Banana Hoard

"Go and look in your hoard, I think you'll be in for a surprise!"

- Cranky Kong

"So, who hasn't stolen your bananas at this point?"

- Cranky Kong

The Banana Hoard is a cave located near Donkey Kong's home where he stores all of his bananas. King K. Rool has continuously attempted to steal the bananas for unknown reasons, though in Donkey Kong Country Returns, evil Tikis seem to have taken an interest as well.

Donkey Kong Country
King K. Rool stole the Bananas for unknown reasons in Donkey Kong Country. Donkey and Diddy Kong battled through all of the bosses and Kremlings that raided Donkey Kong Island in order to retrieve their precious hoard. They appear to win a giant banana for every boss they defeat, and the boss arenas themselves appear to be comprised of stolen bananas, though the game will not show the hoard gaining any size at all until K. Rool is taken down.

If the Kongs did not defeat K. Rool and they try to visit their hoard here, they will see their empty hoard, and do their "bonus lose" animation. However, when they finish the game, they will see their hoard full, and will do their "bonus win" animation.

Donkey Kong Country comic
In the Club Nintendo adaptation of DKC, Donkey Kong Country, the banana hoard is inevitably seen at the beginning of the comic, guarded by an unhappy Diddy Kong.

Donkey Kong Country 2
The Banana Hoard does not make a visual re-appearance in Donkey Kong Country's sequel, though it does have an importance in the story. In this game, K. Rool kidnaps DK and demands the hoard as ransom. Diddy refuses, explaining how hard he and DK worked to recover it in the last game. Diddy and Dixie Kong set out on a quest to rescue DK in order to protect their bananas.

Donkey Kong 64
Only normal, edible Bananas are stored in this cave. The Golden Bananas from Donkey Kong 64 were stored in an undisclosed location.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl
The Banana Hoard once again appears in Super Smash Bros. Brawl story mode, the Subspace Emissary. Bowser sent out a Hammer Bro. and a Goomba to steal DK's bananas. Donkey Kong started to chase them, though when he finally got out of the jungle, he still couldn't catch them as they drove too fast and was too far from him. The Goomba jumped to two Bill Blasters which fired three Bullet Bills toward DK. Diddy Kong then jumped out of the jungle and used his Peanut Popgun to stop them. They kept following them until they found the Banana Hoard. However, Bowser eventually turned Donkey Kong into a trophy using his Dark Cannon, while Diddy was sent flying away. Donkey Kong was revived later in the story.

Donkey Kong Country Returns
The Hoard is stolen again in Donkey Kong Country Returns, this time by the Tiki Tak Tribe. They hypnotize the island's wildlife and force them to steal all the bananas on the island, including Donkey Kong's hoard. It was first seen in the Jungle Hijinx level being taken away by a Tiki Pilot in its flying ship. These bananas are later revealed to be used for making Tikis, with the Stompybot 3000 in charge of the operation. After DK defeated Colonel Pluck, who was controlling the robot, and putting a stop to the Tiki creation, he headed to the Volcano.

They're also used by Tiki Tong to form his two hands out of the 7 Tiki leaders. After DK defeated him, the hoard was saved and DK Island was free from control.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
In said game, the hoard is stolen again, but instead by a troop of vikings who invade Donkey Kong Island. After being blasted to a different island, Donkey Kong and his sidekicks Diddy and Dixie must make their way back, and get both their hoard, AND their home back.