Jaws of Darkness

Rewards: Clear Gem—destroy all 112 boxes (Blue Gem required to get all of the boxes).

This is not an easy level, but it’s not as challenging as some you’ve already completed. It takes place inside a temple, where you face snakes and spiders as well as traps. Be prepared to do some careful jumping. Luckily, there are several checkpoints, so if you make a mistake, you don’t have to go too far back.

Smash the boxes at the start and spin-attack the snake that pops up from the hole. Jump across a couple of floating platforms and onto a larger platform. A red light appears on the platform, warning you a spider is about to drop. Jump on its back to defeat it, then continue onto a rising and lowering pillar. Keep going right, across a flame bowl, and then to a stationary pillar.

A ring of pillars moves in a circle, dropping at certain points. Jump onto a moving pillar to the right and then immediately to the stationary pillar in the center. Face forward toward the next platform near the top of the screen. Jump across to a moving pillar, then a floating platform. Smash the four boxes to grab a mask, then move forward and defeat a snake. Get through two spear traps and continue to a platform with an extra life and moving doors. Watch out for bats, and time your way through the doors. Jump past the first door and into the safe space. Wait until both doors of the second set stay open, then rush across. Jump to a pair of rising and lowering pillars and get onto a round platform that carries Crash to the next area.

Transfer from one round platform to another, and then when it stops, move onto a pillar. Jump across a series of pillars, watching out for two spear traps along the way. Continue across a flame bowl and a floating platform to reach the next platform.

The first checkpoint is on this platform, along with a stack of crates. Perform a spin attack next to the lowest crate to grab the Neo Cortex icon, then jump on the TNT box to set it to detonate. Head left, and after hitting the checkpoint, jump across to a hanging spider. Immediately jump again onto a floating platform and then to a platform with boxes, one of which contains a Tawna icon.

Jump across some platforms to reach a series of moving pillars. This can be a tough challenge—you must jump onto the moving pillars and get off before they drop. Don’t jump diagonally. Instead, wait for the pillar closest to you to pop up, then jump to it and quickly to the next, then onto the center pillar. Take a break and catch your breath; the center pillar is safe. Then jump across to the left when a pillar rises, then across to the left again. Finally, jump onto the larger platform.

Defeat the snake and jump to a platform with some boxes. If you have the Blue Gem, take the blue platform to a secret area.

Otherwise, pass the spear traps and continue jumping to reach the next area with moving doors. There are two doors in the first set. As soon as the first door opens, quickly jump across before the second door closes. Destroy the box in the safe space. Wait until both doors in the second set are open, then move across. Jump to the checkpoint, then across rising and lowering pillars to reach a round platform. Ride it to the next area.

Negotiate a couple of spear traps. A snake pops up from a hole—don’t spin-attack it, or you’ll send it across the gap and destroy the boxes and everything inside them. Instead, jump on top of the snake and defeat it by landing on its head. Then jump across and destroy the boxes yourself to grab the second Neo Cortex icon.

Use a spin attack to break the top wooden box, then jump up onto the TNT box to set it off. Quickly jump across to the flame bowl before the TNT box detonates.

Continue left and stop when you reach a solid platform. Instead of jumping forward, walk to the left into the open space, following the trail of Wumpa fruit. Floating platforms appear as you touch them. Keep moving before they drop. Jump across a spear trap and break open some crates to earn the last Neo Cortex icon, then use the portal to access the bonus stage.

After returning to the level, jump past a spear trap and head right, across an invisible row of floating platforms that appear as you touch them. Jump over to a couple of other floating platforms, then onto a platform with boxes. Grab the second Tawna icon here. Continue across a flame bowl and floating platform to reach a platform with moving doors. Break open the box for the last Tawna icon and enter the portal.

After you return to the level, pass through the moving doors and jump to the exit portal. To get past the first set of doors, wait until they’re both open at the same time, then rush through. Then wait until the first door of the second set opens. Rush through, and the next two doors open as you reach them. Don’t stop, or you’ll end up smashed.

Time Trial

Time Requirements

Sapphire: 2:21:00

Gold: 1:59:21

Platinum: 1:36:26

This level is synchronized to allow you to rush through, as long as you keep moving as much as possible. There are few times when you’re forced to stop. You may have to pause for spear traps or moving platforms, but forge ahead as soon as you can. As usual, get all of the time boxes. When you reach the point where you cross the invisible platforms, skip that part and jump across the floating platform away from you, then continue to the end. You don’t need that detour to the bonus stage.