Death Route

The death route is a special path that appears in certain levels in Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back and Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped. The death routes are alternate routes in certain levels that can only be accessed by a special lift that has a crossbone symbol on it. Crash will only be able to access the elevator by making it through a certain portion of the level without losing a life. If he dies along the way before reaching the elevator, then only an outline will appear in place of the lift. Once Crash gains access to the lift, he will take an alternate route that is usually more difficult than the regular route. The death routes usually feature extra crates, clear gems, and rarely, a color gem. Some death routes feature an alternate exit to certain levels also. If Crash dies while traveling through a death route, he will be able to access it again if a checkpoint was accessed earlier in the level. Also, certain death routes have iron crates that are used as checkpoints in place of the regular ones. Death routes usually feature more dangers than found in a normal level. They have more Nitro Crates, TNT Crates, etc. That's pretty much why they're called DEATH ROUTES.