How To Find And Unlock All Shortcuts With Mama Tunnel - Eurogamer

How to unlock the third shortcut in Spelunky 2

To unlock the third shortcut in Spelunky 2, you need to get past World 4 (which is either Tide Pool or the Temple, depending on your choice on the previous shortcut). You then need to hand over the following on three unique runs:

1. $50,000
2. A hired hand
3. The Golden Key (which spawns in World 1)

This is, unsurprisingly, the most difficult set of challenges yet to unlock this final shortcut.

Getting $50,000 is more realistic than you think, even if you start at the second shortcut and have a single world to complete it in. If you are starting here - which is how we unlocked it - then grab all loose pieces of gold and gems you can see, and collect as many of the more hazardous treasures where it's safe to do so.

For example, Idols on clam traps can be moved by throwing a bomb next to it, knocking it to the side, while curse pots - which spawn a ghost when broken open - can be carried to the exit first so you can leave the level without needing to rush.

On Tide Pool, you also have a surplus of chests thanks to the helmet crab spawns (just be sure to whip them first) and a chance of dice games spawning, which, if luck is on your side, is an additional way to get some bonus cash.

The hired hand is a considerable step up in difficulty. Sourcing one is straightforward - one will always appear next to the first shortcut, and another will spawn somewhere in World 2 - but the challenge is keeping them alive in each subsequent level.

There are, however, a few tricks to keeping them under control. One is carrying them. The issue is they will wriggle free every five or so seconds, so you need to drop them and pick them up again regularly. This makes completing levels a longer process, but otherwise they will do their own thing and kill themselves.

You can also force them to fall asleep by grabbing them, crouching and dropping them. This allows you to play the level normally, as as long as they are alive somewhere on the level when you exit, they will come with you. However, we only found this to work from World 4 onwards (Tide Pool or Temple), so you need to do the above carrying, drop and carrying method until then.

The final shortcuts step is the Golden Key. This is a returning challenge from the original Spelunky, and has you find the Golden Key in the first world - found in either 1-2 or 1-3, and is used to open the Udjat Eye chest - and carry it all the way to the final shortcut.

This is the toughest challenge yet, forcing you to play from the very beginning, completing three worlds, and ensuring you don't misplace the key along the way.

Taking your time is important here. Though you can use the key as a projectile in a pinch, we'd avoid using it blindly so you don't drop it on a spike bed or hard to reach place. With luck on your side, this will be doable, allowing you to access the final areas of the game that much easier. Good luck!