Cold Hard Crash

Rewards: Clear Gem 1—destroy all 155 boxes (death route required to get all the boxes). Clear Gem 2—complete the death route.

This level contains two Clear Gems due to the death route. You must reach the Skull Platform without losing a life to access the death route, then complete that section of the level.

Once again you’re in the snow. Jump to a floating platform to cross the first gap, and smash up a stack of boxes. Jump across a gap and move up a slope while avoiding sliding penguins. When you reach the top, jump up a series of boxes on either side of the area to break all eight boxes here. Jump across another gap using a floating platform. Get past a penguin, then jump another gap to reach a slippery icy area were seals slide toward you. Continue over gaps and ice to reach a platform that takes you to the next area.

The level changes to side-scrolling. Hit the checkpoint and avoid falling logs, doors, and icicles. Cross a wooden bridge quickly before it falls. These threats repeat; afterward, hop up a series of boxes. Jump up to the top one first, then jump down on the fruit boxes to gather fruit and smash boxes. When it’s all cleared out, drop down a shaft to the right next to the large “?” to enter the bonus stage.

When you return to the top, watch out for icicles that fall on a TNT box and start the countdown. Hang out to the left until after the explosion. When you reach an area offering a high and low path, slide quickly along the lower path to defeat a hedgehog before it has a chance to put up its spines. Hit the switch, then go back and jump up to the higher level. Clear out a wall of boxes, then jump up a series of steps to reach a snowy platform with a penguin. Defeat it and continue right to find a checkpoint. If you make it this far without dying, use the Skull Platform to access the death route.

After the checkpoint, continue right and drop down a series of icy ramps. Land on the stack of boxes along the left side. Get past a penguin, then start jumping on a stack of boxes. Don’t forget to jump on the TNT box before leaving. Jump across and spin-attack a penguin. Jump onto a TNT box and move to the left. When it explodes, it takes a second penguin with it. Now head right, avoiding falling logs and a hedgehog, to reach an arrow box. Jump on it to get to a higher platform. Take care of a penguin, then jump across to a checkpoint.

Get past another hedgehog and penguin, then hit some switches hidden behind rocks. This causes four boxes to appear. Smash them, jump over a nitro box, and land on a penguin. Do the same thing on a lower platform. Keep going right. When you see two nitro boxes in an alcove, jump up to the side of them and move behind them. Jump on a hidden box for an extra life. Skate past falling logs, then drop down a shaft to reach the next stage of the level.

Hit the checkpoint and begin moving forward again. Jump across a gap, avoid a penguin, and then jump again onto a narrow strip of land with several nitro boxes. Carefully jump over them and across a gap to find the crystal. Jump across gaps and deal with penguins, hedgehogs, and rolling stones. Near the next checkpoint, hit the switch to blow up all the nitro boxes in the level.

Jump up steps of iron boxes to reach higher areas. When you come to double rolling stones, jump across a gap and land on the track. Quickly jump from there and then onto a couple of pillars to reach the portal room. Collect your Clear Gem, and use the portal to return to the warp room.

Time Trial

Time Requirements

Sapphire: 2:36:00

Gold: 2:06:07

Platinum: 1:35:99

There are a lot of time boxes in this level. Pick up as many as you can. You can get through the first part fairly quickly. When you reach the side-scrolling area, jump across the shaft that drops down to the bonus stage. Take the Skull Platform to the death route as a shortcut to the last stage. Be sure to slide under the ledge to hit the switch next to the hedgehog so more iron boxes appear. Continue to the portal while avoiding all threats.