Diggin' It

Diggin' It is the seventeenth level in Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back. Crash finds himself in a snowy thumb|300px|right|wish this type of level reoccured later on :(environment similar to the snowball chase levels, but it's not snowballs that he'll be dodging today - it's weird snow-dwelling bees! Fortunately, bees will go down to a simple spin attack, so they're not a huge factor here - Crash should be far more careful of the undefeatable sentient (and apparently bipolar) statues, mallet-wielding lumberjack Lab Assistants, and red Venus Fly Traps, which spit grenade-like seeds and will only fall to a belly flop....or a spin from underground! Crash can dig into the patches of magenta soil throughout the latter half of the stage, making for a cute but extremely forgettable gimmick.

This level contains a Death Route which, while not terribly difficult on its own, not only features a hidden Clear Gem, but also a number of crates necessary to obtain the crate Gem. As such, most players agree that collecting all the crates on this level is entirely too hard, because they literally always miss one. On the bright side, this level also contains an exciting secret warp to the secret sixth warp room, and the secret entrance to Road to Ruin - just keep your eyes peeled for the roundish pillar sticking out of a pit, guarded by a red Venus Fly Trap Pirahna Plant.

Trivia

 * Even if you die, it is still possible to access the death route. Just carry on as normal and where the route joins back to the normal path, just stay to the left side of the massive pit and keep jumping 'til you make it et voila. Although it is a teeny bit harder doing it all backwards.
 * This level's name is a reference to the famous song "Dig It", released on the popular Beatles' well-known 1970 album, Let It Be. The "-gin" is added, presumably, to foreshadow once again the boss of this Warp Room Area, Doctor N. Gin, or more likely in reference to his beloved favorite preferred beverage of choice.