Red-Hot Ride
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Template:Level Red-Hot Ride (alternately named Redhot Ride in Donkey Kong Land 2) is the ninth level of Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest and Donkey Kong Land 2. It is the fourth area of Crocodile Cauldron in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest and the fourth area of Krem Cauldron in Donkey Kong Land 2.
This level takes place within a volcano, but unlike in Hot-Head Hop, solid ground is hard to come by. The Kongs must cross wide lakes of lava by riding atop Hot Air Balloons, which are exclusive to this level in Donkey Kong Country 2 (although they appear a few more times in Donkey Kong Land 2). The Kongs must be careful as they ride the objects, as the balloons slowly descend towards the lava unless they are on top of the thermals found throughout the level. Rambi the Rhinoceros can also be found in this level and used during the first half it. The enemies in this level include Klomps, Klobbers, Flitters, Krunchas, Zingers, Click-Clacks and Neeks.
Level Layout
Donkey Kong Country 2
From the start, Diddy and Dixie need to travel east and hop onto the the Hot Air Balloon, while jumping over an evil Klobber. They should cruise over the pit of lava on the balloon and reach land again. Not long after, the Kongs have to get on yet another balloon and ride over the burning-hot lava. When they get back on the ground, the monkeys can break open a Rambi box and gain the ability to ride on Rambi. Eventually, the group meets up with another Hot Air Balloon over the fiery lava. They must ride over it on the helpful balloon and attack Zingers on the way over. Rambi can beat the pests with a single touch, but if the monkeys have lost the buddy, they must maneuver around the wasps. There are also some steam geysers on the way, which can push the Kongs' balloon higher in the air, keeping it from falling into the fire. After the heroes face those obstacles, they need to get back on land and defeat a few enemies. Nearby, there is a Star Barrel that they can break.
Halfway through the level, the heroes should jump onto the next Hot Air Balloon and ride across the fire pit. There are Zingers and other insects on the way, as well as more steam geysers to keep the balloon in the air. A TNT Barrel also waits upon another balloon that can beat three Zingers, allowing the monkeys to get a hidden Banana Coin. They can finally get back on land after this, but not long after, they need to get on another balloon nearby. Over the burning lava, the Kongs need to avoid more enemies and also hop balloon-to-balloon, as not many steam geysers are around to hold up one balloon the whole time. They monkeys eventually have to go under three Zingers, but while being pushed up by steam geysers. This makes it quite tricky to pass. However, if they wait long enough and get close to the lava below, they can just make it without hitting any Zingers above. Dixie can also flutter over them. Finally, the heroes can hop off a falling Hot Air Balloon and finish the level.
Donkey Kong Land 2
From the start of this level, the heroes must travel east and watch out for a few enemies, then hop on the Hot Air Balloon. On the balloon, they need to simply continue in the same direction over the boiling lava. A few moments later, they end up back on land. Here, the Kongs must jump up to a raised piece of land and get on top of another balloon. On this, the small group should move along and jump on the next balloon nearby. This is followed by yet another balloon to hop on, right next to a Zinger. When they get back on solid ground, they must move forward and get into the Animal Barrel. It turns them into Rambi, who makes the level a bit easier. The rhino needs to jump on the next Hot Air Balloon floating by and travel over to another balloon nearby. After jumping balloon-to-balloon, the animal must hop on Flitters and other insects until he gets to the letter O, where he can fall down and land on solid ground, safely. Eventually, Rambi crosses the "No Animal Buddy" sign and turns back into Diddy and Dixie. These two heroes must then break open the Star Barrel.
At this point, the Kongs are about halfway through the level. They need to go to the right and get on the nearby Hot Air Balloon, then jump over a Zinger and land on another balloon. Once they travel all the way back to the ground, the monkeys must move on and jump across two Flitters. Then, they should jump on the next Hot Air Balloon. The heroes need to they move a little east, then jump over a Zinger and bounce off of a Flitter, landing on the following balloon. Afterwords, the group must jump on another balloons and then hop off of three insects to get to the next balloon. This one finally takes them back to solid ground, where they must beat some Klobbers and other enemies. Unfortunately, they have to jump on another Hot Air Balloon and ride across the fire pit, followed by a second balloon there. Finally, the heroes hop off a Flitter and back onto land, where they can exit the level.
Secrets
Donkey Kong Country 2
K-O-N-G Letters
- K: After the heroes reach the second Hot Air Balloon, they must hover between two thermals to find the letter K.
- O: Shortly after passing the Animal Crate that contains Rambi, the heroes head over a wide pit of lava with a Hot Air Balloon. While crossing the pit, they soon come up to the letter O, located under a Zinger that hovers over a thermal.
- N: While the heroes travel over the first pit from the Star Barrel, they reach a pair of Zingers that surround a Hot Air Balloon. The letter N is above the two wasp-like foes.
- G: The letter G is located near the end of the final pit of lava in the level before a trio of Zingers that fly above some thermals.
Bonus Levels
- Shortly before reaching the level's Star Barrel, the heroes can discover two Krunchas and a No Animal Sign. Immediately before this area, they should use Rambi's special move to break a wall open and create a hole. If they enter it, they find themselves in a Bonus Level, where they must defeat five Klomps and three Flitters as they travel through a fiery area. At some points in the bonus, the heroes must bounce on the Flitters in the stage to cross pits. When all of the enemies are bested, a Kremkoin appears at the end of the area. They have 15 seconds to complete this Bonus Level.
- While under the Star Barrel, Diddy and Dixie can notice a banana under the rocks they are standing on. A Bonus Barrel is hidden under here, and if they hop onto the nearby Hot Air Balloon, it can guide them through the ground area and to the special barrel, which sends them to a Bonus Level when accessed. Here, the heroes must get onto another balloon and grab 45 stars as they travel above a boiling pit of lava. There are thermals above the lava that can keep the Hot Air Balloon in the air. If all of the stars are collected within the time limit of 30 seconds, a Kremkoin appears to grab before the remaining time runs out.
DK Coin
- After leaving the stone platform with the Star Barrel on it, the Kongs must travel across some of a pit of lava, until they eventually see two Zingers lined up with a Hot Air Balloon that is located between them. A DK Coin is located above one of these Zingers, and it can be reached with a jump or with the Kongs' Team-up move.
Warp Barrel
- A Warp Barrel can be found near the beginning of the level. To find it, the primates must head to the second Hot Air Balloon and pass the letter K to reach a thermal. By using their Team-up move here, they can throw one another into the air. If they throw each other in the correct spot in the air, they land in a Warp Barrel that sends them into a Bonus Level, where they can find a group of bananas that form the shape of an exclamation mark. Once they leave the area, they find themselves on a Hot Air Balloon right next to the End of Level Target.
Golden Feather (Game Boy Advance version only)
- This level's Golden Feather is above the thermal located before the letter G, which they can find above the final pit of lava in the level.
Photograph (Game Boy Advance version only)
- A Kruncha with a camera icon over its head marches under the level's Star Barrel. By using their Team-up move, the primates can throw one another at the foe to defeat it. Once the foe is defeated, the Kongs are given a photograph of a Kruncha for the second page of their scrapbook.
Donkey Kong Land 2
K-O-N-G Letters
Bonus Level
- Right after the first fire pit past the Star Barrel, the Kongs must get up to a slightly higher elevation and jump to the left, using Dixie to flutter over with her ponytail. There should be a Hot Air Balloon that they can land on. On this, they must continue west and hop into the Bonus Barrel, leading to the Bonus Level. Here, the heroes need to collect stars in the air on a balloon. They must act fast, though, as the balloon is falling fast. When they get all the stars, they can obtain the Kremkoin.
DK Coin
- When going over the third pit of fire after the Star Barrel, they group must get on the second balloon. Here, they should see a banana below them. If they fall down a little bit on the Hot Air Balloon, the DK Coin should be in sight for grabs.
