Boulders


 * Not to be confused with the titular hazards.

Boulders is the fourth level of the first island in Crash Bandicoot and the N. Sane Trilogy remaster of the first game. It is notable as the first chase style level in the Crash series, in which Crash must outrun multiple boulders that chase him. The Tawna bonus round in the previous level, The Great Gate, saves at this level.

Level design
Throughout the course of the level, Crash must run away from several large spherical boulders. If he is too slow, he will be crushed. Each boulder starts rolling from the top of a bridge-like tunnel. It is stopped either by smashing into the wall of the next tunnel along the way or by plunging down a hole. There are no enemies in this level apart from the boulder. However, there are several wooden obstacles along the way which will slow Crash down if he runs into them.

The level is extremely linear; the camera, however, is pointing towards Crash's front-side throughout. Players must run toward the screen, an unusual departure from the first three levels. This seems to be acknowledged by Naughty Dog, as players are pointed in this new direction at the start of the level by an arrow made of Wumpa Fruit. The camera angle means that players cannot see what obstacles lay ahead of them until the last second, giving them little time to react. Following Wumpa Fruit will make sure Crash avoids the wooden obstacles, however.

Gem
If all 16 crates are broken and the level is completed without dying, Crash will be awarded a clear gem. Crates cannot be smashed by the boulder, as it bounces over them, although this issue was fixed in the N. Sane Trilogy.

Password
This corresponds to a save file at this level (9%, 0 keys, 2 gems).

Trivia

 * This level is the eighth level in the March 8, 1996 prototype.
 * The premise of this level mirrors an iconic scene from Raiders of Lost Ark, in which Indiana Jones runs from a pursuing boulder.
 * The level description refers to this by mentioning Indiana Jones.
 * This is the first level in the series where the players must escape from a dangerous hazard that is chasing them. The format has been used several times in later games.
 * This is one of the levels with the least changes over from the March 8, 1996 prototype to the retail version.
 * This level was completely remade for Uncharted 4: A Thief's End. Nathan Drake ends up telling his wife he could beat her high score in her "TV Game Thing," which is immediately revealed to be a classic white PlayStation with Crash Bandicoot loaded.
 * It is impossible to beat Elena in the version where she tutors Nathan on how to play.
 * Nathan can, however, beat her high score in the epilogue extras of the game.
 * In the N. Sane Trilogy, the boulders no longer hop or bounce & can now break the crates on the path, where as in the original it just bounced over them. The same goes for Boulder Dash, Crash Dash and Crash Crush.
 * In the N. Sane Trilogy, any Aku Aku masks acquired from previous levels will be lost upon entering the level. The same is true for Boulder Dash.

Boulders Boulders Boulders pt-br:Boulders Boulders