It sometimes feels like the shops in Spelunky 2 don’t ever have what you need. Be it a Jetpack, Skeleton Key, or Shotgun, many unseeded runs don’t have the necessary shops to put together the right equipment. This can be frustrating as proceeding through the game without certain weapons and accessories is very difficult.
But what if there was a way to guarantee you can get what you want on an unseeded run every time? Imagine if you could put aside all RNG and know full well that by the time you reach Olmec, you’ll have the best items in the game. That’s where the Black Market comes into play.
What is the Black Market?
The Black Market is a hidden level in Spelunky 2. It can found tucked away in the depths of the Jungle and offers a range of useful items for those that can find it. Like any other shop, the stock is still randomly generated, but there are so many different shops that you are basically guaranteed to get something good.
I’ve been to the Black Market several times and have left with a shotgun in hand and a Jetpack equipped every time. The best part? Although you can buy the items, it’s actually pretty easy to acquire everything for free. Simply vandalize a shopkeepers store from above with bombs and let them fight each other. Finally, swoop down and grab one of their dropped shotguns to dispose of the remaining shopkeeper.
Some of the items found in the Black Market can get rather expensive. You’ll want to save up as much cash as possible before getting here.
But more so than any regular piece of equipment in Spelunky 2, there lies a treasure unique to the Black Market. For a fee of $40,000, you can purchase the Hedjet. The Hedjet is a passive item that can be used alongside the Scepter to grant access to the City of Gold.
Although it’s hard to reach, there are great fortunes awaiting those who enter the City of Gold. It’s possible to earn over $500,000 in a full exploration of this city. That’s enough to buy anything you’ll ever need and to acquire some of the highest imaginable leaderboard scores.
Getting there
As with many of Spelunky 2‘s secrets, you’ll first need to find the Golden Key. The Golden Key is an item that will always drop on either Level 1-2 or 1-3. It can often be tucked away in a hard to reach place, so be sure to save some bombs and ropes just in case.
Once you’ve acquired the key, carry it and look for a cave on the same level. Inside that cave should be a chest that you can unlock with the Golden Key. Open it up and pick up the item it drops, the Udjat Eye. The Udjat Eye serves many purposes in Spelunky 2, but we’re interested in its ability to scan levels for secret entrances such as the Black Market.
If you want to make the most out of the Udjat Eye, it also allows you to see gems and items hidden in walls. Excavating these can be a good way to build up funds before reaching the Black Market.
With your Udjat Eye ready, you’ll want to head to the Jungle. This is found by going through the bottom left door at the end of level 1-4. Don’t go through the bottom right door as this will lead you to the Volcano, instead.
The first level of the Jungle doesn’t matter, so just make your way to level 2-2 while trying to avoid taking damage. The Jungle is a dangerous region filled with multiple one-hit-kill mechanics. There are also enemies than can inflict the curse debuff, so be careful.
Scanning for treasure
You’ve now completed the majority of the set-up and are ready to enter the Black Market. The Black Market can spawn on any one of the remaining Jungle levels. That includes 2-2, 2-3, and 2-4. In order to find the Black Market, you’re going to need the help of the Udjat Eye.
At the top of your screen, you should notice the Udjat Eye symbol. When you come within a certain distance of the market’s entrance, the eye will flicker open. This is how you know that you’re on the right level. In order to get the eye to blink, you’ll want to scan every corner of the three possible levels the Black Market can spawn in. It’s easy to miss it if you don’t take your time.
I lucked out here, but sometimes the entrance can spawn in a less practical area. If so, you might need sticky bombs to expose it. The Paste needed to create these is dropped by Giant Spiders in the Jungle.
The closer you get to the entrance the more the eye will blink. If you can get it to blink every second or so, that means you’re likely on top of the entrance. This means you can now start dropping bombs in order to expose the way in.
Upon entering, you’ll find yourself in a narrow cave passage. Make your way down it and you’ll enter the Black Market. If this is your first time, then doing so will also unlock the Shadow Shopper achievement. Speaking of which, first-time visitors should head to the opposite side to where you entered. Here you will find a coffin that can be hit to unlock a new character, Nekka the Eagle.
For more useful Spelunky 2 tips and guides, be sure to check out our official guides and features hub.
Published: Oct 9, 2020 06:00 pm