Screech's Sprint (Donkey Kong Country 2)

Level
Screech's Sprint
Level code	7 - 1
World	The Flying Krock
Game	Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
Music track	Stickerbush Symphony Bad Bird Rag
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Screech's Sprint is the thirty-fourth level of Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest. It is the only regular level of The Flying Krock and the last regular level if not counting the Lost World's. It takes place in between a series of brambles. The first half of Screech's Sprint is similar to other bramble levels, as Diddy and Dixie Kong must climb vines and avoid touching any brambles along the way. A few Cat O' 9 Tails attempt to throw the Kongs up into the brambles, and near the start is a Kloak that throws a Kaboom, just before the group of four Klingers, each sliding down a vine near the start. There are also seven Mini-Neckys that try to swoop into the Kongs. Zingers are the most common enemy, and appear in both their yellow and red varieties throughout both parts of the level. In the second half, just below the Star Barrel, is a Squawks Animal Barrel. Right after Squawks is transformed into, he must participate in a race against Screech for the rest of the level. While racing, Squawks must carefully navigate through the brambles and Zingers, and there are a few shortcuts along the way. Squawks is required to win the race, otherwise he loses a life.

Layout

Screech's Sprint in the Game Boy Advance version

From the start of the level, the Kongs must cross a small gap and defeat a Cat O' 9 Tails. Then, they need to cartwheel-jump across another gap and later dodge a Kloak, and deal with the Kaboom it throws. Once the foe floats away, they should carefully jump over the brambles and cling onto some ropes, with Klingers on them. Without hitting the Kremlings, the heroes must climb across all the ropes and get to the next platform. After that, they must hop over more brambles and climb across another vine, while moving past a group of four Zingers. Then, they should let go of the rope and pass two Cat O' 9 Tails. After that, the monkeys must cling onto a vine and climb up, but while watching out for several Mini-Neckys that will swoop down at them. At the top, the will have to leap to the platform to the left hand side and begin to jump platform to platform over the brambles. Eventually, they will come up to the Star Barrel, as well as an Animal Barrel that will turn them into Squawks.

Halfway through the level, Squawks will meet up with Screech, and shortly after, race him. When the race begins, Squawks will have to hurry west and then survive the twists and turns of the bramble surrounded track. Alternatively, just after the race starts, just before Squawks goes up, he can instead go low and to the left, and land into an invisible Barrel Cannon between some thorns that will fire to the left and upwards. By taking the usual path, Squawks needs to travel a far distance north and then turn east, beating all the Zingers in his path. After that, he must follow the banana arrow pointing south. The parrot will come up to many twists and turns in the track shortly after going here, and get through what seems to be a maze between many, many brambles. Using the banana trail for help, the bird should make his way out of the maze to avoid trouble, and then move east again. Once Squawks defeats all the Zingers in the way here, he must zig-zag his way up north, and then turn west shortly after. While he travels in this area, he will have to maneuver around several red Zingers, who cannot be defeated. At the end of this path, the parrot must continue through and fly north between the sharp brambles. After getting through this narrow passageway, he should quickly beat some Zingers and cross the finish line. If he is able to beat Screech, he may continue through the level, and cross the No Animal Sign, turning him back into the Kongs. The Kongs can continue forward to the End of Level Target, which has either a Banana Bunch, a red Extra Life Balloon, or a green Extra Life Balloon for a prize.

Enemies

The following enemies appear in the following quantities:

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  Cat O' 9 Tails (3)

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  Flitter (1)

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  Kaboom (1)

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  Kloak (1)

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  Klinger (4)

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  Mini-Necky (7)

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  Zinger (yellow) (14)

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  Zinger (red) (25)

Items and objects

The following items and objects appear in the following quantities:

• 

  Banana Coin (8)

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  DK Barrel (4)

KONG Letters

• K: Between two Red Zingers shortly beyond the start of the race.
• O: Proceeding two Red Zingers and a regular Zinger, the "O" Letter is found by taking the left path where the level path splits into three.
• N: Obtained by taking a detour in the race shortly before a myriad of red Zingers.
• G: Left of the plethora of Red Zingers before the end of the race.

Key items

Squawks finds the golden feather

• Cranky's Video Game Hero Coin: During the race against Screech, after passing the letter O and two groups of four vertically-assorted Zingers, Squawks appears at some bananas in the shape of a down arrow. Instead of moving in the specified direction, Squawks must continue right and loop around a bramble (with a DK Barrel in the path) to find the Video Game Hero Coin in a small opening after the loop.
• Golden feather (Game Boy Advance version only): To the bottom right of the Video Game Hero Coin, Squawks must hover down a very narrow opening to collect the golden feather in a corner beneath a small bramble.
• Photograph (Game Boy Advance version only): Squawks can automatically obtain the photograph by winning at the race against Screech in under 1 minute and 20 seconds. The photograph is an image of Screech, which appears on the Scrapbook's third page.

Bonus Area

The Bonus Level of Screech's Sprint

Screech's Sprint has only one Bonus Area, listed by its type:

• Find the Coin!: After passing the group of Mini-Neckys, the Kongs must onto the following platform and cross a gap onto the next platform. From there, they must perform team up to reach a wooden platform above with a kannonball on it. Diddy and Dixie must carry it, jump onto the next platform, and then into the kannon. In the Bonus Area, Diddy and Dixie have 35 seconds to obtain the Kremkoin at the bottom of the stage. There is a DK Barrel at the start, as Dixie's Helicopter Twirl is required to safely navigate between the brambles. There are trails of bananas throughout that direct the path that the Kongs must take. After the first fall is a narrow gap requiring a cartwheel jump from either Kong to pass through, and then another fall through the brambles that require the use of Dixie's Helicopter Spin to safely navigate through. After this, the Kongs must cartwheel through another gap to obtain the Kremkoin on the other end.

Gallery

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  Group artwork of Diddy and Dixie passing Screech through the level.

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  Diddy moving past some Zingers on a horizontal vine.

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  The Video Game Hero Coin's location

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  Squawks takes the lead in a race against Screech

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  Squawks finds the letter N

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  Squawks flying through a swarm of red Zingers.

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  Squawks wins the race

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  Diddy holding on two vines above some Klingers in the Game Boy Advance version

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  Squawks and Screech prepare to race each other in the Game Boy Advance version

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  Squawks flies to the letter O during the race in the Game Boy Advance version

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Japanese	スクリーチ　レース[?] Sukurīchi Rēsu	Screech Race
French	Sprint de Screech[?]	Screech's Sprint
German	Dornenlauf[?]	Thorn Run
Italian	Sprint fra Pennuti[?]	Sprint Between Feathers
Spanish	Carrera Histérica[?]	Histerical Race

Trivia

A bug causing Screech to stop at the starting point

• There is a bug where Squawks can circumvent the race entirely by flying over Screech's head. Doing so causes Screech to stay at the starting point, therefore allowing Squawks to explore the remainder of the level at his own pace. This was fixed for the Game Boy Advance remake, as Screech was relocated slighter below from the upper bramble.