Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back/Cold Hard Crash

A (much) harder version of ../Snow Biz/, with the exact same structure: two frontal scrolling areas at the beginning and end and an intermediate side scrolling area. However, there are many more pitfalls here. In fact, you will find long icy surfaces, many porcupines and several gaps. There are also many Nitro boxes. The crystal is found in the last part. Shortly after you will also find the detonator to blow up all the Nitro boxes.

The bonus area is found shortly after the side-scrolling area starts. Despite the presence of many TNT boxes, overcoming it is not a problem and breaking all the boxes is easy.

Getting the first gem
In the side scrolling area is a platform marked with a skull, which only appears if you get to this point without losing any lives. The platform will lead you to a secret area, always side scrolling, very difficult. You'll have to move on frozen surfaces, avoiding logs and rocks that will try to crush you, paying attention to the Nitro boxes and avoiding falling off cliffs. The hedgehogs will make things even more complicated. At the end of this path you will find a vertical shaft, where you will find the gem. Falling into this vertical tunnel, you will get directly to the third part of the level.

Getting the second gem
Getting the second gem is even more difficult. In fact, you have to break all the boxes within the level. To do this, you must get to the platform with the skull without losing any lives, in order to access the secret area. Here you have to proceed to the right, breaking all the boxes. At the end though, instead of entering the vertical shaft, you have to go back. Just before the end there is also a box (!) that will spawn another box just after the start of this area. You must then reach the platform with the skull again and climb it, to be taken back to the main level, to the point where you left it. At this point, just proceed normally to the end, taking care to break all the boxes, to get the gem in the final room. Some boxes can be a little difficult to find. There is one in particular, in a recess and behind two Nitro boxes, which you can only reach by moving very carefully.