Venus Fly Von-Trappe (level)

Venus Fly Von-Trappe is the first Guardian level in the Caveman Village.

Walkthrough
At the start, look to the right and smash open the crystal crate. Move to the left side of the Lava Pit. Jump to the Swing Rope when it swings back just as the Fly Trap opens, and jump off the far side before the Fly Trap closes on you again. Jump across the islands, and repeat for the second Swing Rope. Stomp open the crystal crate on the far side of the Lava Pit, then enter the cavern.

Watch out for the Skeleton Dantinis in this cave. You don't have much light, and if you're moving carelessly, you'll run right into one. Attack them before they can assemble themselves. Smash the crystal crate in between the first two tunnels, then the one at the top of the second tunnel. The exit from the cavern is on the left here.

Outside, break open the crystal crate, then cross the bridge. You have two choices to reach the crystal crate on the island below; you can jump down to it directly, or you can ride the Balloon above you, then swing past one of the Fly Traps. Either way, you'll have to swing back to the next cavern entrance.

In the dark once more, kill the nearby Skeleton Dantinis, as well as the ones you encounter as you run up the tunnel. In the room above, there are several Skeleton Dantinis all around. There is also a crystal crate to the left. The next tunnel is found to the right. In the next room up, still more enemies, and two crystal crates.

Outdoors once more, stand underneath the Balloon, then jump to it just as the Fly Traps open. You'll sail over the last one as they all close. Smash open the last crystal crate, then head into the boss arena.

Note the funky music. Can you name that tune? Von-Trappe's first hazard is the burrowing vine that moves around the top of the arena. It is restricted to the darker brown soil, so stay off of that until you can spot it. It is blind, meaning that it will move around the area regardless of where you are, so you can easily avoid it. It is hazardous to you whether it's below the ground or above, so stay clear. Now, the rocks that the helpful Gobbo told you to feed to the plant are lying around its base. Watch the pattern of its tentacle whips, and run in to pick up a rock when it's safe. Carry the rock to the top of one of the dark brown ramps on either side of the arena, and stand directly on top of the darker sliver of earth (you'll be safe from the burrowing tentacle here). Face the ramp, and press [Square] to throw the rock as Von Trappe's mouth is opening and the main tentacle on that side has swung down, to prevent it from blocking the shot. The timing can be tricky, though if you just throw at random times you'll get it right soon enough. After a successful hit, Von Trappe will spit out a Gobbo, who will roll down directly in front of him. Run down to collect him, then pick up another rock. Whenever you run out of rocks, a few more will be spat out. Each time you free a Gobbo, one point on Von Trappe's life meter vanishes. After two rescues, his tentacle strikes are slightly quicker, but if you've figured out his pattern by now, you're pretty much home free.

Trivia

 * The soundtrack for this level is a remix of the 1969 song 'Venus' by Shocking Blue.
 * Venus Fly Von-Trappe is a play on words on both the fly eating Venus fly trap plant and the Von Trapp family from the 1959 Rogers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music