Everything Spelunky 2 Changes From The Original

The original Spelunky was a deceptively complex and enjoyable roguelike platformer that provided hundreds of hours of addictive enjoyment. Now there is finally a sequel, and it mostly improves on everything that made the original such a breakthrough success. Spelunky 2 is truly a masterpiece for the genre, and will no doubt inspire many more games like it.

With a new game comes a new story and cast of wacky characters to join the ride. Spelunky 2 introduces its additions with tutorials, cutscenes, and entries in the survival manual so players never need to worry about being blindsided. For the most part, everything added goes toward widening the lore of this mysterious world.

Spelunky 2 provides a handful of quality of life changes as well that make things run smoother for players. Obviously, new things aren’t always great for everyone and there will be players who prefer things the way they were in the original Spelunky. Luckily, nearly everything adjusted in terms of control can be remapped to suit the player’s tastes. Here’s what to expect in Spelunky 2.

Spelunky 2’s New Characters

The first and most important character of Spelunky 2 is the game’s new protagonist, Ana Spelunky. She is the daughter of the missing Spelunker from the first game. Her mission is to find out what happened to her dad by throwing caution to the wind and going after his trail. There are also new side characters who help the player along their journey. Terra Tunnel, in particular, is one such character, and she replaces Tunnel Man from the original. She digs the shortcut tunnels that will be essential for players who want to work on mastering a certain area. Be sure to help her out in any way possible to unlock those tunnels.

Other characters include Roffy D. Sloth, a living sloth-man and Pug Damsel, who replaces the Damsel from the first game. Keep a keen ear out for his barking cries, because players who carry him to the exit will receive a loving lick that gives them additional health. All of the new characters in Spelunky 2 can be found congregating in the new hub world at the start of the game. Players can speak to them and visit their living quarters as well.

Spelunky 2’s New Enemies

There are a ton of new enemies patrolling the mines of Spelunky 2. Along with the returning enemies like the spiders and bats, there are now Cave Moles that will burrow through the caves and jump out to attack the player, Horned Lizards that roll up and bash the player with powerful strikes, and giant mosquitos. There are also Leprechauns, Hermit Crabs, and all sorts of dangerous enemies as the game progresses. All of these creatures get cataloged in the Bestiary after their first encounter, so players should be sure to read up on the thing that may have just killed them.

The inclusion of mini-bosses at the end of levels is a very welcome change to the Spelunky formula. For instance, there is a giant hulking mole-man that stalks the ending of the first level. He can be fought or avoided depending on what the player wishes to do. Keep in mind that fighting him is going to be a real challenge.

More Options For Play In Spelunky 2

The general environment in Spelunky 2 is even more diverse and more interactive than the first game. There are all new terrain types in the game along with different types of platforms, both normal and dangerous. There are now carved logs in the starting area that hit players who get too close in the same way that tiki poles did in the first game. Players should generally watch their step in this new world because nothing is exactly the same as it was.

There are now multiple ways to exit levels. When encountering mini-bosses, players can find secret paths that lead to the exit of the level without having to fight. These secret paths are now dotted throughout the world and lead to hidden areas of the game. Some of these areas are where new player characters will be hiding, and some of them will hold treasure guarded by various enemies. Take extreme caution when diving into one of these path ways.

The Shopkeepers have been busy since the last game. They are now hosting a series of special games on top of the spinning wheel game from the first. Players are encouraged to take a look and spend some money to hopefully win terrific prizes. As always, avoid angering the Shopkeepers because they are even more powerful now than they were before. Finally, there are now ridable mounts such as turkeys in Spelunky 2. Climb onto the backs of certain animals, and with a bit of coaxing, they can be made to be quite valuable allies. Turkeys for instance, can jump further than the player and use their wings to glide for a short time.

More Weapons + Items In Spelunky 2

The Shopkeepers in Spelunky 2 aren’t the only ones packing heat. Players have access to way more than just the ordinary weapons on offer in the original game. Flamethrowers and Cloning Guns have been added to the game, along with many more inventive and helpful tools and weapons. Players should stop by a shop and check out what they can buy, as well as search the world for crates that may contain these tools.

There are also consumables which augment gameplay. Players can get their hands on buffs that make weapons handle better or even make them float above the ground for a certain amount of time. Additionally, there are now poisons and antidotes that can be used to benefit and to harm the player. Be careful when playing with these volatile poisons.

Online Play In Spelunky 2

Players can now jump into Spelunky 2 with their friends online. The first game featured a very interactive local co-op and a few challenge modes that could be played with friends. Spelunky 2 includes all of the modes from the first game in addition to online multiplayer and new PvP challenges to compete in. The online ecosystem for Spelunky 2 is vibrant and already filled with hundreds of players.

Control Changes In Spelunky 2

In general, Spelunky 2 plays the same as the original with a few notable tweaks. Spelunky 2 runs more smoothly than the original when it comes to responsive controls. On consoles, the first game had an issue with the player character stopping and turning around backwards instead of facing in the direction they were traveling in. This would cause players to miss shots and possibly get injured by enemies due to mistimed attacks. This issue is completely gone in the sequel.

The game just looks and functions better this time around. Jumps are more precise and attacks feel more powerful and refined. Some of these changes are intended for quality of life, but may be difficult for seasoned players to get behind. There is an option to keep Run toggled at all times instead of controlling it. Also, the button to enter and leave areas has been changed. This may be hard to adapt to for players of the original. Luckily, all of these changes can be remapped in the game’s options menu.

Overall, Spelunky 2 does pretty much everything right in terms of giving players more of what they loved from the first game. The things it adds are welcome, and for the most part everything that gets changed is for the better. New and old players will find a lot of love about this new title.