When you reach every Elder in Donkey Kong Bananza, DK and Pauline are tasked to recover broken pieces of that layer's Ancient Record. The Radiance Layer is home to the Snake Elder and the Snake Bananza transformation, but players aren't able to unlock this final Bananza power until they recover all four pieces of the Radiance Ancient Record.
These Record Pieces can all be found nearby, but Donkey Kong Bananza players can't just waltz up and collect them – each is locked behind a specific challenge. This guide explains where to find every Radiance layer Record Piece and how to complete all four of the Snake Elder's challenges.
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Where Are The Radiance Layer Record Pieces?
Complete Nearby Challenges To Get All Four Record Pieces
Upon reaching the Radiance Layer you will be quickly pointed toward the Snake Elder. Like other Elders you have encountered thusfar, the Snake Elder cannot provide Donkey Kong with a new Bananza power until he finds, and returns, Ancient Record pieces.
In other layers, these record pieces can be found out in the open world or nearby, but in the Radiance layer, all four Record pieces are found in separate challenge rooms that surround the Snake Elder.
Talk to the snake NPCs around the elder to be pointed toward the four challenges and four Record piece locations in the Pitch-Dark Pit, the Sizzling Sunbath, the Sidewinder Slide, and the Slithery Zip Line.
Radiance Layer Ancient Record Piece #1 Location
The Pitch-Dark Pit
The Pitch-Dark Pit is to the left of the Snake Elder inside a cave. Enter the cave to find an incredibly dark tunnel system. Throughout these tunnels you will find Glow Stones that DK can pick up and use to light his surroundings, destroy environmental obstacles, and defeat voided enemies in the cave.
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Reach the end of the cave and you will be faced with three voided enemies in front of the first Radiance Record Piece. Destroy these enemies with a Glow Stone, then pick up the Record Piece. This first Record Piece glows like a Glow Stone and serves as a source of light as you navigate back to the surface to place this onto the Snake Elder's turntable.
Radiance Layer Ancient Record Piece #2 Location
The Sizzling Sunbath
Like the Pitch-Dark Pit, the Sizzling Sunbath can be found to the left of the Snake Elder. The entrance is embedded in the wall on the left, which leads to a room filled with lava and a metal walkway. In the middle of the room is a large cube enemy with arms that can spin in a circle, hitting you anywhere on the circular platform.
Walk into the room, jump over the enemy's arms as they sprout out from its torso, then grab the second Record Piece on a platform in the back of the room. Return to the entrance and jump over the enemy's arms once again, then place this into the turntabler.
Radiance Layer Ancient Record Piece #3 Location
The Sidewinder Slide
The other two Radiance layer Record Piece locations are on the right side of the Snake Elder. The Sidewinder Slide is a huge cylinder that leads down into a hole in the ground. To complete this challenge, Donkey Kong must grab onto the slippery cylinder and slide all the way down to the bottom of the pillar, avoiding spikes and hazards on the way.
To beat the Sidewinder Slide puzzle, grab onto the cylinder at the top, then tilt your camera so you can see the path below. Remember that you can slow DK's slipping speed by holding up on the analog stick, which gives him a bit more grip and is helpful for navigating tricky sections of the cylinder.
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When you reach the first stopping point, you will get a Banandium Gem. From here, continue the slide downward to the very bottom to find the third Ancient Record Piece location. If you have good aim and are able to control DK in mid-air, you can jump from this platform and land in the gap on the very bottom to reach this record piece without sliding.
Grab the record piece, take the barrel to get back to the top, then place it into the turntable and continue behind the Snake Elder to find the final Ancient Record piece in the Radiance layer.
Radiance Layer Ancient Record Piece #4 Location
The Slithery Zip Line
The Slithery Zip Line challenge is more complex than the other three Radiance Ancient Record Piece challenges. This room features numerous zip lines and voided enemies, and your goal is to zip to the other side and grab the Record Piece. The problem is, normal terrain will wear away before you can get to the other side.
Instead, lure a voided enemy in this area to a patch of light, then grab the terrain on its back after it turns white. When in light, this chunk will remain white, but if you leave the light, it will turn into an extremely durable voided rock chunk. While carrying a void chunk, jump into the barrel and up to the zip lines.
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While riding the zip line, jump from side to side to avoid incoming obstacles and reach the other side. Pick up the record piece, then repeatedly hit the balloon to raise the platform with the zip line end point. You must hit this over and over again to raise the platform to its maximum level.
With the final Radiance layer Record Piece in hand, take the raised zip line back to the entrance. If you don't maximize the height of the zip line with the blue balloon platform raise mechanic, you may not make it to the other side.
Bring this back to the Snake Elder, complete the Radiance Ancient Record, and you will be rewarded with a new Bananza power: Snake. This form lets DK leap upward like a spring and slow down time with his serpentine gaze. It is also the last of the five Bananza transformations Donkey Kong Bananza players can unlock.
Donkey Kong Bananza
- Released
- July 17, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Everyone 10+ / Fantasy Violence, In-Game Purchases
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo EPD
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Number of Players
- 1-2 players
- Nintendo Switch 2 Release Date
- July 17, 2025
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch 2
