How do you get all three badges in Donkey Kong Country Returns levels?

Question

At the end of each donkey kong level you get a star badge for getting all the K.O.N.G. letters and a puzzle badge for getting all the puzzle pieces.

What is the third badge for?

Answer 1

You get it by earning a bronze, silver, gold, or shiny gold medal in time attack mode. You'll get a better medal the faster you finish a level. All you really need to fill in the circle is to get a bronze medal, which is an achievement to be celebrated. Earning a time attack medal doesn't count toward the percent complete number which is shown on the file select screen. If you want to get 100%, you only have to get all the KONG letters and puzzle pieces.

Thank heaven, as those time attack medals are sadistically, fiendishly, mercilessly, wickedly hard to get.

Good luck!

Answer 2

You can retry the level to run a Time-trial.

Beating the time on the Time-trial version of the level gives the third badge.