Donkey Kong Bananza - Layer 1
Ingot Isle / Ingot Isle Cave-In
Donkey Kong Bananza / Layer 1 - Ingot Isle / Ingot Isle Cave-In
Ingot Isle / Ingot Isle Cave-In is the opening layer route and tutorial entry point for Donkey Kong Bananza. Use this route page to track layer order, visible collectibles, transformation gates, and cleanup paths as verified route notes are expanded.
Platforms Route steps currently apply to Nintendo Switch 2 unless a verified platform difference is documented.
Player truth
Layer 1
Layer 1 Player Route
Layer / SublayerLayer 1 - Ingot Isle / Ingot Isle Cave-In / Sublayer 1, Sublayer 10
What am I doing here?Ingot Isle / Ingot Isle Cave-In is the opening tutorial route. Learn the basic move, jump, punch, and hand-slap loop, collect the visible tutorial Banandium Gems, and leave deeper cleanup for later.
What controls matter here?See the platform-aware controls reference below.
What Bananza power matters here?No Bananza form is required for the opening route.
Later Ancient Bananza powers can help on cleanup returns.
Later Ancient Bananza powers can help on cleanup returns.
What opens next?Layer 2 - Lagoon Layer
Layer 1 control bindings below come from secondary sources and are being confirmed on Nintendo Switch 2. Verify in-game before relying on any binding.
Controls reference
| Input | Action | Use | Platform / Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Left Stick | Move | Move DK through the route. | Nintendo Switch 2Shacknews controls table: default DK control mapping. |
| Right Stick | Camera / Look Around | Control the camera and look around. | Nintendo Switch 2Shacknews controls table: default DK control mapping. |
| A | Jump | Jump across gaps and reach ledges. | Nintendo Switch 2Shacknews controls table: A is Jump. |
| Y | Punch Forward | Punch forward and break terrain in front of DK. | Nintendo Switch 2Shacknews controls table: Y is Punch forward / Punch. |
| B | Punch Downward | Punch downward or dig down through terrain. | Nintendo Switch 2Shacknews controls table: B is Punch downward. |
| X | Punch Upward | Punch upward through terrain above DK. | Nintendo Switch 2Shacknews controls table: X is Punch upward. |
| ZR / Hold ZR | Grab / Tear Off Terrain | Grab, pick up, or tear chunks from terrain or enemies; hold to tear off a chunk. | Nintendo Switch 2Shacknews controls table and Game8: Hold ZR tears chunks from terrain or enemies. |
| R | Hand Slap | Use Hand Slap to check nearby terrain and reveal useful spots. | Nintendo Switch 2Shacknews controls table: R is Hand Slap. |
| ZL | Roll Forward | Roll forward through the route. | Nintendo Switch 2Shacknews controls table: ZL is Roll forward. |
| Hold L | Whistle / Make Music | Whistle or make music. | Nintendo Switch 2Shacknews controls table: Hold L is Make music. |
| Hold L + R | Drum Chest / Bananza | Drum DK's chest or activate a Bananza ability. | Nintendo Switch 2Shacknews controls table: Hold L + R is Drum Chest / activate Bananza ability. |
| + | Pause | Pause the game. | Nintendo Switch 2Shacknews controls table: + is Pause. |
| - | Map | Open the map. | Nintendo Switch 2Shacknews controls table: - is Map. |
| While holding a chunk, Y | Swing Chunk | While holding a chunk, swing it. | Nintendo Switch 2Shacknews controls table: Y swings a held chunk. |
| While holding a chunk, A in midair | Chunk Jump | While holding a chunk, jump in midair using the chunk. | Nintendo Switch 2Shacknews controls table and Game8: A in midair while holding a chunk performs Chunk Jump. |
| While holding a chunk, ZR / Hold ZR to aim | Throw Chunk | While holding a chunk, throw it or hold the input to aim. | Nintendo Switch 2Shacknews controls table: ZR throws a held chunk and Hold ZR aims. |
| While holding a chunk, ZL | Turf Surf | While holding a chunk, begin Turf Surfing. | Nintendo Switch 2Shacknews controls table: ZL starts Turf Surf while holding a chunk. |
| While Turf Surfing, Y | Turf Surf Speed | Speed up while Turf Surfing. | Nintendo Switch 2Shacknews controls table: Y speeds up while Turf Surfing. |
Sublayer 1
Ingot Isle opening route
- Tasks: Follow the tutorial path and learn the opening movement loop.; Break obvious terrain to open the route.; Pick up the visible tutorial Banandium Gems before leaving.
- Bananza power or form: No Bananza form is required here; the opening route is about basic movement and smashing.
- Boss or major encounter: None verified for this sublayer. No boss or major encounter is verified on the opening route. Treat this sublayer as route learning, not combat routing.
- Collectibles: Three tutorial Banandium Gems are documented in the opening sublayer.
- Cleanup before leaving: Record any visible collectibles skipped on the first pass.; Mark blocked or ability-gated terrain for later cleanup.
- Unlocks next: Later cleanup on Ingot Isle and the path onward to Lagoon Layer.
Sublayer 10
Ingot Isle postgame cleanup return
- Tasks: Return after the story to clean up Ingot Isle.; Use unlocked Ancient Bananza powers to revisit blocked routes.
- Bananza power or form: Later cleanup may use advanced forms or powers, but the opening route does not require them.
- Boss or major encounter: None verified for this sublayer. No verified boss is attached to this cleanup return. This is a return pass for cleanup, not a new story gate.
- Collectibles: Skipped visible items from the opening route.; Later cleanup branches documented in route notes.
- Cleanup before leaving: Keep first-visit and postgame cleanup notes separate.; Do not turn this return into a hidden-location claim without a verified record.
- Unlocks next: Supports later cleanup on Ingot Isle; the numbered route progression already moves to Lagoon Layer.
Route summary
Available Now
At a Glance
ChapterLayer 1
Main ObjectiveClear the opening route, learn core destruction movement, and record early Banandium Gem progress.
Key LocationsIngot Isle, Sublayer 1, Sublayer 10 postgame return
Key Route BeatsOpening orientation - first visible gems - cave-in descent - later transformation cleanup
Step by step
4 Route Steps
Route Walkthrough
Opening Route
Treat Ingot Isle as the Tutorial Baseline
- Follow the opening route until the game has introduced basic movement, smashing terrain, and visible collectible pickup.
- Use this first layer to learn how destructible terrain can hide gold, paths, and Banandium Gems without assuming every wall has a tracked route yet.
- Record any visible collectibles you skip so the cleanup pass has a clear return list.
Collectibles
Track the Tutorial Banandium Gems
- Sublayer 1 is documented as the tutorial portion of Ingot Isle with three Banandium Gems.
- Collect the gems the main route clearly presents before leaving the opening area.
- Do not force exact hidden-gem cleanup from this page yet; detailed positions belong in a later collectible map once source records are complete.
Descent
Move Through the Cave-In Route
- Keep moving downward with the main route instead of over-clearing every destructible surface on the first visit.
- Break obvious terrain that blocks progress or exposes visible pickups, then continue toward the next layer transition.
- Before leaving, note any blocked or ability-gated paths for a later return.
Cleanup
Save Sublayer 10 for Postgame Cleanup
- Ingot Isle has a later Sublayer 10 cleanup set that opens after the game concludes.
- Expect the later return to involve advanced transformations, challenge rooms, gear checks, and high-cost exchanges rather than a simple first-visit sweep.
- Come back after more Ancient Bananza powers are unlocked if a visible path or challenge cannot be completed during Layer 1.
Next Layer
Open Layer 2
Layer 2 — Lagoon Layer
Continue the Donkey Kong Bananza walkthrough with Layer 2.