Editing KONG Letters

{{item infobox
|image=[[File:DKCR3D K.png|100px]][[File:DKCR3D O.png|100px]][[File:DKCR3D N.png|100px]][[File:DKCR3D G.png|100px]]<br>Artwork of the KONG Letters from ''[[Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D]]''
|first_appearance=''[[Donkey Kong Country]]'' ([[List of games by date#1994|1994]])
|latest_appearance=''[[Donkey Kong Country Returns HD]]'' ([[List of games by date#2025|2025]])
}}
{{quote|Keep your eyes open for those KONG Letters, they might be worth something!|[[Cranky Kong]]|[[Donkey Kong Country Returns]]}}
'''KONG Letters'''<ref name="DKL manual EN-US"/><ref name="DKC2 SNES manual EN-US"/><ref name="DKCR PAL manual"/> (alternatively formatted as '''K-O-N-G Letters''',<ref name="DKC SNES manual EN-US"/><ref name="DKC3 SNES manual EN-US"/><ref name="DKCR manual NA"/> '''K O N G Letters''',<ref name="DKL2 3DS manual EN-GB/><ref name="DKL3 3DS manual EN-GB"/> or '''KONG letters'''<ref name="DKCTF manual EN-GB"/><ref name="Nintendo Magazine System UK"/>), also known as '''Golden Letters''',<ref name="DKC Player's Guide"/> '''KONG Golden Letters''',<ref name="DKC Prima"/> '''Letter panels''',<ref name="SNW Direct"/> or simply '''letters''',<ref name="DKC GBA manual EN-US/> are recurring collectible items in the [[Donkey Kong Country (series)|''Donkey Kong Country'' series]] and [[Donkey Kong Land (series)|''Donkey Kong Land'' series]]. They are a set of four square-shaped objects, each displaying a letter of "[[Kong]]," and the first appear in ''[[Donkey Kong Country]]''. KONG Letters are in every [[level]] except boss levels. All four letters can be collected for a reward, usually an [[extra life]]; in some games, collecting them is mandatory. KONG Letters also serve as loose progress indicators, as the letter ''K'' usually appears at the start, the letters ''O'' and ''N'' appear midway through the level, and the letter ''G'' appears near the end.

The original trilogy depicts KONG Letters as flat gold-lined objects with one of the four letters stamped on. In ''[[Donkey Kong Country Returns]]'' (as well as [[Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D|its Nintendo 3DS port]] and [[Donkey Kong Country Returns HD|its Nintendo Switch port]]) and ''[[Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze]]'' (as well as [[Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Nintendo Switch)|its Nintendo Switch port]]), the KONG Letters are redesigned with a more simplistic appearance, resembling plain red panels with yellow letters.

==History==
===''Donkey Kong Country'' / ''Donkey Kong Land'' trilogy===
[[File:KONG Letters DKC art.jpg|thumb|Artwork of all four KONG Letters in ''Donkey Kong Country'']]
KONG Letters appear in each stage, typically in plain sight, but some are hidden or in a [[Bonus room|Bonus Areas]].<ref>{{cite|quote=Most of the letters are out in the open, but some are hidden and some are found in Bonus Areas.|title=''Donkey Kong Country'' Player's Guide|date=1994|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en-us|page=22}}</ref> Some [[End of Level Target]]s in ''[[Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest]]'' include a ''G'' amongst the rewards,<ref>{{cite|url=youtu.be/g3tRMXos8J4?feature=shared&t=137|timestamp=02:17|author=[[User:VideoGamePhenomHD|VideoGamePhenom]]|date=June 9, 2020|title=''Donkey Kong Country 2'' (SNES) - Krem Quay - Krockhead Klamber|publisher=YouTube|language=en-us|accessdate=December 12, 2024}}</ref> and a KONG Letter sometimes hides inside a [[treasure chest]].<ref>{{cite|timestamp=0:12|url=youtu.be/uU8LbDLj8rs?feature=shared&t=12|title=Donkey Kong Country 2 (SNES) - Crocodile Cauldron - Hot-Head Hop|date=June 9, 2020|publisher=YouTube|language=en|accessdate=December 12, 2024}}</ref>

[[File:KONG Letters Artwork - Donkey Kong Country 3.png|200px|thumb|Artwork of the KONG Letters from ''Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!'']]
Certain levels have two of the same letter, and collecting one makes the other disappear. For example, in ''Donkey Kong Country''{{'}}s [[Snow Barrel Blast]], there are two letter ''G''{{'}}s, each appearing in a path that the Kongs can take. In ''Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest''{{'}}s [[Chain Link Chamber (Donkey Kong Country 2)|Chain Link Chamber]], there are two letter ''O''{{'}}s in the same area. North American releases of ''[[Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!]]'' do not have a letter ''G'' in [[Rocket Rush (level)|Rocket Rush]].<ref>{{cite|url=tcrf.net/Donkey_Kong_Country_3:_Dixie_Kong's_Double_Trouble_(SNES)|title=Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble (SNES)|publisher=The Cutting Room Floor|language=en|accessdate=December 12, 2024}}</ref>

In ''Donkey Kong Country'', yellow letters similar to the KONG Letters appear in the "Spell it Out!" [[bonus room]] challenges. The goal is to [[jump]] at the letters to spell out a word in the correct order.<ref>{{cite|title=''Donkey Kong Country'' Player's Guide|page=55|quote=Spell out the word 'K-O-N-G' to earn a Golden Expresso Token.}}</ref> In the [[Donkey Kong Country (Game Boy Advance)|second remake]] only, collecting every letter is required for 101% [[completion]],<ref name=completion>{{cite|url=youtu.be/Awi4UtTofE0?feature=shared&t=3862|title=''Donkey Kong Country'': Changes from SNES to GBA|date=February 1, 2018|author=Greenalink|timestamp=1:04:22|publisher=YouTube|language=en|accessdate=December 12, 2024}}</ref> and the player can check the statistics for KONG Letters from the level stats menu.<ref name=completion/>

In ''[[Donkey Kong Land]]'' only, collecting all four KONG Letters enables the player to save their progress.<ref>{{cite|quote=If you collect all the letters to spell K-O-N-G in a level, you will gain access to the Save Game Screen after you have finished the level.|title=''Donkey Kong Land'' instruction booklet|page=10|date=1995|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{cite|timestamp=02:12|url=youtu.be/lOdDzFyLnBw?feature=shared&t=132|title=''Donkey Kong Land'' (GB) - 100% Longplay (No Damage)|author=Mariofan98 Longplays|date=March 17, 2016|publisher=YouTube|language=en|accessdate=December 12, 2024}}</ref> The [[Kong Krazy]] level has several KONG Letters that are used for constructing bridges and stairways.<ref>{{cite|title=''Nintendo Power'' Volume 74|page=20|date=July 1995|author=Tilden, Gail, et al.|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en-us}}</ref> A button after each set allows the KONG Letters to form into a platform to cross a gap.<ref>{{cite|author=VideoGamePhenom|timestamp=0:12|url=youtu.be/FEzAVo5fR2k?feature=shared&t=12|title=''Donkey Kong Land'' - Big Ape City - Kong Krazy|date=May 9, 2019|publisher=YouTube|language=en|accessdate=December 12, 2024}}</ref>

In the original version of ''Donkey Kong Country'', the KONG Letter sprites sparkle and shimmer. In the sequels and Game Boy Advance version, however, they spin instead.

===''Donkey Konga 3''===
In ''[[Donkey Konga 3 JP|Donkey Konga 3]]'', the KONG Letters are hung as decorations, surrounded by garlands in the Christmas background.

===''DK: Jungle Climber''===
In ''[[DK: Jungle Climber]]'', KONG Letters were renamed '''KONG Panels''',<ref>{{cite|language=en|title=''Donkey Kong: Jungle Climber'' English instruction booklet|page=15|date=2007|publisher=Nintendo of America}}</ref> and they retain their role as collectible items. Like in ''Donkey Kong Country''{{'}}s Game Boy Advance version, the KONG Panels are required collectibles, and they grant an extra life if all four in a level are collected.
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===''Donkey Kong Country Returns'' (''3D'' / ''HD'')===
In ''Donkey Kong Country Returns'' (as well as its [[Nintendo 3DS]] and [[Nintendo Switch]] ports), KONG Letters are required collectible items. When Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong obtain every letter in a level, an orange pin with a black star appears under the name of the level. When they collect every KONG Letter in a [[world]], Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong unlock a Key Temple. This is a difficult level that lacks KONG Letters but ends with collecting one of the [[Rare Orb]]s. KONG Letters do not appear in the [[Golden Temple]], and in ''Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D'' and ''Donkey Kong Country Returns HD''. this extends to all of the levels in the [[Cloud (world)|Cloud]] world.

Unlocking Mirror Mode requires collecting every KONG Letter due to cascading requirements from the Rare Orbs. In Mirror Mode, the letters on the KONG Letters are flipped like the other surroundings. Collecting all the KONG Letters from a level in Mirror Mode changes the orange pin to blue, but has no further effect. This does not count for [[Completion|200% completion]].

[[Prima Games]] refers to the KONG Letters individually as the '''K Block''',<ref name=KO>{{cite|author=Knight, Michael|title=''Donkey Kong Country Returns'' Prima Official Game Guide|page=30|publisher=[[Prima Games]]|date=November 21, 2010|isbn=978-0-307-47102-4}}</ref> '''O Block''',<ref name=KO/> '''N Block''',<ref name=NG>{{cite|author=Knight|title=''Donkey Kong Country Returns'' Prima Official Game Guide|page=31}}</ref> and '''G Block'''.<ref name=NG/>

===''Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze''===
[[File:Letter K Artwork - Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze.png|frame|The letter ''K'' from ''Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze'']]
In ''Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze'' and its Nintendo Switch port, KONG Letters retain their appearance and role from ''Donkey Kong Country Returns''. The Kongs must collect every KONG Letter in a world to unlock a temple level, which has a [[mysterious relic]] instead of a Rare Orb. On [[Hard Mode#Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze|Hard Mode]], the KONG Letters are colored blue; collecting them colors the star icon near a level's name from red to blue, although they are not required for 200% completion.
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==Profiles==
===''Donkey Kong Land'' series===
====''Donkey Kong Land''====
{{Multilang profile
|type=vc_3ds
|EngE=There is one of each letter to be found in each level. Collect them all and you will be able to save your progress.
|FreE=Ces 4 lettres se trouvent dans chaque niveau. Obtenez-les toutes pour pouvoir sauvegarder votre progression.
|Ger=Diese Buchstaben können in jedem Level gefunden werden. Wenn du sie alle sammelst, kannst du deinen Fortschritt speichern.
|Ita=In ciascun livello del gioco si celano le quattro lettere della parola KONG. Trovale tutte per salvare i tuoi progressi.
|SpaE=En cada fase podrás encontrar las letras que forman la palabra KONG. Si consigues reunirlas todas, podrás guardar la partida.
}}

====''Donkey Kong Land 2'' / ''Donkey Kong Land III''====
{{Multilang profile
|type=vc_3ds
|EngE=Retrieve all of the K O N G letters in a single stage to receive an extra heart.
|FreE=Récoltez toutes les lettres K O N G dans un niveau pour obtenir un cœur supplémentaire.
|Ger=Sammele alle K-O-N-G-Buchstaben in einem einzelnen Level ein, um ein zusätzliches Herz zu erhalten.
|Ita=Scova le lettere KONG disseminate in ciascun livello per ottenere un cuore extra.
|SpaE=Si recoges las letras K O N G en una misma fase, conseguirás un corazón adicional.'' (''Donkey Kong Land 2'')<br>''Si recoges todas las letras K O N G en una misma fase, conseguirás un corazón adicional.'' (''Donkey Kong Land III'')
}}

===''Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest''===
{{Multilang profile
|type=vc_wiiu
|Eng=Collect the letters to spell KONG and earn an extra life.}}

==Gallery==
{{Main-gallery}}
<gallery>
Letter K DKC.png|Letter ''K'' sprite from ''[[Donkey Kong Country]]''
Letter O.png|Letter ''O'' sprite from ''[[Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest]]''
Letter N DKC GBC.png|Letter ''N'' sprite from ''Donkey Kong Country'' ([[Game Boy Color]])
G Letter DKJC.png|Letter ''G'' sprite from ''[[DK: Jungle Climber]]''
</gallery>

==Names in other languages==
{{foreign names
|Jpn=K・O・N・Gの{{ruby|文字|もじ}}
|JpnR=K O N G no Moji
|JpnM=K O N G Letters
|JpnN=''Super Donkey Kong''
|JpnC=<ref>{{cite|title=''Super Donkey Kong'' instruction booklet|page=11|date=1994|publisher=Nintendo|language=ja}}</ref>
|Jpn2=K・O・N・Gの{{ruby|文字|もじ}}パネル
|Jpn2R=K O N G no Moji Paneru
|Jpn2M=K O N G Letter Panels
|Jpn2N=''Super Donkey Kong 2'' and ''Super Donkey Kong 3''
|Jpn2C=<ref>{{cite|title=''Super Donkey Kong 2: Dixie & Diddy'' instruction booklet|page=21|date=1995|publisher=Nintendo}}</ref><ref>{{cite|language=ja|publisher=Nintendo|title=''Super Donkey Kong 3: Nazo no Kremis-tō'' instruction booklet|page=29|date=1996}}</ref>
|Jpn3=「KONG」のパネル
|Jpn3R="KONG" no Paneru
|Jpn3M="KONG" Panels
|Jpn3N=''Super Donkey Kong 2'', [[Kong Kollege|Wrinkly]]
|Jpn4=K・O・N・Gパネル
|Jpn4R=K O N G Paneru
|Jpn4M=K O N G Panels
|Jpn4N=''Donkey Kong: Jungle Climber''
|Jpn4C=<ref>{{cite|title=ドンキーコング ジャングルクライマー (''Donkī Kongu Janguru Kuraimā'') instruction booklet|language=ja|page=20|publisher=Nintendo|date=2007}}</ref>
|Jpn5=「K」「O」「N」「G」
|Jpn5R="K" "O" "N" "G"
|Jpn5N=''Donkey Kong Returns'' and ''Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze''
|FreE=Lettres KONG
|FreEM=KONG Letters
|FreEC=<ref>''Donkey Kong Land'' Virtual Console electronic manual (European French). Tab 11.</ref>
|FreE2=Lettres K O N G
|FreE2M=K O N G Letters
|FreE2C=<ref>''Donkey Kong Land 2'' Virtual Console electronic manual (European French). Tab 12.</ref><ref>''Donkey Kong Land III'' Virtual Console electronic manual (European French). Tab 12.</ref>
|Ger=KONG-Buchstaben
|GerM=KONG Letters
|GerC=<ref>''Donkey Kong Land'' Virtual Console electronic manual (German). Tab 11.</ref>
|Ger2=K-O-N-G-Buchstaben
|Ger2M=K-O-N-G Letters
|Ger2C=<ref>''Donkey Kong Land 2'' Virtual Console electronic manual (German). Tab 12.</ref><ref>''Donkey Kong Land III'' Virtual Console electronic manual (German). Tab 12.</ref>
|Ita=Lettere di K-O-N-G
|ItaM=K-O-N-G Letters
|ItaC=<ref>{{cite|title=''[[Donkey Kong Country]]'' Italian booklet|page=9}}</ref>
|Ita2=Lettere K-O-N-G
|Ita2M=K-O-N-G Letters
|Ita2C=<ref>{{cite|title=''Donkey Kong Land 2'' Italian manual|page=7}}</ref><ref>{{cite|date=2004|title=''[[Donkey Kong Country 2 (Game Boy Advance)|Donkey Kong Country 2]]'' (Game Boy Advance) European booklet|page=112|publisher=Nintendo}}</ref><ref>{{cite|title=''Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!'' Spanish-Italian booklet|page=36|publisher=Nintendo}}</ref><ref>{{cite|title=''Donkey Kong Land III'' Spanish-Italian booklet|page=47}}</ref>
|Ita3=Lettere KONG
|Ita3M=KONG Letters
|Ita3C=<ref name="Italian names"/>
|SpaA=Letras
|SpaAM=Letters
|SpaAC=<ref>{{cite|title=''Club Nintendo'' (Chile) ''La Jungla de Donkey Kong: Edición Especial''|page=45}}</ref>
|SpaE=Las letras de la palabra KONG
|SpaEM=Letters of the word KONG
|SpaEC=<ref>''Donkey Kong Land'' Virtual Console electronic manual (European Spanish). Tab 11.</ref>
|SpaE2=Letras K O N G
|SpaE2M=K O N G Letters
|SpaE2C=<ref>''Donkey Kong Land 2'' Virtual Console electronic manual (European Spanish). Tab 12.</ref><ref>''Donkey Kong Land III'' Virtual Console electronic manual (European Spanish). Tab 12.</ref>
}}

==Trivia==
*In ''[[Donkey Kong Country]]'', in some bonus games, other letters exist in K-O-N-G Letter form. All letters except ''F'', ''H'', ''J'', ''L'', ''Q'', ''V'', and ''Z'' are used in-game.<ref>{{cite|title=[[tcrf:Donkey Kong Country (SNES)/Unused Object Graphics|''Donkey Kong Country'' (SNES)/Unused Object Graphics]]|publisher=The Cutting Room Floor|accessdate=July 5, 2024}}</ref>

==References==
<references>
<ref name="DKL manual EN-US">{{cite|date=1995|title=''Donkey Kong Land'' instruction booklet|page=10|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en}}</ref>
<ref name="DKC2 SNES manual EN-US">{{cite|date=1995|title=''Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest'' instruction booklet|page=17|language=en|publisher=Nintendo of America}}</ref>
<ref name="DKCR PAL manual">{{cite|url=m1.nintendo.net/docvc/RVL/EUR/SF8P/SF8P_E.pdf|format=PDF|title=''Donkey Kong Country Returns''  PAL instruction manual|page=24|date=2010|language=en-gb|publisher=Nintendo of Europe}}</ref>
<ref name="DKC SNES manual EN-US">{{cite|date=1994|title=''Donkey Kong Country'' instruction booklet|page=9|language=en|publisher=Nintendo of America}}</ref>
<ref name="DKC3 SNES manual EN-US">{{cite|title=''Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!'' instruction booklet|page=8|publisher=Nintendo of America|date=1996}}</ref>
<ref name="DKCR manual NA">{{cite|title=''Donkey Kong Country Returns'' instruction manual|deadlink=y|archive=web.archive.org/web/20101122232754/http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/gameslist/manuals/Wii_DKC_Returns.pdf|page=19|publisher=nintendo.com|language=en-us|format=PDF|date=2010}}</ref>
<ref name="DKL2 3DS manual EN-GB>''Donkey Kong Land 2'' Virtual Console electronic manual (British English). Tab 12.</ref>
<ref name="DKL3 3DS manual EN-GB">''Donkey Kong Land III'' Virtual Console electronic manual (British English). Tab 12.</ref>
<ref name="DKCTF manual EN-GB">{{cite|date=2014|language=en-gb|publisher=Nintendo of Europe|url=cdn02.nintendo-europe.com/media/downloads/games_8/emanuals/wii_u_6/donkey_kong_country__tropical_freeze/ElectronicManual_WiiU_DonkeyKongCountryTropicalFreeze_EN.pdf|title=''Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze'' instruction manual]. Tab 8.|format=PDF}}</ref>
<ref name="Nintendo Magazine System UK">{{cite|date=November 1994|title=''Nintendo Magazine System'' (UK) Issue #26 (NMS Special)|page=8}}</ref>
<ref name="DKC Player's Guide">{{cite|date=1994|title=''Donkey Kong Country'' Player's Guide|page=22|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en}}</ref>
<ref name="DKC Prima">{{cite|author=Hodgson, David S. J.|publisher=[[Prima Games]]|date=June 17, 2003|title=''Donkey Kong Country'' Prima's Official Strategy Guide|language=en-us|page=7|isbn=0-7615-4334-1}}</ref>
<ref name="SNW Direct">{{cite|quote=Now, as you explore this area, you'll find Letter panels like this.|author=[[Shigeru Miyamoto]] (subtitles), Nintendo of America channel|date=November 11, 2024|url=youtu.be/F8OtALOr8JI?t=1973|title=SUPER NINTENDO WORLD Direct (Donkey Kong Country) 11.11.2024|timestamp=32:53|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=November 11, 2024}}</ref>
<ref name="DKC GBA manual EN-US>{{cite|date=2003|title=''Donkey Kong Country'' (Game Boy Advance) instruction booklet|page=13|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en}}</ref>
<ref name="Italian names">Multiple references:
*{{cite|title=''Donkey Kong Land'' Italian booklet|page=10}}
*''Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest'', GIG's Italian manual{{page needed}}
*{{cite|title=''Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!'' Spanish-Italian booklet|page=51}}
*{{cite|title=''Donkey Kong Land 2'' Italian manual|page=16}}
*''Donkey Kong Land'' Virtual Console electronic manual (Italian). Tab 11.
*''Donkey Kong Land 2'' Virtual Console electronic manual (Italian). Tab 12.
*''Donkey Kong Land III'' Virtual Console electronic manual (Italian). Tab 12.
*{{cite|title=''Donkey Kong: Jungle Climber'' Italian booklet|page=15}}
*{{cite|title=''Donkey Kong Country Returns'' Italian booklet|page=24}}
*''Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D'' Italian e-manual. Tab 12.
*''Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze'' Italian e-manual. Tab 17.</ref>
</references>

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[[Category:Collectibles]]
[[Category:Donkey Kong items]]
[[Category:DK: Jungle Climber]]
[[Category:Donkey Kong Country items]]
[[Category:Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest items]]
[[Category:Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! items]]
[[Category:Donkey Kong Country Returns items]]
[[Category:Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze items]]
[[Category:Donkey Kong Land items]]
[[Category:Donkey Kong Land 2 items]]
[[Category:Donkey Kong Land III items]]
[[de:KONG-Buchstaben]]