Bear Down

Bear Down is the thirteenth level in Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back. It is similar to Bear It, though more difficult, and introducing some Arctic Lab Assistants whose exciting job is apparently to stand around all day, in pairs, lifting and dropping the same bar of Iron Crates. After being flung from Polar's back at the end of the level, if Crash turns around and uses the sinking blue platforms to cross the sea and reach the lone snowy island, he will be warped to the secret sixth Warp Room Area, where the alternate entrance to Air Crash will now be open.

Trivia

 * The name of the level is likely based on "Down syndrome", the famous birth defect. Many fans believe this is true because Polar obviously has the disorder. (This would also explain why Polar stopped appearing in Crash games after professional politician Sarah Palin came to prominence.)
 * Alternatively, the name could be a slight pun on a section of the phrase "It's bearing down on him/her!", which could either mean an object is falling or squeezing on someone, or it could be refering to bad luck, such as having the misfortune of having to play any level with Polar's awful gameplay mechanics.
 * This is the only time in the entire Crash series that any one "job" has required two Lab Assistants to work in tandem. It is sadly never explained in-game just what exactly they are doing, though it is highly likely that the four Iron Crates are actually some sort of ultra-postmodern martini shaker, and that they are making martinis, very slowly, presumably for Doctor N. Gin.