Spelunky 2 tips I wish I would've known sooner

A starter guide for the secret-filled sequel

30 hours into Spelunky 2, I've beaten the game exactly once – and come close countless other times.

While much of that time was admittedly spent exploring potential branching routes and figuring out what's up with certain elusive NPCs, straight up, I didn't see the credits until my 400th or so run.

Coming in, I knew I'd be rusty at spelunking, and I expected a long period of acclimation before I could quickly, reliably, efficiently carve through the sequel's procedurally-generated deathtraps, but goddang! This game is brutal. Not just for novices, who are in for a world of hurt, but also those of us who put dozens of hours into Spelunky, toppled Olmec, and survived the trip to hell. The struggle is real – again!

We'll be uncovering secrets in Spelunky 2 for years to come, but for now, here are my tips. I've ordered them based on the stages I've seen – in the order they appear – but I'm missing several in my journal.

The further you scroll down, the more spoilery it'll be – including a pic of the boss at the bottom.

General tips

• Content-wise, you can't see everything in Spelunky 2 in one go. You'll be able to take branching paths multiple times during a generic just-get-to-the-end-alive run.

• If you're in a position to safely kill an enemy or at least throw it off-screen to a less chaotic spot, do it. The sequel has a way of tightly stacking stationary traps and roaming enemies on top of each other. It's best to systematically deal with killable threats while you can – while the coast is clear – before things get messy and you scramble. Learn the AI's patterns and exploit them to avoid taking "cheap" hits.

• If you hang from a ledge and look down while throwing a rope, the rope will go downward instead of the default up.

• The Ghost will come for you at the three-minute mark, or shortly after you – or someone, or even something – destroy the evil-looking Curse Pot. You can pick it up, set it down as needed, and take it near the exit to safely bust it open and claim its diamond. That said, the Ghost comes quick – and it can split into faster mini-ghosts.

• Spike Shoes are the best bang-for-your-buck item. They let you easily one-hit-kill stomp most walking enemies, they're useful against bigger foes (like the first mini-boss) who don't take normal whip damage, and they let you freely tread on small spikes in the Jungle and slippery ice in the Ice Caves.

• Animals can be tamed. If you hop on them, they'll run wild before eventually settling down and giving you full control. (Poor fools – they don't know what's coming.)

• If you ever see a Leprechaun and steal his clover, you can find a hidden pot of gold. When you're close to the buried treasure, you'll see a rainbow effect – bomb away!

• Be careful when exiting mid-level caves and rooms – there can sometimes be something deadly on the other side and you might have a small window to react.

• You can replay the tutorial and there's a speedrun challenge. Back at camp, pop into the first door on the left and follow the path inside to reach the tutorial room.

• There's a Quick Select option on the character screen. It has cute pixel art!

• There are three main shortcuts in Spelunky 2 leading to stage 1-4, 3, and 5.

• The shortcut to the Ice Caves gave me bad flashbacks. You have to bring a Hired Hand (and somehow keep him alive!), and later, the golden key. You might need a miracle.

Dwelling

• The first area, Dwelling, is essentially the Mines but with a few new nasty foes like burrowing Cave Moles and a one-hit-kill rolling caveman miniboss named Quillback.

• The biggest nuisance is the old Arrow Trap. The same principles still apply, but I'll add that they're more prevalent in Spelunky 2 and you'll always, always want to have a rock, a skull, a pot, or even a pug or holdable enemy ready to be dropped to set them off. I mean it – you don't want to be in a no-win situation by entering a level empty-handed.

• If you ever see wild turkeys, hop on them and take a ride – if you survive, they'll become tame and you can use them as a double-jumping mount. You're meant to corral them into a shady guy's enclosure to get his key, but forget that. If you blow up a turkey with a bomb, it'll turn into a one-heart meal. Every time I can, I get two roaming turkeys at once for 2HP. It's not worth taking the third turkey – the one already in the dude's pen – or he'll want revenge. Make sure to cook the birds out of his sight.

• If you need to clear a mound of skulls that's directly embedded into the floor and can't be whipped, you can chuck an object diagonally down to destroy it. Get that treasure.

• On level 1-4, you'll always have to face Quillback, a miniboss. If he sees you, he'll roll like a boulder and it's a one-hit kill. Try to pick up a rock or skulls, hang out on the ladders, and throw them diagonally down/left or down/right as he walks around. It's the safest bet. When he's dead, he'll drop some bombs (don't get blown up by spamming shotgun blasts) and a cooked turkey. It's worthwhile to kill him.

• At the bottom, you'll be able to go left to head into the Jungle or go right for Volcana.

Jungle

• BIGGEST TIP ALERT: Watch out for Snap Traps that blend into the scenery. They look like bear traps, and they're the most unexpected way to die in Spelunky 2. Whip 'em, drop something onto them, throw an enemy – do whatever you can to set them off. Before progressing further downward, literally always scan for Snap Traps. Trust me.

• Similarly, the skull-faced blocks (Spear Traps) blend the eff in with all of the lush scenery. They're particularly deadly because they can stab you from above, below, left, and right. I like to purposely set them off and back away before running past them.

• If you pop into a cave entrance and push a block out of the way to rescue a teal-haired girl, you're probably wondering what the deal is. There are three to save– Parsley, Parsnip, and Parmesan – and the more you rescue, the better your reward. You'll collect your prize (either rope, bombs, or a bomb box if you got all three of 'em) in Olmec's Lair.

• The Witch Doctor is my most-feared enemy, and I've seen some shit. If they get a line of sight on you, they'll put a curse over your head that causes damage, and their floating skull can chase you through the terrain if you get too close and aggro it. The best strategy is to bide your time and, if you're weaponless, jump on their head, pick them up, and chuck them into outer space. Don't be afraid to bomb a new path forward if Witch Doctors make you uneasy near spikes or vines. These vile guys are run-enders.

Volcana

• The ladybug-like Fire Bugs looks threatening but you can just jump on 'em. Easy.

• Don't hang around and stare at lava pools for too long – leaping lava men (hilariously named Magmar) can mess up your day. They're also dropped by the flying red Imps.

• There's a suspicious alien drill in Volcana that can be turned on with the Udjat Eye.

• Once the drill burrows, you can climb down to the bottom of the level with a chain and you'll see the normal exit and a door surrounded be red brick. It's a special subzone.

• Inside the vampire castle, you'll find four coffins (one of which contains the unlockable character Coco Von Diamonds), lots of arrow traps, and a Crown guarded by Vlad, a Gary Oldman-looking dark lord. He's beefy, and every time he takes a hit, he'll teleport, so open up the coffins for an army of Hired Hands. If you kill him, you'll get Vlad's Cape, which lets you float and double-jump.

Olmec's Lair

• If you saved the green-haired women in the Jungle, run to the right and climb up to collect your rope or bomb reward. I won't say how long it took me to figure this out.

• If you're just looking to get past Olmec without anything fancy, immediately run to the right after the cutscene and let him smash downward. There will be a perfectly-sized opening next to him that you can slip in and out of as he busts the ground below. On the final attack that will destroy the floor you're on, be prepared to fall onto Olmec's head. If you don't and you drop straight down to the next floor, you'll take fall damage.

• After Olmec clears the first ground floor, he'll open up to reveal... alien tech? Yeah. In this form, he'll float around and fire off a volley of bombs at regular intervals. To my knowledge, there's no way to hurt him with traditional weapons. Just run to the right.

• The first door on the right is the entrance to Tide Pool. Directly below it is the (more challenging) Temple of Anubis. If you take a shortcut to Olmec's Lair from camp, you won't fight him. He'll be gone. You'll have exactly enough bombs to safely reach the Temple, although you may need to hang off a ledge before falling to the door.

Tide Pool

• The ornate poles kind of blend into the background art, but you can climb them.

• If you see a suspicious box, it could be housing a Hermit Crab. These little freaks shoot poison bubbles, and in Spelunky 2, poison is an absurdly punishing status effect. (A few other enemies, like the old Scorpions, can inflict it too.) I don't know how to cure it.

• The spiky Octopy enemies will shoot ink, hop, and frantically run forward when they catch sight of you. The ceiling-hopping Jiangshi Assassins will drop down if you run under them. In both cases, use these behaviors to your advantage and force them to move – and become vulnerable to attacks – on your terms. It's crucial for this stage.

• The crustacean warriors (Pangxie) can launch their big meaty claws extremely far. I'm talking go-go-gadget far. They'll survive your first bombing, so bring two or avoid them.

• If you've reached Tide Pool from the camp shortcut and you'd like a shotgun to deal with upcoming threats, you can reliably kill Madame Tusk's bodyguard by climbing to the top of the pole outside the shop, dropping a bomb to aggro the sunglasses-wearing menace, and waiting for him to climb up. When he does, drop on his head, climb back up to the top, and wait for the cycle to repeat until he bites it. Then you can use the gun against Tusk. That said, try not to let your shot ricochet off the energy wall.

• There's a sword in the stone at the bottom of one of the Tide Pool levels and I can't for the life of me figure it out.

• You'll also spot a lake with a Great Humphead. He's not worth the trouble unless you have a shotgun and can blast him from a distance. He's super tanky otherwise.

Temple of Anubis

• To reach the Temple of Anubis, you'll need to be in the lower right-hand side of Olmec's Lair and bomb below the door to Tide Pool (the one with crabs outside). Let him do the dirty work. If you're accessing Olmec's Lair from the shortcut (and he's gone), you'll need four bombs to clear out the terrain – just enough to avoid taking fall damage.

• The returning Crush Traps (the moving blocks with eyes) are the main threat to watch out for, but don't underestimate the Mummy Cat. You must jump on them, not whip. They'll curse you and drop your health down to 1HP. Yes, even from the mid-twenties.

• The Sorceress freaked me out for a long time – she fires a laser that morphs into a random enemy – but if you're confident and rush her, she isn't so bad.

• If you're being hounded by infinite red skeletons and don't know what to do, there's a Necromancer summoning them nearby, potentially just out of frame. They're annoying!

The City of Gold

• It's back! Kinda. The process for entering the City of Gold isn't exactly the same.

• Before you leave the Dwelling stage, find and use a golden key in one of the first few levels (it's randomized) to open a chest in a mini-cave to pick up the Udjat Eye.

• Once you kill (or skip) Quillback on 1-4, go to the bottom-left side of the level to enter the Jungle. In one of these nasty levels, your Udjat Eye will start chattering away to indicate that the Black Market entrance is near. The faster and more pronounced the noise, the closer you are. Once you're confident, bomb away to unearth the door.

• Down here, you'll be able to collect some treasure and hopefully be able to afford the Hedjet for 40,000 gold on the right-hand side. Be warned: the Ghost can and will chase you in the Black Market if you dilly-dally. You have a bit more time than normal.

• Continue until you reach Olmec. Let him clear out the first lair of ground, strategically fall on his head, and jump off, then run to the right. Either climb the ladder or throw your own rope in your preferred location and wait for Olmec to bomb the shit outta this stage. Below the Tide Pool entrance, there's a room to the Temple of Anubis. Take it.

• It's time to fight our old friend Anubis. He'll fire slow-moving circular projectiles and give off a glowing "tell" before firing a (ground-ignoring) beam attack at your current location. If you don't have a pair of sticky bombs or a gun to hurt him, try to get a rock and chuck it back and forth until he dies from a thousand cuts. Once he's gone, he'll drop the Scepter. Speaking of which, don't kill him with those squishing moving blocks.

• Further in the Temple, you'll see a golden door and, with the Hedjet and Scepter, you'll be able to enter the City of Gold. I hope you brought bombs and rope to get around.

• I've been here several times and haven't seen the Book of the Dead (assuming it exists in Spelunky 2). I did spot a conspicuous altar, though. Am I... am I supposed to sacrifice myself? I haven't dared try yet.

• For what it's worth, I also haven't been able to activate the Moai in the Ice Caves.

Ice Caves

• The Ice Caves are one long level that's split down the middle with a Yeti Cave that you can skip if you have a jetpack, cape, climbing gloves, or other means of dropping down.

• If you're bold, you can attack a UFO near the Yeti Cave door and let the escaped alien slowly parachute down. If you're lucky, you can leap, bounce on the just-off-screen alien, and land without killing yourself. Every Spelunky guide needs one stupid strat. Otherwise, if you see an alien in a cool mech suit, jump on its head and hover down.

• It's actually worth doing the Yeti Cave. Pick up one of the scattered Landmines and bring it into the cave with you. Bide your time, and drop it from a ledge in such a way that the Yeti Queen will walk over it and go bye-bye. You'll get Spike Shoes from her. On the next floor down, there's a howling Yeti King who can cause icicles to plummet and also freeze you solid. Either kill him with a well-aimed bomb or jump on his head with the shoes. He'll drop a compass, which you'll desperately need for the next stage.

Neo Babylon

• You're in the home stretch. This is the final set of levels before the main boss.

• With one exception, most of the traps are fairly easy to account for and avoid. Some will cause swirling sparks to float around the stage, and others have pattern-based electricity. The devious one, a Laser Trap that looks like a block with a circle and three dots, is like a high-tech Arrow Trap. It's motion-activated and it's so easy to overlook.

• If you see a hoofed Lamassu, probably just steer clear – they have range.

• What's up with this room full of Ushabti? If you manage to bring the figurines outside and sacrifice them using an Altar to Kali, a corresponding enemy type will spawn.

• I also haven't been able to survive this private room with Madame Tusk's bodyguards. I'm not sure how to gain acceptance, and as soon as I enter, they instantly gun me down. This room will appear if you see a message about "sounds of revelry."

Tiamat's Throne

• I won't pretend to know her secrets or claim that she's the real final boss, but if you can manage to beat Tiamat, you'll see the end credits. Again, I've only done this once.

• The main advice I can give is to bring a weapon and plenty of ropes. Tiamat is kind of like King Yama from Spelunky in that she's a giant stationary figure – but don't underestimate her.

• She will continuously fire off slow projectiles that morph into random enemies, and there are two floating stone pillars – one on either side of her – shielding her from far-off attacks. You'll need to ride bubbles up to get close enough to strike her face.

• The time I won, I set up multiple ropes on either side of both pillars so that I had something to chill on and room to work with. I used a supercharged shotgun with the red Powerpack accessory to dish out quick damage. I'd climb up, take my shots when the coast was (relatively) clear, and slip out before she yelled or hit me with a projectile.

• Ana is the star, but you can play as her dad, Guy Spelunky, after beating the game.

I'll try to update this guide as I get new insights. For now, incomplete as it is, I hope it helps! I'm excited to figure out how to reach the Sunken City, the Cosmic Ocean, and other hush-hush locations.