Uncovering Every Banandium Gem in Donkey Kong Bananza's Hilltop Layer

Embark on a captivating journey through the Hilltop Layer of Donkey Kong Bananza, a dynamic environment brimming with precious Banandium Gems. While this area may appear more compact than the expansive Lagoon Layer, it nonetheless offers a rich tapestry of secrets and challenges awaiting discovery. This detailed guide serves as an invaluable resource, meticulously charting the locations of each known Banandium Gem, facilitating a smoother and more rewarding progression for players eager to uncover every hidden treasure. The crystalline inhabitants of the Hilltop Layer, known for their turf-surfing prowess, will undoubtedly inspire you to navigate the undulating terrain, seizing both golden artifacts and Banandium Gems.

As you delve into the heart of the Hilltop Layer, numerous opportunities arise to expand your Banandium Gem collection. Upon your initial arrival, a gem awaits as a testament to your triumph over the boss of Sublayer 102. Within Fractone Village, a particular gem is nestled in a cave accessible by dropping down a cliff side and utilizing the Kong Bananza ability to breach a stone banana. Further exploration within the village reveals more: a battle challenge door guarded by two Fractones yields a gem upon successful completion, and a gem lies behind a destructible dirt wall, reachable by activating platforms beneath the shops. Continuing along the Shifty Platform Road, another gem is acquired naturally as you traverse the initial platforms. A cleverly concealed gem can be found by descending a vertically moving cube and smashing through a thorn wall. Completing the Shifty Platform Road challenge also guarantees a gem at its conclusion.

Beyond the village, the challenges intensify. A Fragmentone in a cavern behind the village gong requires assistance in reuniting with its missing pieces, granting a gem upon successful restoration. Another battle against three crockoids within a time limit, found inside a cave near the village, rewards a gem. The Hilltop Hide-and-Seek challenge involves locating four crystal friends of an NPC near a stone banana formation, culminating in a gem once all are found. At the Construction Site, a generous NPC bestows a gem once you’ve creatively demolished 20,000 cubic meters of terrain. Another gem blossoms from a potted plant at the Construction Site’s edge after it receives sunlight from a smashed banana. The Thorny Hill Speed Surf course, located near the Construction Site, offers two gems: one for simply finishing the race within 60 seconds, and another for completing it with at least 20 seconds to spare. A secret gem is also tucked away behind a wall near the barrel upon exiting this course.

Further into the landscape, a peculiar gem awaits within a cave behind a giant stone banana bunch, accessible after navigating through a muddy tunnel. This gem is secured by smashing a round canopy within 20 seconds. Adjacent to the Fractone arrow, a battle challenge door offers a gem after overcoming a three-tiered tussle. The progression-critical gem “Peeled from Peel Peak” is obtained by neutralizing the purple metal obstruction at Hilltop’s sinkhole. At the summit of Peel Peak, manipulate a floating platform by targeting its sticky goo to retrieve a gem. Another gem is lodged behind a concrete wall within the central banana of Peel Peak. A challenging timed smash of a rotating wall inside a cave to the left of Peel Peak awards yet another gem. The Spiked-Tide Slope challenge course features a gem directly in your path and another at its conclusion. A hidden gem within this course requires dropping down from a bridge near the exit barrel and utilizing bombs or the Kong Bananza ability to clear obstacles.

The Hilltop Layer also presents unique environmental interactions for gem acquisition. A “Flying Banana” gem requires precise timing to break a gem from a flying contraption that periodically pauses. Near the village, a “Gold-Dipped Banana” gem is found by smashing through a concrete slab surrounded by spiky enemies. A “Hilltop Quiz Master” NPC, perched atop a large stone banana, challenges your knowledge with three questions; answering correctly yields a gem. Cranky, located on an otherwise unreachable platform, grants a gem after a brief conversation once his platform has been brought down. The “Shifty Smash: Downhill Run” turf surfing challenge in a cavern to the right of the starting area also offers a gem. Within the opened sinkhole, hugging the wall with a ledge and breaking concrete reveals the “Tunneling Through the Pit” gem. The “Treasured Memories” gem is located within DK’s house, accessible from the “Nostalgia Country” challenge course, by jumping on a tire. The “Over the Valley” and “Hijiinxs in the Jungle” gems are unmissable as they are directly along the path of the Nostalgia Country challenge. Lastly, the “Hilltop Chip Exchange” in Fractone Village allows for repeated acquisition of Banandium Gems by trading in chips and gold, although it contributes only once to the overall collection count, it supports skill point accumulation.

Ultimately, conquering the Hilltop Layer and unearthing its full bounty of Banandium Gems demands both keen observation and skillful execution. The varied nature of these collectibles, from combat challenges to environmental puzzles and exploratory tasks, ensures that players remain engaged throughout their adventure. Successfully gathering these invaluable gems is not merely about completion; it significantly bolsters your in-game abilities and prepares you for the trials that lie ahead in the expansive world of Donkey Kong Bananza.