World 5: Ice Caves
This world is only one vertically elongated level. The easiest way to conceptualize the Ice Caves is by dividing it into 4 subsections. From top to bottom:
Subsection 1: Enter the level in a place reminiscent of Spelunky HDs world 3. This part of the world is much more open than any of the worlds previous. Ice blocks will cause you to slip if you have no climbing boots. At the bottom of this section is not an exit, rather an entrance tunnel to subsection 2.
2: The middle of the level is blank space on the outer layer. The way to go through is in the inner layer, where there is a cave that “smells like wet fur”. This is the yeti cave, a cave with tons of yetis and the Yeti King and Queen. There is a hired hand up top, and to the left or right, in spikes, is a clover. The top most level of icy surface holds the Yeti Queen. A level under it, the Yeti King. Both are surrounded by other smaller yetis. Below the Yeti King is a pit of spikes, on top of which is a few platforms, one holding a door. The door takes you back to the outer layer of the level.
3: This section is like the first, only at the bottom theres a never-ending pit and a door leading to world 6.
4: The never ending pit that will end your run, unless you obtained the Alien Compass. The Alien Compass allows you to take an alternate exit to the Mothership, a secret area.
Note: Many times you can skip the 2nd Yeti cave section entirely, but you’ll miss the loot. To skip, use a parachute, jetpack, hoverpack, cape, turkey, or even climbing gloves to make your way down to level 3. You can also obtain an alien mech, if one spawns, and use its jetpack. I don’t advise it, but if you do fall and have no items to help you might get lucky and grab onto an edge without landing with a faceplant. Grabbing an edge avoids fall damage.
Second Waddler:
The Waddler makes his second appearance in a cave right above the entrance to the Yeti Cave (section 2). It’s behind blocks, so you’ll have to bomb around to find it. You can use the Waddler in 3-1 to smuggle the eggplant to this Waddler, for pickup and use on the eggplant altar.
Awaken the Eggplant Child:
Seen those wrapped presents being sold at the shop? Throw one on an altar and it becomes an eggplant. This seemingly useless item is easily broken, but if you manage to take it to the Ice Caves without breaking it, you can drop it on the special altar here, with purple goop on it instead of the normal blood. It always appears next to a moai statue (didn’t think they wouldn’t bring that back in some form?). If you set the eggplant on the altar, a door appears in the moai. Through the door is the Eggplant Kid. Awaken him by picking him up and setting him back down. You now have to drag his ass through Neo Babylon and to 7-1. On the bright side, setting him down makes him fall back asleep, and even if you leave him at the level entrance or somewhere else, he’ll be with you when you exit providing he didn’t get blown up in some random explosion.
The Mothership:
It’s back! If you managed to get the Alien Compass from Van Horseling, by rescuing him, having him kill Vlad, and then finding him in 4b-1, it will point you towards a secret area at the bottom of 5-1, the Mothership. There, you can find the plasma cannon and unlock the Pilot.
Enemies:
- Alien: Little green thing that is super small but can deal damage if you run into them. They usually come out of UFOs or appear in mech suits that you can hop in after ridding the Alien. The suit is extremely slow but has a jetpack and can shoot a explosive beam by holding Down and pressing Attack. Neutral attack is a big arm that can tear through blocks.
- UFO: Flying saucer that shoots a beam below that eliminates one block or hurts what it hits. When destroyed, UFOs fall to the ground and explode like a bomb.
- Yeti: Big, white, furry Bigfoot who throws people who get to close. Beware of getting thrown, as you can be thrown into the pit, spikes, or just thrown over and over into a wall.
- Yeti Queen: In the Yeti Cave, this giant yeti essentially is a bigger and badder normal yeti. If killed, she drops some rope and spike boots.
- Yeti King: In the Yeti Cave, this giant Yeti not only pummels you, but blows ice breath at people within a certain distance. The ice breath causes ice blocks to fall from the above level and hit things that are under them. When killed, he drops some rope, a compass, and sometimes a Freeze Ray. If you are having trouble killing/getting past the yeti king and queen, if you bomb the floors they will continue walking, sending them into the pit of spikes.
Traps:
- Landmine: Explodes a few moments after getting stepped on.
- Spring Trap: Not necessarily a trap, but can be. These “traps” bounce you high into the air when stepping on them. They can help you reach heights you can’t normally. Spikes sometimes appear on the ceiling in the ice caves. Don’t get thrown into them!
- Boulder Trap: Taking the Golden Idol in this world triggers a massive, Indiana Jones-type boulder to smash anything and everything it rolls into. Be careful of being hit, but also be wary of this tearing through important blocks, shops, or an altar when triggered.