Crash Bandicoot Gems walkthrough: All green, white, red, blue, purple, yellow coloured Gem locations, Key locations, Secret Levels and how to 100% each game
How to fully unlock everything in each game.
Crash Bandicoot is back! The N Sane trilogy features remakes of the original three PlayStation adventures, with a glossy facelift that keeps the levels and incredible challenge intact, and is now availably on Switch, PC, and Xbox as well as the PS4.
While completing each stage is one thing, finishing them 100% is another thing entirely. Not only that, but the way you find all Gem locations and Key locations is slightly different in each game, so knowing how that works will save you a lot of time and hassle.
If you're looking for more general tips and an explanation of what's new meanwhile, you'll want to take a look at our Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy Guide and tips.
Crash Bandicoot Gem Locations, Coloured Gems and Key Locations
Each stage has one Gem to unlock, which is done by smashing every crate on a single runthrough of a level.
On White Gem stages, you can lose a life while you attempt this, but coloured Gems require you to complete it in a single attempt, with no lives lost. In both cases, you need to also clear their special stages, but thankfully you can at least die as many times as you like in those without risk of losing a life or the Gem.
| Island | Stage | Gem Required | Gem Unlocked |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | N. Sanity Beach | None | White |
| 1 | Jungle Rollers | Green | White |
| 1 | The Great Gate | Yellow | White |
| 1 | Boulders | None | White |
| 1 | Upstream | Yellow | White |
| 1 | Rolling Stones | Blue | White |
| 1 | Hog Wild | None | White |
| 1 | Native Fortress | Red | White |
| 2 | Up The Creak | None | White |
| 2 | The Lost City | None | Green |
| 2 | Temple Ruins | None | White |
| 2 | Road To Nowhere | Red | White |
| 2 | Boulder Dash | Purple | White |
| 2 | Whole Hog (Secret) | None | White |
| 2 | Sunset Vista | None | White, Key 1 |
| 3 | Heavy Machinery | None | White |
| 3 | Cortex Power | Blue | White |
| 3 | Generator Room | None | Orange |
| 3 | Toxic Waste | None | Blue |
| 3 | The High Road | None | White |
| 3 | Slippery Climb | None | Red |
| 3 | Lights Out | Yellow | Purple |
| 3 | Fumbling In the Dark (Secret) | None | White |
| 3 | Jaws Of Darkness | Blue | White, Key 2 |
| 3 | Castle Machinery | None | White |
| 3 | The Lab | None | Yellow |
| 3 | The Great Hall | N/A | N/A |
Crash Bandicoot 2 Gem Locations, Coloured Gems and Secret Levels
Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back mixed things up, introducing Warp Rooms and Crystals for the first time, and with them a series of pretty complex secret entrances and exits to various levels.
There's also an added layer of complexity to how you get coloured Gems. Instead of simply clearing a level without dying, you now have to perform a variety of actions - like finishing a level without destroying any crates.
Finally, Death Routes were introduced. These are special platforms that take you to Bonus Rounds, but are only available if you reach them without dying in that level. Throw in the fact that you'll need to double back for one or two of them, and they're a pretty dastardly mechanic. Good luck!
| Warp Room | Level | White Gem | Coloured Gem and Secrets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jungle | Turtle Woods | Destroy all crates | Blue - Finish level without destroying any crates. |
| Jungle | Snow Go | Destroy all crates | Red - from bonus entrance, via Air Crash level. |
| Jungle | Hang Eight | 1. Destroy all crates (requires Blue Gem) 2. Beat the time trial | None |
| Jungle | The Pits | Destroy all crates | None |
| Jungle | Crash Dash | Destroy all crates | None |
| Ice | Snow Biz | Destroy all crates | None |
| Ice | Air Crash | 1. Clear the Death Path 2. Destroy all crates (requires access via secret entrance from Bear Down) | Secret Warp to Snow Go - after the first checkpoint crate by arrow crate, hop over the jetski to right-hand platform via the floating crates. |
| Ice | Bear It | Destroy all crates | None |
| Ice | Crash Crush | Destroy all crates | None |
| Ice | The Eel Deal | Destroy all crates | Green - go right on the fork, walk through back wall behind nitro crates. |
| Sewer | Plant Food | Destroy all crates | Yellow - complete the timed section. |
| Sewer | Sewer or Later | 1. Destroy all crates 2. Access platform (requires Yellow Gem) | None |
| Sewer | Bear Down | Destroy all crates | Secret Warp to Air Crash - at the very end of the level, double back across the floating platforms on foot. |
| Sewer | Road to Ruin | 1. Clear the Death Path 2. Destroy all crates (requires access via Diggin' It Secret Warp) | None |
| Sewer | Un-Bearable | Destroy all crates | Secret Warp to Totally Bear - When you get thrown off the bear at the end, walk back to it by slide-jumping over the chasm and jumping behind the cub. |
| Alpine | Hangin' Out | Destroy all crates | Secret Warp to Totally Fly - After dropping into the hole that takes you to a checkpoint and the Crystal, walk towards the camera to drop down another hole, and a short secret passage. |
| Alpine | Diggin' It | 1. Clear the Death Path 2. Destroy all crates. | Secret Warp to Road to Ruin - Jump on the platform with the bomb-throwing plant near the end of the level and kill it with belly flop. |
| Alpine | Cold Hard Crash | 1. Clear the Death Path 2. Destroy all crates. | None |
| Alpine | Ruination | 1. Destroy all crates 2. Clear the Green path (requires Green Gem). | None |
| Alpine | Bee-Having | Destroy all crates | Purple - jump onto Nitro stairs. |
| High-Tech | Piston It Away | 1. Clear Death Path 2. Destroy all crates and double back to exit via Death Path. | None |
| High-Tech | Rock It | Destroy all crates | None |
| High-Tech | Night Fight | 1. Clear Death Path 2. Destroy all crates | None |
| High-Tech | Pack Attack | Destroy all crates | None |
| High-Tech | Spaced Out | 1. Destroy all crates 2. Complete level (requires all coloured Gems) | None |
| Secret (via Un-Bearable) | Totally Bear | Destroy all crates | None |
| Secret (via Hangin' Out) | Totally Fly | Destroy all crates | None |
Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped Gem Locations, Coloured Gems and Secret Levels
The final game in the trilogy, Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped built on the concept of the Warp Rooms and Crystals added in Crash 2. While the secret entrances and exits are slightly less complicated than those in the previous entry, that certainly doesn't make them easy.
Two completely hidden levels, a 105 per cent maximum completion rate, and hidden Warps all mean this Crash is still as challenging as ever.
| Warp Room | Level | White Gem | Coloured Gem and Secrets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medieval | Toad Village | Destroy all crates | None |
| Medieval | Under Pressure | Destroy all crates | None |
| Medieval | Orient Express | Destroy all crates | None |
| Medieval | Bone Yard | 1. Destroy all crates 2. Red Gem path | None |
| Medieval | Makin' Waves | Destroy all crates | None |
| Arabian | Gee Wiz | Destroy all crates | None |
| Arabian | Hang'em high | Destroy all crates | None |
| Arabian | Hog ride | Destroy all crates | None |
| Arabian | Tomb Time | 1. Destroy all crates 2. Death Route | None |
| Arabian | Midnight Run | Destroy all crates | None |
| Oriental | Dino Might! | 1. Destroy all crates 2. Yellow Gem path | On Yellow Gem Path, jump on the second Pterodactyl sitting on the tree trunk after the dinosaur chase to access Hot Coco. |
| Oriental | Deep Trouble | Destroy all crates | Red Gem - shoot ! crate near the end of the level, then backtrack to wall of TNT and metal crates, detonate them, and complete exta level section. |
| Oriental | High Time | Destroy all crates | Purple Gem - on Death Route. |
| Oriental | Road Crash | Destroy all crates | Knock over the Yellow sign with a black alien head on it to access Eggipus Rex. |
| Oriental | Double Header | Destroy all crates | None |
| Egyptian | Sphynxinator | 1. Destroy all crates 2. Blue Gem path | None |
| Egyptian | Bye Bye Blimps | Destroy all crates | None |
| Egyptian | Tell No Tales | Destroy all crates | None |
| Egyptian | Future Frenzy | 1. Destroy all crates 2. Destroy all crates on secret route | None |
| Egyptian | Tomb Wader | Destroy all crates | Blue Gem - on Death Route |
| Future | Gone Tomorrow | 1. Destroy all crates 2. Green Gem path | None |
| Future | Orange Asphalt | Destroy all crates | None |
| Future | Flaming Passion | Destroy all crates | Green gem - on Death Route |
| Future | Mad Bombers | Destroy all crates | None |
| Future | Bug lite | 1. Destroy all crates 2. on Multicoloured Gem path, requires all coloured Gems | None |
| Neo-Cortex System (Basement Warp) | Ski Crazed | Destroy all crates | Accessed via secret Basement Warp Room, which requies 5 Relics. This level requires 5 Relics to unlock. |
| Neo-Cortex System (Basement Warp) | Hang'em High (secret) | Destroy all crates | Accessed via secret Basement Warp Room, which requies 5 Relics. This level requires 10 Relics to unlock. Yellow Gem - end of level. |
| Neo-Cortex System (Basement Warp) | Area 51? | 1. Destroy all crates 2. Win race. | Accessed via secret Basement Warp Room, which requies 5 Relics. This level requires 15 Relics to unlock. |
| Neo-Cortex System (Basement Warp) | Future Frenzy (secret) | Destroy all crates | Accessed via secret Basement Warp Room, which requies 5 Relics. This level requires 20 Relics to unlock. |
| Neo-Cortex System (Basement Warp) | Rings of Power | 1. Destroy all crates 2. Win race. | Accessed via secret Basement Warp Room, which requies 5 Relics. This level requires 25 Relics to unlock. |
| Secret Levels | Hot Coco | Destroy all crates | Accessed via Warp in Road Crash. |
| Secret Levels | Eggipus Rex | Destroy all crates | Accessed via Warp in Dino Might! |
For more general tips and an explanation of what's new, be sure to take a look at our Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy Guide and tips.
Additional reporting by Matthew Reynolds.