So, you're an ape eager to turn into an archaeologist, and you want to find all the Donkey Kong Bananza fossils? We can help you out - we've got a list of how to find each and every fossil in the game. These handy relics can afford you some sweet new styles for DK, or they can simply get you closer to your 100% completion rate.
We have a glowing Donkey Kong Bananza review here if you're not quite sold on the game just yet (you will be after reading!). We also have a list of new Switch games to keep your eyes on and the best Switch games overall to add to your collection.
Here's everything in our Donkey Kong Bananza fossils guide:
What are fossils in Donkey Kong Bananza?
Fossils in Donkey Kong Bananza are, well, fossils. They're rocks containing age-old pieces of natural flora, fauna, and more. But they do have a use in the game.
You can trade fossils at any Style Shop for new fur dye, accessories, and clothing for both DK and Pauline. You can't use any fossil in any layer, though. To purchase items in, say, the Lagoon Layer, you need Lagoon Layer fossils. To buy all the available outfits, fur types, and upgrades, you need to find every fossil in a layer, which is what this guide is here to help you do.
Where do I find Donkey Kong Bananza fossils?
Fossils in the latest and greatest of Donkey Kong's adventures are essentially everywhere. For the most part, they're easy to find if you smash a wall or two. They can appear after fighting bosses, underground, on top of locations, and stuck to structures across the map. You will find a lot as you explore, but some may be trickier than others. We have some hints further down if you get stuck.
The fossils appear in most of the Donkey Kong Bananza layers, and there are nearly 700 to collect overall. Stages either have three types of fossils to collect or one single type. Fossils come in normal, rare, and extra-rare. There are no fossils in Ingot Isle, the Divide, the Junction, or the Racing layer.
Here are the total amounts of fossils in each layer:
| Layer | Fossil amount |
| Lagoon Layer | 72 (61 ammonite, ten ammonite, and one whale) |
| Hilltop Layer | 30 (ammonite) |
| Canyon Layer | 72 (61 leaf, ten trilobite, and one triceratops) |
| Freezer Layer | 72 (61 sea lily, ten preserved bug, and one t-rex) |
| Forest Layer | 72 (61 beaver, ten pig, and one spider) |
| Resort Layer | 30 (leaf) |
| Tempest Layer | 72 (61 frog, ten anglerfish, one swordfish) |
| Landfill Layer | 30 (sea lily) |
| Radiance Layer | 72 (61 banana bird, ten armadillo, one sea urchin) |
| Groove Layer | 30 (beaver) |
| Feast Layer | 72 (61 old tire, ten cathode ray tube, and one robot) |
| Forbidden Layer | 30 (frog) |
| Planet Core | 42 (31 8-bit barrel, ten 8-bit items, and one 8-bit DK) |
How to find more fossils in Donkey Kong Bananza
Our best tip for finding more fossils, other than just plain old exploring, is to use and upgrade Donkey Kong's Sonar Clap skill. This blasts breakable items near you and will bring up any fossils hidden there without digging, saving you some time. We recommend upgrading this skill with your skill points as early as possible to help you track down both fossils and hidden Banandium Gems.
In terms of where to look, we reliably found fossils around the Getaways scattered throughout each layer. These are points where you can refresh your health and bonus hearts on the map - and often pick up a prehistoric relic.
Another tip for those elusive final fossils you may miss is to pay for fossil maps at the Stuff Shop. We have a handy Donkey Kong Bananza gold farming guide if you need some extra cash to afford some. If you don't want to spend your gold, you can also find fossil maps from unearthing treasure chests while digging through the environment.
What is the Fossil Museum?
If you haven't finished the game and don't want spoilers - turn back now.
Still with me, let's quit monkeying around and see what the Fossil Museum is. After you complete the main story of the game, you can access the museum as part of the Groove Layer. It's located in the top-right, and you'll have to punch a wall to reveal it.
The museum shows off all the different types of fossils you've found, and you can even get one Banadium Gem for finding one of each. The museum's curator, Collectone, gives you the prize.
So, there you have it - all the information you could need about Donkey Kong Bananza fossils. This excellent game comes from the same team as the best Mario game on Switch, which we recommend you play, too.