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World 2a: Jungle Guide
Taking the left exit at 1-4 will enter you into the Jungle. Unique to this world are burnable blocks of terrain. Lighting a torch on fire will set a flammable block, and all flammable blocks connected on fire, clearing a path. The Powerpack’s upgrade to your whip makes it burn through these blocks. Barring a Powerpack or a Rock Dog, there are campfires in the level that one can whip and turn into a lit torch.
The Black Market:
The Jungle is the only world 2 that contains the Black Market, a bustling market with several shops and containing the Hedjet at bottom right for $40,000. The Eye of Udjat from 1-2 or 1-3 will blink and make noises as you get closer to the entrance, though it is still pretty difficult to find many times. Instead of being a separate level as in the previous Spelunky, the Black Market is through a tunnel on the stage, meaning you can sometimes scope out the door through other tunnels, but also that it’s on the same time limit as the level. You will be given a clover to increase the amount of time you have as you come in, but if you’ve already hit 3:00 the ghost will still chase you.
The Three Sisters:
On 2a-2, 2a-3, and 2a4 (thanks to Steam user Kaspbrak in the comments for confirmation on locations), caves will spawn with a movable block up top and a girl at the bottom. If you jump down there, she thanks you and tells you she got stuck. Each one you free will offer you an item (save one and its a rope pile, 2 sisters and its a bomb bag, and all 3 for a bomb box) at the top of the ladder on the first phase of Olmec in 3-1
The Moon Challenge:
On one level of world two, an alcove with a mysterious NPC spawns, offering to “Begin Challenge” for $10,000. This is the Moon Challenge, and it’s the first of three challenges awaiting you while spelunking. This challenge begins with you grabbing a clover and climbing down a ladder to a mattock. The mattock functions just like a normal one, and you use it to dig until it goes out. Hidden in the rock are areas with gems and crates, and one small opening with a bow. This is Hou Yi’s bow, a weapon in its own right (though not great) and a key to a later secret. The challenge is pretty safe, with a small possibility of enemies spawning in the room where you start. Do not set off a bomb in the room though, as you’ll anger the hooded figure on the other side of the door. Periodically there are also square, movable blocks, that if you dig directly under them, will fall and can crush you. These are easy to spot though. The only other threat is the small chance that an arrow trap spawns in one of the clearings. Always be mindful, but usually the challenge is well worth it because you tend to earn your entry money back, the clover makes up for the time you spent, you can find good items, and its relatively free of threats.
Enemies:
- Hangy Spider: This yellow spider spawns in a web, raising and lowering periodically. Just smack it with something before going under it.
- Tiki Man: Comes armed with a boomerang (a torch on dark levels) and uses it immediately when you get in front of him. Do not get in front of him because he can combo you to death. Once disarmed, the Tiki Man acts like a Cave Man.
- Monkey: Starts the level on vines and jumps on you when you get to close. They don’t hurt you directly, rather they stun you or steal something. When stunning they can throw you on a trap or spikes, which will kill you. Get to a safe place if one hops on you. They can be decommissioned with one crack of the whip.
- Mosquito: Small flying insects that lock on to you when you are in range, and fly their stinger into the nearest terrain or player on a horizontal.
- Man Trap: These humanoid plants will eat you if you get on hitbox range. This usually ends your run.
- Witch Doctor: This enemy is your greatest threat in the Jungle. They wear purple masks and have a spectral skill which rotates around them. Get close enough and the skull moves towards you. If you get hit by it, it curses you and sets your HP at 1 (if you are already cursed, the skull kills you). The Witch Doctor also has another attack in which it hexes you, putting a small skull over your head. After a few seconds, this deals one damage and stuns you. The only way to get rid of the mark is to deal damage to the Witch Doctor. Dealing damage to him also makes the skull go away temporarily.
- Giant Spider: This hulking spider is more intimidating in appearance than actuality. They behave exactly like small black spiders from Dwelling, but deal more damage. The key to neutralizing this spider is to throw a bomb into the spider web that always appears below them. The explosion will kill the spider, and the spider will drop 2 gems and a guaranteed Paste for your effort.
Note: Sometimes, a level “feeling” will cause it to have special attributes. The spooky graveyard feeling can cause a cave with vampire bats to spawn. Careful of vampire bats, as they move erratically and have a good chunk of health. Killing one, however, guarantees you a cape as loot.
A message talking about “buzzing” signals a beehive version of the level, in which bees will be flying around. In Spelunky HD, killing a queen bee rewarded Royal Jelly, but I haven’t been able to find a queen bee in Spelunky 2. Royal Jelly still exists as a reward from the altar, so I imagine there is sometimes a queen bee but have not confirmed.
EDIT: There is a Queen Bee that appears in the back layer of hive levels. Enter a cave to find it.
Traps:
- Spike Trap: These traps are very frustrating. They are 1×1 boxes that spawn very often throughout the Jungle. When coming into close range of any of its four sides, spikes are released similarly to the Bear Traps in Dwelling. The biggest reason these traps are such a nuisance is that they are camoflaged by moss. Once you get used to the Jungle, they are much easier to spot, but even then you’ll miss one if you aren’t paying proper attention.
- Thorny Trap: Thorns inhabit a lot of the jungle, growing on every side of certain blocks. Unlike spikes they only deal one damage, and ones on the ground can be traversed using spike shoes (one of many reasons I consider the spike shoes a top-tier item).
- Spikes: Spikes don’t stop after Dwelling. They spawn similarly in pits, but instead of having platforms over them, they have vines that hang over them you have to jump from and to. These vines can have monkeys as well, which can stun you into the Spikes. Lower slowly onto the spikes to walk through them and minimize risk.
- Snap Trap: This trap looks like a hunter’s trap and triggers when you walk over it. They can be obscured by leaves and other things so be very careful. If you whip it, it will close, but be aware that it also will open back up if hit again. Be careful when triggering with items, as it will destroy throwables.