Don't be afraid to die
Death is part of the Spelunky experience. You will die and you will die often. That's okay, because you will learn something new each time you face your demise. Even if you don't go any further than in your previous attempts, you will become a little more comfortable with a certain type of enemy, you will learn how to use a new item or maybe you will discover a new shortcut. . Death is common in Spelunky 2, but it's hardly ever a setback.
You can ride animals
The animals you see roaming the metro aren't just shows. Like most things in Spelunky 2, you can use them to your advantage. You can ride turkeys and other animals by jumping on them and holding the jump button. They'll run around madly at first, but eventually they'll settle down and let you control them. Turkeys can double and even soar by holding the jump button down in the air, and other mounts can do even crazier things. Rock Dogs can breathe fire, and Axolotls can teleport. Be sure to experiment with different mounts to discover their full abilities.
Save for shortcuts
Although it may seem that way at first, you don't have to start over every time from the beginning. After clearing the first world, you will meet a character named Terra who also works deeper underground. Terra will build shortcuts that you can use if you bring her the necessary materials, and that ranges from money to items. The first few requirements are fairly easy to find, so make sure you have some cash on hand or some spare ropes and bombs to hand over in case Terra needs them. See our Spelunky 2 shortcut guide for a full list of shortcut requirements and locations.
Rescue Pets for Health
Most of the levels have a dog hidden somewhere in them. You can bring these dogs with you to the exit to regain a heart. Just take them like any other item and take them with you. They must be alive to heal you, so be careful to avoid enemies and traps. If you're more of a cat, you can change the type of animal that appears in the in-game options menu. There are three animals to choose from in total, and you can even configure it to randomly choose one of three. to spice things up.
Sacrifice to gain Kali's favor
If you stumble upon a bloody altar, it's not just for show. You can actually perform sacrifices on these altars to earn useful items. Just bring someone, dead or alive, to the altar to sacrifice them. Sacrifices earn you Kali Favor Points, and hitting certain point thresholds will reward you with powerful items. Sacrifices are worth more alive than dead, so try to go the non-lethal route if possible. Pets, horned lizards, cavemen, traders, and just about anything you can carry will be accepted by Kali. Just drop them on the table to perform a sacrifice. For more on sacrifices, check out our Spelunky 2 Kali sacrifice guide.
Slow down and walk
Spelunky 2 is a fast paced game, but it pays to slow down every now and then. If you hold down the R2 button, your character will walk and move more slowly, giving you more control and precision. This is useful for navigating dangerous areas or avoiding traps. You can also go to the in-game options menu and set the walk to default, making R2 the run button like in the first game. It depends on your personal preference, but consider your movement speed when encountering zones. dangerous in Spelunky 2.
Think before acting
While you don't have full control over the camera in Spelunky 2, you can look down and inspect the area below you. To do this, just hold down to squat for a few seconds and the camera will automatically pan down. This is useful for seeing how far a fall goes to make sure you don't take damage from the fall. You can also look upward while holding until the camera moves, although this is a more situational maneuver. Always look before jumping if you cannot see the bottom. The drop might be high enough to kill you, there might be dangerous enemies below, or there might even be spikes waiting to impale you.
Throw pots instead of attacking them
There are pots, vases, and jars scattered throughout each of Spelunky's levels. These can contain rare and valuable gems that are worth a lot of money, so you should always crush them when you see them. Wealth is not the only thing in it, however. Sometimes enemies like snakes and spiders come out of broken jars and you can get hurt if you're not careful. Instead of breaking them with your whisk, take the jars by holding them down and pressing Square. Then launch them with the Square button to find out what's inside from a safe distance. Prevention is better than cure.
Use the golden key
The first world of Spelunky 2 contains a mysterious golden key. This key is a very valuable item, but its usefulness is not immediately apparent. There are chests hidden in some of the doors that you can access during levels that can only be opened with this key, so hang on to that key until you find one of these chests to earn money easily. You'll also need this key later in the game to create the World 5-1 shortcut, but it won't affect you until several hours after starting Spelunky 2.
Play with friends
Spelunky is best with friends. The first game only had local co-op, but Spelunky 2 offers online multiplayer so you can play with your friends wherever they are. Not only is the game a lot more fun with the other players, but the co-op makes the game a bit easier due to the way it handles death in multiplayer. You can bring other players back by finding coffins, so just because you break down doesn't mean you're in for good.
Stealing is risky
Stores are a spelunky staple. They sell all kinds of useful items, and there are many kinds of new shops in Spelunky 2. You don't have to pay asking prices if you don't want to. You can just take whatever you want and walk out the front door. The trader will get angry and try to kill you with his shotgun, but if you can escape you will win a free item. There are creative ways to do this, like using a freezing beam to incapacitate the trader while you steal it, and you'll find plenty of other loopholes as you play. For flight tips, check out our Spelunky 2 flight guide.
Buy the Jetpack when you can
Of all the items in Spelunky 2, the Jetpack is arguably the most useful. It lets you hover and fly as long as it's charged, and it can save your life multiple times if you have it. It also saves you a ton of rope, as you won't need it to climb. The only catch is that it is very rare and incredibly expensive. If you find it in a store, it is definitely worth getting it. If you can't afford it, you can always try to steal it, but try this at your own risk.
Never go empty-handed
You can pick up things from the ground in Spelunky 2, and these random items are actually incredibly useful. Arrow traps are everywhere and deal big damage, and the only way to trigger them is to put something in front of them. Carrying a pot, small stone, or even a pet will allow you to disable arrow traps without taking damage. You should be able to find something to grab when you need it, but try to always have something with you just in case. Being caught empty-handed with nothing around can leave you with no choice but to walk past an arrow trap and hope you won't get hit.
-
