In Donkey Kong Bananza, the Planet Core Layer is the 16th layer where you’ll soon reach the conclusion of the story. Even though it’s close to the end, there are still a lot of Banandium Gems for you to find and collect.
The Planet Core is full of your usual enemies, gold, and a bunch of thorns. You’ll need to navigate your way through the dangerous terrain and utilize all of your Bananza forms to grab all of these bananas.
[Ed. note: As this is the finale of Donkey Kong Bananza, everything beyond this point can potentially spoil the game for you. If you’re not on the Planet Core Layer, and are for some reason looking at the bananas on this layer, consider this your final warning!]
Below, we list where to find all of the Banandium Gems in the Planet Core Layer we’ve found so far in Donkey Kong Bananza. We’re still updating this guide with more golden bananas as we find them.
Sublayer 1600 Banandium Gems
We’ve found three Banandium Gems in Sublayer 1600 in the Planet Core Layer.
#1: Victory over Void Kong!
This bunch of bananas is directly in front of you once you drop down to this layer.
#2: A View of the King
From where you land on the sublayer, turn directly around to see this banana on top of a platform in the distance. You can use Ostrich Bananza to glide over here and then Snake Bananza to climb the tower.
#3: In the Belly of K. Rool
Punch through the K. Rool statue’s stomach to find this banana inside. Yuck?
Sublayer 1601 Banandium Gems
We’ve found four Banandium Gems in Sublayer 1601 in the Planet Core Layer.
#4: Floating over Fractone Fort
Climb to the top of the cliff behind the Warp Gong at Fractone Fort. If you look towards the center of the fort, you’ll find a floating shifty platform. Throw a chunk at it and fly over as an ostrich. Quickly swap to a snake and charge jump to the barrel that’ll shoot you to a platform with a banana on it.
#5: Shifty Smash: Inhale and Destroy
This banana is earned after you complete the Shifty Smash challenge on the cliff above the Warp Gong. To complete it, turn into an elephant and suck up all of the lava. Then, swap to Kong Bananza and smash through the concrete and shifty wall.
#6: Planet Core Smashin’ Stats
Speak to the Smashintone next to the Warp Gong after you’ve destroyed 70,000 cubic meters of gold to get a banana.
#7: Planet Core Chip Exchange
Exchange Banandium Chips and gold with a concierge at a getaway or at the Chip Exchange on Sublayer 1606 (pictured above).
Sublayer 1602 Banandium Gems
We’ve found one Banandium Gem in Sublayer 1602 in the Planet Core Layer.
#8: Survived the Gravel Gauntlet
You’ll get this banana from naturally going through the path, after that horrendous dirt road.
Sublayer 1603 Banandium Gems
We’ve found two Banandium Gems in Sublayer 1603 in the Planet Core Layer.
#9: Klaptrapped behind the Goo
After you land on Sublayer 1603, you’ll see a golden banana in the distance. Step onto the first pink goo pathway and allow the hungry, hungry crocodile build a blue goo pathway for you. Quickly cross the blue and pink goo paths to grab the banana while the second hungry, hungry crocodile creates a blue goo wall for you to climb to the next floor.
#10: The Switcheroo Chase
This banana is found naturally through following the path, at the top of the pink/blue goo path.
Sublayer 1604 Banandium Gems
We’ve found two Banandium Gems in Sublayer 1604 in the Planet Core Layer.
#11: Korner of the Krevasse
After you set off the explosives on the spinning circular platform, look below you to find a banana on a floating platform.
#12: Cracking Open the Way
This is another story progression banana. You’ll see it after you complete the portion with the switches and gliding.
Sublayer 1605 Banandium Gems
We’ve found one Banandium Gem in Sublayer 1605 in the Planet Core Layer.
#13: ???
This Banandium Gem isn’t available on your first visit to the Planet Core. We believe that you’ll need to return after you’ve progressed further or after you’ve beaten the main story of Donkey Kong Bananza.
#14: Stomped Stompenclomper! Again!
You get this banana as part of the story, after you defeat the Stompenclomper.
Sublayer 1606 Banandium Gems
We’ve found three Banandium Gems in Sublayer 1606 in the Planet Core Layer.
#15: Planet Core Quiz Master
After you ride the minecart to Sublayer 1606, look under the minecart station to spot Quiztone on the platform below. Drop down and get all of their questions correct to get a banana. If you’re having a hard time answering their questions, here are all of the correct answers:
- Seals
- Powerful
- Quiztone
#16: Shifty Smash: Skyward Smashing
Before you drop down into the hole on Sublayer 1606, climb onto the stone on the right side and look over the edge. You’ll spot a shifty smash challenge on a platform below. Before starting, we recommend transforming into a snake and grabbing a chunk. To complete the challenge, charge jump through the shifty platforms with a chunk in hand all the way to the top.
#17: Fractone Cradle Climb
Before you drop into the hole, look up and across from you to see a banana at the peak. Climb onto the stone on your right and walk along the edge until you reach the large metal structure. Transform into a snake, charge jump, and then double jump at the peak to reach the top. To make things a little easier, you can also upgrade your charge jump in the skills menu.
Sublayer 1607 Banandium Gems
We’ve found two Banandium Gems in Sublayer 1607 in the Planet Core Layer.
#18: Turf Surf Pit Stop
As you’re turf surfing across the thorns, you’ll spot a pillar of thorns on the left side of the track. Hit an enemy into the pillar to remove the thorns and climb up to find a banana.
#19: Turf Surf Finish Line
You get this banana at the end of the Turf Surfing segment on this sublayer.
Sublayer 1608 Banandium Gems
There are no Banandium Gems on Sublayer 1608 in the Planet Core Layer.
Sublayer 1609 Banandium Gems
We’ve found two Banandium Gems in Sublayer 1609 in the Planet Core Layer.
#20: Cranky’s Planet Core Rant
Cranky Kong is to the left on a heightened platform before you take the mine cart to the core. Listen to him to get this banana.
#21: Rocked King K. Rool!
You get this bunch of orange bananas after you take out K. Rool.
#22: ???
This Banandium Gem isn’t available on your first visit to the Planet Core. We believe that you’ll need to return after you’ve progressed further or after you’ve beaten the main story of Donkey Kong Bananza.
#23: ???
This Banandium Gem isn’t available on your first visit to the Planet Core Layer. We believe that you’ll need to return after you’ve progressed further or after you’ve beaten the main story of Donkey Kong Bananza.
Monkeying around in Donkey Kong Bananaza? We have guides to help you plow through this collectathon, including where to find Banandium Gems on Groove Layer, Feast Layer, and Forbidden Layer. We also have guides on how to unlock music discs and explainers on the various Ancient Bananza Powers and the skill tree.