Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back/Road to Ruin

In this level you have to move along a path between ancient ruins, with collapsing pillars, moving platforms and stone faces that spit flames. To pass this level you need timing and precision in jumping. Here you will then meet for the first time some enemies that can only be defeated with a slide. The crystal is clearly visible along the way. At the bottom you will find the detonator to blow up all the Nitro boxes.

The bonus area is found towards the end of the course. Nothing complicated: you simply have to activate boxes (!) one after the other to proceed and make the wooden boxes appear.

Getting the first gem
To break all the boxes and get the first gem, you need to reach the level ../Diggin' It/ first. Here in fact, there is a hidden portal here that will lead you to the secret Warp Room, from which you can access this level from a different position than the conventional start. Only by accessing the level from here is it possible to break all the boxes. The route is short and soon rejoins the normal one, immediately after the start. However, there is a rather sneaky trap. You will almost immediately find a large pile of boxes. Break them slowly and carefully, as among the many regular boxes is a hidden TNT box, which will explode if you hit it with a spin or belly slam. Then break all the boxes along the normal path and in the bonus area to get the gem.

Getting the second gem
Quite soon along the way is a platform marked with a skull, which only appears if you haven't lost a life yet. The platform will lead you to an alternate path, where you have to jump from platform to platform while avoiding logs thrown by gorilla-like enemies. To avoid the logs, you have to jump with timing over them or hit them with a spin. Once you reach the enemies throwing the logs, kill them. At the end of this difficult path you will find the gem and the platform that will take you back to the main level, a little further from where you left off.