Tomb Wader — Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy eGuide

Rewards: Clear Gem—destroy all 88 boxes, one Blue Gem.

When you start the level, the first thing you see is a scarab beetle. Crush this bug by jumping on it, and jump over the pit to reach a wall blocking your path. Spin into the wheel on the ground to cause the wall to rise.

Pass under it quickly, as it doesn’t stay up for long. Continue into a pool of water. Note the water level here; it fluctuates between high and low. When it’s low, you can walk through it. When it’s high, you lose your life if you venture in. Wait for it to recede, break the two boxes in it, and climb the stairs on the opposite side.

After climbing the stairs, you encounter a spiked mummy. These lab assistants are similar to the mummies you faced earlier, but this time they’re still half inside their sarcophagi, which have protruding spikes! You can’t take these guys out with spins. Instead, jump on their mummified heads to eliminate their threat. Break the two boxes after the spiked mummy to reach a partial wall jutting out from the left.

Be careful where you stand here. If you’re in front of the partial wall, you’re pushed into a nitro box to the right. Jump over the wall, or wait for it to retreat, then pass by. Break a box and wait for the water in the next pool to go down. Jump onto each of the TNT boxes, jump over the pit, and then jump up to the iron boxes. Wait for the water to recede again, then jump over the next pit and deal with the spiked mummy. Climb the stairs to make it out of the pool.

Here you face another new enemy—a shield carrier. Slide attack to take him out. Break open the checkpoint, then stand on the “?” platform to reach the bonus stage.

Bonus Stage

When you start the stage, you see a “!” box. Don’t hit it yet. Instead, double-jump onto the top of the box just underneath the wire-framed boxes. From there, bounce to the box on the left, then to the iron boxes underneath the “!” box. Now hit the “!” box to turn the wire-framed boxes into iron boxes. Follow them to the right.

Break four boxes and jump onto the iron boxes as they go up. Jump onto the four boxes in the pit, and bounce to the right when the last one breaks. Drop down to a level of iron boxes, and you reach another pit, similar to the one before.

Break the four boxes here, then look up to see two “?” boxes and a “!” box up and to the right. Double-jump into the two “?” boxes, but hold off on hitting the “!” box. Break the four boxes in the pit on the right and land on the iron boxes to the right. When you’re done, return to the “!” box. Slide and jump, or use the Death Tornado, to get back across the pit, and double-jump to pick up the “!” box.

This turns the wire-framed boxes into four boxes of nitro and a TNT box on top of one of the iron boxes to the right. Make your way back to the opposite end of the pit and jump on the TNT box, triggering not only it, but the nitro as well. Hop onto the “?” platform to return to the level.

After exiting the bonus stage, you reach another pool of water. When the water recedes, spin into the wheel to open the wall, then jump over the pit to the iron boxes. Break the Aku Aku box above you and wait for the water to recede once more. Forge ahead to find another scarab beetle. Deal with it and continue past the pit to break two boxes. Climb the stairs to come up out of the water.

Break the three boxes and pass the moving wall when it goes back in. Deal with the spiked mummy behind the wall to reach another pool. Wait for the water to lower, then break the first three boxes, jump over the pit, and take down the shield carrier before making your way to the iron boxes.

Jump onto the floating platform, then jump to break the box above. Wait for the water to recede, then jump over the pit and squash the scarab beetle. Avoid the nitro and climb the stairs to find a checkpoint box. To the left you see the Skull Platform. If you’ve made it this far in the level without losing a life, you can take it to the Skull Platform path.

Skull Platform Path

When the water lowers, jump to the floating platform and hit the “!” box above it. Jump left over the water and the nitro boxes to another platform. Hit another “!” box, which makes iron boxes appear. Wait for the water level to go down again, then jump onto the iron boxes, avoiding the nitro in the way.

Wait for the water level to finish rising and lowering again before you proceed. Take down the spiked mummy and the shield carrier. Make your way past the nitro on the left, jump over a pit, and jump to the top of the iron boxes.

Once the water goes down, make your way past the series of three walls going in and out. The first one and the last one move at the same time. Once you’re past them, climb up the stairs. Wait for the water to go down in the next pool. Spin into the wooden wheel to move the wall blocking your path. Carefully jump over the nitro boxes and go under the wall. Jump the pit, then jump to the iron boxes and wait once more for the water to recede.

When you reach the next pit, jump over the platforms, avoiding the walls pushing over them. Make your way to the floating platform on the opposite side. Once the water recedes, spin into the wooden wheel to open the next wall. Jump the pit and proceed through the now-open wall. Head up the stairs and claim the Blue Gem before warping out of the level.

Wait for the water to go down, then hit the “!” box here. Spin into the wooden wheel on the left and pass through the wall that opens. Jump up onto the iron boxes and wait for the water to rise and then lower. Make your way past a couple of pits with walls that try to push you into them, and head up the stairs.

Collect the crystal at the head of the stairs and break four boxes. Enter the next pool when the water is low, jumping over the pit on the right, avoiding the moving wall. Take down the shield carrier here and jump onto the platform.

Once the water lowers again, squash the scarab beetle and keep left to avoid a pit. When it splits the whole path, jump over it and climb the stairs. Break three boxes before reaching and breaking the checkpoint box here.

When you reach the next pool, jump onto the floating platform while the water is low. Jump up to hit the “!” box and wait for the water to recede once more. Once that happens, wait for the shield carrier to be on the left side before you eliminate him, to avoid triggering the nitro.

Break three boxes and jump to the iron boxes. When the water is low, jump over the nitro boxes all in a line and deal with the spiked mummy. Break two boxes and head upstairs. Break two boxes here before reaching another pool. Once the water recedes, spin into the wooden wheel, break two more boxes, and go under the wall.

Jump to the platform and wait for the water to lower. Pass the first pit on the right, jump on the box of TNT, and break another box before jumping onto the next floating platform. When the water level lowers, forge ahead and jump onto the next platform. Past the leftmost floating platform is a wall that pushes out. Behind it are two nitro boxes. To the right you see a scarab beetle. When the water lowers, head right, kill the scarab beetle, and break the “!” box. If you’ve broken all of the boxes, claim the Clear Gem before warping out of the level.

Time Trial

Time Requirements

Sapphire: 2:44:00

Gold: 1:45:03

Platinum: 1:24:00

From the times listed here, it may seem like this is a generous time trial, but much of your time is eaten up by waiting for the water level to change, making this a very challenging trial. On top of that, there are few time boxes to help you out. When practicing, challenge yourself to see how far you can get before the water rises. While this is a dangerous game, often costing lives, it lets you push the limits.

Grab the three Aku Aku boxes to become invincible. Although this doesn’t protect you from drowning, it allows you to move through the last part of the level with speed. When you’re invincible, the water doesn’t go back up, giving you extra time to make jumps.