing two rings of bananas. Collect these to spawn a puzzle piece.

Puzzle Piece #6

After climbing down the long, long vine before the checkpoint, head left. Leap to the short vine here to spawn a puzzle piece and the platforms necessary to reach it.

Puzzle Piece #7

Just past the checkpoint is a ring in the ground. Yank it out to spawn a stalk and an out-of-reach puzzle piece. Pull the nearby short vine to create a platform that you can use to reach the piece above.

Letter N

Soon after, you'll see another ring just past some disguised bushes. Pull it make the branch you're standing on curl upwards. Dash along before it moves back down, then leap to the KONG letter at the end of the branch.

Puzzle Piece #8

When you reach the propeller platform, pull the ring at its top. This changes the layout of the platforms ahead and spawns some bananas. Grab them all - you'll have to roll - before the platforms shift to spawn another puzzle piece.

Puzzle Piece #9

Near the end of the level is a ring you must pull to progress. This spawns a barrel cannon, a stalk, and several bunches of bananas. Collect them before time runs out to earn one last puzzle piece.

Letter G

The last KONG letter is right by the level exit. Grab the short vine to spawn some platforms to help you reach it. The tilting area doesn't help.

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1-4: Trunk Twister 

Puzzle Piece #1

By the Diddy Kong barrel is a trap door. Slam through to find another timed room. Collect the bananas within the limit to win a puzzle piece.

Letter K

Shortly into the mine cart ride, you'll spot this along the tracks. Jump up to safety at the last moment to grab it.

Puzzle Piece #2

Past the KONG letter is a pair of dragonflies. It's tricky, but you'll have to bounce atop them to reach the puzzle piece above.

Letter O

After the checkpoint are some spinning blades. Duck under them, then pop up immediately after to grab this.

Letter N

When you reach this rising platform, let yourself drop to the next rail--don't jump!--to grab the KONG letter here.

Puzzle Piece #3

After passing a series of fiery plane propellers, let yourself roll off this platform too. By not jumping, you'll reach a lower ledge with another puzzle piece.

Letter G

Soon after, some crates will slide toward you. Time a jump off the second one to grab the fourth KONG letter.

Puzzle Piece #4

When you drop into the second area, let yourself roll of the sinking boat. This takes you to a lower rail where you can duck under some blades and acquire another puzzle piece.

Puzzle Piece #5

Before leaving the level, swim under the plane to find one last puzzle piece.

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1-K: Swinger Flinger 

This level is unlocked once you collect every KONG letter in Lost Mangroves.

Puzzle Piece #1

The first puzzle piece is at the second rolling platform. You'll have to time your jump to grab it and land safely on the other side.

Puzzle Piece #2

Just after, there's a ring in the ground under a poison vine. Yank it up to discover a second puzzle piece.

Puzzle Piece #3

The next piece is easy to spot, but hard to grab. You'll have to bounce back off the owl to return safely to a vine.

Puzzle Piece #4

As you climb the group of four vines, look for a bunch of bananas. Grab it, and more will spawn collect these as they turn into banana medals, and puzzle piece will eventually spawn.

Puzzle Piece #5

At the level's end is a purple ornament. Slam near it to reveal the last puzzle piece.

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Freelance Writer

Tony lives in Maryland, where he writes about those good old-fashioned video games for GamesRadar+. His words have also appeared on GameSpot and G4, but he currently works for Framework Video, and runs Dungeons and Dragons streams.