The Eel Deal

Rewards: Clear Gem—destroy all 72 boxes. Green Gem—access a secret area.

This level takes place in the sewers, so expect some new challenges and foes. You can earn the Clear Gem and the Green Gem in the same run-through.

Smash the boxes at the start, then jump across the water. Hit a robot with a spin attack, then time your movement through a rotating propeller. Continue past more robots.

The next stretch of water goes a bit too far for you to jump across. That’s okay, since the water doesn’t hurt you. However, there’s an electric eel in there. Watch for it to electrify the water temporarily. When the water stops glowing, jump across and out of the water to break some boxes. Move past another propeller and robot.

When you come to more water, jump across on the moving platforms since this body of water stays electrified. Continue past more robots to reach the checkpoint. Now you face rats with spiky armor. You can jump on top of them to defeat them, but don’t use a spin attack, or you’ll take damage from their spikes. Wait for the next body of water to stop glowing, and cross it.

When you come to a fork, head right to get the Green Gem. Move around the nitro boxes carefully. This path appears to come to a dead end, but jump over the row of nitro boxes and through the closed hatch—it’s an illusion. Follow the tunnel and get past rats. To cross the water containing nitro boxes, time your jumps so you hit the water when it’s not deadly. Jump over a rolling barrel at the end of the water and keep going.

The next area of electrified water requires you to jump across on floating platforms to reach the other side. A door opens as you approach. Get past robots and a rat to reach the Green Gem, then backtrack all the way to the fork. Be cautious when you reach the fake door, since you must jump over the nitro boxes.

Back on the main path, move past rolling barrels, rats, and electrified water to reach a “?” manhole cover next to a checkpoint. Stand on it to descend to the bonus stage.

Continue past a propeller, and take the left path at the fork. This leads to a room with the crystal and several boxes. Belly Flop on the reinforced boxes to destroy them, then backtrack to the fork and take the right path.

Keep going until you reach water. Nitro boxes float here, and an eel shocks the water periodically. As soon as the water is safe, jump in and then out through the door on the other side. Get past rolling barrels, rats, and robots to arrive at a room with lots of boxes. Belly Flop on them, then drop through a hole in the floor.

Smash boxes and hit a green switch to detonate all the nitro boxes in the level. Jump up, and Crash grabs on to the catwalk. Go hand over hand to cross the hot pipes below. Avoid robots that patrol along the catwalks, and reach the end, where you can drop down and start walking again. Jump over gaps and avoid the floating spiky robots. When you reach a gap with two of these robots, wait for them to float down so you can jump over them. Continue into the portal room to grab the Clear Gem and exit the level.

Time Trial

Time Requirements

Sapphire: 1:48:00

Gold: 1:08:46

Platinum: 0:58:90

This is a tough time trial since there are so many enemies and obstacles along a narrow path. Pick up all the time boxes you can, and remember to take the left path at the first fork and the right path at the second fork. There are times when you must wait to get past obstacles, and making it through without losing a life can be difficult. It requires a fine balance between speed and caution.