 Precarious Plateau 
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| World(s) | Cliff |
| Type | Cliff |
| Music Theme(s) | Weighty Way (mistakenly named as Boulder Roller in the Cliff Music of the Music Gallery in the Extras menu) |
| Animal Buddies | Rambi the Rhinoceros |
| Bonus Room(s) | 1 |
| Puzzle Pieces | 5 |
| Notable Feature(s) | This level is a locked one. The Kongs can find and ride the animal buddy Rambi the Rhinoceros, but he is not necessary to complete the level. However, there are collectibles reached only by mounting Rambi and destroying stone blocks. There are also crumbling platforms that will collapse after receiving the primates' and Rambi's weight. |
| Enemies Encountered | Tiki Buzzes, Tiki Tanks, Tiki Goons, Flaming Tiki Buzzes, Tiki Zings, Flaming Tiki Zings |
| Game(s) | Donkey Kong Country Returns, Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D |
| First Appearance | Donkey Kong Country Returns (2010) |
| Latest Appearance | Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D (2013)
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Precarious Plateau is the fortieth-seventh level in the games Donkey Kong Country Returns and Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D, as well as the fifth level in the Cliff world of Donkey Kong Island. This level is unlocked by buying the Map Key from Cranky Kong's Shop in this world. It is preceded by Boulder Roller and followed by Crumble Canyon.
Overview[]
It is another level with Rambi the Rhinoceros. He is not required to complete the level, but there are areas and collectibles accessible only by riding the Animal Buddy and destroying some stone blocks with the rhinoceros' symbol. It is made harder by the presence of only a single animal crate in the entire level. There are also many crumbling platforms and hanging stone platforms that will collapse soon after the Kongs and Rambi step on them. The level is the only one to feature Flaming Tiki Zings, and since there are fire type enemies, including Flaming Tiki Buzzes, they are the only ones capable of being harmful to Rambi. Later in the level, there are some areas accessible only by Rambi, demanding the player to keep the animal buddy safe during most of the level.
Walkthrough[]
From the start, go right and past the elevated platform and the Tiki Buzz above at first. Next to the edge of the solid ground, there is a blue helicopter flower. Blow on the flower to reveal the first Puzzle Piece. With that done, go back, bounce high on the Tiki Buzz flying above to reach the elevated platform and reveal a hidden area. Ground-pound or roll into the crate to free Rambi the Rhinoceros, who you will now be riding. Now, drop down and jump across the first few crumbling platforms ahead. Rambi can destroy the swinging spiky boulders with ease, so you will not have to worry about them here. You will see the letter "K" floating next to the first spiky boulder. Destroy the boulder with Rambi, go past the DK Barrel and jump to the left from next ledge to reach the letter.
Next, jump across the next few ledges and you will reach a checkpoint. Beyond it, go right and use Rambi to break through the stone block with Rambi's symbol, and access a Bonus Room. In the room, use the three columns of descending platforms to collect all sixty bananas, two Banana Coins and two Extra Life Balloons within thirty seconds and reveal the second Puzzle Piece. After the Bonus Room, bounce on the thin and springy platform to reach the bridge with Tiki Goons above. Go right and you will find a DK Platform. Ground-pound it once to open up the background area and reveal a barrel cannon more ahead. On the ledge before the barrel, dismount from Rambi and blow on the blue flower to reveal the third Puzzle Piece.
After that, get back on Rambi and jump into the barrel cannon and shoot into the next one to reach the background section. As soon as you land, the stretch ahead of you will start to crumble, piece by piece. Run through the Tiki Tanks, bouncing on one or jumping to reach the letter "O" ahead. Collecting all fourteen bananas in this section reveals an Extra Life Balloon ahead. After collecting the letter, jump across the next ledges and hanging stone platforms, using good timing, until you reach another barrel cannon. Shoot the barrel and you will land back in the foreground, next to two Tiki Goons. Go right and you will see the letter "N" above a hanging stone platform. Jump onto it and jump again quickly to collect the letter before the platform collapses. Continue right to reach the second checkpoint.
Up ahead, you will reach more hanging stone platforms and crumbling platforms with Flaming Tiki Buzzes between some of them. Get across them, avoiding the Flaming Tiki Buzzes. On the last hanging stone platform, quickly bounce on the Tiki Goon to reach the letter "G" above, before this one collapses, and jump to the next solid platform. At the end, ground-pound the DK Platform three times to clear the wall, as well as reveal another barrel cannon above. Ignore the barrel for now, go right and use Rambi to break through the stone blocks ahead. You will reach an alcove containing many banana bunches, Banana Coins and the fourth Puzzle Piece.
Now go back, and jump into the barrel cannon to be shoot into the background once more. As you head to the left, you will see several circular banana formations with Tiki Zings and Flaming Tiki Zings rotating along with them. Rambi can destroy the Tiki Zings easily, but will be hurt and run off after touching the Flaming Tiki Zings, so be careful. It is impossible to blow on the Flaming Tiki Zings to extinguish their fire. Collect all of the floating bananas in each ring and an item will appear in the center of the rings. Collecting all nine bananas in the last ring, while avoiding a Flaming Tiki Zing, reveals the fifth and final Puzzle Piece. After that, just go left and into the Slot Machine Barrel ahead. Touch the barrel to finish the level.
Enemies[]
- Tiki Buzz: 2 (regular type)
- Tiki Tank: 6
- Tiki Goon: 6
- Flaming Tiki Buzz: 2
- Tiki Zing: 4 (regular size)
- Flaming Tiki Zing: 3
Animal Buddies[]
Rambi the Rhinoceros' only crate is inside a secret area, over an elevated platform at the beginning of the level. The primates must bounce high on a Tiki Buzz flying to the right of the platform to reach the hidden area and the animal crate above.
Items[]
- Hearts: 3
- DK Barrels: 1
- Banana Coins: 10 (counts 2 in the Bonus Room, does not count three or more consecutive jumps on enemies)
- Extra Life Balloons: 3 (counts 2 in the Bonus Room, does not count eight or more consecutive jumps on enemies)
K-O-N-G Letters[]
- K: After the first Puzzle Piece and over some crumbling platform, the Kongs will soon reach the letter "K" floating above a swinging spiky boulder. Jump from a solid ledge nearby it to collect the letter while avoiding the swinging boulder. Use Rambi to destroy the boulder and collect the letter safely.
- O: After the third Puzzle Piece and being shoot in the background section, the letter "O" is floating above the pathway ahead. The primates must bounce on a Tiki Tank to reach the letter or just jump towards it when mounting Rambi.
- N: After the letter "O" and being shoot back in the foreground, the letter "N" is floating above a hanging stone platform. The heroes must be quick to jump onto the platform, jump again to collect the letter before the platform collapses, and move forward.
- G: After the second checkpoint, the letter "G" is floating above another hanging stone platform that soon collapses after the Kongs step on it. The primates must quickly bounce on the Tiki Goon nearby to reach the letter and move on the next platform.
Puzzle Pieces[]
- 1: At the beginning of the level, go past the elevated platform and the Tiki Buzz, and blow on the blue helicopter flower to reveal a Puzzle Piece.
- 2: After the first checkpoint and going past a swinging boulder and a Tiki Buzz, the Kongs will reach a stone block with Rambi's symbol. Using the animal buddy to destroy the block, the heroes can go into the right wall and access a Bonus Room. There, they must use the three columns of descending platforms to collect all sixty bananas, two Banana Coins and two Extra Life Balloons within thirty seconds and make a Puzzle Piece to appear.
- 3: After the Bonus Room and ground-pounding the DK Platform to open the background, the heroes must blow on the blue helicopter flower on the next platform below. The flower will reveal a Puzzle Piece.
- 4: After the letter "G" and ground-pounding thrice the DK Platform, the primates must ignore the revealed barrel cannon and use Rambi to go through some stone blocks with Rambi's symbol ahead. Many banana bunches, Banana Coins and a Puzzle Piece are inside the alcove beyond the stone blocks.
- 5: After being shoot in the background section again and close to the end of the level, the Kongs must go left and collect all nine floating bananas circling around along the last Flaming Tiki Zing. The Puzzle Piece will appear in the center. Jump to collect the Puzzle Piece avoiding the enemy.
Puzzle[]
The puzzle of Precarious Plateau is of a strawberry against a light green background. When all of the pieces are found, the Home Sweet Home artwork will be added to the Kong Gallery of the Image Gallery in the Extras menu.
Time Attack Medals[]
- Shiny Gold: 00:57.00
- Gold: 01:00.00 (01:06.00 in the Japanese version)
- Silver: 01:13.00 (01:15.00 in the Japanese version)
- Bronze: 01:59.00
Gallery[]
Videos[]
Trivia[]
- The main theme song for this level, and the Cliff level Weighty Way, can be unlocked in the Cliff Music of the Music Gallery in the Extras menu of both games by defeating Thugly once in the boss level Thugly's Highrise. But the theme is mistakenly named as Boulder Roller, the same name of the level preceding the current one in the Cliff world. However, the theme song featured only in mostly of the Boulder Roller level is a different one and not unlockable in the Music Gallery of both games.