Lagoon Layer Banandium Gem Locations in Donkey Kong Bananza: A Comprehensive Guide

In the vibrant world of Donkey Kong Bananza, the Lagoon Layer presents an exciting challenge for adventurers seeking Banandium Gems, precious golden bananas that are crucial collectibles. While the game's menu indicates a total of 55 gems in this water-filled zone, some remain undiscovered until further progress in the narrative. This comprehensive guide details the precise locations of the accessible Banandium Gems across the Lagoon Layer's various sub-sections, including Sublayer 100, 101, and 102, to assist players in their quest. From cracking Crockoids to navigating thorny paths and uncovering hidden stashes, each gem demands a unique approach, often involving environmental manipulation and combat prowess.

Sublayer 100 alone holds 23 Banandium Gems, with the very first gem appearing directly in front of the player upon initial entry. Progression often involves traversing the terrain, from hopping over walls to punching through soft dirt walls, as seen with the 'Cave by the Cape' gem. Certain gems, such as '#3', are currently unavailable and likely require advancement in the main storyline. The 'Bathing Banana' gem demands players to navigate the path from the Reservoir Bank tuning fork, breaking through a dirt wall to find the collectible submerged in water. The 'Shifty Smash: Beyond the Wall' gem is a test of speed and precision, requiring players to activate a timed challenge by smashing a shiny pyramid and then quickly destroying a distant cube with a bomb rock. It's advisable to prepare the area by breaking the wall beforehand to save precious seconds. For the 'Battle: Stoney, Grassy Goons' gem, players must engage in combat within an Ancient Rune, defeating three Crockoids to claim their reward. The 'A Nook behind Concrete' gem is cleverly hidden behind a concrete panel near rotating concrete walls, requiring a bomb rock to reveal it. Other challenges include battling Antickoids for the 'Battle: Both Sides of the Bridge' gem and a unique puzzle for 'Smash Through the Floor', where players must strategically punch an enemy from the ceiling of a monkey head-shaped cave to break a destructible floor below. Even the wise Cranky Kong offers a gem, 'Cranky's Lagoon Rant', accessible by constructing a path with stone chunks. Further exploration reveals 'A Real Mouthful' inside the monkey head cave's dirt surface and gems scattered along the 'Hangin’ on the Roof Road' Ancient Ruin, including 'Rest Stop on Roof Road', 'Hidden on the Roof Road', and 'At the End of Roof Road', each requiring careful navigation and destruction of obstacles. The 'Lakeside Low Road' gem is tucked away on a ledge near green barrels, accessible by smashing through a stone wall. Combat encounters continue with 'Battle: Swarms among the Pillars', where players must defeat 50 Peekaboopoids. The 'Follow the Voided Terrain' gem tests player agility on shifty platforms. Finally, 'Blasting for the Banana' offers a hazardous but rewarding challenge involving dive punches and avoiding water mines.

Sublayer 101 houses 14 Banandium Gems, with the initial gem, 'Landed in Salvager’s Landing!', appearing immediately after defeating a sub-boss and dropping into the area. 'Shifty Smash: A Wall Hanging in the Air' involves a timed challenge activated by a shifty triangle, demanding swift action to destroy a concrete wall. The 'On the Ceiling of the Floor' gem requires raising the water level and swimming beneath the village to reach it. The 'Over the Thorny Path' and 'Into the Thorny Nook' gems are found within the linear path of the Thorn-Choked Conveyor Ancient Ruin, the latter requiring a bomb rock to clear thorns. Upon completion of this ruin, 'Through the Thorny Walls' is found at the exit. The 'Salvager’s Stash' is located in an underground cavern near the clothing vendor, accessible through a side opening in a green structure. Combat is once again central to 'Battle: Concrete-Wall Clash', where defeating two Crockoids yields a gem. 'Up, Over, and Across' involves manipulating the water level to create a bridge, leading to the elder's court. 'Within the Fast-Growing Grass' is found by navigating a roof road after fully filling the water. 'Hangin’ on Orangu-Hang Highway!' is part of the main story quest, obtained by punching a stake to open a hole. 'Concrete Wall on the Moving Floor' involves breaking through concrete walls with bomb rocks. 'Outskirts of the Fishing Village' is discovered by dropping into the sublayer and climbing a roof. Lastly, 'Crossed to the Kong Elder’s Court!' is obtained by reaching the Elder's Court after raising the water levels.

Sublayer 102 holds five Banandium Gems, although gems 40 through 50 are currently unavailable, implying they are tied to further story progression. 'Dropped into Chimpy Channel!' is acquired upon entering Sublayer 102 after completing the main story quest of Sublayer 101. 'Pop and Destroy' requires players to complete a balloon-collecting challenge within an Ancient Ruin. The 'Atop the Concrete Roof' gem is found by climbing to the top of a maze in Lagoon Layer Challenge Course 3. 'Hung from the Ceiling' involves climbing a wall and then a ceiling path within the maze. Finally, 'Shipwrecked Treasure' awaits inside a small ship in a hidden area revealed by punching through a wall opposite an Ancient Ruin. Each of these gems contributes to the overall Banandium Gem collection, offering both challenges and rewards for dedicated players.

The meticulous exploration of the Lagoon Layer in Donkey Kong Bananza is essential for gathering all the coveted Banandium Gems. Each of these golden bananas is not merely a collectible but an integral part of advancing through the game and mastering its unique mechanics. Whether hidden behind destructible walls, protected by adversaries, or requiring clever use of the environment, every gem contributes to the player's overall progress and enjoyment of this immersive world.