Homecoming Hijinxs

Homecoming Hijinxs is the first level on Donkey Kong Island in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze. It contains homages to the first level of Donkey Kong Country Returns, such as Donkey Kong's Treehouse being visible at the start.

Layout:
The level starts off with a view of various Snomads doing various things, (juggling bananas, sliding on the ice, etc.) before the player finally gains control of the characters. The Kongs will start off on a beach with frozen water. The Snomads' ship is visible in the background on top of the island's Volcano. Immediately after the beginning point is a DK Barrel, to gain a buddy character, (or switch partners if the player already has one). After this is a piece of a ruined temple with a ledge that tilts towards the screen upon being stepped on. Over a gap past this is a series of Arrow Barrels which are attached to icebergs. As the icebergs tilt, the barrel with move with them. Once each iceberg tilts to a certain position, then it is safe to blast out. The sequence ends with the last iceberg crushing a Snomadic walrus. After this, the Kongs will continue through the ice cave, reaching the exit by clinging to a patch of frozen grass, which tilts outwards so they can jump onto the next ledge. A statue of Mugly can be seen in the background here. On this very platform is the level's first Tutorial Pig.

Continuing on is a piece of raised ground and a spear-wielding Tuck. An Arrow Barrel directly after leads to a thin gap in an iceberg. Upon reaching the bottom of the shaft, a piece of ice will fall down, blocking the way back up. Afterwards is a long tunnel held up by a rod that can be broken with a Kong Roll. The player must move quickly through this tunnel, as the spiked ceiling will begin collapsing once the rod is broken. After climbing up through the rest of the iceberg, DK will grab onto a patch of grass, in order to reach a set of small platforms. These lead to the second checkpoint.

Moving ahead, players will find a patch of grass to cling onto. Doing so breaks the icicle that is impeding the player's progress. Jumping to another cling patch is the only way to prevent instant death before the ledge can be safely accessed. Just ahead is an Arrow Barrel on an iceberg that launches the Kongs through a tunnel, breaking all the ice blocks inside of it. They will land on a thin ice platform, leading to a set of crumbing platforms and some unstable cling patches that line an upward shaft. Then comes a series of cling patches which break off of the surrounding icebergs, including one which must be held onto as it falls right next to a wall of spikes. Quickly jumping off leads to a completely solid platform. To the right is another platform just like it, and the Slot Machine Barrel in midair between them both.