So I FINALLY made it to the Jungle in Spelunky after picking it up in the sale this week. There are achievements and mentions of shortcutting, and I've tried rescuing Damsels and stealing artifacts but they just give me money/hearts.

Is there something I'm missing, or is 'shortcutting' something obvious like using bombs to blast your way down?

Thanks.

When you reach the end of the mine area the tunnel man will ask for something (ropes, bombs, shotgun, etc). Give the tunnel man what he wants enough times and he'll make the shortcut so you can start in the jungle or further areas.

You've only just scratch the surface of how fucked up this game is. Tunnel man is a harsh master but wait until you trie your first hell run

@pyrodactyl: Oh shiiiieeeet. Please stop scaring me.

@mosespippy: Thanks. I had no bombs the first time.

@pyrodactyl: I've been playing since the game came out on Vita and still haven't made it to Hell. Farthest I've gotten is 4-3.

I've been playing off and on for a while now on Vita. I'm not particularly good at it. I made it to the ice caves ONCE, then died almost immediately. I was like, hey, what are those pretty purple things floating towards... damn it. It was like the light bugs in the dark levels. I avoided them because I was sure they'd kill me... This game is a bitch. And I HATE MONKEYS. And I don't know who thought the dark levels were a good idea... but I do keep going back to it. Kinda tired of the jungle, though. Hopefully I'll unlock the shortcut at some point.

So, does it disgust you as much as it does me that there are people who speed-run this game? Cause, what assholes.

I would very much recommend watching a few runs on Youtube or something similar. Northernlion has done quite a few, and Destructoid did 'the daily spelunk' for a few months. I suggest this because you can pick up some great tips that way. Nuance, of which this game has by the bucketload. Particularly regarding stealing from the shopkeepers, and living to tell the tale. Super, super useful.

A good case in point, if you can spare 40 minutes or so - Warning: there's spoliers for later levels, if you're sensitive to that kind of thing:

I finally picked Spelunky up on Vita after watching hours and hours of these vids, and have managed to reach the ice levels and beyond almost every time. I don't think it's because I'm pro or anything like that, there's just a lot to learn, and it saves you many many hours of learning the hard way.

Best of luck to you! :)

I've made it close to the hell entrance several times lately but I cannot beat that stupid gold head anymore. I try to make a hole with his slams but then eventually I get wedged between the wall of the hole and his butt. I should probably even out the ground but I get sooooo impatient by that time.

Biggest tip I could give, so you don't ever need short-cuts hopefully.... Don't attack those shop-keepers. You may want all their shit but you won't like all their swarming brothers by the exit every time. I only kill them now in the black market if I'm short on cash for the cross.

@gnatsol: Everytime I fight Olmec I use a rope to go up top and there are usually enough bombs in the crates to make a hole big enough. You can keep Olmec to one side and bomb your way down without worry.

@demoskinos Yeah, I hate those guys. Beating Hell in under 7 minutes, fuck them.