Air Crash

Air Crash is the seventh level in Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back. Like Hang Eight in the previous warp room, it is a stream-based level in which Crash gets to ride his jet-board! This stage is surprisingly complex, especially for only being the seventh level in the game. Breaking all the crates and obtaining the Clear Gem for doing so is only possible by discovering the secret entrance for this level from the secret warp in Bear Down, as not only does it contain several normal crates but also the only Nitro Switch Crate in the level. The other Clear Gem is found on a Death Route, the first of the game, where Crash encounters some awkward jumps on sinking stone pillars and some annoying Nitro Crate hijinx; obviously, this trek is much simplified if the player was able to enter the level via the secret entrance. This level also contains a secret exit of its own - skip the first jet-board and, instead, have Crash jump across the floating crates until he reaches a stone platform. This platform will warp him to the secret warp room, where the portal to the secret area of Snow Go will be unlocked.

Trivia

 * This level's name is an obvious reference to Nike's popular line of Air Jordan shoes. Named after and originally endorsed by popular basketball athlete Michael Jordan, the Air Jordan shoes purported to help one be good at the sport of basketball, even though in reality they were exactly like normal shoes, but expensive. In a similar vein, Crash's sneakers presumably do not have any effect whatsoever on Crash's ability to jet-board, hence the pun.
 * This is the only stream level in Cortex Strikes Back that does not involve a Time Trial Gem. It can be assumed that Naughty Dog did not want this level to be overstuffed, foreshadowing the extreme soul-crushing fan disgust over the variety of things to do in each level of Warped.