Air Crash

Rewards: Clear Gem 1—destroy all 102 boxes (secret passage required from Bear Down in the Sewer Warp Room). Clear Gem 2—get through the death route.

The first time you play this level, go for the crystal. You need it to unlock the boss battle and then access the Sewer Warp Room, where a secret passage exists back to Air Crash. During this first playthrough, take the death route for the second Clear Gem as well, since you don’t need to worry about boxes. Just don’t lose a life.

As you begin the level, jump over to a platform with a carnivorous plant and hit it with a spin attack. Jump to a moving pillar and ride it to the left to mount more stone steps. Follow them, jump across a gap, and deal with a plant to collect some boxes.

Jump across to two moving pillars, then onto a stone walkway. Follow it to the checkpoint, watching out for jumping piranhas along the way. An arrow box on the left lets you reach the fruit box floating above it. The fruit box can be difficult to see while you’re moving along the walkway.

Ride the surfboard around to hit boxes and avoid mines. Use the jumps to break boxes floating high above the river. Jump over a wooden wall, then maneuver between nitro boxes to reach the dock and a checkpoint.

Jump across to the back of a hippo and then a pillar that sinks. You must time these jumps, since the hippo sinks as well if you don’t get off its back quickly. Continue to the round “?” platform to access the bonus stage.

Advance along the walkway, clearing out boxes as you go, and collect the crystal. Jump across two sinking pillars. Jump as soon as they come up, and cross both before they drop back into the water. When you come across lots of boxes next to each other, jump on the wooden ones to get the goodies, including an extra life. Then jump on a TNT box to set the rest to blow up. Watch out for the nearby hungry plant. Use the checkpoint on the dock.

Hop onto a surfboard and ride it around mines and nitro boxes. Jump over a wall, and avoid mines while you make your way to the next jump over a second wall. Reach the dock and use the checkpoint.

The end of the level is in sight, but you’ve got a few more threats to deal with. Jump over some nitro boxes while avoiding leaping piranhas. Continue into the portal room. While you don’t earn a Clear Gem you first time through, the crystal is now yours.

Time Trial

Time Requirements

Sapphire: 1:27:00

Gold: 1:01:01

Platinum: 0:52:75

There aren’t many time boxes in this time trial, so you simply have to be fast. Practice making long, running jumps to get over gaps. Sometimes you can jump right over a sinking pillar and reach the other platform successfully. It’s tempting to go fast during the surfboard sections, but ride carefully—you don’t want to hit a mine.