The second level of Freezer Layer in Donkey Kong Bananza is SL501, and it’s a dangerous mix of hot and cold that’s tricky to navigate and trickier to find all the missing bananas. Go hunting for all the bananas you’ll need for your collection with our full guide below with map locations and descriptions explaining how to get some of the most hidden banandium gems. You’ll need to progress to the end to access all the areas here, and we recommend finishing the level then returning later to track down everything you might be missing.
Banana Locations | Freezer Layer SL501
Through Coolstripe Cavern – Reach the end of Coolstripe Cavern and destroy the VoidCo stake to reach the next lower sublayer. After dropping down to SL501, you’ll find the banana straight ahead. There’s a Getaway right next to the banana at the start of the level.
Coolin’ Down in Canter Creamery – Progress into Canter Creamery toward the Elder. You’ll need to climb up a waterfall of molten turf. Throw chunks of ice at the molten chocolate to cool it off and make it possible to climb. At the top DK will find a banana reward.
Stake-Hidden Snack – Go to the base of Cold-Colt Crest in SL500. Inside the cave at the base of the mountain, drop down to the bottom of the cave to find a stake. Break it to find a secret path to SL501 with a banana in a metal cage.
A View of Canter Creamery – From Cold-Colt Crest, DK needs to cross a cold river and enter a lava cave before accessing the village on SL500. At the cave entrance, punch through the left wall to find a hidden stake. Destroy it and drop into the hole to find a secret area in SL501.
Molten Hot Choco-Banana – At the start of SL501, at the Chocolava Lake marker on the map, look behind the starting point where DK drops down from SL500 for the first time. There’s a banana in the lava. To get it, move forward and knock down a block of ice, then use it to cool the lava.
Battle: Broiling Bowling Brawl – Go to the path in Chocolava Lake where DK needs to knock down icicles to cross the lava. On the right there’s an optional path leading to a battle arena portal. Defeat the rolluskoid enemies to clear the lava on your path and earn a banandium gem.
Battle: Magma Mayhem – As DK enters the Canter Creamery area at the center of SL501, look to the left of the welcome sign to spot a battle arena portal. For this arena, punch the Antickoids to clear a path through the lava. Use the roll+jump combo to make longer jumps to reach all five easier.
Traversing the Massive Iceberg – Like the battle arena, go to the start of Canter Creamery and look right of the entrance sign. There’s a challenge course portal covered in rubble — talk to the NPC to clear it for it 1,000 gold. For this challenge, you’ll need to sprint across the ice-covered course before it sinks.
Edge of the Massive Iceberg – After the first banana, look to the left side of the ice path ahead. There’s a banana on the edge of the path. Sprint to it before it sinks, then rush back to the blue balloon to re-raise the course.
Mastering the Massive Iceberg – Reach the end of the course to earn the last banana for this challenge.
Shifty Smash: Over the Ice and Lava – Near the challenge course portal, there’s a muddy chocolate turf wall that leads up to the spinning fans at the top of the left. From this high point, go left and look behind to spot an ice bridge. Return with the Zebra Bananza ability to sprint over the ice and reach a getaway. There’s a Shifty Smash mini game right outside.
Freezer Smashin’ Stats – Beneath the giant fans in the area, drop to the high ground below. There’s a Fractone with colorful rocks stacked on his head. Talk to him — he’ll give you stats and reward you with a banana.
Found Above the Fan – At the giant fans above the village, climb to the top of the third spinning fan platform. There are four total. There’s a hidden banana on the third fan.
Kept Warm in the Field – To the right of the Zebra Elder, there’s a spinning cylinder of lava. Hit the cold enemies near the cylinder to clear the lava and get inside.
Trembling Steps Through Powder – Right of the lava cylinder banana, there’s a challenge course portal that’s covered in lava too. Lure one of the ice bomb enemies close to the portal then punch them to cool off the magma floor and allow DK to break through the turf. Use the handslap [R] ability to clear the snow and follow the safe path to the end.
Treacherous Steps Through Powder – Reach the end of the challenge course to collect the second banana. Don’t leave with the barrel launcher yet — there’s still one more gem to collect.
Extra Steps Through Powder – Past the barrel exit, there’s a third banana past the toughest series of platforms. Carefully reach the mound of snow in the distance to earn the last banana.
Through a Too-Hot Tunnel – In the same area as the previous challenge course, go to the opposite side with buried turnips. Use ice that appears from pulling the turnips to reach the central turnip surrounded by lava. Pull this center turnip to enter a cave with a lava tunnel. Use the chunk of ice to create a path to the banana.
Beneath the Zig-Zag Bridges – Continue all the way to the end of the path with bridges and enemies that pop out of the ground. At the end, there’s a large ice block and snow pile. To the left, there’s a long slope of lava leading down to a banandium gem. Use ice to clear the lava or turf surf to reach it.
Smothered in Chocolava – To the right of the bridge leading into the Cooling Tower, there’s a banana in the chocolava river. Use snow and ice to cool the lava to reach it.
Behind the Cooler Tower – Near Floating Chocolava Lake Getaway, DK can run down the ice bridge and be very close to the exterior walkway of the Cooling Tower. Use Ostrich Bananza to reach the catwalk and circle around to the back to find this tricky banana.
Buried in the Cooling Tower – Inside the Cooling Tower, teleport to the upper floor. Beneath the ice machine, there’s a deep turf pit. Clear the way and look at one side to discover a banana submerged in lava. Lead the ice cubes to the lava to free it and get the last banana in this level.
