Mud Pit Mania

Mud Pit Mania is the second level of the Desert Island and the eighteenth level overall in Croc: Legend of the Gobbos. This is the first level that includes the use of fireflies to illuminate darkened sections of levels and the first of the two desert stages that has a Tornado/Duststorm. This is one of the hardest and longest stages on the game, harder than some of the stages on Crystal Island.

Walkthrough
First off, jump to the Monkey Bars just to your right. Swing across and drop to the crumbling platform, then jump across the platforms to reach the end with the Aztec-Styled Well. Don't jump in it yet, though. Instead, grab the Silver Key behind it, then return to the start. Go straight out along the rotating platforms (jump over the high one as it passes near you) and take out the Mummy at the end. He can hurt you while you're still on the platform, so jump off of it early. Open the Cage and press the Red Button, then return to start. Use the new platform to reach the crate containing GOBBO #1, and use it again to get on top of the Monkey Bars for the RED CRYSTAL, taking out the other Mummy. Now you can go and jump into the Well.

In the darkness, walk to the edges of the visible area to find new areas to jump to. First of all, turn around and go behind the Well you came out of. Swing under the Monkey Bars at the end, and jump down to the small island at the end. Cross the stretching platform to reach GOBBO #2, then retrace your steps to the Well (you can go over the Monkey Bars instead of under this time). At the other end of the island with the Well, jump to the stretching platform, then jump diagonally to another. Follow the jump to reach solid ground again where another Well awaits. There two paths behind it. Take the narrow one on the left first. It leads you to a patch of ground with a Tornado. Stay along the very edge of the path until it passes, then run across as it starts to vanish (if you get too close, it'll suck you in and possible throw you into the Mud Pit). Cross the trio of crumbling platforms to reach the Well beyond, and jump in.

Below, move the Push Box to the end. Climb up to the first crate and smash it, then use the Use the Push Box to jump to the rotating platforms. Ride around and jump to the crate in the corner with the Silver Key on top. Return to the rotating platforms and use them to reach the other crate with the GREEN GEM and GOBBO #3 in his Cage. Jump back in the Well to leave.

Return to the previous well past the Tornado and take the other path beyond it. Skip the crates, using them only to get on top of the Monkey Bars. Cross those to the Heart to reach a crumbling platform with the BLUE CRYSTAL. Grab it and jump back to the Monkey Bars, then return to the crates and smash them to receive GOBBO #4. Now, jump into the nearby Well.

Underwater now, pass through the Electric Fences quickly when they shut off. Tail attack the Jellyfish or just avoid them, but definitely grab the PURPLE CRYSTAL disguised as a normal crystal between them. At the end, move toward the Swimming Dantini from above or below to avoid his shot and slap him out of the way. Grab the Silver Key behind him and enter the tunnel. In the next area, you can slap the Shark or just avoid him, but be sure to rescue GOBBO #5 from the Cage. Ahead, descend a bit to take out the next Swimming Dantini and enter the tunnel behind him.

In more darkness, you see a Torch. Touching it will light the area for a short time. It is suggested that you take a quick look around, then let the light go out and reactivate it before heading out. There's a Heart in the corner behind the well you came out of and a Smash Box beside you. With a freshly-activated light, jump to the platform ahead, but without jumping into the Fireballs leaping out of the Mud Pit. On the other side, you cross a crumbling platform, again dodging Fireballs, then to more solid land, where another Torch awaits (which is good, since the light's probably going out now). Grab it then cross the next crumbling platform to reach some circling ones with a Torch in the middle if ever you need. Use these platforms to reach the YELLOW CRYSTAL and Heart in the corners, and from either of their platforms, jump to the land with the Beany Gong and the Crystal Door.

Another Ghost Race Challenge. Try and keep pace with him, if for no other reason than that there's a small column you have to jump onto that you can't see very well without the crystal on top of it. Follow the path dictated by the crystals. At one point, you'll have to hoist yourself up to the next platform, and if he didn't pass you before, the ghost will definitely pass you here. That's fine, though. At the very end you'll cross some crumbling platforms, and at one path you can choose to either another crumbling platform straight ahead or go to the right. Go straight ahead of the Ghost to get the Silver Key in front of the Beany Gong just ahead. Once you have that, return on the crumbling platforms and take the side path to rescue GOBBO #6, then go back to the Beany Gong and strike it to exit.



Gobbos

 * The first Gobbo is in the Smash Box at the very start of the level. Get the Silver Key behind the Well and use it to unlock the Cage containing a Red Button which causes a platform to appear, which you can use to reach the Smash Box.
 * The second Gobbo is in a Smash Box in the second area. Turn back from where you come out behind the Well and follow the path.
 * The third Gobbo is in the Smash Box next to the Monkey Bars in the second area.
 * The fourth Gobbo is in a Cage in the third area, found in the second Well.
 * The fifth Gobbo is trapped in a Cage in the fifth area. The Silver Key is found in the previous area by the Swimming Dantini.
 * The sixth Gobbo is obtained in the Crystal Door Challenge as a Ghost Race Challenge. Go through the area as fast as you can and you will reach the Silver Key. Go back across the breaking platforms and turn left to unlock the Cage to get the Gobbo. Retrace your steps to end the level. The diagram below shows the route and locations of the Crystals, the Cage, and the Silver Key.

Coloured Crystals

 * The RED CRYSTAL is in the Smash Box on top of the Monkey Bars in the first area.
 * The BLUE CRYSTAL is in the second area on a crumbling platform. Go through the area until you pass another Well. Go past it onto Smash Boxes onto the Monkey Bars, turn right and you will see it.
 * The PURPLE CRYSTAL is disguised as a white crystal and is found in the third area inside the second Well.
 * The GREEN CRYSTAL is in the Smash Box on the left in the third area.
 * The YELLOW CRYSTAL is disguised as a White Crystal and sits on a Platform to the left of the Crystal Door.

Hazards

 * Electric Fence
 * Tornado

Soundtrack
The following tracks are played in this level:
 * Track 42 "Desert 6"
 * Track 35 "Desert Darkness"
 * Track 39 "Desert 5"
 * Track 14 "Underwater 1"
 * Track 27 "Underwater 2"

Items

 * 96x White Crystals (42/47 before the Crystal Door and 54 in the Ghost Race Challenge
 * 6x Gobbos
 * 5x Coloured Crystals
 * 3x Silver Keys
 * 3x Hearts

Trivia

 * This is the first level to contain a Shark, Tornado, Electric Fence, Tall Platform, and Mummy.
 * This level is the second of two instances of a Gobbo trapped in a bubble, the other level is Darkness Descends.