In the 2D Donkey Kong Games, cannonball-launching barrels are a staple mechanic, and their presence in Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is no exception. The fifth level of the first world prominently features these barrels. To fully complete Canopy Cannons and collect all the letters and puzzle pieces, you’ll need to master the use of these barrels. Here’s where you can find all those collectibles.
All Letter Locations
You can spot the first letter just after you begin the initial barrel cannon segment. At a certain point, you’ll need to break through a wall to reach the other side. As you go through, you’ll collect the ‘K’, making it nearly impossible to miss.
You can spot the second letter right after you find the first puzzle piece. Look at the edge of the platform by the barrel you need to jump into, and you’ll notice the ‘O’ hovering above. Once you’re in the barrel, just wait until it’s aimed at the letter, then shoot to collect it.
Just past the checkpoint, you’ll find the third letter. Look for a group of barrel cannons with an item hovering nearby. One of these barrels has the letter ‘N’ circling it. To grab this letter, you’ll need to carefully time your shot from the barrel cannon so that you soar into it as you land in the next barrel.
Look for the final letter floating in the sky above a rolling barrel that will propel you to the next zone. Make sure to time your jump perfectly to grab the letter ‘G’ while dodging the barrel.
All Puzzle Piece Locations
Once you navigate through the initial barrel cannon area and land safely on the other side, you’ll find a small patch of land featuring a flower. Go ahead and smash the flower to collect the first puzzle piece.
The second puzzle piece is cleverly concealed. Once you acquire the letter ‘O’, you can choose to use one of the barrels to shoot directly down. It might look like a risky move, but it actually takes you to a line of barrels that will bounce you back to the first barrel, all while providing you with the second puzzle piece
After you reach the big platform following the second puzzle piece, keep an eye out for a small cracked platform ahead. Hit the ground to break it and drop into a barrel that will take you to a mini-game similar to the one in 1-2. To collect this puzzle piece, you need to gather all the bananas and coins without jumping into the middle barrel, which will lead to your demise. Don’t forget, you also have to collect all the bananas before time runs out!
Right after you discover the mini-game, look for a flower close by. Give it a good smash, and you’ll reveal the fourth puzzle piece!
Shortly after you grab the letter ‘N’, you’ll notice a trail of bananas guiding you away from the next barrel cannon you need to land in. Aim your shot in that direction to reach a barrel that will launch you straight into the final puzzle piece.
Time Attack Tips
The barrel cannons make this level quite manageable in Time Attack mode, but the real challenge lies in timing your movements with the barrels. If you hurry or miscalculate when to jump, you could end up wasting precious seconds. Once you master the pattern, reaching the checkpoint with 30 to 40 seconds left is definitely achievable. Keep up that rhythm, and if you avoid mistakes, you’ll likely snag a gold medal, if not silver.