Upstream

Crash Bandicoot can't swim, but you need to climb up the stream if you want to beat Papu Papu. - Level description

Upstream is the fifth level in Crash Bandicoot. As the name implies, you must travel up along a stream, without falling in.

Level design
The level is extremely linear, and is bounded on both sides by the banks of the stream which are covered in dense jungle foliage and occasional small sections of temple ruins. Crash must navigate your way up the stream by means of logs, leaves, stone platforms and sinking lily pads. He must also jump across several red plants with green stems (somewhat similar to Venus Flytraps) which will snap shut shortly after you jump on them. There is also a much more dangerous blue-stemmed variation of this plant, which snaps shut at regular intervals requiring timing to get over it.

Gem
Before you can obtain the clear gem in this level, you'll first need to get the orange gem from Generator Room, a level that appears much later in the game. Once you have the orange gem, the player can access and break all 14 crates.

Enemies
Venus flytraps are the main enemies on this level. The red fly traps will snap and eat Crash if he jumps onto it and stays on it too long, but the blue fly traps snap every few seconds repetitively on timer. This will require the player to time his jump when coming across a blue Venus fly trap. There are also monkeys that roll from side to side like the ones on The Great Gate.

Trivia

 * The River in this level rises at Skull Rock Waterfall.


 * The premise of Crash navigating up a stream would be repeated later in this game in Up the Creek, and in Crash Bandicoot 2 in the levels Hang Eight, Air Crash and Plant Food.