Arctic Abyss

Level Details

Game	Donkey Kong Country 2
World name	K.Rool's Keep
Level name	Arctic Abyss
Previous level	Kreepy Krow
Next level	Windy Well

Difficulty: 9/10

Any%

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tv1Mk48jS_Q

Notes

• The most important mechanic here is charge canceling with Enguarde. Do so by pressing the opposite direction during a charge, and then repressing the direction you want to go. This is used whenever you want to start going either up or down, as you normally can't move during a charge.
• Enguarde's hitbox isn't very intuitive. He can get hit between his thrusts. Charge canceling at the right time is crucial for this reason.
• Perform a small jump at the beginning of the stage (Saves ~.3s).
• At 0:21, there would normally be a Puffer. Despawning him is important, as he would be in your direct path (Reflected Tutorial).
  • Although where you charge cancel matters for the despawn, your movement around the shaft at 0:17 matters just as much. You want to stay high.
• At 0:21, this charge would normally be canceled early. To prevent this, briefly tap Left at the top of the water before starting your charge.
• At 0:23, this charge cancel matters for getting the most optimal movement during the midway section. There are multiple ways to perform this, but the setup shown in the video is:
  • Charge canceling shortly after killing the starfish by briefly pressing Right, then letting go of Right and holding Down until you're in position. Initiating your charge cancel too early will result in taking damage at the 2nd starfish. Too late will result in hitting the wall.
  • After you've pressed Down long enough so that you're in position, hold Up + Left and initiate a lunge.
  • You can find an alternative setup in Claude's arctic here.
• At 0:28, knowing when to ascend is crucial for not taking damage to the starfishes shortly after. The video starts holding Up when Enguarde's tail fin is in line with the start of the right wall.
• At 0:46, charge when Enguarde is at the top of the falling water to get pulled down with it.
• It is possible to avoid the goal's fanfare even when underwater. Swim down to trigger the water's decent, swim back up to above the ledge, swap in preparation for Diddy Windy, move to the edge of the ledge, and then hold Down + Right to slide off the ice while crouching. Once Diddy touches the ground, simply swim to the target while still holding down.
  • Note that where you start your final charge matters for this trick. Initiating it higher will give you much less time since the water will descend much faster.