Introduction
Spelunky 2 is a platforming roguelike where you descend through increasingly dangerous caves, collecting treasure, dodging traps, and fighting monsters. Every level is procedurally generated, every death is permanent, and the game is packed with secrets layered on top of secrets. There are three main endings, dozens of unlockable characters, and the infamous Cosmic Ocean that extends infinitely. The game's difficulty comes from its physics: you can whip, jump, and throw items, but everything has weight and momentum. One wrong step means instant death from spikes, falling boulders, or a tiki trap arrow. This guide covers every major item, the optimal route through the game's branching paths, and how to reach every ending including the true ending.
Essential Items & Mounts
Spelunky 2 has dozens of items, but only a few are essential for consistent runs. Here is what you should prioritize:
Weapons & Tools:
- Cape: The most important item in the game. Gives a double jump and a slow-fall. Enables precise platforming and saves you from fall damage. The "Vlad's Cape" variant (from killing Vlad in the Mothership) adds a downward dive that breaks through 1-thick floors. Always carry a Cape over any other backpack item (Jetpack, Hoverpack).
- Jetpack: Infinite flight with fuel. Faster than the Cape but extremely dangerous: the fuel tank explodes if hit by fire or damage, which is a near-instant kill. Only use the Jetpack if you are very confident in your dodging. One spark from a trap and the run is over.
- Climbing Gloves: Let you climb walls by holding toward them. Subtly one of the best items in the game because it gives you infinite wall-grab, meaning you can climb any vertical surface slowly. Essential for the Ice Caves.
- Spring Shoes: +1 jump height and landing on spikes no longer kills you (you bounce off). The spike protection alone makes this worth carrying. Jumping from ledges onto spikes is a common death — Spring Shoes forgive that mistake.
- Shotgun: The best weapon, no contest. One-shots most enemies and kills bosses in 3-4 shots. The shopkeeper sells it for 14,000 gold. Robbing the shopkeeper for his shotgun is a high-risk/high-reward play that many speedrunners use, but for casual play, just save gold and buy it.
Mounts:
- Turkey: The most common mount. Fast movement, high jump, but takes 2 damage before dying. Use the Turkey as a damage sponge in the Dwelling and Jungle. If the Turkey dies, cook its meat for 2 HP of healing.
- Rock Dog: Spits fire and is immune to lava. Found in Volcana. Excellent mount if you are taking the Volcana route — fire immunity is huge.
- Qilin: The secret mount. Found in the "Duat" level (alternate 5-2). Qilin flies and can shoot fireballs. Essential for reaching the Cosmic Ocean because it can fly through the "Sun Challenge" room. If you are going for the true ending, protecting your Qilin is your top priority.
Key Usables:
- Ropes & Bombs: Always carry 4+ of each. Ropes help navigate vertical sections. Bombs open shortcut doors, kill bosses, and access secret areas. The "Bomb Box" (carries 12 bombs) and "Paste" (bombs stick to walls) are run-defining upgrades.
- Udjat Eye: Found in the Dwelling's dark levels. Lets you see hidden doors and the ghost pot. Required for entering the "Black Market." Do not skip the dark levels.
- Ankh: The revival item. Revives you once when you die. Required for the true ending path. Found in the "Tomb of Anubis" or in the "Black Market" for 14,000 gold. Protect the Ankh with your life — if you lose it, the true ending path is closed.
Route Selection: Jungle vs. Volcana
After the Dwelling (1-1 through 1-4), you must choose between two paths. This is the most important decision in any run:
Jungle (Recommended for Beginners): The Jungle is more open and easier to navigate. Enemies are fewer but more varied (horned lizards, witch doctors, man-eating plants). The exits are always on the far right side. Key features:
- Black Market: Always appears somewhere in the Jungle (2-1 to 2-3). Enter by finding the hidden door (use the Udjat Eye to see it glow). The Black Market has unlimited items, a shopkeeper, and guaranteed cape/jetpack. Save 20,000+ gold before entering the Black Market so you can buy the Cape and Spring Shoes.
- Mosquito: The Jungle boss. Appears on 2-4. Pattern: summons shielded enemies, then charges at you. Throw bombs at the Mosquito when it stops moving. Three bombs kill it. The Mosquito's body can be ridden as a mount.
- Risk: Witch Doctors. Their projectiles cause temporary confusion (controls reversed). If you see a witch doctor, kill it from range or use a bomb. Being confused near a pit is a run-ender.
Volcana (Faster, Harder): Volcana is a lava-themed area with tighter corridors and more aggressive enemies. You descend downward through the level rather than moving right. Key features:
- Vlad's Castle: A sub-area in Volcana. Inside, you find "Vlad's Cape" (the best backpack in the game) and the "Crown" (5,000 gold value). Vlad is a fast-moving boss that teleports. Kill him with a shotgun or 2 bombs.
- Lava: Every surface can erupt into lava. The "Fireman" helmet protects you from lava damage. If you do not have fire protection, one wrong step is death.
- No Black Market. This is the biggest downside. You cannot buy items in Volcana.
Verdict: Take Jungle on your first few runs to buy the Cape. Switch to Volcana once you are comfortable navigating tight spaces and want the faster Vlad's Cape route.
Temple of Anubis & Ice Caves
Temple of Anubis (3-1 to 3-4): The Temple is a vertical descent. You start at the top and work your way down through layers of traps and mummies. Key elements:
- Crocodiles: Chase you and have 3 HP. Kill them immediately or they corner you. The "Freeze Ray" turns them into ice blocks.
- Trap Corridors: The Temple is famous for its long trap corridors with arrow traps, spike pits, and crush traps. Move slowly. Use ropes to trigger traps from a distance. A single bomb can clear multiple traps.
- Tomb of Anubis (3-3): A special sub-room containing the Ankh (revival item). The room has a sarcophagus in the center — bomb the wall around it to access the Ankh without triggering the spike trap.
- Anubis (3-4 boss): Anubis floats and shoots ghost orbs that pass through walls. Strategy: stay at his level and whip the orbs back at him. Thrown items (skulls, rocks) also damage him. Anubis drops the "Scepter" which is needed for the true ending path. Do not leave 3-4 without the Scepter.
Ice Caves (4-1 to 4-4): The Ice Caves are the hardest area in the main game. Slippery floors, bottomless pits, and deadly traps. The key is to never rush.
- Yetis: 5 HP, throw snowballs that freeze you. If frozen, you take no control for 2 seconds and slide in the last direction you were moving. Being frozen near a pit = death. Kill yetis before they see you.
- Yeti King (4-4): Massive HP boss. Spawns yeti adds. The king charges when you are in line-of-sight. Use the Scepter from Anubis — one shot (1 HP remaining use) kills the Yeti King instantly. This is the intended strategy. Without the Scepter, bomb the Yeti King 5-6 times while dodging adds.
- The Abominable Yeti King: If you have the "Crown" from Vlad's Castle, the Abominable Yeti King spawns instead. Same fight but 2x HP and more adds. The Crown makes the fight much harder. The reward is a "Royal Jelly" potion that gives more health. Only take the Crown if you are very confident.
Secret Moon Challenge (during Ice Caves): On 4-2 or 4-3, there is a door leading to the "Moon Challenge." Inside, you fight waves of yetis and bats. Completing the challenge gives you the "Hedjet" crown — an item needed for the true ending. The Moon Challenge is optional but required for the Cosmic Ocean path.
Neo Babylon & Sunken City
Neo Babylon (5-1 to 5-3): A futuristic area with lasers, elevators, and robot enemies. This is where many promising runs end.
- Laser Traps: Once triggered, lasers sweep a fixed pattern. Never run — walk through the pattern during the downtime. The timing is consistent. Use the "Udjat Eye" to see the laser trigger before entering a room.
- Elevator Shafts: Some rooms have vertical shafts with moving platforms. Do not ride platforms blindly — they often crush you against the ceiling. Stand on top of platforms, never below them.
- Robots: They shoot lasers that deal 2 damage and knock you back. Prioritize killing robots over all other enemies. A "Freeze Ray" is extremely effective — frozen robots break when hit.
- Duat (5-2 alternate): If you have the Scepter and Hedjet, a door opens on 5-2 that leads to "Duat," an Egyptian-themed alternate level. Duat contains the Qilin mount and leads to the "Sun Challenge."
Sun Challenge (5-3 alternate): Accessed from Duat. The Sun Challenge is a vertical ascent through fire and traps. You need the Qilin to fly up through most of it. Without Qilin, this is nearly impossible. At the top, you find the "Sun Arrow" — needed for the true ending. Strategy: stay on the Qilin's back and let its fireballs destroy the enemies. When you reach the top, pick up the Sun Arrow and immediately leave.
Tiamat (5-4 boss): The standard final boss. Tiamat is a massive dragon head that breathes fire and summons enemies from the portal behind her. Strategy: stay on the left side of the arena. Tiamat's fire breath passes right over you if you are at ground level. Throw the Scepter blast at her (if you saved it) for 20 damage. Otherwise, bomb her 4-5 times while dodging the skeleton spawns.
Sunken City (6-1 to 6-4): The true ending area. Accessed by bringing the Sun Arrow + Scepter into the Tiamat fight. After killing Tiamat, place the Sun Arrow in the altar behind her to open the portal. Sunken City is a dark, flooded version of the Dwelling with persistent poison gas. Move quickly — the poison fog rises from the bottom of each level. Respiration or a Paste-filled Jetpack makes this much safer.
How to Reach Every Ending
Spelunky 2 has three endings, each with increasing difficulty:
Ending 1: Normal Win (Tiamat)
Requirements: Reach 5-4 and kill Tiamat. The easiest ending. You do not need any special items. Just survive through all 20 levels and beat the final boss. Tiamat drops the "Tablet of Destiny" which you bring back to the entrance. This ending credits you and counts as a win.
Ending 2: True Ending (Hundun)
Requirements: Ankh + Scepter + Hedjet + Sun Arrow + Qilin. The path: collect the Ankh in the Temple, get the Scepter from Anubis, get the Hedjet from the Moon Challenge, reach Duat for the Qilin, complete the Sun Challenge for the Sun Arrow, kill Tiamat, and then enter the Sunken City. In Sunken City 6-4, you fight Hundun — a two-headed worm. Kill both heads to win. Hundun drops the "True Crown." Bring it back to the entrance. This ending shows the full credits and the true final cutscene.
Ending 3: Cosmic Ocean (The Secret Finale)
Requirements: Same as True Ending + do not kill Hundun in 6-4. Instead, collect all three "Cosmic Orbs" in the Sunken City levels and bring them to the altar in 6-4. This opens the portal to the Cosmic Ocean. Jump in with the True Crown and Qilin to begin the infinite descent.
Cosmic Ocean Deep Dive
The Cosmic Ocean is an infinite series of levels (7-1, 7-2, ...) that get progressively harder. There is no end — the goal is to go as deep as possible. Here is what you need to know:
How to Enter: After obtaining all true ending items, place the three "Cosmic Orbs" on the altar in 6-4 (Sunken City). The orbs are found in secret rooms in 6-1 (behind the waterfall), 6-2 (at the bottom of the flooded shaft), and 6-3 (inside the giant clam shell). Once all three are on the altar, a portal opens. Jump in. Bring the True Crown and a Qilin if possible.
Cosmic Ocean Mechanics: Each level has a "time limit" where the ghost appears after 30 seconds. The ghost in the Cosmic Ocean is faster and follows you more aggressively. The levels are made of celestial blocks that break easily. Falling too far is instant death. The primary threats are "Star" enemies that shoot tracking projectiles and "Void" zones that instantly kill you if touched.
Preparation Checklist:
- Jetpack strongly recommended over Cape. In the Cosmic Ocean, vertical speed matters more than safety. The Jetpack gets you to exits faster.
- Paste (sticky bombs). Bombs do not bounce in zero gravity — Paste makes them stick where you place them. Essential for precise kills.
- Freeze Ray. The Freeze Ray turns Star enemies into platforms you can stand on. This is the best defensive tool in the Ocean.
- Lots of bombs (12+). You need bombs to break Celestial blocks that block the exit.
- A Qilin. The Qilin's flight makes navigating the Ocean much safer. If your Qilin dies, the run is significantly harder.
Survival Strategy: In the Cosmic Ocean, you have two goals per level: find the exit and get there before the ghost arrives. Strategy: upon entering a level, immediately look for the exit glow (yellow light). Do not explore for treasure — the exit is all that matters. Use the Jetpack to fly directly toward the exit. If Star enemies block your path, freeze them with the Freeze Ray or bomb them. If the ghost spawns, do not panic — kite it by flying in wide circles. The ghost cannot fly through solid blocks, so use the terrain to block it when possible.
The True Crown Bonus: Wearing the True Crown in the Cosmic Ocean increases the value of every treasure pickup by 2x. This does not help survival directly, but more gold means more score. If you are going for a high score run, the True Crown is essential.