Fans of challenging 2D platformers and Roguelites will find a lot to love in Spelunky 2. This fast-paced, cave diving adventure can be played alone or with friends, and provides hours of fun for fans of the series and newcomers alike.
There are 20 different characters for players to control, with four available at the start of the game. Unlocking the other 16 playable avatars will require finding hidden coffins scattered throughout the game world. The characters are functionally identical, with the only differences being aesthetic; however, that hasn't stopped fans from picking favorites.
10 Dita Von Diamonds — A Damsel Turned Adventurer
Players looking for a classic, treasure hunter/adventurer like Indiana Jones or Lara Croft need to look no further than Dita Von Diamonds. To complete the comparison to the former, Dita even sports a brown jacket and whip.
This character appeared in the first game as the damsels found throughout the various levels. Now instead of being used as a human shield, Dita has taken her fate into her own hands. To unlock the Von Diamonds heiress, players will need to find the coffin in the Wet Fur cave located in the Ice Caves level.
9 Au — A Monk With A Heart Of Gold
Spelunky 2 not only has several characters from the first game, but revisits several locations as well. To access the legendary City of Gold, players must have the Hedjet in their inventory as well as the scepter. They can use these to open the golden door in the Temple of Anubis.
Near the entrance to this hidden city, players will find a coffin containing Au. This golden-skinned monk is on a quest to find enlightenment by pushing his mind and body to their limits.
8 Manfred Tunnel — The Original Short-Cut Builder
Back in the original Spelunky, players would often encounter a man in a blue jacket who would create shortcuts between levels for a price. The tunnel man returns in the sequel, under the name Manfred Tunnel.
In order to unlock this character, players will need to defeat Olmec and find Manfred's coffin in a subarea of his lair. Having left the shortcut business to his wife Terra Tunnel, this character has decided to use his newfound free time to take up spelunking.
7 Margaret Tunnel — The Cave Explorer Who Dreams Of The Sea
Many of the new characters introduced in Spelunky 2 are related to those from the first game. Margaret Tunnel is Manfred's daughter. Rather than take up the family business of digging shortcuts, has her eyes set on a very different future.
This magenta buccaneer is available as one of the starting characters. Margaret is obsessed with the ocean and isn't satisfied with living her entire life underground. Her goal is to earn enough money to afford her own pirate ship, so she can accomplish her dream of sailing the seven seas.
6 Roffy D Sloth — A Sloth With A Sense Of Style
Roffy may be one of the most unique starting characters the game has to offer. Those who are committed to setting a new speedrun record for Spelunky 2 might enjoy choosing this character for the humorous juxtaposition of a speedy sloth.
With a stylish hoodie and quiff, Roffy D Sloth looks like a pretty laid-back mammal; however, he is just as quick as any of the other characters. He isn't mentally slow either, as his description depicts him as the kind of sloth to have very deep thoughts that he rarely shares with anyone else.
5 LISE Project — A Robot On A Quest For Knowledge
Many of the characters in Spelunky 2 are embarking on their subterranean adventure for fame and fortune. On the other hand, this adorable robot is just in it for the fun. The LISE project's official mission is to gather data for its creator; however, she was primarily designed to explore and be happy.
In her eagerness to seek out new experiences, LISE has traveled far and wide, traversing many hazards along the way. In order to unlock this character, players should travel to the Volcana level and open the first coffin they find.
4 Nekka The Eagle — A Primitive Warrior With Big Questions
Be it her empty white eyes or the skull she wears as a helmet, Nekka is definitely the most formidable character in Spelunky 2's roster. Few enemies lurking in the subterranean depths will be able to stand against the might of this tribal warrior.
Nekka's coffin is located in the Black Market, the secret entrance to which can be found by acquiring the Udjat Eye. This character's motivation for adventuring is to find the gods. so she can interrogate them about the nature of the universe.
3 Ana Spelunky — A Girl On A Quest To Rescue Her Parents
A solid tip for those starting Spelunky 2 is to pick Ana as their character for their first playthrough. The game's story mainly revolves around this character; she is by far the closest thing the game has to a protagonist.
Ana is the daughter of the main character from the original Spelunky. Unfortunately, her parents have recently gone missing, leaving it up to her to rescue them. As such, she has traveled to the moon equipped only with her head torch and sheer determination to save her family.
2 Pilot — An Extraterrestrial Adventurer
In a cast of ninjas, tribal warriors, robots, and sloths, Pilot still manages to be the odd one out. This enigmatic little spaceman has clearly seen some things on his travels, if his permanently shocked expression is anything to go by.
Unlike all the other unlockable characters, players won't find Pilot in a coffin. Instead, in order to find Pilot, players will have to locate the Mothership deep within the Ice Caves, where they will find Pilot inside a green pod. Perhaps the Mothership is actually Pilot's own UFO that he keeps mumbling about.
1 Guy Spelunky — Two Versions Of The Same Character
The original protagonist of the first Spelunky game, and the father of Ana, is also available to unlock. Guy Spelunky is only unlocked at the end of the game, representing the successful conclusion of Ana's quest to rescue him.
The game also has a more difficult ending. Players can complete it by finding the secret Eggplant World, which will allow them to access the Sunken City. Achieving this ending will unlock the Classic guy skin, which will allow players to enjoy the original Spelunker in all his pixilated glory.