Cavern Catastrophe

Cavern Catastrophe (ありンコキリキリまいった！ lit. Ants Coming In Full Force! in Japanese) is the third level in Crash Twinsanity and the third level on N. Sanity Island.

Description
The level takes place after Mecha Bandicoot has been defeated, and features Crash and Cortex in a rollerbrawl. This level contains the first crystal in the game. It is also the first one to feature Crash and Cortex in a rollerbrawl. This level involves Crash and Cortex in a rollerbrawl going through some mines in the huge cave systems of N. Sanity Island. While most of the level has Crash and Cortex in a rollerbrawl, a few segments involve Crash and Cortex joined. The level also features an exclusive gameplay feature; color varying-crystal clusters that Crash and Cortex must roll into or spin in order to make rocks fall from the cave ceiling which aids the player's progress. The level also includes a battle against the Ant Drones where you must body-slam buttons to shut them in their drill and later on, a chase where Crash and Cortex are pursued by the Ants' drill vehicle. A common hazard are Nitro Crates which are placed on the tracks in stacks. A very interesting thing to note is the inclusion of two Nitro Switch Crates in this level, which appear nowhere else in the game. Their function is to blow up distant Nitro Crates rather than destroying all of them.

Pitfall
Pitfalls are the main hazard of this level, since almost all of the time they surround the playing space.

Nitro Crates
Nitro Crates are very common in this level, usually in stacks of up to three.

Ants
The Ants in this level can attack Crash by charging him or attacking him with a laser sword, but they can be defeated. (Tip: Be sure to spin the laser sword ants twice, or they won't be fully defeated.)

Gas sprayers
Gas sprayers are very often found in this level. Crash and Cortex will have to roll through them when they are not spraying.

Bombs (Removed)
In the demo version of the game, one of the wheels would have bombs rolling into it, so Crash and Cortex would have to time their entrance into the wheel.

Bats (Removed)
Also in the demo version of the game, several bats would attack them if they stayed in one place for too long.

Rats
Rats, however, do not block the main pathway, but they do guard the Blue Gem of the level. It is easiest just to throw Cortex to get the Gem.

Drill
Crash and Cortex will have to escape the Ants' drill in a Chase sequence. To slow it down, the player must spin three crystal clusters in order to make rocks fall onto it.

Acid
Towards the end of the level, there are a few pools of acid blocking the path. They kill Crash instantly upon being touched.

Hazard Count

 * Ants: The ants infinitely spawn from their drill, so there is no definitive number.
 * Gas Sprayers: 11
 * Rats: 6

Crate Count

 * Aku Aku Crates: 5
 * Life Crates: 14
 * Checkpoint Crates: 11
 * TNT Crates: 4
 * Nitro Crates: 112
 * World Crates: 1
 * Other Crates: 113

Gems
Yellow Gem: When you reach the second tunnel you will see two paths: One looks completely normal and the other have a wooden barricade with a skull shape in it. Go to the skull barricade path and at the end of it, the gem will be there.

Green Gem: After going through the yellow gem's tunnel, the path will fork. The green gem is found on the path going right.

Clear Gem: After doing the second crystal puzzle, head right and carefully jump across the gaps using the Bouncy Metal Crates.

Purple Gem: When you reach a section full of spinning wheels, keep going foward until you see two X-marked trapdoors. Step on them and wait until you fall, and you will reach the area where the gem is.

Blue Gem: After reaching a section full of N switches you will see in the distance a wooden platform with some rats and the gem. You can't reach it with Crash but if you throw Cortex there he kills the rats and grabs the gem before teleporting back.

Red Gem: When your close to the ending of the Drill Chase, there will be a small wooden plataform with the gem in it. Quickly grab it and return to the elevator before the drill reaches you.

Intro
[Cortex screams with rage and pounces on Crash. The two enter a rollerbrawl and start rolling down a shaft.]

The first crystal
[Crash and Cortex fall to the ground, and Cortex is sent flying into the middle of a large clearing. He looks up and sees a power crystal, and shakes his head in surprise and grins.]

Cortex: "Well, well... A power crystal...!"

[He stands up and snatches up the crystal. He looks side to side suspiciously, then the ground starts rumbling. He looks down in fear as a part of the ground that he was standing on suddenly rises up on the tip of a massive drill. Doors on the sides of the drill open.]

After defeating the ants
[The drill receeds into the ground and Cortex falls back to the floor.]

Cortex: "Yes! The crystal is mine!"

[He holds it up triumphantly. Crash, looking dazed, slowly walks towards Cortex, reaching out and making grabby hands.]

Cortex: "AH! Keep back, you weak-minded fool! Avert your gaze, or you'll go CRYSTAL CRAZY!"

Throwing tutorial
Cortex: "Throw me over there. Trust me! We're pals, right?"

Beta elements
The demo version of this level had a lot of different placements, and as mentioned before, the inclusion of Bats and Bombs in the level. The level had a changed layout as well.

Trivia

 * This is the only level in the game to contain a Nitro Switch Crate, both of which blow up the same Nitro Crates (though this is probably unintended).
 * N. Gin's cutscene model can be found hidden at the very start of Cavern Catastrophe.
 * This is the first and only time in the game where the player gets to control Crash and Cortex in a rollerbrawl manner.
 * The third-to-last acid pit in the level can be jumped over without destroying any Nitro Crates.

Cavern Catastrophe Cavern Catastrophe