A colored gem is a special type of gem that appears in the Crash Bandicoot series. They are similar to the common Clear Gem that Crash can collect by breaking a certain amount of crates in each level, except these gems are rarer, alternatively shaped and appear in a variety of different colors. A colored gem usually requires a different method of collection than the regular gems, usually by performing hidden tasks or challenges in the game.
Once Crash collects a colored gem, he is able to unlock new paths in certain levels. These new paths can be accessed with the use of a special lift in the shape of one of the colored gems. These special gem lifts will appear as an outline before collecting the colored gem. Once Crash collects the corresponding colored gems, the lifts will be accessible and be used to reach new paths in different levels. Usually these paths allow Crash to break additional crates to acquire the level's clear gem, collect additional gems, or activate special portals to other levels.
The collection of colored gems is required to achieve 100% Completion, and often unlocks secret endings or other bonuses depending on the game. In some games, the player must collect all colored gems to activate a Multicolor gem path in one of the final levels.
The colored gems appear in blue, red, green, yellow, purple and orange.
Overview[]
Crash Bandicoot[]
In this game, there are six colored gems: green, orange, blue, red, purple and yellow. The game requires you to obtain the colored gem in that level without losing a life. If the player loses a life midway through the stage or after they reach the first checkpoint, the player must restart the level in order to retry. Dying before collecting a checkpoint will not lock out the box gem. In the N Sane Trilogy, the box completion will show, but the gem will be replaced by a transparent metal crate whereas in the original version, the player would bypass the box counting screen as you finish the level.
| Gem Color | Level | Method of Collection | Paths Unlocked |
|---|---|---|---|
Blue
|
Toxic Waste | Break all boxes without losing a life. | Rolling Stones, Cortex Power, Jaws of Darkness |
Red |
Slippery Climb/The Lost City (NTSC-J) | Break all boxes without losing a life. | Native Fortress, Road to Nowhere |
Green
|
The Lost City/Hog Wild (NTSC-J) | Break all boxes without losing a life. | Jungle Rollers, Castle Machinery |
Yellow
|
The Lab | Break all boxes without losing a life. | Lights Out, The Great Gate |
Purple
|
Lights Out | Break all boxes without losing a life. | Boulder Dash |
Orange
|
Generator Room | Break all boxes without losing a life. | Upstream |
Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back[]
In this game, there are five colored gems: blue, red, green, yellow and purple. Unlike it's first counterpart, the colored gems can be obtained by doing secret challenges in the level that has one.
| Gem Color | Level | Method of Collection | Paths Unlocked |
|---|---|---|---|
Blue
|
Turtle Woods | Complete the level without destroying any boxes. | Hang Eight, Spaced Out |
Red
|
Snow Go | Complete the secret route by using the secret portal from Air Crash. | Snow Biz, Spaced Out |
Green
|
The Eel Deal | Complete a secret route behind a fake wall. | Ruination, Spaced Out |
Yellow
|
Plant Food | Complete the level before the timer runs out. | Sewer or Later, Spaced Out |
Purple
|
Bee-Having | Enter a secret route from fake set of Nitro crate stairs. | Spaced Out |
Walkthrough[]
Crash Bandicoot: Warped[]
| Gem Color | Level | Method of Collection | Paths Unlocked |
|---|---|---|---|
Blue
|
Tomb Wader | Death Route | Sphynxinator, Bug Lite |
Red
|
Deep Trouble | Backtrack to the secret route and complete it, activated by the ! Crate at the end of the level. | Bone Yard, Bug Lite |
Green
|
Flaming Passion | Death Route | Gone Tomorrow, Bug Lite |
Yellow
|
Hang'em High | Complete the secret route accessed through level 27 (requires 10 relics). | Dino Might!, Bug Lite, Eggipus Rex |
Purple
|
High Time | Death Route | Tomb Time, Bug Lite |
Walkthrough[]
Crash Team Racing[]
In this game, there are five colored gems: blue, red, green, yellow, and purple. Each of these gems is acquired by winning the corresponding gem cup, each unlocked by obtaining four Tokens of the respective color.
Walkthroughs[]
Crash Bash[]
Each minigame (except boss fights) contains a gem challenge, which grants a green gem upon completion. Green is the only colored gem in this game. The gems' main purpose is only to contribute to 100% Completion, however collecting 25 gems also unlocks Keg Kaboom.
Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex[]
In this game, there are five colored gems: blue, red, green, yellow, and purple. Unlike the first three games, all colored gems are obtained on the death routes. Similar to the first game, you must complete the death route to obtain the gem without dying.
| Gem Color | Level | Method of Collection | Paths Unlocked |
|---|---|---|---|
Blue
|
Arctic Antics | Death Route | Tsunami |
Red
|
Crash and Burn | Death Route | Banzai Bonsai |
Green
|
Wizards and Lizards | Death Route | Cortex Vortex |
Yellow
|
Gold Rush | Death Route | Compactor Reactor |
Purple
|
The Gauntlet | Death Route | Droid Void |
Walkthrough[]
Crash Bandicoot: The Huge Adventure[]
| Gem Color | Level | Method of Collection | Paths Unlocked |
|---|---|---|---|
Blue
|
Ruined | In a section of the level with the nitro switch crate, after activating it, double jump and tornado spin to the left. | Snow Crash |
Red
|
Star to Finish | Right below the nitro switch crate, jump across the metal platforms until you come across the red gem. | Temple of Boom |
Green
|
Sunken City | There will be a metal ! crate. Activate it and go back to the start of the level. One of the TNT crates is left outside of the metal crates, unlike the others that are between them. Detonate it to unblock the way to the gem. | Just Hangin' |
Yellow
|
Final Countdown | The player must use the double jump and the death tornado spin abilities. Also, note that this gem is one of the hardest gems to get, as it needs expert platforming skills. After a checkpoint crate, there will be a green trampoline and a heap of nitro boxes. Instead of jumping to the right and passing it, jump to the left. Crash will come to a plate. Quickly jump to the metal crate on the left so Crash will not fall down. Then, there will be a metal arrow crate. Jump on it. While jumping, also make an extra jump by using the double jump ability, then go left and tornado spin. Crash will land on a metal platform. Jump to the metal arrow crate in the left to get the yellow gem, then land to the left. | Ace of Space |
Crash Bandicoot 2: N-Tranced[]
Colored gems work a bit differently in N-Tranced; rather than collecting single whole gems throughout the game, the player must collect multiple Gem Shards to unlock the levels containing the full colored gems. Red, blue and green gems are the only colored gems that appear in this game.
| Gem Color | Level | Method of Collection |
|---|---|---|
Red
|
Wild Nile Ride | Near the end of the level |
Green
|
101 Arabian Kites | Near the end of the level |
Blue
|
Fire Walker | Near the end of the level |
Crash Nitro Kart[]
In this game, there are four colored gems: blue, red, green, and purple. Each of these gems is acquired by winning the corresponding gem cup, just like in CTR.
Walkthroughs[]
Crash Bandicoot Purple: Ripto's Rampage[]
Colored gems are reduced to a mere cameo in this game, with all gem colors (except orange) appearing on collectable Trading Cards rather than serving any important role as collectibles.
Crash Twinsanity[]
In this game, colored gems are a much more common collectible, with one of each (except orange) appearing in each level and hub rather than one of each appearing in the entire game. The gems are mostly hidden in levels, with some requiring puzzles to be solved, but some of them are very easy to obtain. There are six gems in each level/hub. Clear Gems are treated the same as colored gems in this game. Rather than unlocking gem paths, collecting gems unlocks images and videos in the concept art gallery.
Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy[]
All colored gems reappear in the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy remakes of the first three games where they serve the same roles they had in the original versions of those games.
Walkthoughs[]
Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled[]
The red, green, blue, yellow, and purple gems reappear in Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled where they serve the same role that they had in the original version of Crash Team Racing.
Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time[]
| Gem Color | Level | Method of Collection | Paths Unlocked |
|---|---|---|---|
Red
|
N. Sanity Peak | Jump on the nine phasing platforms before Lani-Loli's resting place a certain order, starting on the bottom left: right, right, up, up, left, left, down, right. | Crash Compactor, Toxic Tunnels |
Green
|
Hit the Road or Truck Stopped | Spin a trash can on the left at the checkpoint in the middle of the chase sequence. Repeatedly spin the remote controller until the RC car crashes into the nitro crate. | Jetboard Jetty, Toxic Tunnels |
Blue
|
Draggin' On | Complete the level without destroying any boxes. | Crash Landed, Toxic Tunnels |
Yellow
|
Run It Bayou | At the beginning of the level, instead of jumping on the jet board, jump along the floating crates to the right, then to the moving platform at the end to reach a platform with a small pile of crates. Jump on top of the pile to reach the gem where it floats above. | Bears Repeating, Toxic Tunnels |
Walkthrough[]
Crash Bandicoot: On the Run![]
In On the Run!, gems are called challenge gems, and they are earned by completing gem runs. There is one gem run per level, and once the gem has been earned, the run can be re-attempted once every 24 hours for a reward of two Purple Crystals. There are four gem colors; red, blue, green and yellow, with one of each color on each island.
Appearances[]
- Crash Bandicoot (all)
- Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back (all except orange)
- Crash Bandicoot: Warped (all except orange)
- Crash Team Racing (all except orange)
- Crash Bash (green only)
- Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex (all except orange)
- Crash Bandicoot: The Huge Adventure (all except orange and purple)
- Crash Bandicoot 2: N-Tranced (red, green and blue)
- Crash Nitro Kart (all except orange and yellow)
- Crash Bandicoot Purple: Ripto's Rampage (all except orange)
- Crash Twinsanity (all except orange)
- Crash Twinsanity (mobile) (purple only)
- Crash Bandicoot (mobile)
- Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy (all)
- Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled (all)
- Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time (all except orange and purple)
- Crash Bandicoot: On the Run! (all except orange and purple)
Gallery[]
Crash Bandicoot[]
Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back[]
Crash Bandicoot: Warped[]
Crash Team Racing[]
Crash Bash[]
Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex[]
Crash Nitro Kart[]
Crash Bandicoot Purple: Ripto's Rampage[]
Crash Twinsanity[]
Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy[]
Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time[]
Crash Bandicoot: On the Run![]
Names in other languages[]
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| French | Gemmes de couleur |
| Portuguese | Joias Coloridas |
Trivia[]
- In some early material, the orange gem was referred to as the "gold gem", and the red gem was called the "pink gem".
- In Cortex Strikes Back and Warped, the red, yellow and blue gems share the same model as the clear gem, only with different scale modifiers and colors.
- The orange gem appears in the alternate ending of the second game in the N. Sane Trilogy. It is loaded into N. Brio's laser installation along with the other gems, despite Crash never collecting it in-game.
- It was confirmed during the ExtraLife Charity fundraiser that its appearance was a mistake.
| Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy | ||
| DLC Content | Crash Bandicoot: Stormy Ascent Crash Bandicoot: Warped: Future Tense | |