Death Route

Death Routes are a special path that appears in certain levels in Cortex Strikes Back, Warped and The Wrath of Cortex. The death routes are alternate routes in certain levels that can only be accessed by a special lift that has the colored gem required or a crossbones symbol on it. Crash will only be able to access the lift with the crossbones by making it through a certain portion of the level without losing a life. If he dies along the way before reaching the lift, then only an outline will appear in its place. (Though should Crash die whilst actually traversing the Death Route; the outline rule does not apply.)

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, and a color gem. 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 or he will be teleported back next to the elevator. 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. than normal routes. Gem Paths are similar to Death Routes, except they require colored Gems to enter and the reward for beating them is a regular Gem.

Trivia

 * In the prototype version of Crash 2, death route platforms moved much faster and Crash would occasionally fall through them and lose a life, if it's not on the ground.