Editing Cave

{{about|the fourth world in [[Donkey Kong Country Returns]]|the [[Super Smash Bros. Brawl#Subspace Emissary|Subspace Emissary]] stage in [[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]|[[The Cave]]}}
{{worldbox
|image=[[File:DKCR - Cave.png|250px]]
|game=''[[Donkey Kong Country Returns]]'' (''[[Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D|3D]]'')
|levels=7
|before=[[Ruins|<<]]
|after=[[Forest (Donkey Kong Country Returns)|>>]]
}}
{{quote|I've been trying to figure out just what they mine in those mines, but I've got nothing.|Cranky Kong|Donkey Kong Country Returns}}
The '''Cave''' is the fourth world of ''[[Donkey Kong Country Returns]]'' and ''[[Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D]]''. As the name suggests, the levels take place in the caverns. Excluding the secret level, [[Jagged Jewels]], every level in this world either involves the [[Kong]]s riding in [[Mine Cart]]s or [[Rocket Barrel]]s. In both level types, the main enemies are [[Mole Miner]]s and [[Mole Guard]]s, who often change the Kongs' surroundings and attack them often. The Cave shares similarities to [[Chimp Caverns]] from ''[[Donkey Kong Country]]''. When asked if they were the same location, senior designer Kynan Pearson approved of the idea.<ref>KynanPearson (August 12, 2021). [https://twitter.com/KynanPearson/status/1425940659152769030 Tweet by Kynan Pearson] [https://web.archive.org/web/20210812220225/https://twitter.com/KynanPearson/status/1425940659152769030 (Archived)]. ''Twitter''. Retrieved January 30, 2022.</ref>

The world's boss is a mole named [[Mole Miner Max]], who attacks from his [[The Mole Train|Mole Train]].

==Appearance==
[[File:DKCR Cave Icon.png|thumb|Cave icon.]]
The cave, as its name suggests, takes place underground, and all its levels appear as such.  From the world map, the cave is rather small, featuring five main levels, the boss level, the secret level, and Cranky's Shop.  Strangely, it appears to not be underground at all, as if the player uses the "Free Look" option on the map and positions the camera like a bird's-eye view, it has no visible ceiling, likely so it is easier to see.  It also appears to be the home world of the [[Mole Miner]]s, as various houses can be seen in [[Bombs Away (level)|Bombs Away]] and [[Mole Patrol]].  A crystal mine also serves as the setting of Bombs Away, where various collapsing crystals appear.

==Levels==
{|class="wikitable dk" style="text-align:center"
!Code
!Name/Screenshot
!No. of [[Puzzle Piece (Donkey Kong Country series)|Puzzle Pieces]]
!Description
|-
|4-1
|[[File:Rickety Rails DKCR.png|250px]]<br>[[Rickety Rails]]
|5
|A stage where the Kongs have to trek a series of fragile railways inside a [[Mine Cart|minecart]].
|-
|4-2
|[[File:DKCR Grip n Trip Start.png|250px]]<br>[[Grip 'n' Trip]]
|5
|A level where the Kongs journey from minecarts to large locomotives that hold metallic girders, which ferry the Kongs over abysses.
|-
|4-3
|[[File:BombsAway.png|250px]]<br>[[Bombs Away (level)|Bombs Away]]
|5
|A minecart stage where the Kongs venture inside a crystal mine. A [[Mole Guard]] throws bombs onto the railtrack in an attempt to hinder the characters.
|-
|4-4
|[[File:Rocket Barrel Ride DKCR.png|250px]]<br>[[Mole Patrol]]
|5
|The second [[Rocket Barrel]] stage of the game, weaving through a mine populated by [[Mole Miner|moles]].
|-
|4-5
|[[File:Crowded Cavern DKCR.png|250px]]<br>[[Crowded Cavern]]
|5
|The third Rocket Barrel stage, located inside the home of the [[Squeekly]] family.
|-
|4-K
|[[File:JaggedJewels.png|250px]]<br>[[Jagged Jewels]]
|5
|The fourth temple stage of the game, featuring various spike mechanisms.
|-
|4-B
|[[File:MoleTrain.PNG|250px]]<br>[[The Mole Train]]
|0
|The fourth boss stage in the game, taking place on a series of banana-filled minecarts. After fighting three waves of [[Mole Miner]]s, the Kongs face their leader, [[Mole Miner Max]].
|}

==Extras==
[[File:Diorama4-DKCR.png|thumb|200px|The Cave diorama, unlocked after collecting all Puzzle Pieces in [[Jagged Jewels]] and defeating [[Mole Miner Max]]]]
The following is extra content that can be unlocked in the Cave. The unlockables can be seen in their respective galleries after selecting the "EXTRAS" option in a file's menu. For a full list of extras in the game, see [[List of extras in Donkey Kong Country Returns|here]].

===Images===
Images are unlocked by collecting all [[Puzzle Piece (Donkey Kong Country series)|Puzzle Pieces]] in certain levels. All images that can be unlocked in the Cave are listed below, along with their titles and the levels wherein they can be unlocked (mentioned in parentheses).
<gallery>
Stuconcept.png|[[Stu]]<br>([[Rickety Rails]])
TikiPop.png|[[Tiki Pop]]<br>([[Grip 'n' Trip]])
MoleMiner.png|[[Mole Guard]]s<br>([[Bombs Away (level)|Bombs Away]])
Tikibuzzca.png|[[Tiki Buzz]]<br>([[Mole Patrol]])
Squeeklyfamily.png|[[Squeekly]] Family<br>([[Crowded Cavern]])
</gallery>

===Music===
A soundtrack selection for this world can be unlocked after beating [[Mole Miner Max]].
*"Mine Cart Cruise" &ndash; plays in [[Grip 'n' Trip]]. It is an arrangement of "Mine Cart Madness" from ''[[Donkey Kong Country]]''.
*"Mine Menace" &ndash; plays in [[Crowded Cavern]]; also plays in [[Peaceful Pier]] earlier in the game, and [[Gear Getaway]] later.
*"Rickety Rails" &ndash; plays in [[Rickety Rails]] and [[Bombs Away (level)|Bombs Away]]; also plays in the [[Cloud (world)|Cloud]] level, [[Mischievous Moles]].

==Names in other languages==
{{foreign_names
|Jap=どうくつエリア
|JapR=Dōkutsu Eria
|JapM=Cave Area
|Spa=Cueva
|SpaM=Cave
}}

==References==
<references/>

{{DKCR}}
[[Category:Mines]]
[[Category:Underground areas]]
[[Category:Donkey Kong Island]]
[[Category:Donkey Kong Country Returns worlds]]
[[de:Höhle (Donkey Kong Country Returns)]]